Previous
Setting
Definition of Simile
A simile is a figure of speech that directly compares two unlike things. To make the comparison, similes most often use the connecting words "like" or "as," but can also... read full definition
A simile is a figure of speech that directly compares two unlike things. To make the comparison, similes most often use the connecting words "like... read full definition
A simile is a figure of speech that directly compares two unlike things. To make the comparison, similes most often... read full definition
Act 3, Scene 1
Explanation and Analysis—As Doth the Deer:
In Act 3, Scene 1, Marcus and Titus use a simile to refer to Lavinia as a scared or wounded deer:
Marcus: O, thus I found her, straying in the park,
Seeking to hide herself, as doth the deer
That hath received some unrecuring wound.
Titus: It was my deer; and he that wounded her
Hath hurt me more than had he killed me dead
The conversation in the passage above occurs with Lavinia present, as Titus, Marcus, and Lucius attempt to discover what has happened to her that caused her to lose her limbs and tongue. However, even as they express a desire to help avenge her, Lavinia does not—cannot—respond. Lavinia is given little agency in the play, as she is meant to represent purity and innocence. The comparison of Lavinia to a helpless deer emphasizes these desirable feminine qualities. Likewise, the grievous harm that Lavinia has suffered is likened to the “unrecuring wound” or death blow inflicted upon a hunted deer, signifying the fact that, for all intents and purposes, in the eyes of these men, her life is utterly over. In light of the butchery language used in other areas of the play, by referring to her as something hunted (the deer), this simile similarly objectifies and dehumanizes her, turning her into an ideal blank candidate for her father to pin his hopes of revenge.
Related Themes:
Act 5, Scene 1
Explanation and Analysis—Like a Black Dog:
In Act 5, Scene 1, Aaron and his son are caught by the Goths and taken prisoner. Desperate to preserve the life of his child, Aaron promises to tell Lucius about the evil, heinous deeds he has committed, as well as Tamora’s ongoing pursuit of vengeance. He proceeds to by enumerating every wrong ever enacted by himself, Tamora, Chiron, and Demetrius. Lucius and the Goths, in turn, grow more and more aghast, until one onlooker cannot help but ask if the man has any shame at all (“What, canst thou say all this and never blush?”). Aaron responds with the following simile:
Aye, like a blush like a black dog, as the saying is.
This simile, while short, gives Aaron’s character significantly more depth. It is telling that Aaron’s response to the question of his shame is not to deny its existence, but rather its appearance. While he goes on to state that he does not regret his actions and would even do more bad deeds should the occasion arise, Aaron’s words betray a motivation that is not driven purely by plain-old evil. This simile highlights Aaron’s shameless behavior while also making a pun about his skin, the very thing that nearly gets him in trouble when Tamora’s baby is born with skin of a similar tone (thus revealing his paternity). As an outsider in terms of foreign origin and skin color, Aaron’s position in the play and in his lover’s heart is precarious, even as he seeks to enact their revenge. Thus, his focus on appearance implicitly signals his own embittered understanding of his place within Roman society.
Related Themes:
