Timon of Athens vs Titus Andronicus: Which Should You Read?
Both live on shelves: Timon of Athens, Drama
Timon of Athens
More
With its puzzling plot and unexplained characters, Timon is probably unfinished and rarely performed. Timon is a wealthy citizen of ancient Athens, who spends munificently on parasitic writers and artists. When he loses…
Titus Andronicus
“[1.1] Flourish. Enter the Tribunes and Senators aloft; and then enter [below] SATURNINUS and his followers at one door, and BASSIANUS and his followers at the other, with drum and colours SATURNINUS Noble patricians, patrons of my right,”
More
Dismemberment, rape, cannibalism and murder make 'Titus Andronicus' Shakespeare's bloodiest tragedy. The boundless grief and savage justice of Titus explores the expression of tragic passion, the Senecan tradition,…
Side by side
The verdict
- Readers rate Titus Andronicus highest: Titus Andronicus 3.7 · Timon of Athens 3.5.
- Titus Andronicus has the widest readership — 35468 ratings behind its score.
- Titus Andronicus reaches further in scholarship and criticism — cited 30 times.
Affiliate links: we may earn a commission on purchases.
How to choose
Scores by source
| Timon of Athens | Titus Andronicus | |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | 3.5 (746) | 3.7 (35468) |
| Hardcover | 3.4 (15) | 3.8 (61) |
| Google Books | 5.0 (1) | — |
| Apple Books | 4.5 (5) | 4.0 (39) |
| Check price → | Check price → |
Reception
| Timon of Athens | Titus Andronicus | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 746 | 35468 |
| Editions | 122 | 225 |
| Citations | 2 | 30 |
| Film adaptations | 1 | 1 |
| Want to read | 6414 | 19592 |
| Reading it now | — | 607 |
| Written reviews | 746 | 3261 |
| Wikipedia attention | 4143 | 18124 |
| Pages | 124 | 100 |
| Check price → | Check price → |
Questions readers ask
Which is rated higher: Timon of Athens or Titus Andronicus?
Titus Andronicus has the higher combined reader rating across sources (Titus Andronicus 3.7/5, Timon of Athens 3.5/5).
Which is shorter to read: Timon of Athens or Titus Andronicus?
Titus Andronicus is the quickest read. Estimated at 225 words per minute: Titus Andronicus (100 pages, ≈ 1 h 51 m); Timon of Athens (124 pages, ≈ 2 h 18 m).
Which is harder to read: Timon of Athens or Titus Andronicus?
Estimated difficulty, based on era, reader shelves and length — Timon of Athens: Challenging; Titus Andronicus: Demanding.
Have both books been made into films?
Timon of Athens: no film adaptation on record; Titus Andronicus: 1 film adaptation.