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Shakespeare’s tragedies

Merlyn MannovXI A

Titus Andronicus (the bloodiest) Romeo and Juliet ( one of the Shakespeare's most

popular plays during his lifetime and his most frequently performed plays)

Hamlet (one of his most frequently performed plays)

Othello Macbeth (one of his most frequently performed

plays) King Lear (the most tragic of Shakespeare’s

tragedies) Antony and Cleopatra Timon of Athens (the least known of

Shakespeare’s tragedy) Troilus and Cressida

“Heart” tragedies Love tragedies

Involve a pair of lovers torn apart by fate and society

The main characters are pawns pulled along toward death or permanent separation

Romeo and Juliet Antony and Cleopatra Othello

“Head” tragedies Defined by their relationship to Greek

philosopher Aristotle’s theories of dramatic tragedy

They feature a fatally-flawed protagonist fully capable of free will who unfortunately has his good traits overcome by ego.

Titus Andronicus Hamlet Macbeth King Lear Timon of Athens

The hero

Not villain or saint but generally a good person destroyed by his own ego or fate

Capable of both good and evil

With opportunities for redemption, but never is able to take them in time, leading almost always to death.

Titus Andronicus Shakespeare’s

earliest tragedy (written in the 1590s)

The bloodiest of his tragedies

Titus General of Rome and

tragic hero of the play

Father of Lavinia and Lucius

Has spent the last ten years fighting Rome's enemies and winning honor for his country

Russell Roberts as Titus

Tamora

Queen of the Goths

Mother of Chiron and Demetrius

Associated with barbarism, savagery, and unrestrained lasciviousness

Encourages her sons to rape Titus’ daughter Lavinia

Aaron Tamora's Moorish lover Convinces Tamora’s

remaining sons to rape and mutilate Titus’s daughter Lavinia

When 2 of Titus’ sons were imprisoned Aaron told Tamora to tell Titus that if he would cut off his own hand she would set his sons free

He was buried chest-deep and left to die of thirst and starvation

Lavinia The only daughter of

Titus Andronicus Spurns Saturninus's

offer to make her his empress because she is in love with Bassianus

She is brutally raped and disfigured by Chiron and Demetrius

Marcus Andronicus

Roman Tribune of the People

Brother of Titus Andronicus

Calm

Marcus, Lavinia, Titus

Saturninus

The eldest son of the late Emperor of Rome

Titus successfully advocates for him to be the new emperor

Chooses Tamora for his empress

Saturninus and Tamora

Bassianus

The younger brother of Saturninus

He steals her away when Saturninus wants to make her his empress

Murdered by Chiron and Demetrius

Lucius

Titus's only surviving son

Defends his sister, Lavinia, from their father after she runs away with Bassianus

Tries to free his captive brothers Quintus and Martius, for which he is banished from Rome

Moves from bloodthirsty youth to sober leader

Chiron and Demetrius

Sons of Tamora Two Goth princes They murder

Bassianus and then brutally rape and disfigure Lavinia

Killed by Titus

Thank you for your attention!