Degree Type
Honors Capstone Project
Date of Submission
Spring 5-2017
Capstone Advisor
Dympna Callaghan
Honors Reader
Jeffrey Carnes
Capstone Major
English
Capstone College
Arts and Science
Audio/Visual Component
no
Capstone Prize Winner
no
Won Capstone Funding
no
Honors Categories
Humanities
Subject Categories
English Language and Literature
Abstract
This project explores Shakespeare’s treatment of rape and sexual violence in Titus Andronicus and The Rape of Lucrece through close reading, analysis, and discussion of relevant source material. Critiques of Shakespeare that center around his perceived anti-feminist convictions tend to focus on his morbidly comical depictions of rape and violence against female victims. However, despite their position as victims, Lavinia in Titus Andronicus and Lucrece in The Rape of Lucrece reclaim revenge on their attackers. Shakespeare deliberately lends his literary eloquence to Lavinia and Lucrece, enabling them to partly avenge the crimes done unto them. By representing these characters as literate women, Shakespeare allows Lavinia and Lucrece to become more than abject victims. Lavinia and Lucrece fight back against the patriarchal structures which would deny them the capacity to resist the wrongs done unto them.
Recommended Citation
Sarkisian, Lily, "The Treatment of Sexual Violence and Reclaimed Agency in Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus and The Rape of Lucrece" (2017). Honors Capstone Projects - All. 1013.
https://surface.syr.edu/honors_capstone/1013
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.
