A Wilderness of Cyborgs: Haraway, Shakespeare, and the Female Revenge Narrative in Titus Andronicus and Titus

Authors

  • Natalie Stigall University of Houston

Keywords:

Titus Andronicus, Titus, Cyborg Theory

Abstract

This essay explores the independent identity and function of Tamora and her revenge narrative in Titus Andronicus. Multiple critics read Tamora as a manipulated tool of main antagonist Aaron, or as a doubled or mirrored identity/narrative of “ultimate” protagonist Titus; few address her as an independent actor, or her revenge plot as key to the play’s narrative. I counter this perspective, and explore Tamora’s role as independent actor and the centrality of her revenge narrative to the play’s broader narrative arch as well as to future narratives of this genre.

Utilization of Donna Haraway’s theory of cyborg feminism heavily informs this reading; the essay approaches Tamora as a feminist cyborg identity, and locates her plot as a crucial steppingstone in the development of the female revenge narrative. Tamora’s characterization within the narrative, her use of her own body and affiliations with other characters, and her role within and interaction with the social and political environment all link her to this identity, and the development of similar characters in later works situate her within the development of the female revenge narrative.

Julie Taymor’s film adaptation of the play, Titus (1999), ends this reading, addressing the director’s interpretation of Tamora and how this informs a feminist analysis of the text.

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Published

2014-01-26

Issue

Section

Critical Articles