Coriolanus
- Caius Marcius Coriolanus, a noble Roman
- Titus Lartius and Cominius, a leader against the Volscians
- Menenius Agrippa, friend of Coriolanus
- Sicinius Velutus and Junius Brutus, tribune of the people
- Marcius Coriolanus little son
- A Roman Herold
- Tullus Aufidius, leader of the Volscians
- A subfield Lord of Aufidius
- Conspirator
- A citizen of Antium
- Two Volscian guards
- Volumnia, Coriolanus's mother
- Virgilia, Coriolanus's wife
- Valeria, Virgilia friend
- Handmaids of Virgilia
- Romans and Volscians. Senators, patricians, aediles, lictors, warriors, citizens, messengers
Coriolanus ( engl. The Tragedy of Coriolanus ) is a tragedy by William Shakespeare in 5 acts, dating back to 1607. The play is the beginning of the 5th century BC in Rome and Antium and tells the story of the Roman patrician and war hero Coriolanus, turning against his own people.
Action
Handlungsort of the piece is the early Rome at the time of the creation of the tribunes ( people's representatives ). The plebeians protested because the patricians hoard grain, while the common people starve. The Patrician Menenius describes them on the parable of the stomach, which is active for the whole body; so they assembled patrician grain and distributed it throughout the city. The patrician Caius Marcius General gives the Senate resolution known that the plebeians must choose five tribunes to represent their interests in the state. As a messenger announces that want to get the Volscians against Rome in the war. A part of the Roman army under Cominius pulls against the Volscians led by Aufidius to the battlefield, the rest under Marcius and Lartius besieged the Volskerstadt Corioles. During the siege Marcius is trapped alone in the Volskerstadt, but he can open the gate, after which the Romans Corioles conquer. The wounded Marcius now rushes to the battlefield and lead the Romans to victory here - for his bravery in conquering the city he is given the name Coriolanus.
To be consul, the proud and arrogant acting patrician occurs only reluctantly to the people of Rome's marketplace, but ultimately success. The tribunes Brutus and Sicinius who fear that Coriolanus will abolish their office, if he is consul, to persuade the plebeians to withdraw their consent. Coriolanus insulted then the tribunes. In urgent advice also his mother Volumnia he goes again to the marketplace in order to be reconciled with the plebeians. But it can be provoked by Sicinius, carried away with tirades against the tribunes and plebeian, the subsequent call for his banishment for life. He leaves Rome voluntarily after he has taken leave of his wife Virgilia.
Coriolanus is now looking to his former enemy Aufidius and joins forces with the Volskergeneral to fight against Rome. Led by the Volskerheer Coriolanus is facing Rome. In vain is his old friend Cominius out of the city to him who shows himself inflexible. Also, the glib Menenius is sent away. Since surprisingly appear his mother, his wife and his son in Volskerlager. Volumnia kneels before him and ask him for peace - that's why knowing that this means the end of her son. In a completely unexpected turnaround, Coriolanus agreed to the conclusion of peace. In the Volscian city of Antium Aufidius then name Coriolanus is a traitor and a weakling; again can be carried away to the verbal attacks, whereupon the conspirators of Volskergenerals incite the people against the Romans and stab him.
Swell
As a source Shakespeare was mainly Plutarch entry to Coriolanus in the Parallel Lives ( translation by Sir Thomas North of 1579).
Reception
Bertolt Brecht Coriolanus is based on Shakespeare's play.
The film adaptation of the Shakespeare play was performed in 2011, directed by Ralph Fiennes, who also played the title role. The action was transferred to the 21st century.