to be carelessly put together, with little regard to plausibility or to symmetry. It is only by resolutely refusing to look at the facts paraded before our eyes that we can assume Shakespeare to have been always an impeccable artist, moving steadily and inevitably toward perfection and always availing himself of his marvellous psychologic insight and of his profound philosophic understanding. It is simpler to say that Shakespeare sometimes nodded, as Homer had done before him; and to admit honestly that the last act of "Hamlet" is needlessly sanguinary, that the last act of "Cymbeline" has a wasteful cluttering of ineffective situations, and that the plot of "A Winter's Tale" is painfully broken-backed. Then we shall find it easier to admit also that, although "Titus Andronicus" is plainly unworthy of him, it has an interest of its own, in that it shows us an inexpert Shakespeare working over old material without liberty of rejection. BRANDER MATTHEWS. DRAMATIS PERSONE1 SATURNINUS, Son to the late Emperor of Rome, afterwards emperor. BASSIANUS, brother to Saturninus. TITUS ANDRONICUS, a noble Roman. MARCUS ANDRONICUS, tribune of the people, and brother to Titus. LUCIUS, AARON, a Moor, beloved by Tamora. A Captain, Tribune, Messenger, and Clown; Romans and Goths. TAMORA, Queen of the Goths. LAVINIA, daughter to Titus Andronicus. A Nurse, and a black Child. Kinsmen of Titus, Senators, Tribunes, Officers, Soldiers, and Attendants. SCENE: Rome, and the country near it 1 This piece was first published in 1594 in a Quarto volume which was reissued with slight change in 1600 and 1611. All copies of the 1594 Quarto have disappeared since the 17th century, save one which came to light in 1904. For its collation see Jahrbuch der Deutschen Shakespeare-Gesellschaft, 1905, pp. 211-215. The First Folio text appears to follow the Second Quarto with small variation. The Quartos have no subdivisions into Acts or Scenes; the Folios indicate the Acts only. The list of "dramatis persona" was first supplied by Rowe in 1709. ACT FIRST- SCENE I- ROME BEFORE THE CAPITOL - THE TOMB OF THE ANDRONICI APPEARING Flourish. Enter the Tribunes and Senators aloft. And then enter below, SATURNINUS and his Followers from one side, and BASSIANUS and his Followers from the other side, with drum and colours SATURNINUS Nor wrong mine age OBLE PATRICIANS, PAtrons of my right, Defend the justice of my cause with arms; And, countrymen, my loving followers, Plead my successive title with your swords: I am his first-born son, that was the last That ware the imperial diadem of Rome; Then let my father's honours live in me, with this indignity. BAS. Romans, friends, followers, favourers of my right, If ever Bassianus, Cæsar's son, your choice. Enter MARCUS ANDRONICUS, aloft, with the crown MARC. Princes, that strive by factions and by friends Ambitiously for rule and empery, 10 Know that the people of Rome, for whom we stand 20 In election for the Roman empery, For many good and great deserts to Rome: Lives not this day within the city walls: (stage direction) Enter the Tribunes... aloft] Thus the Folios. By aloft" is meant the upper gallery or balcony at the back of the stage of the Elizabethan theatre. The balcony here represents the Capitol. (Cf. stage directions following lines 17, infra; V, ii, 8, 69 and 80, and V, iii, 66 and 145.) 4 my successive title] my hereditary right to succeed. 6 ware] Thus the Quartos. The Folios give the modern form wore. 8 mine age] my seniority in point of age. 15 continence] self-restraint. 16 in pure election] in the purity of free election (instead of in right of birth). 19 empery] empire, a common form. 21 by common voice] unanimously. |