Titus Andronicus

“Give me a staff of honor for mine age,

But not a sceptre to control the world.

Upright he held it, lords, that held it last.”

Titus declines the suggestion that he might be the next emperor, stressing his age and his role as a soldier earlier in this speech. His request for a “staff of honor” reflects the noble position he holds in Roman society as a war hero. However, it also hints at the fatal flaw of his pride: While declining political power, he still wants to maintain prestige. This foreshadows his assertive behavior once Saturninus is emperor. His note about how well the last emperor ruled establishes this moment as a tipping point invoking Order Versus Chaos, highlighting the power vacuum that has been created.

“Clear up, fair queen, that cloudy countenance:

[…] he comforts you

Can make you greater than the queen of Goths.”

Saturninus’s immediate interest in Tamora upon being gifted her as a prisoner shows both his lecherous character and his disregard for honoring his political connection to Titus since he has just agreed to marry Lavinia. Tamora has gone from being a queen to a prisoner of war; her child has just been brutally killed. Saturninus’s request that she cheer up and smile illustrates the qualities that make him ripe for her manipulation: He has a naïve disregard for how she might respond to these circumstances, taking her outward compliance at face value.