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Bill Kerwin's Reviews > Coriolanus
Coriolanus
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I not only really like Shakespeare's Coriolanus: I also like the man Coriolanus as he is revealed in the play. Sure, he may be a hothead, an arrogant bully, an immature mama's boy with a proto-fascist personality, but he is also a man of extraordinary physical courage and sincere personal modesty who would like nothing better than to do his warrior's duty and be left alone.
Unfortunately, though, his mother--whose values are also those of the Roman republic--sees her son's patrician duty as including a consulship, and the populist politicking it requires--which a proud and simple man like Coriolanus can only experience as self-abasement--inevitably leads to his shame and eventually to his destruction. He cannot be true both to his mother and his republic and to himself--and that is his tragedy.
The verse of this play is often harsh and crabbed, but it is a monumental crabbedness, an imposing harshness--very much like the personality of its hero.
by
I not only really like Shakespeare's Coriolanus: I also like the man Coriolanus as he is revealed in the play. Sure, he may be a hothead, an arrogant bully, an immature mama's boy with a proto-fascist personality, but he is also a man of extraordinary physical courage and sincere personal modesty who would like nothing better than to do his warrior's duty and be left alone.
Unfortunately, though, his mother--whose values are also those of the Roman republic--sees her son's patrician duty as including a consulship, and the populist politicking it requires--which a proud and simple man like Coriolanus can only experience as self-abasement--inevitably leads to his shame and eventually to his destruction. He cannot be true both to his mother and his republic and to himself--and that is his tragedy.
The verse of this play is often harsh and crabbed, but it is a monumental crabbedness, an imposing harshness--very much like the personality of its hero.
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Reading Progress
May 12, 2007
– Shelved
Started Reading
December 31, 2011
–
Finished Reading
January 2, 2012
– Shelved as:
16th-17th-c-brit
August 20, 2012
– Shelved as:
stuart-drama
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David
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rated it 3 stars
Jun 10, 2014 06:33AM
I doubt you are in the minority. I also like the play, and after reading your thoughts on Coriolanus, I must agree with you. He is a military man - pure and simple. He is not a politician, however the tragedy is that he cannot escape his political destiny - it was the nature of the Roman Republic at the time - politicians were soldiers and soldiers were politicians.
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Coriolanus as bobby boucher. nice!
sologdin wrote: "Coriolanus as bobby boucher. nice!"Well, kind of . . . but only if "The Waterboy" was a kickass action hero too! Which, come to think of it, he kind of is.
"An immature mama's boy with a proto-fascist personality". Great description, Bill. We all know that type!
'monumental crabbedness..' I will remember that phrase, Bill! Wonderful review.
Seemita wrote: "'monumental crabbedness..' I will remember that phrase, Bill! Wonderful review."
Thank you!
there's a movie about this story .
Yamagata Aritomo, the ideological grandfather of Japan's far right, actually had almost the exact same backstory as a real life Coriolanus even though he lived several centuries after Shakespeare wrote that play.
The fascinating thing about Coriolanus in production is that it can be interpreted in totally opposite political ways, and Coriolanus can be a hero or a villain (or something in between) � and every interpretation can point to the text in its own defence. It’s almost Biblical in its openness to interpretation�
Neale wrote: "The fascinating thing about Coriolanus in production is that it can be interpreted in totally opposite political ways, and Coriolanus can be a hero or a villain (or something in between) � and ever..."Good observation! It is an extremely rich play, that yields more with each reading or performance. I think Measure for Measure is like that too...
I agree with you that he's a hero. Just because one can lead an army doesn't mean one can lead a country. He's right to hate the plebs. Sure, he's harsh, but so many of his countrymen retreated while he stayed and took care of business.
Sure, blatant idiocy makes us all angry. Sure, when you’re great and powerful � you’ll use that greatness and power (regardless of what the weak and powerless have to say). Sure, we all listen to our parents. And, sure, believing a group of senators should rule an unruly crowd makes you a fascist (oh wait, it doesn’t: aristocracy). Thank god for their code of conduct, though: the Roman Republic would be nothing without them. You like Coriolanus for a reason. Don’t let the Bard’s illusions trick you. ;)
