Girl Power!... maybe

"I'll find a day to massacre them all
And race their faction and their family,
The cruel father, and his traitorous sons,
To whom I sued for my dear son's life;
And make them know what 'tis to let a queen
Kneel in the streets and beg for grace in vain."
(I.i.450-455) **

I found this quote by Tamora to be one of the most interesting and strongest of the act. It is nice to see the female role take a stronger position since in both previous plays the woman was subject to the male in one way or another. In this act, although driven by motherly love and the fact that Titus humiliated her, the cards are obviously playing in her favor as she ascends positions as the Roman emperor (the power originally holding her captive) takes her as his wife. She is clearly using this to her advantage since she intends to avenge her sacrificed son. I wonder whether Saturninus, the new Roman emperor, was aware of this fact and intends to seek revenge through Tamora for not being abe to have Lavinia, or if he was just so desperate for a wife and took the only other female present after Lavinia was taken away. Whichever the case, this play is likely to unravel interesting events with the woman finally at the forefront for a change.

** I have a different version of the play since I could not find the requested copy in the bookstore, so I apologize if the lines don't match up.