Pieces of Meat

Considering I didn't see the part of the movie where Titus loses his hand, Julie Taymor makes a symbolic statement of how women were treated as pieces of meat and that men objectified anything that resembled a woman. Lavinia is the first to be treated as such. Apparently, Lavinia is simply a blow up doll to use at a man's pleasure and can be deflated after its been used. Similarly, her father becomes castrated, as Cecile Marti points out, when Aaron removes Titus' "manhood" by cutting off his... hand (and as the movie shows putting his meat in a baggie). Furthermore, she talks about the kitchen scene and Titus' "womanly" cooking, demeaning himself and lowering himself below Tamora. Yet, even Tamora's sons become literal pieces of meat. Overall, Shakespeare seems to objectify anything feminine, Taymor portrays Shakespeare's play well, and Marti notices all of this.

P.S. Sorry about the feminist rants I've been going on.