A Critical Study of Aaron’s Evilness in Titus Andronicus

Abstract

Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus is his earliest tragedy. At the time of its composition, Elizabethan England was experiencing an influx of races into the land. In particular, those of a black hue were often the target of prejudice and racial stereotypes. These stereotypes were based on voyage logs and the Old Testament’s Ham, whose sin caused people’s hue to darken. Queen Elizabeth I, the ruling monarch at the time Titus Andronicus was written, issued two expulsion edicts in July 1596 and a third in 1601, as she was discontented about “the great numbers of Negars and Blackamoors which ... are crept into this realm.” These edicts reflect the anxiety over black people and xenophobia of the Elizabethan people. There are two Moors in Shakespeare’s works: Othello in Othello and Aaron in Titus Andronicus. While Othello is usually praised as a noble Moor, many critics hold negative attitudes toward Aaron the Moor because he commits heinous crimes without motive and even relishes them. This article, however, seeks to reveal Aaron’s other characteristics, which are contrary to racial stereotypes. At the beginning, Titus’ son, Lucius, wants to slaughter Tamora’s first son as a scapegoat to console the spirits of their soldiers and Titus accepts his son’s request even though Tamora tearfully begs him to save her son. This becomes a seed of the entire tragedy. Titus slays his own son and daughter, and also kills Tamora’s two sons who had raped Titus’ daughter and cut off her tongue and hands. After he kills them, Titus makes a pie from their corpses and persuades their mother, Tamora, to eat it. Saturninus makes Tamora his queen, as he is sexually attracted to her. Tamora, who has had an affair with Aaron, still wants to maintain a sexual relationship with him. For his part, Aaron thirsts for revenge, and he uses his strategies and wisdom whenever he needs them. He can read and write the Roman alphabet, and he has a much greater knowledge of the classic Roman writers Ovid and Horace than Tamora’s two sons. Aaron also has excellent interpretative ability, and is therefore able to understand a verse of Horace that Titus sends to Tamora’s two sons. Later, he shows paternal love to his newborn baby, a mulatto whose mother is a white woman, Tamora. Aaron plans to exchange his son with another mulatto whose skin is white to save his son’s life and to raise his son as a warrior to command his own camp. The appearance of this white-skinned mulatto challenges the racial stereotypes of that time. With the survival of Aaron’s baby, Shakespeare shows how a minor race can cause chaos in Roman society. Without the help of the Goths, whom the Romans consider barbarous, Lucius could not reinvigorate Rome. Comparing Aaron with other races, namely the Goths and the Romans in their crimes and barbarity, this article reveals that Aaron contradicts the stereotypical belief that blacks are illiterate and have uncontrollable sexuality. Thus, Shakespeare conveys his intention that Aaron is not a villain simply because he is a blackamoor.