Shakespeare, "Coriolanus": a summary of the tragedy, plot, main characters and reviews

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

From the pen of the English master William Shakespeare, many literary masterpieces came out. And it is difficult to say that some topics were given to him easier than others, whether these were works about unhappy, happy love, about a broken, but not broken fate, about political intrigues. The author is truly brilliant in his characters, those who, uttering their monologues, touch the soul of the reader, getting to his heart, in order to make him feel, change his mind, change his attitude. A summary of Shakespeare's "Coriolanus" is presented in the article.

Reviews on the product

According to many critics, one of Shakespeare's most difficult plays is Coriolanus. The main storyline is a political struggle, which is unusual, since in any other of his creations the poet plays other actions against the backdrop of political intrigues. The combination of internal conflict (patricians and plebeians) and external (Romans and Volsci) is the basis of the work. The title of the work contains the nickname of the protagonist Gnei Marcius, which he received for the victory over the enemies of Rome, the Volscians.

It is worth noting the realism of the work, based on the works of the historians of ancient Greek Plutarch and ancient Roman Titus Livy. In many ways, Shakespeare changed the character traits of the hero. Coriolanus in Plutarch is somewhat unsociable and rude, but in Shakespeare's tragedy "Coriolanus" he is rather friendly.

When did it all start?

The time of action is the beginning of the formation of the Roman Republic, 490 BC. There is a struggle between patricians and plebeians. The situation is heating up due to hunger, the stomachs of the people are empty. At this time, the aristocrats arrange feasts, the remains of which are especially annoying, because they can be distributed to those in need. But no, the patricians despise everyone but themselves too much.

Shakespeare masterfully describes the people, he always manages to show the character and mood with a few phrases put into the mouths of individual representatives. The people in Coriolanus are a collective character, people are united in their actions. Their requirements are quite understandable and evoke a response from the reader. The plebs loudly express their discontent, the atmosphere is heating up. A friend of Marcius who has appeared is trying to extinguish the blazing flame, telling a fable about the body of a man who accused the stomach of insatiability. In the midst of these discussions, Menenius brings the message of the danger threatening Rome from the outside. This is where the main character comes in. Another feature of the play is that Shakespeare shows the hero not through monologues, but through his actions.

Gnaeus Marcius

Gnaeus Marcius belongs to a patrician family. A strong, brave warrior, but a bad politician. He is difficult to sympathize with because of his harsh words and haughty attitude towards the difficulties of the plebeians. From the very first minutes of his appearance on stage, he is full of contempt and ridicule for the needs of others and does not even try to hide what he thinks about them. In an extremely derogatory manner, he announces that from now on their interests will be represented by five tribunes of their own choosing. Yes, Gnaeus Marcius is a true patrician, for him the main value is Rome. And he is completely devoid of any compassion for other people. As Shakespeare himself says about him: "He has as much mercy as a tiger has milk." Comparison with the tiger is also the key to understanding the character of the hero. First of all, he is a warrior. His goal is to win the battle. With what pleasure he talks about his future adversary - the leader of the Volscians Aufidia!

Volsci, like the Latins, whose center of land was Rome, is another Italian tribe. It is not the first time that a war breaks out between the Volsci and the Latins, and Gnaeus Marcius enthusiastically sets off for the theater of operations. It was thanks to his courage that the Romans won the victory and took the city of Corioli. Gnaeus Marcius becomes Coriolanus.

The pursuit of power

Eager for a political career, Coriolanus puts forward his candidacy as a tribune, but his political opponents fear the increased influence of the patrician and persuade the plebeians to withdraw their votes. It is symbolic that the name of one of the tribunes is Brutus, which already suggests hypocrisy and a desire to achieve his goals.

As a resultquarrels with Rome, where almost everyone, not only plebeians, but also patricians, is against yesterday's hero, as if demonstrating the variability of the crowd, even the mother persuades Coriolanus to submit to demands that humiliate the proud soul of Gnaeus Marcius. He goes into exile to his former enemies - the Vols.

Reins of government

In this episode before the exile, you look at some of the characters differently. Proud patricians urge Coriolanus to go against himself, pretend that he agrees with the demands of the people, and after the result achieved, revenge can be taken. That is, in this case, both hostile forces are shown not from the best side. Neither those who want justice and fight for it, nor those who want to maintain their position, do not demonstrate any persistent moral standards. However, Gnaeus Marcius Coriolanus is shown differently. Not exactly on the other side, but until that moment his arrogance towards the plebeians was perceived as a kind of addition to the title of patrician. But after all, the demands that were made to him - they are natural for a patrician. No, Marcius is a patrician in spirit, and not only in blood, and this is precisely what disgusts him to provide any other evidence of his love for Rome, except for those known to everyone. He is not looking for a middle ground and does not want to make a deal.

Revenge is a cold dish

Caught by his former enemies, Coriolanus, driven by a thirst for revenge, offers his service to Tullus Aufidius. Together they move towards Rome. Coriolanus goes from an exile to a traitor. Not the besta name for a Roman who was brought up in the spirit of the priority of the interests of the republic. He, the heroic son of Rome, becomes an enemy because of resentment. Coriolanus does not go into exile wherever his eyes look - he goes to the nearest enemies, blinded by the desire to take revenge. An act that does not paint the hero in any way. But not everything is transparent here either. Coriolanus hopes to take revenge on Rome using the Volsci, while Tullus Aufidius seeks to strengthen his power by using Gnaeus Marcius. After all, the Volsci have the same struggle for power, and war is a means to achieve the goals of one of the warring parties.

What's going on in Rome?

Rome shuddered when he learned what his actions had led to. Having accused the tribunes, who set the people against Coriolanus, nevertheless, the patricians understand that no one will have to wait for mercy. Everyone is aware of their guilt before the former hero. But still, the belief that he can be persuaded remains. His friend Menenius Agrippa, who defended Coriolanus before the people, goes to meet him with a request to spare at least a few. But Coriolanus is relentless. Resentment and anger completely subdued his thirst for a place. Rome is in direct danger of destruction.

The friends of Coriolanus, whom he refused, almost despaired, but then the family of Gnaeus Marcius appears. His mother, who raised Gnaeus so inflexible, proud of his inflexibility, begs him for mercy for Rome. The dramatic speech of Volumnia is difficult to convey. She does not press - she pleads, appeals to those forces that, it would seem, Coriolanus does not have. Herethe little son of Coriolanus and his wife "that ice floes are purer." It seemed that nothing would make Coriolanus turn off the path, despite the strength of his mother's plea, but no - Marcius retreated. By this he caused rejoicing in Rome and in the heart of Aufidius, who later accused him of betrayal. Going against Rome, Coriolanus could not help but realize that he was committing a betrayal. Although this was not mentioned anywhere, he did not understand the consequences of pardoning Rome for himself among the Volsci. He was accused of betrayal and killed. Nowhere was the main character considered with society, and society took revenge on him - he was not understood by his own people and not accepted by strangers. From Rome he fled to the Volsci and found his death there.

The Tragedy of Coriolanus

The tragedy of the protagonist is the tragedy of individualism in society, a person who sees the goal only in satisfying his sense of dignity. Who is to blame for this outcome? Only Coriolanus himself? It is worth thinking about the role of society in the fate of each individual person. How did society decide that in order to satisfy its self-esteem, an independent person must humiliate himself? What drives the society at the moments when it wants to humiliate a person, if not an absurd whim? The tragedy "Coriolanus" by Shakespeare, a summary of which is presented in the article, becomes understandable. After all, it presents not only the tragedy of an individual, but also society, which is responsible for the fate of everyone, because, in general, a person is the main constituent unit of the people.

A film based on Shakespeare's "Coriolanus" was released in 2011. He filmed in Montenegro andSerbia.