Example research essay topic: Act 1 Scene 2 Titus Andronicus - 1,490 words

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... hatred and plotting but in Act 1, Scene 2 we see the smallest glimpse of Iago's true feelings for Othello. Though I hate him as I do hell pains-/ Yet for the necessity of present life/ I must show out a flag of love (Greenblatt 2104). So upon reflection of Othello, we need to identify who fell. Obviously Othello and Iago, for their history was well documented throughout the play, but smaller characters also tragically fell from their positions, although mostly without any fault of their own. Casino, Emilia, and Rodrigo had the consequences of their actions catch up to them, but mostly it was due to what they did not do or rather realize, instead of what they did do.

Iago for example, used Emilia quite frequently, but it was she who brought Desdemonas handkerchief to Iago, and set off the worst chain of events in the entire play. Up until the handkerchief was given to Othello, he was still second-guessing Desdemonas infidelity, but that piece of cloth literally sealed her fate. So is it fair to again condemn characters for their inability to see the illusive? Well, Emilia was portrayed as a smart character, much like Gertrude in Hamlet, and to see her as completely innocent is not realistic. Regardless of how many characters fell in Othello, we again see Shakespeare take his characters, and subject them to the consequences of their own actions, and in that, they suffer the full wraith of their flaws. Shakespeare also reveals the consequences of a leaders actions in The Tempest.

Here we see something a little different, since this play is not so much a Tragedy but a Romance/ Fantasy, but nevertheless, we see the main character Prospero suffer from his own flaws. Harold Bloom actually summarizes the play quite well in his book The Invention of the Human, but his conclusion that The Tempest is, fundamentally pilotless (662), seems like a misconception to me. The entire story flowed well as far as I could tell, and the interaction of the characters in their surrounded worked well to conceive a fluid climax. I do agree with Blooms opinions on the character Caliban being very misunderstood and misread by theatre directors, but he leaves a lot unsaid about Prospero. He does however refer to him as godlike (Bloom 669) and alluded to a connection between Shakespeare and Prospero, but what were looking for is Prospero's apparent fall as the leader of Milan, which we find in Act 1, Scene 2: Whereon, A treacherous army levied, one midnight Fated to thpurose did Antonio open The gates of Milan; and, Ithdead of darkness, The ministers for the purpose hurried hence Me and thy crying self. (Greenblatt 3060). Here we get a look at the night Antonio sent the ministers to exile Prospero and his young, crying daughter.

In this play however, the consequences of the leaders actions where far less severe than most Shakespearean plays, probably for the reason that Prospero's flaws where not considered as bad as the previous examples involving revenge or murder. Prospero's problem was that he had become an apathetic ruler, and only cared about his books, and the quest for knowledge. That theme actually speaks volumes about the ideas that Shakespeare was trying to get the reader / audience to think about, like how much knowledge or the pursuit of knowledge is too much? Even though Prospero's exile is fundamentally seen as a consequence of his apathetic and lackluster leadership, it is still a consequence of his actions that Shakespeare makes him suffer. Regardless of the themes and genre of The Tempest, we still get another view of a leader falling from the consequences of his own actions. Perhaps on of the greatest examples of Tragedy and the consequences of a characters actions has to be Titus Andronicus.

Any critical piece of Shakespearean literature regarding Tragedy must include this play which was brilliantly summarized by Richard Courtney in his book Shakespeare's World of War. It is a lurid horror play, crudely violent, a chamber of horrors that includes thirteen deaths, two mutilations, one violent rape, and a cannibal banquet at which Tamora, the Queen of the Goths, is fed a pie made out of the bodies of her two sons. (Courtney 152). Titus himself goes through an entire tragic circle in the play, where he was once the gallant general of Rome returning to his homeland, but eventually became the fallen, horrified father of dead children. His homecoming is rather triumphant, as he slaughters an heir to the Goth Queen, and is offered the crown of Rome. Soon after however, through an argued marriage contract to the new Emperor Saturninus, Titus finds himself on the bottom of the social pyramid, as an outlaw so to speak. From their Titus falls even father, after having a few of his sons killed (one by to his own hand in fact), and his daughter being violently mutilated and raped.

This is by far one of the most Tragic play of its kind, and still haunts theatergoers to this day. But let us not forget the other characters in this barbaric play that succumb to the consequences of their actions. Tamora, Queen of the Goths has revenge acted out upon her two fold, as she is served dinner at Titus home which ends up being the bodies of her missing sons. After her devious part in the fall of Titus (which was revenge for the murder of her first son), it seems like Tamora got what she deserved.

Saturninus also got his in the end as well. At the same dinner party, we see the Emperor partake in the same meal as Tamora, and he is eventually killed by Lucius, after he kills Titus. Here we see more evidence that Shakespeare gives his characters what they deserve in the conclusion of the play, in regards to their actions from the beginning. Tamora and Saturninus both fall from their positions as King and Queen of Rome, and it is obvious that it is entirely due to their brutal agenda towards Titus. Another character that must be mentioned when discussing Titus, is the reoccurrence of the illusive trickster, this time, Aaron. Again Shakespeare uses the evil man behind the scenes (much like Iago from Othello), to convey, or rather give reason for all the devious plot lines that the characters find themselves in.

One thing that almost exactly mimics Othello, is the use of two contrasting skin colors to make the audience notice the true distinction between good and bad. In Othello we have the deceptive and evil Iago, who is white compared to the dark-skinned Othello, but in Titus we have Aaron the moor, who is greatly contrasted against the white-skinned Titus. This distinction is not by coincidence, rather, it shows the reader/ audience the contrast between the main character and his adversary, even though the characters themselves often cant see the difference. One thing that I have to disagree with Richard Courtney on is his presumption that Titus fails to reach tragic stature because it does not evoke real sympathy. (Courtney 162), but I think that is far from true. The rape, mutilation, and eventual murder of Lavinia is by far one of the most sympathetic things that Ive ever read (after you get over the initial shock), and to say that Titus himself doesnt have some form of redeeming sympathies is absurd. His revenge actually causes the reader to applaud him, thereby conclusively showing its sympathetic mindset for revenge.

I think it is hard to not be somewhat sympathetic for Titus, simply because he has lost so much. Even though it is evident that he lost or caused the loss of most of what he holds dear, it nonetheless evokes feelings of empathy. The reader even felt sympathy for the evil Tamora in the opening scene of Titus, when her son was brutally sacrificed. Simply put, it is impossible to not be sympathetic for anyone who losses that much, in that short of a period, no matter how bitter and mean the character has been... Throughout the major Tragedies such as Hamlet, Othello, and Titus Andronicus, we see various examples of reoccurring themes regarding the fall of a hero.

We can even see smaller but nevertheless similar examples of a leaders fall in plays like The Tempest. William Shakespeare not only reveals the consequences of great leaders actions in his plays, but he shows how their flaws can irreversibly lead to their destruction. What we have been left with in essence, is a warning of sorts. One which shows us that men do indeed have to pay for the consequences of their flawed emotions and actions, and that they do have a bearing on our lives. Truly there is no action without a reaction, and Shakespeare eloquently reveals that to the reader and the audience through his noble yet flawed characters.

Research essay sample on Act 1 Scene 2 Titus Andronicus