Titus :: essays research papers

Titus" by William Shakespeare, Titus was a decent and honorable man. Titus loved and cherished his daughter Lavinia. He was a traditionalist, and stuck by his morals. Titus was brave. He showed he was loyal to those he cared for. He honored his family. Titus was a respected soldier and leader. Titus was a decent man because he loved and cherished his daughter Lavinia. Being Lavinia was his only daughter of twenty-six children; he spoke highly of her. In act 1, Titus addresses the public by saying "Kind Rome, that hast thus loving reserved, The cordial of mine age to glad my heart. Lavinia live, outlive thy father's days, and fame's eternal date, for virtues praise" (138). He is describing the link between Lavinia and his heart, and telling her to outlive, and go beyond him. In act 3 Titus shows he would do anything for Lavinia after her hands were chopped off. He says "Give me a sword, I'll chop off my hands too" (194). Being willing to sacrifice his own hands for his daughter shows his deep love for her. Lavinia means so much to Titus, that in act 3 he explains "But that which gives my soul the greatest spurn, Is dear Lavinia, dearer than my soul" (195), meaning his dear Lavinia's misery is giving his soul the greatest amount of hurt. Af ter comparing Ovid's description of the forest to where Titus and his sons hunted, he cries out "O' had we never, never hunted there! Patterned by that the poet here describes, By nature made for murders and for rapes" (214). Titus cares so much for his daughter that he is blaming himself for hunting in a place that is set for a murder or rape to occur. Being a traditionalist is another quality that made Titus an honorable man. In act 1 Titus shows his respect for religious tradition by telling Tamora, "Alive and dead, and for their brethren slain, Religiously they ask a sacrifice. To this your son is marked, and die he must, T'appease their groaning shadows that are gone" (135). He is obeying religion and will kill Tamora's oldest son (Alarbus), for those who have sinned in his family. When Alarbus is being buried in act 1, Titus makes a speech that states "In peace and honour rest you here, my sons; Rome's readiest champions, repose you here in rest, Secure from worldly chances and mishaps.