The Tragedy of Coriolanus, William Shakespeare, 1610
THEMES:
1. Politics, Class, and Rome
- Plebeians
- How they are used
- Patricians
- Tribunes
- Politics or war?
- Volumnia in politics
- Aufidius in politics
- Volscians
- Coriolanus’ death
2. Language and Names
- Language is politics
- Significance of the name Coriolanus
- How both the tribunes and patricians use language in order to obtain power
- How the names provide power
- Volumnia’s power through language
3. War, Violence, and Masculinity
- Coriolanus’ triumph in battle
- Aufidius’ views on Coriolanus
- Coriolanus’ identity as a soldier
- How his masculinity is contingent on this
- The praise Coriolanus receives
- Volumnia’s wishes for him and how she is responsible for his hamartia
4. Family and Femininity
- Virgilia as the pinnacle of femininity
- How she is the only one who truly loves Coriolanus
- Volumnia as the complete antithesis of femininity
- Their treatment/view towards Coriolanus
- Their triumph in stopping his attack on Rome
,Politics, Class and Rome:
Class conflict in Rome is positioned at the centre of the play from the opening scene. It begins
with the plebeians protesting for grain, their language demonstrating the desperation in protest;
“you are all resolved rather to die than to famish”. Furthermore, the hatred felt for Coriolanus
within the plebeians is also demonstrated in this scene; “Caius Martius is chief enemy to the
people”. They describe him as “a very dog to the commonality”. Despite the audience having no
knowledge of Martius at this point, his aristocratic name is the first signal of his higher power
and abundance than the plebeians. Despite the citizens’ praiseworthy attempt at a protest, they
are revealed to be easily manipulated and inferior as a political body. This is achieved through
Menenius' fable of the belly. He speaks down to them, infantilising them; “I shall tell you a pretty
tale”. In this, he metaphorises Rome into a body, with the plebeians being “the great toe of this
assembly while the patricians are positioned as “this good belly”. In it, the “all the body’s
members rebelled against the belly” who essentially provide them with life. This fable proves to
be successful as Martius enters and the plebeians do not raise the issue again until his
banishment. However this interpretation can be seen to be flawed in some aspects. Cavell
argues that “Menenius’ allegory of the body politic, however, fails to stop the rebellion”. This can
be seen to be true in Act 2 Scene 3.
Other characters speak in prose when talking to the people or other class characters which
demonstrates their political ability and their ability to ingratiate and flatter for a means.
Coriolanus never does this, which highlights his similar inability to appeal to the people and play
a part that he is not.
Fragmented speech: mirrors Coriolanus’ inability with words- not significant compared to action.
Disjointed nature
“The very quality that makes Coriolanus a great warrior- his singleness of purpose and lack of
compromise- are those that make him a poor politician” Jonathan Bates
Plutarch 'Lives of the Grecians + Romans' : “churlish, uncivil and altogether unfit for any many's
conversation”
Coriolanus’ rigidity/ fatal inflexibility
'Thrust prematurely from dependence on his mother, forced to feed himself on his own anger,
Coriolanus refuses to acknowledge any neediness or dependency'
Janet Adelman
https://www.litcharts.com/lit/coriolanus/symbols/body-parts
, Act 1
○ Scene 1
SUMMARY: Plebeians are introduced, protesting for more grain. Menenius quells them
immediately prior to Martius’ entry. Martius spends fifty lines insulting the plebeians. The
characters of the tribunes are introduced and Martius insults them. A messenger arrives to
inform him of the Volsces' plans to attack. Martius’ appreciation for Aufidius is revealed. The
patricians praise Coriolanus. All the patricians leave and the tribunes discuss the events, as well
as signalling Martius’ hamartia of his pride.
SIGNIFICANCE: the scene works to set up the turbulent relationship between Plebeian and
Patrician. It also introduces the nature of Coriolanus in his strength in battle but weakness in
politics. Additionally, the roots of a homoerotic relationship between Aufidius and Martius is
introduced. It works to drive the coming action in the next scenes.
KEY QUOTES:
● “Are you all resolved to die rather than to famish” (marxist interpretation)
● “Caius Martius is chief enemy to the people… a very dog to the commonality”
● “He did it to please his mother”
● “You dissentious rogues… rubbing the poor itch of your opinion… Hang 'em!”
● “I sin in envying his nobility… he is a lion I am proud to hunt”
● “Was there ever a man so proud as this Martius?... he is grown too proud to be so
valiant”
○ Scene 2
SUMMARY: Location jump to Aufidius and his senator. They speak of the chaos in Rome
between Plebeian and Patrician. Aufidius states that if he fights Martius then one of them will
die.
SIGNIFICANCE: Very short scene; only forty lines. Works to quicken the place and set up the
tension for the coming battle scenes. Also expands on the hatred that Coriolanus and the
citizens feel for each other. Finally highlights the reality of the chaos within Rome, despite
Menenius’ fable and the appearance that he easily calmed and controlled the citizens.
KEY QUOTES:
● “Martius your old enemy, who is of Rome worse hated than of you”
○ Scene 3
SUMMARY: location switches again to Volumnia and Virgilia. Volumnia speaks of her love for
violence. She states how she would be proud for Coriolanus to die in battle, and she would
rather that than him not fight. Virgilia is horrified. Virgilia asks to leave but Volumnia forbids it.
Volumnia gives a very graphic description of her imagination of the fight between Martius and
Audfidius. Virigilia cries to the gods and Volumnia calls her a fool. Valeria arrives and asks about
Virgilia and Martius’ son. It is revealed that his demeanour is very similar to Coriolanus’.
Volumnia and Valeria go outside but Virgilia refuses because she won;t leave her house until
Martius returns.
SIGNIFICANCE: Volumnia’s inherent masculinity is highlighted. This juxtaposes from the
character of Virgilia, who is seen to carry traditional feminine traits of obedience to her husband
and abject horror at the concept of violence. The first indication of the psychoanalytic nature of
Volumnia and Martius’ relationship is evident in this scene. The scene being positioned between
THEMES:
1. Politics, Class, and Rome
- Plebeians
- How they are used
- Patricians
- Tribunes
- Politics or war?
- Volumnia in politics
- Aufidius in politics
- Volscians
- Coriolanus’ death
2. Language and Names
- Language is politics
- Significance of the name Coriolanus
- How both the tribunes and patricians use language in order to obtain power
- How the names provide power
- Volumnia’s power through language
3. War, Violence, and Masculinity
- Coriolanus’ triumph in battle
- Aufidius’ views on Coriolanus
- Coriolanus’ identity as a soldier
- How his masculinity is contingent on this
- The praise Coriolanus receives
- Volumnia’s wishes for him and how she is responsible for his hamartia
4. Family and Femininity
- Virgilia as the pinnacle of femininity
- How she is the only one who truly loves Coriolanus
- Volumnia as the complete antithesis of femininity
- Their treatment/view towards Coriolanus
- Their triumph in stopping his attack on Rome
,Politics, Class and Rome:
Class conflict in Rome is positioned at the centre of the play from the opening scene. It begins
with the plebeians protesting for grain, their language demonstrating the desperation in protest;
“you are all resolved rather to die than to famish”. Furthermore, the hatred felt for Coriolanus
within the plebeians is also demonstrated in this scene; “Caius Martius is chief enemy to the
people”. They describe him as “a very dog to the commonality”. Despite the audience having no
knowledge of Martius at this point, his aristocratic name is the first signal of his higher power
and abundance than the plebeians. Despite the citizens’ praiseworthy attempt at a protest, they
are revealed to be easily manipulated and inferior as a political body. This is achieved through
Menenius' fable of the belly. He speaks down to them, infantilising them; “I shall tell you a pretty
tale”. In this, he metaphorises Rome into a body, with the plebeians being “the great toe of this
assembly while the patricians are positioned as “this good belly”. In it, the “all the body’s
members rebelled against the belly” who essentially provide them with life. This fable proves to
be successful as Martius enters and the plebeians do not raise the issue again until his
banishment. However this interpretation can be seen to be flawed in some aspects. Cavell
argues that “Menenius’ allegory of the body politic, however, fails to stop the rebellion”. This can
be seen to be true in Act 2 Scene 3.
Other characters speak in prose when talking to the people or other class characters which
demonstrates their political ability and their ability to ingratiate and flatter for a means.
Coriolanus never does this, which highlights his similar inability to appeal to the people and play
a part that he is not.
Fragmented speech: mirrors Coriolanus’ inability with words- not significant compared to action.
Disjointed nature
“The very quality that makes Coriolanus a great warrior- his singleness of purpose and lack of
compromise- are those that make him a poor politician” Jonathan Bates
Plutarch 'Lives of the Grecians + Romans' : “churlish, uncivil and altogether unfit for any many's
conversation”
Coriolanus’ rigidity/ fatal inflexibility
'Thrust prematurely from dependence on his mother, forced to feed himself on his own anger,
Coriolanus refuses to acknowledge any neediness or dependency'
Janet Adelman
https://www.litcharts.com/lit/coriolanus/symbols/body-parts
, Act 1
○ Scene 1
SUMMARY: Plebeians are introduced, protesting for more grain. Menenius quells them
immediately prior to Martius’ entry. Martius spends fifty lines insulting the plebeians. The
characters of the tribunes are introduced and Martius insults them. A messenger arrives to
inform him of the Volsces' plans to attack. Martius’ appreciation for Aufidius is revealed. The
patricians praise Coriolanus. All the patricians leave and the tribunes discuss the events, as well
as signalling Martius’ hamartia of his pride.
SIGNIFICANCE: the scene works to set up the turbulent relationship between Plebeian and
Patrician. It also introduces the nature of Coriolanus in his strength in battle but weakness in
politics. Additionally, the roots of a homoerotic relationship between Aufidius and Martius is
introduced. It works to drive the coming action in the next scenes.
KEY QUOTES:
● “Are you all resolved to die rather than to famish” (marxist interpretation)
● “Caius Martius is chief enemy to the people… a very dog to the commonality”
● “He did it to please his mother”
● “You dissentious rogues… rubbing the poor itch of your opinion… Hang 'em!”
● “I sin in envying his nobility… he is a lion I am proud to hunt”
● “Was there ever a man so proud as this Martius?... he is grown too proud to be so
valiant”
○ Scene 2
SUMMARY: Location jump to Aufidius and his senator. They speak of the chaos in Rome
between Plebeian and Patrician. Aufidius states that if he fights Martius then one of them will
die.
SIGNIFICANCE: Very short scene; only forty lines. Works to quicken the place and set up the
tension for the coming battle scenes. Also expands on the hatred that Coriolanus and the
citizens feel for each other. Finally highlights the reality of the chaos within Rome, despite
Menenius’ fable and the appearance that he easily calmed and controlled the citizens.
KEY QUOTES:
● “Martius your old enemy, who is of Rome worse hated than of you”
○ Scene 3
SUMMARY: location switches again to Volumnia and Virgilia. Volumnia speaks of her love for
violence. She states how she would be proud for Coriolanus to die in battle, and she would
rather that than him not fight. Virgilia is horrified. Virgilia asks to leave but Volumnia forbids it.
Volumnia gives a very graphic description of her imagination of the fight between Martius and
Audfidius. Virigilia cries to the gods and Volumnia calls her a fool. Valeria arrives and asks about
Virgilia and Martius’ son. It is revealed that his demeanour is very similar to Coriolanus’.
Volumnia and Valeria go outside but Virgilia refuses because she won;t leave her house until
Martius returns.
SIGNIFICANCE: Volumnia’s inherent masculinity is highlighted. This juxtaposes from the
character of Virgilia, who is seen to carry traditional feminine traits of obedience to her husband
and abject horror at the concept of violence. The first indication of the psychoanalytic nature of
Volumnia and Martius’ relationship is evident in this scene. The scene being positioned between
