Shakespeare's earliest tragedy

The play Titus Andronicus is the theme of this book, which consists of a series of ten essays, seven of which are studies of fundamental aspects of the play, and three that treat, in less depth, associated subjects.

The topics that are treated at some length are the authorship of the play; modern, chiefly literary, criticism; the text and textual revision; the sources of the play; the date of composition, and the stage history since 1970. Treated in the briefer fashion are the Longleat drawing apparently representing an early performance of Titus, perhaps as recollected; the relationship between Thomas Nashe's novel The Unfortunate Traveller and Titus Andronicus; and a discussion of the music in the play.