Fierce warrior, great general, total prat.

Coriolanus is one of Shakespeare's lesser known works and is not amongst his best.  However, Shakespeare in an off day is still really great and the play is well worth reading,  It concerns the life of the early Roman Martius or Coriolanus, who lived in the very early Republic.  Martius is a born warrior, who after earning himself the agnomen of Coriolanus for taking the city of Corioles runs for Consul and ends up being chased out of Rome by a mob led by political agitators.  Further tragedy then ensues.

A few things are notable about Coriolanus.  First, its tempting to think of Shakespeare single-handily inventing modern literature.  That means that the reader is unprepared for Coriolanus, which is of the plays I have read by far Shakespeare's most classical work.  Coriolanus has a personality that one would associate with the heroes of the classical era.  I was very much reminded of Achilles.  Its also classical in that Coriolanus cannot be bothered to explain his motivations, not even in a soliloquy.

There are a number of things that are good about it.  I've always enjoyed mob scenes, which I don't associate with Shakespeare, but there are some fine ones here.  There is a real obsession with names and naming that would be right at home in Wuthering Heights or Ian Fleming and that is fascinating.  The language is interesting in that Shakespeare gives it a kind of brutality.  Whats most interesting is that the same character traits that make Coriolanus a hero are the ones that lead to his downfall.  His bravery, his unwillingness to act prudently, his pride, his scorn, his convictions that he is right and damn the consequences lead to his military success and his political failures.

Apparently, some people think of the plays politics being antidemocratic.  I do not think that the play has much to say about politics.  Shakespeare I don't think ever questioned the cultural assumption that Kings were the only way to go.  I don't think that this play is advocating that against democracy bcause democracy would not have been anything but a fanciful habit of a few of the ancients.  It is antimob, but the background of the Roman Republic like all Shakespeare's plays set in Italy, is chosen for its exoticism.  Italy was a kind of magical land, where Shakespeare did not hae to be constrained with realism as to the facts and could concentrate on psychological realism and artistry instead.

Coriolanus, in the end concentrates on people and dilemmas that were passing out of history even as Shakespeare wrote.  But, for instance, if we read the Iliad, we can recognize that we might meet a Hector or an Odysseus, but we'll never meet an Achilles or an Agamemnon.  We can still appreciate the beauty and artistry.  Is this play one of Shakespeare's best?  No.  Is it really good?  Yes.

Having just finished this, I'm now wondering why this one isn't one of Shakespeare's more popular plays? I found it highly gripping, exciting, and, yes, tragic as well.

I'd have much rather we read this one way back when I was in high school, than say, Romeo and Juliet.

tl;dr I overall enjoyed this story, and found it to be one of the easier Shakespeare plays to read. 

Description Caius Martius Coriolanus is a great warrior of the Roman people, but he also has a rather easy to ignite temper. A few political leaders, Brutus and Casiuis, aren't so fond of Coriolanus though, and they plan a way to keep him from getting political power. Big mistake, guys, as now you get to face the wrath of he that was once your war hero. 

So, I rather enjoyed this story but it also made me sad. I really liked Corioloanus' character. From reviews I've read, it sounds like I shouldn't like him. That we're meant to hate him. But I don't. He's a warrior. Thats what he does, thats what he's spent his life training for. But then people want him to become a political powerful figure. They want him to take part of this creepy weird ritual where he has to basically strip down and show the public his wounds that were inflicted during battle. But Coriolanus doesn't want to do that. He doesn't revel in killing others. Its his job, but he doesn't want to go parading the death he caused and shoving it in everyone's faces. 

I thought that was absolutely fantastic. It showed depth to the character. That he was more than just an angry bull who would go off at any moment. I also think its awesome I can use gifs from the play for this review. WIN!

Anyways. I am really excited to see this performed, as it can come across very differently that how I read it. I also feel like much of this still applies today. You have some political figures that are supposed to "represent and care for the people" who spin things in a way to get their desired outcome. You have the masses turn against someone they loved so easily, because the people love to see their prince/princess fall. They love to hate the ones they once loved. 

Anyways. If you're new to Shakespeare, this is a good one to start with. Its fairly straight forward and very quick to get through. 

AUFIDIUS
O Marcius, Marcius!
Each word thou hast spoke hath weeded from my heart
A root of ancient envy. If Jupiter
Should from yond cloud speak divine things,
And say ‘Tis true,’ I’ld not believe them more
Than thee, all noble Marcius. Let me twine
Mine arms about that body, where against
My grained ash an hundred times hath broke
And scarr’d the moon with splinters: here I clip
The anvil of my sword, and do contest
As hotly and as nobly with thy love
As ever in ambitious strength I did
Contend against thy valour. Know thou first,
I loved the maid I married; never man
Sigh’d truer breath; but that I see thee here,
Thou noble thing! more dances my rapt heart
Than when I first my wedded mistress saw
Bestride my threshold. Why, thou Mars! I tell thee,
We have a power on foot; and I had purpose
Once more to hew thy target from thy brawn,
Or lose mine arm fort: thou hast beat me out
Twelve several times, and I have nightly since
Dreamt of encounters ‘twixt thyself and me;
We have been down together in my sleep,
Unbuckling helms, fisting each other’s throat,
And waked half dead with nothing. Worthy Marcius,
Had we no quarrel else to Rome, but that
Thou art thence banish’d, we would muster all
From twelve to seventy, and pouring war
Into the bowels of ungrateful Rome,
Like a bold flood o’er-bear. O, come, go in,
And take our friendly senators by the hands;
Who now are here, taking their leaves of me,
Who am prepared against your territories,
Though not for Rome itself.

CORIOLANUS
You bless me, gods!

AUFIDIUS
Therefore, most absolute sir, if thou wilt have
The leading of thine own revenges, take
The one half of my commission; and set down—
As best thou art experienced, since thou know’st
Thy country’s strength and weakness,—thine own ways;
Whether to knock against the gates of Rome,
Or rudely visit them in parts remote,
To fright them, ere destroy. But come in:
Let me commend thee first to those that shall
Say yea to thy desires. A thousand welcomes!
And more a friend than e’er an enemy;
Yet, Marcius, that was much. Your hand: most welcome!