# Tamora — Titus Andronicus character guide

> Tamora in Titus Andronicus by William Shakespeare.

**Role:** major

**Also known as:** Tamora Olympus, mighty Tamora, Tamora Rapine, Rapine, Tamora King

**First appearance:** 0000-titus-andronicus

## Snapshot

The captive Queen of the Goths, paraded through Rome in chains, trades humiliation for an empress's crown and discovers that power makes revenge taste sweeter.

## Who they are

Tamora enters Rome as Titus's prisoner, watching her eldest son butchered as a ritual offering before the city she has fought for years. Elevated to empress by Saturninus's impulsive choice, she becomes the play's most dangerous figure: patient, charming, and utterly without mercy. Her grievance against Titus is personal and precise, and her willingness to weaponize her sons, her lover Aaron, and her own imperial position sets the machinery of the tragedy in motion.

## Relationships

### [Titus Andronicus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/titus_andronicus_se/characters/titus_andronicus)

_rivalry_

Tamora seeks revenge on Titus for sacrificing her son, becoming his bitter enemy and orchestrating his family's destruction.

### [Lucius](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/titus_andronicus_se/characters/lucius)

_rivalry_

Lucius despises Tamora for her role in his family's tragedies and leads forces against her and Saturninus.

### [Saturninus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/titus_andronicus_se/characters/saturninus)

_romantic_

Saturninus marries Tamora, but their relationship is based on political convenience and mutual ambition rather than genuine love.

### [Lavinia](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/titus_andronicus_se/characters/lavinia)

_rivalry_

Tamora enables and encourages the assault on Lavinia, viewing her as a symbol of the Andronici family she hates.

### [Titus Andronicus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/titus_andronicus_se/characters/titus_andronicus)

_rivalry_

Tamora seeks revenge on Titus for sacrificing her son, becoming his bitter enemy and orchestrating his family's destruction.

### [Saturninus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/titus_andronicus_se/characters/saturninus)

_romantic_

Saturninus marries Tamora, but their relationship is based on political convenience and mutual ambition rather than genuine love.

### [Lucius](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/titus_andronicus_se/characters/lucius)

_rivalry_

Lucius despises Tamora for her role in his family's tragedies and leads forces against her and Saturninus.

### [Lucius](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/titus_andronicus_se/characters/lucius)

_rivalry_

Lucius despises Tamora for her role in his family's tragedies and leads forces against her and Saturninus.

### [Lavinia](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/titus_andronicus_se/characters/lavinia)

_rivalry_

Tamora enables and encourages the assault on Lavinia, viewing her as a symbol of the Andronici family she hates.

### [Saturninus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/titus_andronicus_se/characters/saturninus)

_romantic_

Saturninus marries Tamora, but their relationship is based on political convenience and mutual ambition rather than genuine love.

### [Titus Andronicus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/titus_andronicus_se/characters/titus_andronicus)

_rivalry_

Tamora seeks revenge on Titus for sacrificing her son, becoming his bitter enemy and orchestrating his family's destruction.

## In the story

### [Scene I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/titus_andronicus_se/chapters/act-i-scene-i)

Prisoner of war, marries Saturninus, publicly reconciles the factions while privately plotting revenge.

### [Scene I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/titus_andronicus_se/chapters/act-ii-scene-i)

Described by Aaron as newly elevated empress, 'Semiramis' and 'siren'; her wit and influence are to be enlisted in the plot.

### [Scene II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/titus_andronicus_se/chapters/act-ii-scene-ii)

Accompanies Saturninus as his bride, observes the Roman hunting.

### [Scene III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/titus_andronicus_se/chapters/act-ii-scene-iii)

Attempts to seduce Aaron; confronts Bassianus and Lavinia; presents forged letter to Saturninus to incriminate Titus's sons.

### [Scene II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/titus_andronicus_se/chapters/act-iv-scene-ii)

Mentioned as the mother of Aaron's child, sending the nurse with orders to kill it.

### [Scene IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/titus_andronicus_se/chapters/act-iv-scene-iv)

Publicly calms Saturninus while privately plotting to 'enchant' Titus with sweet words to undermine him.

### [Scene I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/titus_andronicus_se/chapters/act-v-scene-i)

Referred to as the empress and mother of Aaron's child.

### [Scene II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/titus_andronicus_se/chapters/act-v-scene-ii)

Disguises herself as Revenge to manipulate Titus into summoning Lucius, but Titus sees through her ruse.

### [Scene III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/titus_andronicus_se/chapters/act-v-scene-iii)

Eats the pie containing her sons' flesh, then is killed by Titus.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/titus_andronicus_se/characters/tamora
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/titus_andronicus_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/titus_andronicus_se/characters