The Whole Play a Spoof

Did ever raven sing so like a lark,

That gives sweet tidings of the sun's uprise?

With all my heart I'll send the Emperor my hand.

Good Aaron, wilt thou help to chop it off?   (III, i, 158-161)

I have not finished the play, nor do I know enough about the entirety of Shakespeare's works to deem Titus Andronicus a spoof that is meant to be taken as a satire of tragedies.  Yet after reading this act, I'm beginning to understand why one renown critic would hold this opinion.  It's not just the cutting off of hands that makes the play ridiculous.  Titus's complete lack of concern for amputating a body part, coupled with the seeming non-existence of pain afterwards, makes the action in this act hard for me to take seriously.  Furthermore, I'm not entirely convinced Aaron has any real motivation for his treacherous plotting.  Without any reason behind all of this cartoonish violence, the play becomes even harder to read with a straight face.