‘Titus Andronicus,’ a Shakespearian tragedy, begins with the death of the current Roman Emperor. Titus, a general in the Roman army, returns victoriously from his conquest against the Goths. He returns with the Goth’s queen and her sons, one of whom he sacrifices.
Because Titus sacrificed one of her sons, the queen and her other sons swear revenge on Titus. Titus is offered the crown, however, he refuses it and insists the rightful heir take the throne. The Emperor wishes to take the Queen of the Goths as his wife, which plays into the hands of the revenge plot she seeks.
The Queen’s son persuades Titus’ men to rape and mutilate Titus’ daughter. As a result, he is forced to murder his own daughter, because ancient Roman law states that an individual who is raped must be put to death.
Titus soon learns of their plan of revenge, and murders both those responsible for the rape of his daughter and the Queen. The murder of the Queen sets off a chain reaction in which Titus dies, along with the emperor and his enemies.
William Shakespeare received mixed reviews on ‘Titus Andronicus,’ which was one of his first tragedies, because it was one of the most violent productions of the time, as well one of the least respected. It is believed that it was written sometime in the late 1580s.
This year’s production of ‘Titus Andronicus’ will run from April 11-14, and each performance is at 8 p.m. in the Downs Hall Theatre. Ticket prices will be $8.00 for the general public and $6.00 for students, seniors, and staff.
“Knowledge of and appreciation for the art of theatre are important aspects in a society that wishes to maintain its culture, consciousness, compassion, and humanity,” said Michael Allen, director of technical theatre.
“Theatre isn’t just a hobby, in fact, the skills learned can help individuals through multiple scenarios,” said Matthew Pecek, sophomore and double major in media arts and musical theatre. “The ideas of voice and presence and so many other things people use in the theater are what makes us presentable in job interviews and class.”
Just as an opinion, I would like to point out that most of the article is a synopsis of the play. I am involved in the production, and I would have liked to see our specific production highlighted, rather than a Sparknotes version.