Shakespeare's Tragedies

Beginning with the rape of Lavinia in Titus Andronicus this book traces the linked themes of violation and identity through seven Shakespearean tragedies. The shock effects of Lavinia''s rape reverberate throughout Shakespeare''s later tragedies. This detailed study of Titus Andronicus Romeo and Juliet Hamlet Troilus and Cressida Othello King Lear and Macbeth reveals the way acts of violence evoke questions about the identities of the victims perpetrators and the acts themselves. Written in a clear accessible style it highlights the humanistic aspects of Shakespearean tragedy.