To call
Coriolanus proud would be harsh, to call him unbowed (inflexible) would be perhaps closer to the mark. A man who
was unwilling to adjust to the situation, and unwilling to adjust to the needs of the time. Even the mighty oak bends when the wind blows with unyielding force. But not
Coriolanus… Though a valiant warrior himself, Coriolanus proved unable to stoop – and conquer – when the situation so required.
Be it as it may, Coriolanus is more a man sinned against than sinning. The tribunes (Junius Brutus and Velutus) scheme against him to curtail his power; the fickle citizens of Rome rebuff him after they had granted him their favor; and Aufidius fears that Coriolanus – if unchecked – will eclipse him in name and power. In that sense, and not just because of its unhappy ending, the play is truly tragic in its scope. But Coriolanus redeems himself, nonetheless, and proves himself a true Roman; for he sacrifices his personal fate so that the fortune of
Imperial Rome can prosper.
You may as well
Strike at the heaven with your staves as lift them
Against the Roman state;
Whose course will on the way it takes… Coriolanus is the fourth – and the last – of the plays dealing with Imperial Rome. (The others being Titus Andronicus, Julius Caesar, Anthony and Cleopatra.) Though imbued with pathos, it is less bleak – and brutal – than Titus Andronicus. However, in the minds of most critics, it is Julius Caesar that is the most memorable of these plays. The character of Coriolanus, though noble, lacks the philosophy and depth of Brutus.
The background of the play is the war between Imperial Rome and the rival power of the Volscians (led by Aufidius). Caius Marcius, due to his exceptional personal bravery, succeeds in capturing the Volscian’s capital city – Corioli – for which he is given the title of Coriolanus. Returning home to Rome in triumph, he is named consul by the Senate. Besides the military conflict with the Volscians, there is another conflict raging – at the very heart of Rome. This is the struggle between the nobility (the aristocracy) and the common people who are led by their tribunes. Though he is triumphant over the enemy, Coriolanus falls victim to this internal conflict. And the tribunes (representatives) of the people, fearing his power, deny him this honor and he is banished from the city instead.
Coriolanus and Aufidius bear a personal grudge against each other; so that the war is between them as much as it is between Imperial Rome and Corioli. The reasons for their personal animosity are never elaborated upon – though there is a hint (somewhere in the play) that it concerns a broken promise. Nonetheless, Aufidius proves himself noble enough to reconcile with Coriolanus when the latter appears upon his threshold, banished and friendless. It is another matter altogether that they fall apart again, due to reasons of policy and state.
Another interesting aspect of the play is the contrasting attitudes to the war among the ladies of Imperial Rome. Volumnia (mother to Coriolanus) and Valeria (friend to his wife Virgilia) seem to regard the wars as a means for him to accumulate name and honor, and a noble pursuit for a man of Coriolanus’ status and standing. Virgilia (his wife) is fearful for his personal safety and well-being.