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Nor thou, nor he, are any sons of mine,
My sons would never so dishonor me."
(Titus I.i.292-295).

Similarly, the Goths, and particularly the queen, Tamora, is defined by another type of fierce loyalty: familial love. In much the same way that Titus will commit any act in the name of his stoic love of civic duty and his state, the Goths are characterized by their love and loyalty for each other and their sociopathic disregard for anyone outside their circle. This disregard, as well as the tendency of Shakespeare's characters to reveal their true emotions and intentions when removed from the scrutiny of the other, is exemplified by Tamora's aside to Saturninus in Act II. In the guise of encouraging Saturninus to forgive Titus, she actually advises him to be cautious in his newfound rule, and plots her revenge:

Yield at entreats; and then let me alone,
I'll find a day to massacre them all,
And rase their faction and their family,
The cruel father and his traitorous sons,
To whom I sued for my dear son's life.
(I.i.449-453)

Though not a monologue, as Tamora is speaking to Saturninus, the speech is still delivered out of earshot of anyone with opposing interests. Saturninus' values are now unified with Tamora's; he's abandoned his Roman values of loyalty and immediately adopted the Goths' fiery, emotionally-driven form of self-loyalty. Thus, Tamora's aside offers the audience an unveiled revelation of her true emotions.

Saturninus' malleability is indicative of the potential of characters in Shakespeare's plays to alter their emotionality, both as an internal part of their identity and in response to external events. This trend is embodied by the pronounced and almost complete reversal of the character of Titus over the course of the play. At its outset, he is virtually a perfect paragon of Roman stoicism, repressing all emotions as detrimental to his ability to serve his state. His lack of emotion is an intrinsic part of his identity.

However, as the plot progresses, Titus reveals chinks in his emotional armor. His obvious and pronounced paternal love for his daughter, Lavinia, shows him to be not as impervious to the influence of others on his emotions as the audience initially believes. In the end, that love (and consequent vulnerability) leads to his downfall; the discord is initiated by his overzealous protection of Lavinia's honor, and that same desire to protect her honor, by seeking revenge for her defilement, culminates in his death. Through Titus, as well

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