Titus Andronicus (Folger Shakespeare Library)

Titus Andronicus (Folger Shakespeare Library)

<i>Titus Andronicus</i> is the earliest tragedy and the earliest Roman play attributed to Shakespeare. Titus, a model Roman, has led twenty-one of his twenty-five sons to death in Rome’s wars; he stabs another son to death for what he views as disloyalty to Rome. Yet Rome has become “a wilderness of tigers.” After a death sentence is imposed on two of his three remaining sons, and his daughter is raped and mutilated, Titus turns his loyalty toward his family.<BR> <BR>Aaron the Moor, a magnificent villain and the empress’s secret lover, makes a similar transition. After the empress bears him a child, Aaron devotes himself to preserving the baby. Retaining his thirst for evil, he shows great tenderness to his little family—a tenderness that also characterizes Titus before the terrifying conclusion.<BR> <BR>The authoritative edition of <i>Titus Andronicus</i> from The Folger Shakespeare Library, the trusted and widely used Shakespeare series for students and general readers, includes:<BR> <BR> -Freshly edited text based on the best early printed version of the play<BR> -Full explanatory notes conveniently placed on pages facing the text of the play<BR> -Scene-by-scene plot summaries<BR> -A key to the play’s famous lines and phrases<BR> -An introduction to reading Shakespeare’s language<BR> -An essay by a leading Shakespeare scholar providing a modern perspective on the play<BR> -Fresh images from the Folger Shakespeare Library’s vast holdings of rare books<BR> -An annotated guide to further reading<BR> <BR>Essay by Alexander Leggatt<BR> <BR>The Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, DC, is home to the world’s largest collection of Shakespeare’s printed works, and a magnet for Shakespeare scholars from around the globe. In addition to exhibitions open to the public throughout the year, the Folger offers a full calendar of performances and programs. For more information, visit Folger.edu.