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Julia Mach

English 36000: Shakespeare

Dr. Mardy Philippian

16 October 2017

The Battle with PTSD in Titus Andronicus

Imagine your loved one going off to fight a war and not being able to see them for three

or more years. Imagine your loved one coming home, but they are not the same as they once

were, only a shell of their former selves. Now, imagine one night you are sleeping and all of a

sudden, your loved one is choking you because they think you are the enemy they fought

overseas. For some people, this is their harsh reality, especially for soldiers who come back

home filled with untreated trauma leading to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). While going

through the whole process, writers, like Shakespeare, often bring comfort to people in showing

them that they are not alone in the struggles they are currently facing either alone or with their

loved ones. PTSD is a mental disease that not only affects the person who has it, but affects all

the people around them. It affects not only ones mind, but their thoughts and actions as well.

Although the term "post-traumatic stress disorder" was not part of the medical discourse in the

late sixteenth century when Shakespeare wrote Titus Andronicus, the play nonetheless accurately

portrays how war affects a soldiers psychological equilibrium, even the most senior of soldiers,

causing them to act irrationally and violently at times.

While the term post-traumatic stress disorder was not used during the late sixteenth

century, early attempts at a medical diagnosis did occur causing for signs and symptoms to be

recorded along with an equivalent term for PTSD. While the term PTSD was not added to

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) until 1980, recordings of
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psychological symptoms date all the way back to ancient times (Friedman). This includes text

such as The Bible, where there is reference to soldiers being removed from the frontline due to

nervous breakdown in Deuteronomy 20:1-9; the first major epic, the tale of Gilgamesh, where

Gilgamesh experiences posttraumatic symptoms due to losing his friend, and in the battle of

Marathon by Herodotus written in 440 BC, where the first case of chronic mental symptoms is

recorded on the battlefield (M. A. Crocq and L. Crocq). Recordings of attempted treatments of

this psychological disorder, however, would not occur until The American Civil War in 1861-

1865 and the Franco-Prussian War in 1870-1871, which is why Shakespeare only writes about

certain signs and symptoms in his works but does not talk about treatment. Yet, one should not

claim that Shakespeare invented PTSD as Deborah Willis warns saying, But rather than claim

that Shakespeare invented PTSD four hundred years before DSM-III, I will argue that the honor-

driven retaliatory practices which Shakespeare assumes to be pervasive in Roman and Goth

cultures allow his characters an alternative way to cope with the overwhelming emotions and

shattering of self-structures generated by traumatic events (Willis 32). Shakespeare had no

special understanding of what PTSD was; instead, he was only able to observe the reactions

people had when dealing with overwhelming emotions and tragedy. Even in terms of a name

given to this psychological disorder, one cannot seem to find a single word or phrase used

constantly in scholarly writings until the publishing of The Anatomy of Melancholy in 1651 by

Robert Burton. In his book, Burton defines the natural causes of being melancholy with the word

perturbations which he defines as, A cruel torture of the soul, inexplicable grief, poisoned

worm, consuming body and soul, and gnawing at the very heart, a perpetual executioner,

perpetual night, heating worse than fire and a battle that has no end. It crucifies worse than any

tyrant; no torture, no strappado, no bodily punishment is like unto it (Burton 299). While this
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may seem like an odd way to describe PTSD due to its poetic imagery, it is an accurate definition

of some of the signs and symptoms that military personnel have to deal with after coming home

from war. The word melancholy was used before perturbations but it did not define the

complete psychological disorder, instead it only focused on a person feeling perpetually sad. In

todays psychological world, PTSD is defined as, the development of characteristic symptoms

following exposure to traumatic events (American Psychiatric Association 274). The

characteristic symptoms of PTSD include having recurrent, involuntary, and intrusive

recollections of an event, distressing dreams, dissociative states that could last for a few minutes

or days which are referred to as flashbacks, intense psychological distress, dissociative amnesia,

exaggerated negative expectations, a persistent negative attitude, feeling detached/estranged

from the others, no longer being able to feel happy emotions, diminished interest in previous

enjoyable activities, quick temper, verbal and physical aggression, participation in reckless

behavior, heightened sensitivity to threats, being very reactive to unexpected stimuli,

concentration difficulties, problems with sleeping, and dissociative symptoms with ones body

(American Psychiatric Association 275-6). Even without a fixed term or possible treatments,

Shakespeare was still able to create accurate portrayals of soldiers damaged psyche and the

repercussions of it such as in his play Titus Andronicus.

While not all of the detrimental, psychological effects of PTSD were distinctly known in

Shakespeares time, Shakespeares representation of them in Titus Andronicus helps people

understand how war affects a soldiers psyche, which can cause them to act irrationally and

violently. The play introduces readers to Titus through a dramatic entrance on a chariot with his

captives in tow coming back from war. Ms. Willis describes Titus backstory of war saying,

Titus and his son Lucius return as combat survivors, carrying coffins and haunted by ghosts.
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Their experience of loss is notably extreme. In the course of five wars with the Goths, twenty-

one Andronicus sons have been killed on the battlefield (Willis 35). While Titus is seen as this

very successful warrior, his psyche and mindset have become damaged by five years of war and

the extreme loss of his twenty-one sons. However, he seems to be of sound mind as he gives this

very passionate speech about his experiences in war including the many losses he had to endure

during it. During his speech, however, he seems to falter when he says, Titus, unkind and

careless of thine own,/Why sufferst thou thy sons unburied yet/To hover on the dreadful shore

of Styx? (I.I.89-91). It seems as if Titus is no longer talking to his audience, but rather is now

talking to himself about needing to bury his son. Yet, in the next line, he goes back to directly

addressing his audience. He also addresses himself in the first person, which draws concern to

his mental stability. When seeing the play live or recorded, often these few lines will be said in a

different tone of voice and with different instrumental music showing that something is not right

with Titus. In seeing this abrupt change, one wonders why it happens, yet Titus does not address

or chooses not to recognize it and the reader can even skip it if they are not paying close

attention to the text, play, or film. One could even speculate that in that moment, after having

brought up all those he has lost in war, Titus is having a flashback to his many sons dying on the

battlefield. Many veterans often have flashbacks due to some type of trigger such as an image, a

word/phrase, movement, a noise, etc. Flashbacks, as defined by the most current edition of DSM,

DSM-IV, as dissociative reactions in which the individual feels or acts as if these traumatic

event(s) were recurring. (Such reactions may occur on continuum, with the most extreme

expression being a complete loss of awareness of present surroundings) (American Psychiatric

Association 271). These flashbacks cause the soldier to relieve a very traumatic event and can

often make them feel like they are actually there in that moment psychologically and physically.
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Ms. Willis describes Titus mindset explaining, Traumatic experience irrevocably alters the

survivor's perception of the world. It produces wounds, physical and mental, that by their very

nature cannot heal, losses that cannot be recovered (Willis 52). No matter how strong of a

warrior Titus is, he has suffered lots of emotional trauma causing him to become mentally

unstable and most likely be suffering from flashbacks caused by PTSD. This portrayal of a

flashback remains accurate to the signs and symptoms of PTSD, while also showing how a

soldiers psyche can easily become unstable leading to irrational acts of violence and quick

tempers.

Titus mental instability is only made worse when he is required to fulfill a religious

ritual by giving his twenty-one lost sons one more brutal death in penance for their own deaths.

Willis describes the ritual saying, They require not only proper burial but also an extra death:

neither victory on the battlefield nor the capture of the enemy's royal family has been enough to

pay them back for their own loss of life. The survivors owe them another killing: the ghosts

would take out their rage on their own family if not allowed one further opportunity to humiliate

the enemy. Moreover, this killing must be extravagantly bloody, recapitulating through the

lopping of limbs and hewing of flesh the conditions of death on the battlefield (Willis 35). This

penance act is extremely violent and bloody which does not help Titus who may already be

psychologically stricken with flashbacks. This is why some people argue that Titus has his sons,

Lucius, Puer, Quintus, Martius, Mutius, do the sacrifice for him because he cannot bear to be a

part of the ritual. Yet, he is still the one who condemns Tamoras oldest son, Alarbus, in saying,

Patient yourself, madm, and pardon me./These are their brethren whom your Goths

beheld/Alive and dead, and for their brethren slain/religiously they ask a sacrifice./To this your

son is marked, and die he must/Tappease their groaning shadows that are gone (I.I.124-9). He
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cannot go against the religious ritual because his morals and honor as a soldier tell him that he

must do this final act for his sons. Current research being done by Jeffery R. Wilson describes in

abstract the importance of a soldiers honor and why Titus had to kill Tamoras son saying, The

culture of honor in the military can condition soldiers such that demilitarized veterans feel

compelled to seek violent revenge when they think someone has slighted their integrity. This

argument has its origin in an unconventional source: William Shakespeare's play Titus

Andronicus, which opens with the title character returning from war and ritually slaughtering the

eldest son of his enemy's empress (Wilson 1). While Titus honor as a soldier defends his

actions, his morals that have allowed him to remain sane during war do not agree with his

decision to kill an innocent life, causing Titus mental instability to worsen substantially. It also

does not help Titus mentally that Tamora is there to condemn his decision in the moment saying,

O cruel irreligious piety (I.I.133) and is a symbolic reminder to Titus of his wrongdoing, in

terms of his morals, throughout the rest of the play. Titus must also endure seeing bloody swords

once more and graphic details about the bloody death from Lucius. In seeing and hearing about

all this violence, Titus may become triggered either by seeing the blood on the swords or hearing

about the violent act of killing Alarbus. Soldiers with PTSD often have triggers, which can cause

them to have more flashbacks and become even more mentally unstable. As Titus psychological

equilibrium becomes even more unstable, his decision-making becomes irrational leading to his

actions being more violent which is seen with some soldiers who have been diagnosed with

PTSD.

As Titus psyche is further devolving along with a dwindling rationale for his actions, he

begins to lose control over these actions causing him to lash out and kill his son, Mutius. Before

Titus stabs his son, one can notice Titus becoming upset when he shouts, Traitors, avaunt!
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Where is the Emperors guard?/Treason, my lord! Lavinia is surprised (I.I.285-6). Titus is

threatened by the fact that Saturninus, the king, allows for his sons murderers to leave due to the

king picking Tamora as his queen after Lavinia, Tituss daughter, would not have him. In being

threatened, Titus is put on high alert, as anyone would be, but since he has been at war for so

long, he could see this as a threat to his life. He is threatened even further when Mutius blocks

Titus path and Titus says, What, villain boy,/Barrst me my way to Rome? (I.I.292). Titus

does not address Mutius as his son and instead only sees someone blocking his way. He is not

thinking rationally and his psyche has devolved so much, that like many other PTSD veterans,

Titus strikes without consciously realizing what he is doing and kills his son. Most likely, in

blocking Titus path, Mutius causes Titus to have another flashback, which is why he calls his

son a villain boy and does not register when his son cries out for help. Lucius, another son to

Titus, then tries to rationalize with Titus about what he has just done to his son when Lucius

says, My lord, you are unjust, and more than so./In a wrongful quarrel you have slain your son

(I.I.294-5). Yet, Titus cannot rationalize this information due to him having PTSD causing him

to reply, Nor thou, nor he, are any son of mine./My sons would never dishonor me./Traitor,

restore Lavinia to the Emperor (I.I.296-8). Titus again does not recognize one of his sons and

instead calls him a traitor. While Titus may have some understanding that he is talking to his

son, he cannot rationalize the information due to not being in the correct state of mind. However,

within the next couple of lines, Titus is brought back to reality and once again seems to function

normally. Titus continues to have these highs and lows caused by his PTSD and he is not fully

aware of his instability because he himself does not fully comprehend what is happening to him

nor does anyone else. When two of Tamoras sons horribly rape Titus daughter, Lavinia, Titus

grip on reality is totally shattered, causing him to no longer be able to function as a normal
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member of society. He is once again at war and is willing to sacrifice anything or do anything to

win including chopping off his own hand, feeding his enemies their own sons, killing his own

daughters, and dying in order for balance to be restored once again, which in this case means

getting revenge for Lavinias rape and having a new king on the throne. This revenge act for

Lavinia acts as a container for traumatic emotion, enabling characters to bypass or transmute

major PTSD symptoms such as intrusive recollection or psychic numbing, while also helping

them recover a sense of agency, cohesion, and meaningful action (Willis 32). While Titus

appears to be acting coherently in creating his elaborate plan of revenge, he is still unstable and

is experiencing his PTSD in different ways that allow him to achieve his goal of getting revenge.

Titus himself recognizes his own madness to an extent saying, I knew them all, though they

supposed me mad (5.2.1412). However, he believes it to be part of the role he is playing to get

his revenge instead of realizing he is experiencing actual madness. This is a struggle that many

soldiers who have PTSD have due to not being able to fully understand their mental instability,

ironically because of the fact that they are mentally unstable. While Titus may not fully

understand what is happening to him, others do see it, such as Tamora, who describesThis

closing with him fits his/lunacy./Whatever I forge to feed his brain-sick humours (5.2.70-1).

Those around him know something is wrong with him, but unfortunately, those who notice do

not care enough about Titus to actually say anything or help him. Those who do care about Titus

lean on him for help instead of being his support system causing him to sink deeper into his

PTSD in order to get his revenge. All of this explains why Titus has to die at the end of the play

because unfortunately, he would no longer be able to function normally in society, even with

Lavinias rape being avenged. Like many soldiers who battle against PTSD, it can be a losing
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battle, if not treated correctly and with proper medication, because without it they are essentially

a ticking time bomb just waiting to go off.

Titus Andronicus is one of Shakespeares earlier works causing for this theme of trauma

to ones psyche and post-traumatic stress disorder to be shown in some of his later works as

well. In Henry IV, Part 1, Hotspurs wife, Kate, is complaining about her husbands regular

involvement in mortal combat and his odd behavior due to all of the physical fighting when she

says:

O, my good lord, why are you thus alone?/For what offence have I this fortnight been/A

banishd woman from my Harrys bed?/Tell me, sweet lord, what ist that takes from

thee/Thy stomach, pleasure and thy golden sleep?/Why dost thou bend thine eyes upon

the earth,/And start so often when thou sitst alone?/Why hast thou lost the fresh blood in

thy cheeks;/And given my treasures and my rights of thee/To thick-eyed musing and

curst melancholy?/In thy faint slumbers I by thee have watchd,/And heard thee murmur

tales of iron wars;/Speak terms of manage [horsemanship] to thy bounding steed;/Cry

Courage! to the field! And thou hast talkd/Of sallies and retires, of trenches, tents,/Of

palisadoes, frontiers, parapets,/Of basilisks, of cannon, culverin,/Of prisoners ransom

and of soldiers slain,/And all the currents of a heady fight./Thy spirit within thee hath

been so at war,/And thus hath so bestirrd thee in thy sleep,/That beads of sweat have

stood upon thy brow/Like bubbles in a late-disturbed stream;/And in thy face strange

motions have appeard,/Such as we see when men restrain their breath/On some great

sudden hest. O, what portents are these?/Some heavy business hath my lord in hand,/And

I must know it, else he loves me not (2.4.28-55).

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These lines describe different parts of a PTSD diagnosis for Hotspur, including experiencing

traumatic events over and over, re-experiencing those traumatic events in his sleep, difficulty

sleeping, becoming more agitated, a general lack of interest in sex, isolating himself, distancing

himself from Kate, not wanting to discuss his feelings, hints at Hotspur having these symptoms

for a long time, and him not faring well in civilian life but still doing well in combat (Bennet).

Kates account is highlighting the main features of PTSD, showing off Shakespeares awareness

of PTSD during his time even without an official name for it. This also shows that Titus

Andronicus not only suffered from PTSD, but that it was done purposefully by Shakespeare to

bring awareness to what is happening to soldiers out on the battlefield. Other references to PSTD

can be seen in Midsummer Nights Dream when Theseus gives an example of how anxiety can

distort the accuracy of perception, and in Macbeth where Macbeth experiences several different

signs and symptoms of PSTD such as hallucinations and desensitization to violence. While

coming to understand how or why Shakespeare makes so many references to PTSD is difficult,

Shakespeare allows for many soldiers, both current and in the past, to accurately describe what

they are going through so other people may understand their own struggles and battles with

PTSD.

Imagine your loved one being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and

trying to help them through a process you know nothing about due to lack of knowledge about

what exactly they are experiencing. Imagine your loved one using literature, like Shakespeare, to

give you a glimpse into the battle they are fighting inside their heads. Imagine getting your loved

one back, both physically and mentally for the first time since they went off to war. Even though

the term post-traumatic stress disorder was not a part of Shakespeares vocabulary when he

wrote plays like Titus Andronicus, the play does accurately portray how war affects a soldiers
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psyche, even for the most senior soldiers, causing them to act violently and irrationally at times.

Titus goes through different stages of PTSD while also showing off flashbacks and the

breakdown of ones psyche. In doing this, people in todays society are able to come to a

somewhat better understanding of what their loved ones are going through in suffering from

PTSD. While many people may not look to Shakespeare for a better understanding of PTSD, it is

just one format in which people can come to better understand mental illnesses of the like. These

formats also give a voice to those suffering from PTSD who cannot give a voice to themselves.
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Work Cited

American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth

Edition. American Psychiatric Publishing, 2013.

Bennet, Glin. Shakespeare and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Extra. The British Journal of

Psychiatry, vol. 198, no. 4, 2011, pp. 255. Ovid, doi: 10.1192/bjp.198.4.255.

Burton, Robert. The Anatomy of Melancholy. London: G. Bell, 1920.

Crocq, Marc-Antoine, and Louis Crocq. From Shell Shock and War Neurosis to Posttraumatic

Stress Disorder: A History of Psychotraumatology. Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience

2.1, vol. 2, no. 1, 1 March. 2000, pp. 4755. PubMed. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/

articles/PMC3181586/.

Friedman, Matthew J. History of PTSD in Veterans: Civil War to DSM-5. U.S. Department of

Veterans Affairs. (2017): n. pag. Print. www.ptsd.va.gov/public/ptsd-

overview/basics/history-of-ptsd-vets.asp.

Willis, Deborah. The Gnawing Vulture: Revenge, Trauma Theory, and Titus Andronicus.

Shakespeare Quarterly, vol. 53, no. 1, 2002, pp. 2152. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/

3844038.

Wilson, Jeffrey R. Righteous Slaughter: Honor and Revenge in Titus Andronicus. Abstract.

Harvard College Writing Program n. d., n. pag. Harvey University. Web. 11 Oct. 2017.