This Arden edition of Titus Andronicus stems from my exchange year at the University of Hull, where I followed a year-long course just on Shakespeare’s plays. Needless to say, I learned a lot. This is one of those scholarly editions with often more notes than play on a page. Absolute heaven for literature-nerds ;).
I think Titus is one of my favourite Shakespeare plays. It’s not only terrifically bloody, but also features a kickass Queen and some charismatic villains. It’s lightly political (in comparison to some of Shakespeare’s other plays, that is), and rich with old customs and intertextual references. Titus’ tragic error is not so much that he kills his son, but that he refuses to bury him. This sets off a whole chain reaction of murder, rape, and cut off limbs. There are so many parallels in who kills who and their motifs for revenge that ultimately the play becomes one bright maze of reflecting mirrors.
‘The Weather Today’ is a challenge I set myself in which every day(ish) I will take a random book from my bookshelves and write a few sentences about it.
Another Night of Reading 
I adored Titus Andronicus when I studied Shakespeare at University. Definitely one of my favourites!
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I have this theory that we grow to like the ones we are made to study more. Just because it forces you to unravel so much of its richness, you appreciate the layers/ metaphors/ jokes in the play more than if you only read it, I think. But how good the play is and how intensely you read it are also important factors, of course. What do you think?
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I’ve also got the same edition as you, I think the Arden series is great, especially all the contextual information. I agree with what you’re saying about it being not that political (by Shakespeare standards anyway), which was something that really struck me- because Rome is a location which is so heavily invested in politics.
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Yes! Fortunately it does also have a lot of intrigue and play with power relations and shaming (all the stuff they do to Tamora and ensuing revenge), but in a much more timeless manner.
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