I think it’s interesting that Shakespeare cuts off so many hands in Titus. Losing hands is indicative of a few obvious things: failure to function and communicate, mutilation worse than death, etc. Losing hands also serves as a physical representation of the break-down of the system. The play begins with all of the characters in a rigidly structured world where they know and obey all of the rules. As the play progresses, the structure collapses (is this what happens when outsiders-- Goths-- are introduced to a community?) and the rules are either warped or cease to matter. The importance of the hierarchy is replaced with an eye-for-an-eye style of viscous revenge. The hierarchy is dependent on the rules to function, just as Titus and Lavinia are dependent on their hands to exist easily within their world. As the rules start to deteriorate, we see this manifested in mutilation. Titus and Lavinia can no longer function as they once did, so what’s the use of trying to force themselves back into their rigid system of rules?
Shakespeare uses the word “hand” throughout his cannon and it can mean several different things. Some of these definitions can be applied to what happens in Titus. “Hand” can mean “ability, skill” and also “agency, means”. Lavinia certainly loses her agency when her hands are taken away from her. Titus continues to act mostly alone without his left hand, but learns that he has to depend on his family for more than he did before; these meanings combined make it so that the loss of hands equates to something similar to impotence for both of the characters. “Hand” can also mean “care, escort, keeping”. When Titus loses his hand he does it out of care for Lavinia and continues to do so with his remaining hand until he offers her release into death at the end of the play.
Shakespeare uses the word “hand” throughout his cannon and it can mean several different things. Some of these definitions can be applied to what happens in Titus. “Hand” can mean “ability, skill” and also “agency, means”. Lavinia certainly loses her agency when her hands are taken away from her. Titus continues to act mostly alone without his left hand, but learns that he has to depend on his family for more than he did before; these meanings combined make it so that the loss of hands equates to something similar to impotence for both of the characters. “Hand” can also mean “care, escort, keeping”. When Titus loses his hand he does it out of care for Lavinia and continues to do so with his remaining hand until he offers her release into death at the end of the play.