Titus Andronicus: The New Oxford Shakespeare

By William Shakespeare

Book Overview

'Vengeance is in my heart, death in my hand,
Blood and revenge are hammering in my head.'

In Shakespeare's first tragedy, Titus Andronicus, the Roman general Titus incurs the wrath of the Queen of the Goths when he enslaves her and kills one of her sons. The shocking violence of her revenge and his retaliation earn Titus its reputation as Shakespeare's bloodiest play. This New Oxford Shakespeare edition offers a range of critical approaches to the play, considering its initial popularity in the theatre, the authors' engagement with narrative sources and Roman history, and the ongoing problems scholars and theatremakers have had with the play's presentation of violence, rape, and racial difference. Throughout, it incorporates up-to-date scholarship and close readings of a number of landmark productions to consider the play's place in Shakespeare's canon and to illustrate Titus Andronicus's enduring value in interrogating some of wider culture's darkest and most challenging concerns.

The New Oxford Shakespeare offers authoritative editions of Shakespeare's works with introductory materials designed to encourage new interpretations of the plays and poems. Using the text from the landmark The New Oxford Shakespeare Complete Works: Modern Critical Edition, these volumes offer readers the latest thinking on the authentic texts (collated from all surviving original versions of Shakespeare's work) alongside innovative introductions from leading scholars. The texts are accompanied by a comprehensive set of critical apparatus to give readers the best resources to help understand and enjoy Shakespeare's work.

ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0198875053
• ISBN13: 9780198875055
• Release Date: May 2025
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 0.29 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.1" x 7.7"

Customer Reviews

Michael Hordern

Michael Hordern did a superb acting job. I was very impressed with him, Anthony Qyayle as well. I first heard this performance on tape cassette and was thrilled to hear Judy Dench. She impressed me very much in Hamlet, Henry the 5th also. For a late bloomer (now 67) in the classics I really started gorging Shakespeare after Hordern, Dench, Brannah, Quayle and many others performances. I should have known better being raised in New Orleans but the school systems there was absorbed in jazz, rock and roll i.e. Pete Fountain, Al Hirt, Fats Dommino, Dixieland Jazz, Gospel,gut-wrenching Blues and sort of shaped me for 60 years which led me to listening to the Classics starting with Sabastian Bach.

Be careful what you read

I love the Folger Shakespeare editions because of the wonderful notes that are included, especially an overview at the end of the book by a current author. Of course this story is not for the faint-hearted, and don't make the the mistake of reading this particular Shakespeare story after eating Guinness and Beef pie! Your tummy might feel queasy.

Excellent Edition

I really enjoy the Folger Library version of Shakespeare's plays. They are great for teaching and better understanding Shakespeare.

Revenge is a dish best served piping hot from the oven...

If you have a weak stomach, you may want to stay the hell away from this play. Just about every disgusting thing that could happen to a human being, both mentally and physically, happens in this early Shakespeare tragedy.The pages run over with various forms of vile behavior. There's... dismemberment (just about every kind imaginable), torture, people being buried alive, betraying each other, fathers killing their own daughters and hacking off their own hands, and, most gruesomely, baking their enemies in meat pies and serving them to their next of kin on the dinner table.The last scene alone is enough to make you go vegetarian or at least seriously considering eating another pot-pie ever again. This is a fairly simple revenge tale, but the words and images Shakespeare uses to tell the tale are often breathtaking. It's certainly not as resonant or as deeply drawn as many of his later works--Macbeth and Hamlet are two of my favorites--but there are some great moments here, even if murder, mayhem,... aren't your cup of tea.

Shakespeare Outdoes Himself!

This was the first play performed at the Globe Theatre. For that reason alone, this play deserves special attention. But the characters, the language, and this interesting situation represent Shakespeare's finest efforts. Cassius is ruthless with a malicious attitude. But he honestly fears what Caesar will do if he is crowned. Brutus is a good and honest man. He contemplates joining Cassius to kill Caesar despite the fact that Caesar loves him as a friend. (In history as well, Caesar was notably kind to Brutus.) But yet he too fears that if Caesar is crowned, Rome will bleed. Mark Antony is convincing as Caesar's loyal aid who SEEMS insignificant at first. But after Caesar is killed, he emerges as the most powerful and intelligent character in the play. What makes this play so phenomenal is that we can easily understand and sympathize with any of these major characters. (Even though they are on opposite sides.) What's left? Only chilling omens like the Soothsayer, the storm, the ghost of Caesar, etc. Only memorable passages like Mark Antony's famous 'honorable' speech. If you like this play, I suggest the B & W version where James Mason does Brutus, John Gielgud does Cassius, and Marlon Brando does Mark Antony.