Abstract

This paper deploys close reading to interpret William Shakespeare’s early tragedy Titus Andronicus as articulating that belief in the state as a consistent, regulatory institution – as exemplified by Thomas Hobbes’ proposals in Leviathan – is a flawed one due to its misalignment with a core component of the human psyche which stymies attempts at fostering uniformity among individuals; the tendency for humans is to be swayed by emotional changes. In Titus Andronicus, the broken promise of the state is crystallised by a fixation on glory which distracts characters from protecting each other’s interests. This paper then proceeds to read Titus Andronicus alongside Niccolò Machiavelli’s Discourses on Livy to uncover vigilance as the key for survival no matter the political conditions in which individuals may find themselves.

Keywords: Titus Andronicus, Hobbes, Machiavelli, promise

How to Cite:

Ow Zhi Heng, L. B., (2026) “‘[D]o me right’: The Promise of Protection and State Action in Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus”, Moveable Type 16(1): 4, 28–37. doi: https://doi.org/10.14324/111.444.1755-4527.2289