A dominant idea recurring throughout Titus Andronicus is the symbolism of the "body of Rome," which serves as a metaphorical parallel to the events of the text. This motif follows the changing statuses of the characters and power structures within the play and highlights the fall of the Roman Empire. The play follows the leader of the Roman army, Titus Andronicus, and his struggle for power after corruption within the empire's dominant force. While the text is extrinsically focused on Rome, it also presents ideas about the English monarchy of the Elizabethan era. The incompleteness of the body in the first act can be labeled as the determining factor in the events of the play and the cause of the final collapse of the empire, aided by the continuous cutting off of body parts and the shedding of blood. The metaphor of the body of Rome in Titus Andronicus demonstrates the tearing of Rome's body politic due to power imbalances and civil unrest. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The exposition of the work parallels the motifs used in Titus Andronicus, which also explain the rise and fall of the central characters and thus the Empire. The "body of Rome", especially the head of this body, symbol, underlines the gravity of the unfolding events through its constantly changing representation and connects to the motif. At the beginning of Shakespeare's first revenge tragedy, Titus is asked to take over as emperor of Rome and in a sense to "help put the head on headless Rome." This crux of the play demonstrates a promise of the restoration of order and a prosperous future, however, this is quickly deteriorated by Titus' rejection and the passing of power to Saturninus, the previous emperor's eldest son. Since Titus was the people's favorite leader, the power he bestowed on Saturninus is deemed illegitimate and illegal, quickly demonstrated by the events that unfold in the rest of the text. The head is the most vital branch of the body, a reason reiterated by the immediate disappearance of the rest of the body politic. The report of a major authority figure ties into the context of the time of publication and Queen Elizabeth's monarchical rule over England. The importance of a "head" over Rome, which is revealed as the empire continues to crumble as the plot progresses, reinforces the need for 16th century power structures. The first act of the play sets the stage for the unfolding events, made evident to the audience through the use of the parallel body symbol. The power imbalance and decapitation of Rome resulting from the first act in the text continues to cause repercussions that are continually reflected. in the body motif. The frequent dismemberment of body parts is a figurative maintenance of the disintegration of the Roman body politic and a promise of the fall from grace of most of the central characters. Titus Andronicus contains nearly eighty mentions of hands and frequent dealings with the tongue, highlighting the importance of these body parts in relation to the metaphor of the body as a whole. After Titus first sees his daughter Lavinia following her rape and mutilation by Rome's lawless leaders, Chiron and Demetrius, tongueless and handless, states that this is fortunate, as the service of his hands to Rome had proved useless and fruitless: "It is well, Lavinia, that thou hast no hands; / For hands to serve Rome are but vain." In this scene the hands are used as a symbol of physical effort, which when given to the empire gives nothing in return. This breakdown of the body motif is supported through the beheading of two sons of