Book Club - Shakespeare
I've had a slow start on my end, but from the onset we're dealing with fealty and feelings. Titus is offered the position of emperor but he declines and aligns with Saturninus against his brother, Bassianus. When Titus bestows his daughter, Lavinia, to the new Caesar, we learn she was already promised to Bassianus.
S shouldn't be mad though, because he's just fallen for the Goth prisoner, the Queen, Tamora. But he does hold it against Titus, even after Titus kills his own son, Mutius, for protecting his sister. He considers his sons treasonous.
Tamora calms everyone down though and makes amends. She quietly tells Saturninus that she will massacre them all, for him, and herself. She had begged Titus not to kill her son Alarbus, but Lucius gleefully carried out the sentence.
By Act II I realized the Moor, Aaron, is Tamora's lover. Her sons, Chiron and Demetrius, are now in love with Lavinia as well. And Titus has taken Saturninus on a hunt...
As it starts to get real messy, I can see how this might play out, in a vengeful Shakespearean way.
I read a bit of an overall that suggested this is one play where the main character, the one we're meant to root for, is not very deserving. Looking at it now, it seems he may be to blame for all of this.
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