Shakespeare's first tragedy, Titus Andronicus, lays the foundation for most of his future works. According to scholar Danielle A. St. Hilaire, throughout the play Shakespeare uses quotations from both Greek and Latin literary works to show that he, as a contemporary, had a strong background in classical studies and to give credibility to Antiquity. Roman frame (316). Additionally, by quoting Roman authors like Seneca and Ovid, Shakespeare can predict and justify the actions of the characters, as well as express their feelings and thoughts. Say no to plagiarism. Get a Custom Essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essayAt the beginning of the play, Saturninus, who has just been proclaimed emperor, decides that he is going to marry Lavinia, who was already betrothed to her brother Bassianus. Even if his role as emperor legitimizes his decision, Bassianus does not want to give up his beloved; there is nothing they can do to change Bassianus's mind. However, Roman traditions must be respected and, as Marcus explains, "Suum cuique is our Roman justice" (1.1.280). Directly quoting the words of Marcus Tullius Cicero, which became a precept of Roman law (Treccani), Marcus not only reinforces the role of Saturninus, but also legitimizes an immoral action as a legal action. Bassianus cannot refuse to act according to the law, especially if the law is embodied by his brother. It is in fact to legitimize an immoral action that Shakespeare cites and mentions Latin works. If Ovid had not written about Philomel being raped and mutilated by King Tereus, Aaron would never have suggested that "Philomel [of Bassianus] must lose his tongue" (2.3.43), or if Seneca had not not written about Atreus. revenge against Thyestes, Titus would never have “baked in this pie” (5.3.61) Demetrius and Chiron so that their mother could eat them. The ideas of Aaron and Titus are immoral and cruel; however, they have a literary antecedent that makes them seem reasonable. Additionally, simply having a literary background makes the audience feel more distant from those actions that are recognized as simple works of art even when performed on stage. However, literary antecedents are not only sources used to reinforce the credibility of the play, but also the literary device used to explain the feelings and thoughts of a character. For example, Lavinia's pain is not idiosyncratic, but it is characteristic of the human condition since it is as strong as the pain felt by Aeneas when telling "the story twice / How Troy was burned and made miserable" (3.2.27). -28). The sufferings of Aeneas and Lavinia, who are respectively the founder of the colony that later becomes Rome and the personification of the city of Rome in the play, are a metaphor for the misery that the empire of Rome goes through throughout the piece. Rome, in fact, is subject to the greatest misfortune that could happen to it: it is governed by an emperor who decides to marry a Goth by making the enemy take charge of the empire. background that allows Lavinia's family to understand what happened to her. Reading Ovid's Metamorphosis that young Lucius constantly carried around, Titus understood that "Lavinia, were you thus surprised, sweet girl, / Delighted and deceived, as Philomela was" (4.1.52-53) . As a result, Latin literature becomes a means of communication not only between the characters in the play but also between the characters and the audience. The overall plot of the tragedy would have made no sense without knowing all of the literary antecedents that Shakespeare references. These literary antecedents in fact represent, 2017.