Preview... Titus Adrian; an adaption of Titus Andronicus.

One of the challenges of writing a tale is how to re-write a tale ie. making an adaption and yet retained the essence of the original tale. I have tried it with The Tempest ( moving from an island to an asylum ), Othello ( reliving the pain with a different insight ) , Coriolanus ( adding in the twist to the tale ) and now Titus Andronicus. The quote below intrigued me.

S. Clarke Hulse's count, Titus Andronicus is a play with "14 killings, 9 of them on stage, 6 severed members, 1 rape (or 2 or 3, depending on how you count), 1 live burial, 1 case of insanity and 1 of cannibalism--an average of 5.2 atrocities per act, or one for every 97 lines." Reviewer Mike Gene Wallace adds, "This is a great play. We're talking fourteen dead bodies, kung-fu, sword-fu, spear-fu, dagger-fu, arrow-fu, pie-fu, animal screams on the soundtrack, heads roll, hands roll, tongues roll, nine and a half quarts of blood, and a record-breaking 94 on the vomit meter." 

http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/titus/summary.html

I picked up the play in one of my favorite bookstore ( rundown and filled with the discarded novels with the bed mites and whatever its previous owner left ). I read it, and soon explore the tale in the Internet. In the words of I had to admit it was not easy to start with but I think I got it this round. Here is an excerpt of the first few passages ( I only done the first four pages this evening. ). 

Please preview.

Excerpt 1

The new people to the lands were named the Romans came from a different background of the infamous nation. They adopted the name for themselves for these new people viewed themselves as civilized and knowledgeable in many skills with bravery as one of it. Like their namesake, they came to the land to expand their empire. They were told the land there was open for settlement. As once mentioned in the words of one great leader; they came, they saw and then they grabbed. There were vast lands for everyone, but the two groups had to meet eventually. Both groups viewed the other with mis-trust and have only one syllable to describe the other.

“Savages!”

It was that cry that made them clashed. Since then they have fought over many battles and more lives were lost to both sides. It was no different from any battles fought by others in the annals of history but the tale here needed to be told. It’s a tale that reside in us despite all the civilized and faith teaching, we still hold savagery inside. All it needed was a provocation for it to surface. 

Excerpt 2

Saturday proceeded to the standing bar and then poured himself two glasses of the wine there. He offered one to his step brother before he drank his own. He then looked to the assembled guests who were giving him the look over. They should for filling his father’s position was not easy. The man was the Lord Baron of the Barons there; each of them owning large vast of lands, while Julius held the biggest and most fertile one. The barons did not earn their lands without loss of blood and loved ones; but they were hard men there.

“Noble patricians,” Saturday addressed them with care. He used his words well as a mark of respect. The baron term was their honor namesake, but in that room they liked to known as patricians; a rank that befits them in the family tree.

“Patrons of my right, defend the justice of my cause with ….arms.” Saturday eased his word at the end for he knew there are contenders for his father’s position. There they were not promoted on the heritage but on valor. Anyone of the sixteen could challenge him for the position. Such was the law of the Romans.

“And countrymen, my loyal followers, plead my successive title with your might.” Saturday studied the glare of some. They were sizing him with his earlier address and he took the master over servant tone on them. They will back down and favored him. It was what his father taught him before; never show your fear to the opponents.

“I am his first born son.” Saturday attest that point across. He could feel the glare of Bastion but he had to do that to win the support. “His son that made me his rightful successor. Let my father’s honor live in me. Don’t wrong mine age with this.”

Saturday knew that some will consider him unworthy with his age. His battle scars were few but his heroic acts were many. He hoped that the will work out. He turned to look at Bastion for the next cue. The later stepped forth and rehearsed his lines.

“Romans,” Bastion chose to sink his words with the people. He was not truly family there; the illegal son of the patriarch with one of the servants during one of his delirious moments. Julius Caesar have the ailment of possession by the devil at times, much of it hidden from the other patriarchs for fear they will considered it as his weakness. It was not an issue anymore with the man dead then.

“I am Bastion, Caesar’ …son. I am ever gracious to be in your company. I would like to keep the passage of succession to my father’ rank, and suffered not the dishonor to approach it myself. The rank belonged to Saturday for he will do justice and invoke nobility to it.”

Bastion took his bow to the patriarchs before he took his place behind Saturday. The later was to speak again when another intervened. 

Thank you for sharing with me my indulgence.