Pride In Titus Andronicus

Honor and pride is a recurring theme in Titus Andronicus. In the beginning of the novel, we see that Titus has returned from a ten year war,in which he is perceived as a virtuous leader. Titus encompasses the virtues of pride and integrity so much, that he is proud that his sons perished in the war with honor, and even tries to bethrothe Lavinia to the emperor to strengthen his family honor and their place in the social hierarchy. Throughout the novel we are able to see that Titus stands upon his honor and pride and even goes to the extent of murdering his son Mutius for the sake of his intact honor. Yet, his words in Act three, Scene one, juxtaposes societies beliefs of Titus, because he humbles himself down and cries for mercy in front of

Also, in the expression “My heart's deep languor and my soul's sad tears”, we see the use of personification in “soul’s sad tears” because one's soul cannot literally contain tears, but in fact he uses this device to emphasize the immense pain he is feeling. Despite the image his words portray, the phrase “Let my tears stanch the earth’s dry appetite” adds a vivid personification to the imagery. This helps interpret the desperation Titus was feeling, so much that he is telling an inanimate Earth that he is willing to to cry an unlimited amount of tears, if it will satisfy earth’s hunger. Of course, he is not directing this expression to earth, but to the tribunes, to whom he is telling them that his tears should be enough to relieve his sons of their execution, in which they were falsely accused of the murder of Bassianus. The personification that is employed in this phrase helps create a deeper meaning that helps us realize that prideful Titus is putting his pride aside and begging the tribunes for mercy, a mercy he once denied Tamora Queen of the goths, when she pleaded for her son Alarbus