Figurative Language In Titus Andronicus

Titus Andronicus is full of characters that are complex and confusing. These two passages however help decipher the two ways characters present themselves: as victims who cannot make sense of their situations or characters who present themselves as victims who have made sense of their situations. This is important because it shows how the characters control the tone of the play. Titus’ speech in act three creates a gloomy, tragic tone, which is part of a tragic play’s characteristics: the hero experiencing anagnorisis. Marcus’ speech in act five however brings the tone back to the same aggressive, violent tone at the beginning of the play and strays from the typical structure of a tragedy. Therefore, these two passages show that Titus Andronicus should not be read as a tragedy but rather as a comedy or a dramatic commentary on violence and revenge, which is reflected through the tones of the passages. …show more content…
He uses very vivid imagery of water and natural elements throughout and that emphasizes his words when read aloud. It is all written in blank verse, which adds onto the effect of his words flowing out uncontrollably like the water he speaks of. Some sentences are however ending with punctuation and this creates the effect when reading of breaks and pauses as a person does when speaking emotionally or while crying. All of the speech is in iambic foot and all the lines except “when heaven doth weep, doth not the earth o’erflow?” (3.1.220) and, “then must my earth be movèd with her sighs” (3.1.226) are in pentameter. Having these two be the exceptions is significant because in these two lines Titus speaks of the overflow of water, which is shown in the overflow of meter. He uses his words to strengthen his position as a