Coriolanus

Primarily a political play that pits a dying way of patrician autocracy against plebian democracy, CoriolanusÆ titular hero is without equal in battle skills within ShakespeareÆs canon. He is likened to the ôarmö of Rome, and not without merit. Though he exhibits complete contempt for the commoners of Rome, he is delighted over the news that the Volscians are planning to attack for he lives for and is best at war. Before being named Coriolanus, he is called Caius Marcius and anticipates the batt

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, like being forced to wear white robes. Bloom (1998) maintains that he is his own enemy with respect to politics, but that it stems from his motherÆs influence over him, designed only to make him a warrior, ôHe is more his own enemy than he is theirs, and his tragedy is not the consequence of their fear and anger, but of his own nature and nurtureö (578). The meeting does not go well when the tribunes of the people renew their charges against Coriolanus and instigate the crowd to anger against him. Coriolanus is furious, as this merely proves he is correct about their fickle nature. He lacks the skills off the battlefield to win this encounter. Instead, he is banished when he threatens violence against the Romans. In a speech that shows that excessive pride and lack of compassion for others equates to CoriolanusÆs tragic flaw, he berates the crowd with defiance and contempt: ôYou common cry of curs! whose breath I hate / As reek oÆthÆrotten fens, whose loves I prize / As the dead carcasses of unburied men / That do corrupt my air: I banish you! / And here remain with your uncertainty!... / For you the city, thus I turn my back. / There is a world elsewhereö (Shakespeare III.iii.120-124). Ironically, Coriolanus reverts to
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Some common words found in the essay are:
Menenius Agrippa, Tragedy Common, Leader AristotleÆs, Shakespeare IVvi91-96, Lear Hamlet, Despite CoriolanusÆs, Vvi46-48 Coriolanus, Rome Romans, Body Primarily, Viii158-160 Aufidius, tragic hero, bloom 1998, tragic flaw, people coriolanus, people rome, victory rome, mother mother /, rome volscians, miller 1949, 1 coriolanusÆs, 1998 maintains, definition tragic hero, harold bloom 1998, bloom 1998 maintains, coriolanus tragic hero,
Approximate Word count = 2056
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page)

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