Lavinia will be seen and treated as "change" because of her value or worth to Titus, Saturninus, and Bassianus (1.1.309). Bernice Harris proposes that Lavinia is "a means by which power is marked as masculine and is then transferred and circulated." In that she is seen as Rome's 'ornament,' she is the prize and the target of the masculine power-figures around her. Titus gives her to Saturninus, Bassianus takes her from Saturninus, Saturninus rejects her, Tamora abuses her, and Demetrius and Chiron disfigure her. Lavinia says nothing during these events, she only speaks when she begs for mercy before she endures the rape. It is weird that Demetrius and Chiron cut out Lavinia's tongue because she has yet to use her verbal rights, and when she needs to speak the most, she can't speak for herself neither orally or by writing. Lavinia has no more than ten lines in the first act, yet it is seen as a worthy trait. The act of silence is corrupt when it is required of her in Act II, scene III, making her a social outsider instead of a chosen maid. Lavinia is not admiring for herself; others use Lavinia as a symbol to mirror their own signifiers, primarily the signifiers of power. Through Lavinia's weakness and submissive nature, she acts as a prisoner to others declaration of themselves and of their power. For that reason, the anticipation or part that Lavinia serves within the Roman community is that of a tradable exchange between the Romans and the Goths, which by the closing of the play is degraded to nothing. .
Shakespeare dims Lavinia's old-fashioned roles of Roman feminine status and daughter as he continues the social misunderstanding through the enhancement between the conquering Romans and vanquished Goths. Social and war-time duties are overthrown when Saturninus takes Tamora as his wife and makes her the Empress of Rome. Tamora shows spousal support as she enjoys in her rise above her conqueror and the killer of her first-born: "Titus, I am incorporate in Rome, A Roman now adopted happily, and must advise the Emperor for his good" (1.
