Titus Andronicus

by

William Shakespeare

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Tamora Character Analysis

Read our modern English translation.
Tamora is the queen of the Goths and is brought to Rome as a prisoner by Titus. She begs him not to kill her son Alarbus, but when he does she vows revenge against him. When Saturninus takes her as his wife, she gains the opportunity to plot revenge, and helps Aaron, Demetrius, and Chiron as they avenge Alarbus through the rape and mutilation of Lavinia, the deaths of Quintus and Martius, and the exile of Lucius.

Tamora Quotes in Titus Andronicus

The Titus Andronicus quotes below are all either spoken by Tamora or refer to Tamora. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Revenge Theme Icon
).
Act 1, Scene 1 Quotes

Victorious Titus, rue the tears I shed,
A mother’s tears in passion for her son.
And if thy sons were ever dear to thee,
O think my son to be as dear to me.

Related Characters: Tamora (speaker), Titus Andronicus
Page Number: 1.1.105-108
Explanation and Analysis:

I’ll find a day to massacre them all
And raze their faction and their family,
The cruel father and his traitorous sons.

Related Characters: Tamora (speaker), Titus Andronicus, Lavinia, Lucius, Quintus and Martius
Page Number: 1.1.458-461
Explanation and Analysis:

Titus, I am incorporate in Rome,
A Roman now adopted happily.

Related Characters: Tamora (speaker), Titus Andronicus
Related Symbols: The Body
Page Number: 1.1.472-473
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 2, Scene 3 Quotes

Revenge it as you love your mother’s life,
Or be you not henceforth called my children.

Related Characters: Tamora (speaker), Bassianus, Demetrius and Chiron
Related Symbols: The Hunt, The Body
Page Number: 2.3.114-115
Explanation and Analysis:

Ay, come, Semiramis, nay, barbarous Tamora,
For no name fits thy nature but thy own.

Related Characters: Lavinia (speaker), Tamora
Page Number: 2.3.119-119
Explanation and Analysis:

Remember, boys, I poured forth tears in vain
To save your brother from the sacrifice,
but fierce Andronicus would not relent.
Therefore away with her, and use her as you will;
The worse to her, the better loved of me.

Related Characters: Tamora (speaker), Titus Andronicus, Demetrius and Chiron, Lavinia
Related Symbols: The Body
Page Number: 2.3.163-157
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 4, Scene 1 Quotes

And swear with me—as, with the woeful fere
And father of that chaste dishonored dame,
Lord Junius Brutus swore for Lucrece’ rape—
That we will prosecute by good advice
Mortal revenge upon these traitorous Goths,
And see their blood or die with this reproach.

Page Number: 4.1.90-95
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 4, Scene 3 Quotes

Kinsmen, his sorrows are past remedy.
Join with the Goths, and with revengeful war
Take wreak on Rome for this ingratitude,
And vengeance on the traitor Saturnine.

Page Number: 4.3.31-35
Explanation and Analysis:
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Tamora Character Timeline in Titus Andronicus

The timeline below shows where the character Tamora appears in Titus Andronicus. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Act 1, Scene 1
Revenge Theme Icon
Violence and Justice Theme Icon
Children Theme Icon
Grief and Mourning Theme Icon
...be buried in his family’s tomb according to custom. Titus brings with him five prisoners: Tamora, the queen of the Goths; her three sons (Alarbus, Demetrius, and Chiron); and Aaron, a... (full context)
Revenge Theme Icon
Violence and Justice Theme Icon
Rome, Romans, and Barbarians Theme Icon
Grief and Mourning Theme Icon
Tamora and Chiron cry out in grief and accuse the Romans of being barbarous. Demetrius, though,... (full context)
Rome, Romans, and Barbarians Theme Icon
...trusts the Andronicus family and will not have Lavinia as his wife. Instead, Saturninus asks Tamora to be his wife and the “Emperess of Rome.” Tamora accepts the offer and everyone... (full context)
Revenge Theme Icon
Rome, Romans, and Barbarians Theme Icon
Saturninus enters with Tamora, her sons, and Aaron, while Bassianus enters with Lavinia. Saturninus tells Bassianus that he can... (full context)
Revenge Theme Icon
Tamora convinces Saturninus not to seek revenge, but rather to forgive Titus. However, she secretly whispers... (full context)
Act 2, Scene 1
Violence and Justice Theme Icon
In a soliloquy, Aaron reveals that he and Tamora are lovers and says that Tamora will cause the downfall of Saturninus and Rome. Chiron... (full context)
Act 2, Scene 2
Revenge Theme Icon
Violence and Justice Theme Icon
...watch out for Saturninus, as he has been “troubled in my sleep this night.” Saturninus, Tamora, Bassianus, Lavinia, and Tamora’s sons arrive. Everyone prepares for the hunt, while Demetrius and Chiron... (full context)
Act 2, Scene 3
Revenge Theme Icon
Alone during the hunt, Aaron buries a bag of gold under a tree. Tamora arrives and suggests she and Aaron make love. Aaron says instead that he is busy... (full context)
Revenge Theme Icon
Violence and Justice Theme Icon
Bassianus and Lavinia come upon Aaron and Tamora, discovering that the two are lovers. Aaron leaves to find Tamora’s sons. Bassianus teases Tamora,... (full context)
Revenge Theme Icon
Violence and Justice Theme Icon
Rome, Romans, and Barbarians Theme Icon
Chiron and Demetrius arrive and Tamora tells them that Lavinia and Bassianus have tricked her to follow them into the wilderness... (full context)
Revenge Theme Icon
Violence and Justice Theme Icon
...is in the hole and Martius answers him. He tells Saturninus that Bassianus is dead. Tamora, Titus, and Lucius arrive. Tamora feigns ignorance about Bassianus’ death and gives Saturninus the letter... (full context)
Violence and Justice Theme Icon
...for Bassianus’ murder. But Saturninus refuses, as he is utterly convinced of the sons’ guilt. Tamora tells Titus that she will appeal to Saturninus on behalf of Titus’ sons. (full context)
Act 4, Scene 2
Children Theme Icon
...that their crime against Lavinia has been discovered, before leaving. Trumpets from off-stage announce that Tamora has given birth to a son. A nurse enters, bearing Tamora’s son. She tells Aaron... (full context)
Act 4, Scene 4
Violence and Justice Theme Icon
Saturninus, attended by Tamora, Chiron, and Demetrius, is annoyed by the arrows shot by the Andronicus family into the... (full context)
Rome, Romans, and Barbarians Theme Icon
...army of Goths against Rome. Saturninus worries, since the Roman people are supportive of Lucius. Tamora suggests that they persuade Titus to make Lucius stop. Saturninus doesn’t think that Titus will... (full context)
Act 5, Scene 1
Violence and Justice Theme Icon
Aaron tells Lucius that Tamora is the mother of his child and that Demetrius and Chiron killed Bassianus, raped Lavinia,... (full context)
Act 5, Scene 2
Revenge Theme Icon
Violence and Justice Theme Icon
Tamora and her sons wait outside of Titus’ house in disguise. Tamora has dressed up as... (full context)
Revenge Theme Icon
Tamora thinks that she has tricked Titus and that Titus has lost his mind. She plots... (full context)
Revenge Theme Icon
Violence and Justice Theme Icon
Children Theme Icon
Rome, Romans, and Barbarians Theme Icon
Tamora prepares to leave with her sons to go prepare for the banquet, but Titus insists... (full context)
Act 5, Scene 3
Violence and Justice Theme Icon
Children Theme Icon
...watch over Aaron until it is time to for him to reveal Aaron's relationship with Tamora. Saturninus and Tamora arrive with their attendants and agree to a peaceful meeting with Lucius.... (full context)
Revenge Theme Icon
Violence and Justice Theme Icon
Children Theme Icon
...to him, but Titus says they are already present, baked into the pies he and Tamora are eating, so that Tamora is “eating the flesh that she herself hath bred.” Titus... (full context)
Violence and Justice Theme Icon
Rome, Romans, and Barbarians Theme Icon
...Martius to be wrongfully executed and him to be exiled. Marcus then reveals Aaron and Tamora’s child, tells the Roman people, “Now judge what cause had Titus to revenge / These... (full context)
Violence and Justice Theme Icon
Rome, Romans, and Barbarians Theme Icon
Grief and Mourning Theme Icon
...for Titus and Lavinia to be buried in the Andronicus family tomb. He asks that Tamora’s body be given no funeral rites, though, but rather be left for wild beasts to... (full context)