Play description

ACT I

Scene 1. Titus Andronicus returns to Rome in triumph after 10 years at war with the Goths. He and his

four sons bring their prisoners: the Gothic queen Tamora, her sons Alarbus, Demetrius, and Chiron,

and her lover Aaron. Ignoring Tamora's appeal for mercy, Titus orders the sacrifice of Alarbus to the

spirits of his own dead sons. Titus's brother Marcus presses him to stand for the Imperial throne

against Saturninus and Bassianus, the sons of the late emperor. Titus refuses and advises the people to

choose Saturninus, who promptly asks for the hand of Titus's daughter Lavinia. She, however, is

already betrothed to Bassianus who abducts her with the help of her brothers. In the ensuing scuffle,

Titus kills his son Mutius, who tries to bar his way. Saturninus accuses Titus of complicity with

Bassianus and angrily dismisses him. He chooses Tamora for his Empress. Having at first refused his

brother's and sons' pleas that Mutius should be buried in the family tomb, Titus eventually acquiesces.

Bassianus attempts to intercede with Saturninus on Titus's behalf. Tamora also begs for clemency for

Titus, revealing privately to the Emperor that she is merely biding her time before bloodily revenging

the murder of her son. She makes peace between all the quarrelling factions.