Download William Shakespeare`s Titus Andronicus

William Shakespeare’s
Titus Andronicus
Adapted and Directed by Edgar Landa
California State University, Long Beach
Department of Theatre Arts
University Players
March 17-30 2006
Study Guide
Compiled by SuzAnne Joy Bradaric
Contents:
PART I: WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
Shakespeare and the Globe Theatre – page 2
Timeline: Shakespeare and His World – page 3
Understanding Shakespeare’s Language –page 5
Theatre in the Time of Shakespeare – page 6
PART II: TITUS ANDRONICUS
Who’s Who in Titus Andronicus? – page 9
Plot Synopsis of Titus Andronicus – page 10
Buckets and Buckets of Blood: Edgar Landa’s Titus Andronicus – page 11
The Problems of Titus Andronicus – page 12
Discussion Questions – page 12
Internet Resources – page 13
Sources – page 14
Study Guide: Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus
PART I: WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
Shakespeare and the Globe Theatre
William Shakespeare (1564-1616) is among the best known English poets and
playwrights. Throughout his life he wrote 38 plays, 154 sonnets, and several long
narrative poems. His plays generally fit into four categories: tragedies, comedies,
histories, and romances. Shakespeare’s works have been translated into numerous
languages and are still being performed all over the world. In English-speaking
countries, Shakespeare is so widely read that his works are second in popularity only to
the Bible. He is sometimes referred to as the “Bard of Avon” or “The Bard”. When
William Shakespeare was 18, he married Anne Hathaway with whom he had several
children, including twins named Hamnet and Judith. Around 1592, he left his wife and
children to pursue his theatrical career in London. Shakespeare not only was a writer, he
also was an actor and part-owner of the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, named after their
aristocratic sponsor. After the death of Queen Elizabeth I, the company changed their
name to the King’s Men, to honor King James I. Shakespeare returned to Stratford-uponAvon in 1613, where he died on April 23, 1616, at the age of 52. All of Shakespeare’s
grandchildren died without having children of their own, so Shakespeare has no direct
descendants living today.
The Globe Theatre is the theatre where the Lord Chamberlain’s Men staged
Shakespeare’s plays after 1598. The theatre was originally built in 1599 in Southwark
where it remained until it burned to the ground in 1613. It is believed to have been either
a circle or an octagon. At the base of the stage was the “yard”, where the audience stood
to watch the performance. Around the yard there were two levels of seating, which were
the Twopenny Rooms and the Penny Gallery. The Globe was rebuilt in 1614, closed in
1642, and demolished in 1644. A modern version of the original Globe, called
“Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre,” was opened in 1997.
-Ana Rose O’Halloran
Shakespeare Fun Fact:
No Girls Allowed
In Shakespeare’s day women were not allowed to act on stage. The women’s roles were
all played by men or boys, so the original Juliet and her Romeo were actually both male
actors. In fact, Shakespeare wrote several comedies where female characters disguise
themselves as boys, so in those cases, boys played girls who were pretending to be boys!
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Timeline: Shakespeare and His World
1564
William Shakespeare is born in Stratford-Upon-Avon to John Shakespeare
and Mary Arden. He is christened in Stratford Church on April 26th.
Shakespeare’s birthday is traditionally celebrated on April 23rd, which is also
the feast day of St. George, the patron saint of England.
1568-69
Theatre companies, The Queen’s Men and the Earl of Worcester’s Men,
perform at Guildhall in Stratford, where they are hosted by John Shakespeare.
William is 4 or 5 years old.
1582
November: Shakespeare is married to Agnes (Anne) Hathaway.
1585-91
Known as the “lost years,” there is no surviving documentation of
Shakespeare’s activities during this time. At some point during these years he
moves to London and begins work as an actor.
1592
Shakespeare is listed as an actor with the Lord Chamberlain’s Men in
London. Shakespeare’s first known play, Henry VI, Part One, is produced.
Fifteen thousand people die of plague in London. The public theatres are
temporarily closed as a measure to suppress the spread of the disease. The
Lord Chamberlain’s Men continue to give performances at court during the
two-year closure.
1593-94
Shakespeare writes: Henry VI, Parts Two and Three; Titus Andronicus;
Richard III; Love’s Labour’s Lost; The Two Gentlemen of Verona; The
Comedy of Errors; The Taming of the Shrew.* He also publishes the poems
“Venus and Adonis” and “The Rape of Lucrece” which he dedicates to his
patron, the Earl of Southampton. The publication of these poems gives
Shakespeare literary credibility among fellow authors of the day.
1594
London’s theatres are reopened.
1595
Shakespeare writes: A Midsummer Night’s Dream; King John; Romeo and
Juliet; Richard II; The Merchant of Venice.*
1596
Shakespeare’s only son, Hamnet, dies at the age of 11.
1597
May: Shakespeare purchases New Place; the largest house in Stratford.
1597-98
Shakespeare’s sonnets circulate unpublished.
Shakespeare writes: Henry IV, Parts One and Two; The Merry Wives of
Windsor; Much Ado About Nothing.*
1598
The Globe theatre is built and becomes the primary performance venue for
The Lord Chamberlain’s Men.
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1600-02
Shakespeare writes: Twelfth Night; All’s Well That Ends Well; Hamlet;
Troilus and Cressida;* and the poem “The Phoenix and the Turtle.”
1601
John Shakespeare dies.
1603
Queen Elizabeth dies. She is succeeded by James, her cousin. The Lord
Chamberlain’s Men come under patronage of the king and become The
King’s Men (sometimes listed as The King’s Servants).
Plague breaks out again in London. Theatres close when the weekly death
toll exceeds 30 (this continues until 1608).
Shakespeare writes: Othello, Measure for Measure.*
1605
William Camden publishes Remaines of a greater Worke concerning Britaine
in which he includes Shakespeare as one of England’s greatest writers.
Shakespeare writes: King Lear; Macbeth.*
1607
Shakespeare writes: Anthony and Cleopatra; Timon of Athens.*
1608
The King’s Men obtain a lease of a theatre at Blackfriars (a former
monastery), an indoor venue most probably used for winter performances.
Mary Arden (Shakespeare’s mother) dies.
Shakespeare writes: Coriolanus; Pericles. *
1609-10
Shakespeare’s sonnets are published.
Shakespeare writes: The Winter’s Tale; Cymbeline; The Tempest.*
1611
The King James Version of the Bible is published.
1612
Shakespeare returns to Stratford.
1613
The Globe Playhouse burns down during the first performance of King Henry
VIII.
Shakespeare writes (in collaboration with John Fletcher): King Henry VIII;
The Two Noble Kinsmen.*
1616
March 25th: Shakespeare’s will is drafted. No fair copy is made (implying
that there was some haste in the matter).
April 23rd: Shakespeare dies. He is buried at Holy Trinity Church, Stratford,
on April 25th.
1623
Shakespeare’s dramatic works are compiled in the First Folio by Heminge
and Condell of The King’s Men.
*Dates of composition are approximate.
-Catherine Reeder
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Shakespeare Fun Fact:
Goodnight, Sleep Tight
In Shakespeare's time, mattresses were secured on bed frames by ropes. When you pulled
on the ropes the mattress tightened, making the bed firmer to sleep on. That's where the
phrase, “goodnight, sleep tight” comes from.
Understanding Shakespeare’s Language
Shakespeare’s plays may seem to be written in a foreign language when you
first hear or read them, but it's just a matter of understanding his writing style to uncover
the truth of his words. He was a poet and therefore his writing was heightened from
everyday speech. All of his lines were carefully thought out to stay within the structure
of the poetry.
Shakespeare uses two types of writing: verse and prose
Verse - Iambic Pentameter, poetry
Prose - Non-structured, paragraph form (i.e. normal text)
What is Iambic Pentameter?
It is the spoken rhythm of a verse line of Shakespeare. Each line is made up of
five iambic feet. Each iambic foot is made up of two syllables: one unstressed syllable,
followed by a stressed syllable. Lines almost always begin with unstressed syllables. So,
the rhythm of the line sounds like a heartbeat. Sometimes Shakespeare rhymed the ends
of his verse lines, but he usually wrote in blank verse. Blank verse is iambic pentameter
without end rhymes. In iambic pentameter it is important to remember that the end of a
line does not represent the end of a thought. Just as in everyday speech, the thought ends
with the final punctuation: period, question mark, etc.
Examples:
Verse:
(Note: ˘ signifies an unstressed syllable and / signifies a stressed syllable)
˘ /
˘ /
˘ / ˘/˘ /
Away with him and make a fire straight,
˘ /
˘
/
˘/ ˘ / ˘ /
And with our swords upon a pile of wood
˘
/ ˘ /
˘ / ˘ /
˘ /
Let’s hew his limbs till they be clean consumed.
Prose:
Nay, master, said not I as much when I saw the porpoise, how he
bounc'd and tumbled?
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Why does Shakespeare use both verse and prose in his plays?
Often Shakespeare will show the status of his characters through the manner of
speech they use. His upper class, more sophisticated characters mainly speak in verse,
while his lower class, often simple-minded characters will speak in prose.
In many cases Shakespeare’s characters will adjust their way of speaking to
reach the characters with whom they are talking. For example, in Julius Caesar when
Brutus talks to the other noble kinsmen he speaks in verse, but when he speaks to the
citizens of Rome he "lowers" his speech to prose for them to understand him.
Remember, every line and sound Shakespeare wrote was intentionally chosen.
What to our ears may seem so foreign was all carefully considered by him.
-Beth Froehlich
Shakespeare Fun Fact:
Words, Words, Words
The number of different words counted in Shakespeare's works is 17,700. The average
person today has a vocabulary of about 2,000 words. Many of the words Shakespeare
used had not been written down before, and it is believed he may have invented many of
them. Some words attributed to him include: assassination, dwindle, leapfrog, barefaced,
countless, and lonely.
Theatre in the Time of Shakespeare:
They did things a little differently back in the day...
To understand the theatrical conventions of Shakespeare’s time, it is necessary to look to
the traditions that preceded it:
 During the Middle Ages, provincial towns in England developed miracle plays
(also called morality plays) which were Christian-themed teaching tools as well as
theatrical productions. This, along with the longer-standing tradition of folk plays
(similar to those found worldwide) fostered the development of citizen actor
groups.
 During the Italian Renaissance, a tradition of structural “houses” and painted
backdrops were developed. Many contemporary set designs are based on
conventions developed at this time.
 Houses of nobility maintained small groups of entertainers as employees. This
began the tradition of patronage (financial support of specific artists).
 The first mention of theatres in London was in the form of stages built in innyards. A group of actors would make an arrangement with the innkeeper. This
usually involved the innkeeper claiming a share of the takings (money collected at
performance) and oftentimes providing lodging for the actors.
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 Traveling companies had to use what they could carry. Sets, props, and costumes
were minimal. Dialogue was used to establish the locale of the drama.
 In 1576 James Burbage and partner John Brayne built the Theatre in Shoreditch,
the first known permanent theatre structure in the London area.
 Theatres were prohibited within the walls of the City of London, both as a
measure of disease control and also as a concession to the Puritans who objected
to theatre as obscene. Theatres were built in near suburbs along the major roads
into the city.
Theatre in the years of Shakespeare:
 In 1598 the Lord Chamberlain’s Men (named for their patron) moved to
Southwark and built the Globe Theatre on the banks of the Thames River.
 The Lord Chamberlain’s Men and other companies faced heavy competition from
the boy’s companies in the city. The boy’s companies were more conveniently
situated for much of the population, and had the added advantage of a great
reputation for musical performances. In 1608 the King’s Men (formerly the Lord
Chamberlain’s Men) leased the theatre at Blackfriars and incorporated many of
the boys from that company as apprentices.
 Companies of actors were frequently hired to perform at the royal court or in the
homes of the wealthy for special events. This was a great honor as well as a great
financial opportunity. Queen Elizabeth and later King James both paid more than
the public theatres earned on even their best days.
 During the two-year closure of the public theatres (a measure taken to suppress
the spread of plague) the Lord Chamberlain’s Men continued private
performances in homes and at court.
 The Italian tradition of permanent structure sets as well as the traveling traditions
of establishing the scene through description and imagination were both
incorporated into Shakespeare’s productions. Facades (the street-side exterior
wall of a building) were built as stock pieces. They could be used to represent
multiple locations by changing the “soft dressings” (fabric hangings) or through
references in the dialogue.
 Costumes were often donated by nobles. This earned bragging rights for the
wealthy and socially established (as in: “my garments can be seen at the Globe
Playhouse”). Discarding clothing was a sign of wealth, as most people at this
time wore their clothes until they were no longer repairable.
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What the theatres looked like:
 Many theatres had a similar structure to Shakespeare’s Globe. The shape of the
building was referred to in Henry V by the character Chorus as a “wooden O”.
This was an innovation in theatrical design intended to provide good sightlines for
the entire audience. It was most likely inspired by the bullfighting rings of Spain.
 The stage jutted out into the yard (or pit) and there was room for spectators to
stand on three sides. Galleries (raised seating) lined the inner walls of the theatre,
those closest to the stage being used as a playing space.
 The Globe had three upstage exits, the largest in the middle. The center opening
was covered with a curtain, which could be pulled aside to reveal part of the
backstage area, which was used as playing space for particular scenes.
 A canopy was attached to the back wall and extended over the stage, supported in
the front by poles. This provided some protection from the weather. Gallery
seating was also covered. Those in the yard (oftentimes referred to as the
“groundlings” because they stood on the ground level) were not covered.
 Trap doors were built into the stage, and the space underneath was accessible
from the backstage area.
The Performances:
 Performances were given in the afternoon and generally lasted about two hours.
A special flag was flown and a cannon fired on performance days.
 Stage hangings would indicate the style of play: black for a tragedy, colorful
tapestries for comedy.
 The “platt” (list of scenes and the actors in them) was posted backstage. A
prompter was seated near the stage with a copy of the book to give lines to actors
who forgot them.
 A trumpet was sounded to announce the beginning of a performance. The play
commenced just after the third trumpet blast.
The Actors:
 William Shakespeare was an actor, generally playing smaller roles.
 Richard Burbage was famous for his portrayal of tragic roles.
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 Will Kempe was a famous comedic actor with the company, though he left it in
1600 and later worked with a rival company.
 Women were forbidden to appear on the stage. Female roles were played by
young men.
 Actors usually began at an apprentice level (often at a very young age, playing
girls and women’s roles), and increased their status within the company over a
number of years.
-Catherine Reeder
Shakespeare Fun Fact:
Do You Speak Shakespearean?
Our world would sound different without Shakespeare. Many of the common phrases we
speak today owe their existence to Shakespeare. You have probably quoted lines of
Shakespeare before, without even knowing it. Some Shakespearean quotes that have
found their way into everyday speech include:
Too much of a good thing
Make the best of it
The game is up
The world’s your oyster
Give the devil his due
Be cruel, only to be kind
There’s a method in my madness
Not budge an inch
Let’s kill all the lawyers
Eat us out of house and home
Dead as a doornail
PART II: TITUS ANDRONICUS
Who’s Who in Titus Andronicus?
The Andronici
*Titus Andronicus-a Roman general
*Marcus Andronicus-tribune of the people; sister to Titus
Lavinia-daughter of Titus; betrothed to Bassianus
Lucius-oldest son of Titus
Quintus-son of Titus
Martius-son of Titus
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**Mutius-son of Titus
**Young Lucius-son of Lucius; grandson of Titus
The Goths
Tamora-Queen of Goths
Alarbus-oldest son of Tamora
*Chiron-daughter of Tamora
Demetrius-son of Tamora
**Aaron-a Moor (a person of North African descent); beloved of Tamora
The Romans
Saturninus-son to the late Emperor of Rome; afterwards declared Emperor
Bassianus-brother to Saturninus; betrothed to Lavinia
Nurse-to Tamora
Roman Soldiers, Goth Soldiers, Tribunes, Senators, Messengers, and Attendants
*Note: These are normally male roles, but in the CSULB production they will be
changed to female roles.
**Note: These roles will be played by women in the CSULB production, but they
will be playing their characters as men.
Plot Synopsis of Titus Andronicus
The Roman general, Titus Andronicus is returning home from war after
defeating the Goths. Many of Titus’ sons have been killed by the Goths in the war. Titus
and his surviving sons have brought Tamora, Queen of the Goths, her three sons, and her
lover, Aaron the Moor, to Rome as prisoners. Titus and his sons sacrifice Tamora’s
oldest son, Alarbus, as a post-war ritual, despite Tamora’s pleas for mercy.
Saturninus and Bassianus, sons of the late emperor return to Rome and
Saturninus is named as the new emperor. Titus gives his Goth prisoners as a gift to the
new emperor and Saturninus sets them free. Saturninus then seeks to make Titus’
daughter, Lavinia, his wife and empress. Titus agrees to give Lavinia’s hand to the new
emperor, though she is betrothed to Bassianus, and Titus does not approve when his own
sons help Bassianus flee with Lavinia. Titus kills his son, Mutius, as he tries to help the
lovers escape. Saturninus then changes his mind and marries Tamora instead of Lavinia.
Tamora convinces her new husband to pardon Bassianus, Titus, and his sons, for political
reasons, but secretly tells Saturninus that she will “find a day to massacre them all” in
revenge for killing her son and dishonoring the emperor.
With the help of Aaron and her two remaining sons, Tamora plots her revenge.
A festive hunt is planned to follow the weddings of Saturninus and Bassianus. During
the hunt, Tamora’s sons, Chiron and Demetrius, kill Bassianus and rape Lavinia. They
cut off Lavinia’s tongue and hands so she cannot name her rapists. Aaron frames Titus’
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sons, Martius and Quintus, for the murder of Bassianus and they are sentenced to
execution. Titus’ oldest son, Lucius tries to rescue his brothers and is banished.
Aaron tells Titus that Saturninus wants Titus to chop off his own hand and send
it to him, in exchange for the safe return of his sons. Titus gives Aaron his severed hand,
but it is later returned, along with the heads of his sons. Titus and the remainder of his
family vow to avenge the cruelty they have suffered, and Lucius goes to raise an army of
Goths. Titus later learns the identity of Lavinia’s rapists.
Tamora gives birth to a son, but the child’s dark skin reveals that his father is
obviously Aaron, the Moor, and not the emperor. Tamora plans to get rid of the child,
but Aaron flees with the child and is later captured by Lucius and his army. Aaron
convinces Lucius to spare his child’s life.
The emperor, Saturninus, begins to fear Lucius and his Goth army and requests
a meeting with him at his father’s house. Titus, who Saturninus and Tamora believe to
have gone mad, invites them to feast with Lucius at his home. Before the feast, Tamora
and her sons, Chiron and Demetrius, visit Titus, disguised as the allegorical figures of
Revenge, Rape, and Murder. Titus pretends to believe they are who they claim to be and
he asks “Revenge” (the disguised Tamora) to go kill the emperor and his family, while
“Rape” and “Murder” (the disguised sons) stay with him. When Tamora leaves, Titus
kills Chiron and Demetrius and bakes their heads into the feast, which he serves to
Saturninus and Tamora when they arrive to meet Lucius. During the feast, Titus kills his
daughter, Lavinia, to free her from her shame. He then reveals to Tamora and Saturninus
that they have been feasting on the flesh of Chiron and Demetrius. Titus kills Tamora
and is then killed by Saturninus. Lucius kills Saturninus and is proclaimed the new
emperor of Rome.
-SuzAnne Joy Bradaric
Buckets and Buckets of Blood: Edgar Landa’s Titus Andronicus
The following article is an excerpt from the CSULB production’s press release.
William Shakespeare’s most gruesome and horrific play is coming to Long
Beach. The CSULB Department of Theatre Arts undergraduate program (University
Players) is proud to present Titus Andronicus by William Shakespeare. This powerful
tragedy opens in the Studio Theatre on Friday, March 17th at 8:00 p.m. and runs through
March 30th.
Shakespeare’s most violent play, Titus Andronicus, is a story of revenge, power,
jealousy, and politics. Returning home after ten years of being at war, and with the
Queen of the Goths as his prisoner, Titus sacrifices the Queen’s son as compensation for
the fallen Roman soldiers. This act of violence ignites an inferno of betrayal, rape, and
murder that culminates in one of the most shocking conclusions ever put on stage. Titus
Andronicus, one of Shakespeare’s earliest plays, continues to be one of his most
compelling.
In director Edgar Landa’s interpretation, many of the traditional male characters
in the production, including Titus, have been cast as females. “I wanted to show that
women are just as capable as men of being violent and thick-headed” says Landa. By
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blind-casting the show, director Landa hopes it will add to the disturbing nature of the
world of Titus Andronicus. Without being specific, this production will be taking place
in the modern world. Spears and swords have been replaced with guns and knives.
Much of the violence that traditionally happens offstage will take place in front of the
audience. “I want the audience to be overwhelmed by the violence but I also want them
to understand how our own acts of violence feed more violence and that we ultimately
reek havoc upon ourselves.” says Landa. “Often, especially in the modern world, this
circle of violence is the result of failing to understand a foreign culture.”
-Eric Hamme
The Problems of Titus Andronicus
Titus Andronicus, Shakespeare’s first tragedy, is widely considered the most
violent, immature, and morally ambiguous of Shakespeare’s plays. For hundreds of years
critics, audiences and theatre artists have argued about the merits of this eccentric play,
with many proclaiming it to be a masterpiece of dramatic literature, while others find it a
senseless theatrical bloodbath with little literary value.
Some scholars argue that Titus Andronicus reveals both the literary brilliance of
Shakespeare and his keen eye for commercial success. Revenge tragedies, like those of
the ancient Roman playwright, Seneca, were very popular in Shakespeare’s day.
Shakespeare took this popular art form, filled with bloodthirsty violence, and infused it
with richer themes and more complex structural and plot elements, though some critics
believe that Shakespeare may have been attempting to parody the genre of revenge
tragedy. Titus Andronicus was a huge hit with audiences of the time, who relished its
horrific elements and gore. Despite the controversy surrounding the bloody play, many
will agree that the young Shakespeare had made a valiant first attempt at tragedy with
Titus Andronicus and that the play gave its author a successful starting point on which to
build his legacy of brilliant, timeless tragedies.
-SuzAnne Joy Bradaric
Discussion Questions
1. Do you think Titus Andronicus, being a classic revenge tragedy, has any
significance to a contemporary audience? Was the stage production you saw
successful in being relevant to a contemporary audience? If so, why?
2. Is there a clear difference between revenge and justice? If so, what is it? If not,
why not?
3. How did the use of lighting and set design in the stage production serve to enhance
the atmospheres and the telling of the story?
4. The character of Titus goes through several transformations throughout his
journey: the noble warrior, the rigid father, the supplicant, the victim, the clever
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madman, and finally the revenger. Given the numerous roles Titus plays, is he the
hero protagonist of the story? Does he evolve or devolve as a human being?
5. Are the murders and subsequent ends of Chiron and Demetrius justified? Is this
revenge or justice or both, and which for whom? Does the punishment fit the
crime?
6. How does Aaron speak about the race of his child? How does he argue that
whiteness is vulnerable? Do you think Shakespeare was racist or was he pointing
out racism?
7. Tamora begins the play as a victim and soon transforms into a “heinous tiger.” Are
you left with any pity or empathy for her by the end?
8. In the University Players production of the play, the roles of Titus and Aaron were
both played by women, and Aaron, who is black, by a white woman. How did you
feel about these casting choices?
9. The play Titus Andronicus showcases numerous violent acts coupled with explicit
descriptions and images. How did the stage production display the violence?
10. Is Lavinia’s murder justified? If so, why?
11. Think about the use of animal imagery in the play. What kinds of images are most
recurrently used, and in relation to which characters?
12. Titus, Tamora, Aaron, Saturninus, and Lucius all sought revenge. How? Did any
truly achieve it? Would you consider any of the characters’ vengeance to be
justice?
13. How do you think Shakespeare perceived women?
14. How did the use of costuming serve to enhance the characters in the play?
15. Could you identify with any of the characters?
-Kree Fieldsa
Internet Resources
For more information about Titus Andronicus, William Shakespeare, and various ideas
explored in the production, check out these websites:
British Film Institute’s Screen Online—Great articles about Shakespeare:
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http://www.screenonline.org.uk/film/id/444972/
Folger Shakespeare Library—Great site from the leading Shakespeare research center:
http://www.folger.edu/
The Internet Movie Database (check out of Shakespeare’s movie credits!):
http://imdb.com/name/nm0000636/
Internet Shakespeare Editions—A fun and informative site about all things Shakespeare:
http://ise.uvic.ca/index.html
Missouri State University, English Department’s Shakespeare page (activities and more):
http://www.missouristate.edu/English/eirc/shpag.html
MonkeyNotes—Free online study guide:
http://pinkmonkey.com/booknotes/monkeynotes/pmTitus01.asp
Mr. William Shakespeare and the Internet—Lots of helpful information:
http://shakespeare.palomar.edu/
PBS’s The Shakespeare Mystery—Who was he and who really wrote the plays?:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shakespeare/
Shakespeare Birthplace Trust—Pictures of buildings and artifacts and Shakespeare info:
http://www.shakespeare.org.uk/homepage
Shakespeare’s Globe—The official site of the modern Globe Theatre in London:
http://www.shakespeares-globe.org/
SparkNotes—Free study guides from Barnes and Noble:
http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/titus/
Wired for Books—Download Shakespeare’s plays and sonnets on audio and video:
http://wiredforbooks.org/shakespeare/
The Xenophile Historian—Info on the rise and fall of Rome
http://xenohistorian.faithweb.com/europe/eu03.html#N_11_
Sources
Asimov, Isaac. Asimov’s Guide to Shakespeare. New York: Avenel Books, 1970.
Claybourne, Anna, and Rebecca Treays. World of Shakespeare. London: Usborne, 2001.
Granville-Barker, H. and G. B. Harrison, ed. A Companion to Shakespeare Studies.
Garden City, NY: Anchor Books Doubleday & Co., 1960.
Shakespeare’s Globe Online. 2006. Shakespeare’s Globe.
<www.shakespeares-globe.org>
Steen, Carla, ed. Pericles: Study Guide. Minneapolis: The Guthrie Theater, 2005.
St. James, Renwick. A Shakespeare Sketchbook. Shelton, CT: Greenwich Workshop
Press, 2001.
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