Women in Shakespeare: Titus Andronicus and Love's Labor Lost Anonymous College

The women of Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus and Love’s Labour’s Lost play very different parts in their respective stories. The women in the two plays have differing roles, responsibilities, opportunities. The women in Titus Andronicus are rarely recognized by the men; they are often accessories to the crimes of Aaron. Love’s Labour’s Lost provides women with more freedom; they are smarter and play major roles in moving the plot along. Altough there are some similarities, Shakespeare portrays and uses women much differently in Titus Andronicus and Love’s Labour’s Lost.

The women of Titus Andronicus receive little respect. Lavinia plays a miniscule role in Titus Andronicus. She is used as an object in the play; she is merely there to move the plot along for the major characters, all of whom are males except for Tamora. Like Lavinia, Tamora receives little respect or acknowledgement for her actions in Titus Andronicus. Men dominate Titus Andronicus. Tamora is not an entirely one-dimensional character; she seeks revenge on Titus for killing her son. She marries Saturninus as a way to gain power and eventually avenge her son’s death. Ultimately, though, it is Aaron who terrorizes Titus and his family the most. Tamora has some...