Classical cannibalistic myths: Revenge as an appetite in Titus Andronicus

Margaret J.

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Classical cannibalistic myths: Revenge as an appetite in Titus Andronicus

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Abstract

Vengeful acts, especially in Renaissance drama, are often countered by a more heinous act of violence. Titus Andronicus plays by this common rule with its climatic scene involving a mother forced into cannibalizing her children. The mode of this final vengeance is inevitable due to the fact that every act of revenge within Titus Andronicus reminds the reader of consumption and cannibalism either through its language or through a connection to the play's parent story in Ovid's Metamorphoses. The first death in the play is Tamora's eldest son Alarbus. Titus' response to Tamora's plea that her first born not be killed is suggestive not only of his revenge, but also of the final cannibalistic feast he prepares. In line 1.1.125 when Titus states "To this your son is marked, and die he must," the word "marked" can read a bit ambiguously.

Introduction
The first death in the play
The act of irreligious piety
The dishonor caused to the family
The death of Bassianus
The cannibalistic language
Aaron's cannibalistic appetite
Chiron and Demetrius
The circular deaths of the banquet
Conclusion

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[...] In a similar way, Lavinia seems to be scapegoat for Andronici violence,” while also playing a role in the cyclic revenge of the play due to her “intrinsically polluted condition” as a woman.[4] With Lavinia's rape (rather the panning thereof), there too is the characteristic language of consumption that is present in all the play's acts of revenge. Lavinia is a of cut ( 2.1 .91) making her open for sexual conquest because she is no longer a virgin. Lavinia is bread, food for the feeding of Chiron and Demitrius' sexual desire. [...]

[...] ( 3.1 .241-242) The bloody head of a son being returned to father is another part of Titus Andronicus that is extremely reminiscent of Ovid's Metamorphoses in that it brings to mind Itys' head being presented to his father Tereus as proof that Itys had been killed, cooked and served to his father.[6] This image further presents Martius and Quintus as victims of some feeding revenge, while also lending Titus' hand a cannibalistic quality as well as implying Titus' guilt in bringing this cyclic revenge about. [...]

[...] As a habit in the play, revenge deaths are characterized by an action or allusion to something reminiscent of consumption as well as cyclic in nature. With this in mind, the reader can almost read the banquet scene as a an abridged version of the play in that Titus kills a child, revenges himself on Tamora (by killing her), Saturninus revenges against Titus (by killing him), and Lucius revenges his father by killing Saturninus. All of these deaths occur literally in a circle around a table upon which Chiron and Demitrius are served up as some kind of meat pie. [...]

[...] fire “until they be clean consumed” ( 1.1 .129) as an offering to “appease their groaning shadows that are ( 1.1 .126) the reader gets the clear distinction that Alarbus is feeding the living and dead Andronici's hunger for revenge. This act of “irreligious piety” ( 1.1 .130) on Titus' part begins the cyclic actions of revenge that are present in the play. However, the next act of violence is once again Titus'. After being publicly dishonored by his sons and Bassianus, in the heat of the moment Titus stabs his own son Mutius. [...]

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