i. after the lover, " then a soldier Full of strange oaths/ bearded like the pard jealous in honor, sudden and quick in quarrel, seeking the bubble reputation even in the cannon's mouth./ And then the justice in fair round belly with good capon lined /With eyes severe and beard of formal cut /Full of wise saws and modern instances And so he plays his part.

ii. successful ruler of commonwealth; substantial middle age; passage from soldier to magistrate;

iii. Coriolanus also can't act; can't memorize his lines,

i. Social status and high seriousness of setting and characters

ii. sense of doom and fate--wheel of fortune--and dramatization of choice and freedom

iii. especially strong: de casibus: rise and fall of great man; story of ambition; tribunes at end of Act I; isolation, individuation vs. community; the great leader who seeks to be author of himself and fails; who, like Claudius and his mirror image Hamlet, tries to be free of his fate

iv. spectacle of suffering

v. inner conflicts; soliloquies; competing codes

vi. familial and social issues

i. Elsinore vs. Republican Rome

ii. less subjective; no guilt; not intellectuals but warriors and politicians

iii. closer to history; social concerns dominate

i. Romans

ii. Volsces

i. "before we proceed further, hear me speak/ speak, speak" are first lines of play

ii. speech interrupts action; action overtaking speech. This is also dramatic rhythm

iii. Cor. insists integrity, not flattering common people p. 108; tribunes do flatter them and have actual contempt

iv. his problem dealing with custom, to which he must humble himself as well [sees himself above custom] p.109; needs their voices and gains it...representation through speech and voice

v. Comin. 169 Y'are goodly things, you voices!

vi. 173 Cor. he would not answer to; forbad all names; He was a kind of nothing, titleless, till he had forged himself a name o'the'fire /Of burning Rome. 176 Twas very faintly he said "Rise"; dismissed me/Thus with his speechless hand."

vii. Like a dull actornow/I have forgot my part and I am out, Even to a full disgrace 182

viii. Vol: Why dost not speak?...Daughter, speak you/ ...Speak thou, boy 186

ix. Aufid accuses Cor of "hoping to purge himself with words." 192 and also of flattering the Volsces to get their favor--quite a switch

i. first cit.: our misery is an inventory to particularize their abundance

ii. the crowd--echoes individual speakers

iii. fathers--patria; patricians care for you like fathers i,i,78

iv. " if the wars eat us not up, they will" 86

v. patricians as the Belly vs. mutinous members; absorbs all wealth and then redistributes it--the trickle-down theory

vi. Marcius, re crowd: they pursue their own worst interest; they're fickle; he'd like to kill them in piles--brutal speech 200

vii. Marcius' report about the hunger of the crowd and success of their petition

viii. "Foolhardiness; not I" Soliders are prudent. p. 73

ix. Roman soliders interested only in spoils; M's contempt for their materialism

x. citizens give him their vote generously when he's decent 108

xi. "the honored number who lack not virtue, no nor power, but that/which they have given to beggars." 119

xii. "you speak of the people/As if you were a god, to punish, not/a man of their infirmity" 120

xiii. A gentleman/ A marvlous poor one/ True so I am / Where dwellst thou/ under the canopy/ cf. Lear's wretches 155

xiv. Vols. servingmen hate peace and love war 163.

xv. tribunes celebrate present peace and quietness of people; trademen singing in their shops, and going/About their functions friendly 163

xvi. Aufid: our virtues lie in th' intepretation of the time 172

i. Menen.: patricians...care for you like fathers/When you curse them as enemies

ii. Marc. to cit.: who deserves greatness/deserves your hate

iii. Marc. envies noblility of enemy; cf. imitative glory--Girard

iv. Corioli scene symmetrical with Rome (I,ii)

v. "He that retires, I'll take him for Volsce...I'll leave the foe, And make my wars on you (I,iv, p. 72)

vi. We hate alike (p. 80)

vii. after people's love, tribunes stir up hate p.113; people reverse themselves; repent election; tribunes know that will stir up Marc's hate

viii. Auf. "would pawn his fortunes...so he might be your vanquisher" 117

ix. when two authorities are up/neither supreme, how soon confusion may enter twixt the gap of both and take /the one by th'other" 121

x. Marc.: I would they were barbarians, as they are (127)

xi. Nicanor is Roman as traitor (IV,iii)

xii. Cor's soliloquy 153: O world thy slippery turns [Wheel of Fate and Fortune, from TN and Ham]

xiii. he is nothing but spite, hate and revenge as he comes to Aufidius; has no other reason for living--cf. Hamlet's ghost

xiv. Aufid: A thousand welcomes!/ and more a friend than e'er an enemy. 159

xv. peace makes men hate one another 162 [true or not]

xvi. He and Aufid. can no more atone than violent'st contrariety. 166

xvii. Cor's strength with Volsces growing; Aufidius getting jealous 171--Everybody loves him

xviii. Auf's long soliloquy analyzing Cor's career 172

xix. One fire drives out one fire; one nail one nail; Rights by rights founder, strengths by strengths do fail

i. Volumnia vs. Virgilia--make war vs. make love

ii. Make love not war

i. needlework vs. swordplay

ii. Vol. only wants male children

iii. little boy mammocking butterfly; drum rather than schoolmaster I,iii, 60

iv. When [as young man Marc.]might act the woman in the scene/He proved best man i th field..." p. 102

v. "you might have been enough the man you are/With striving less to be so" 133

vi. "You were used to load me with precepts..." 145

vii. Virg: he'd make an end of thy posterity

viii. Volumnia manipulates him into being great warrior, seeking consulship, placating crowd, making peace. The last three have disastrous results for him.

ix. Mar. to Comin.: O let me clip ye /in arms as sound as when I wooed; in heart as merry as when our nuptial day was done,/And tapers burned to bedward (p. 77)

x. Aufidius' incredible love song 158; love in hate

xi. Cor: "Not of a woman's tenderness to be/Requires nor child nor woman's face to see." 186

xii. Cor: "Ladies, you deserve to have a temple built you. All the swords in Italy, and her confederate arms/couldn not have made this peace." 188

xiii. He's subdued by mother, but he's also brought her to her knees

xiv. Senators welcome victorious ladies 192

xv. Cor. ending up as "Boy"; his boy and mother's presence in V,iii

xvi. at end he invokes God--Mars--and Aufidius taunts him with "Boy" (=less than Man; subordinate to Mother) and Cor. insists on his ability to be great alone--what 's status of this final cry?

i. focus on I,ix: getting new name; forgetting name of old man; namelessness of servants and citizens; "boy"

i. "He is himself alone to answer all the city" p. 73

ii. "O me alone! Make you a sword of me?" 79

iii. "I have done as you have done, that's what I can...that's for my country" p. 81

iv. Cor. refuses payments and praise p.82

v. "I banish you" 144

vi. Cor's isolation in Antium

vii. Feast, [festive] but not guest 154

viii. no name but Coriol 157

ix. the honored mold/wherein this trunk was framed...all bond and privilege of nature break...I'll never be such a gosling to obey instinct, but stand as if a man were author of himself and knew no other kin" 182

x. Cor "Were you in my stead, would you have heard A mother less? Or granted less, Aufidius?" 188

i. Comin: "like Romans, neither foolish in our stands/nor cowardly in retire" p. 75

ii. fears the wives and boys of Antium 152

iii. is it courageous or cowardly for Cor. to try to make peace and buck the Aufidian trend? "Let be--he knows what's going to happen"

i. image of hungry mouths armed in riot goes with unnourishing mother; both sides are motivated by same lack

i. immature and narrow

ii. easily manipulated by Men. Comin. Volumn. also Aufid?

i. [is this opening scene analogous to Bishops in HV?]

ii. analogies to opening of Othello; Macbeth; Hamlet; RJ; Lear--unease and disorder, followed by restoration of order; mutinous perspective; plot afoot

iii. company of mutinous citizens: speech vs. action

iv. Menenius, trusted by people; restrains them; a peacemaker

v. Marcius enters and abuses people; they trade insults and sarcasm; reports that other group got satsifaction for their claims--political representation; a voice

vi. Senators enter to recruit Marcius for war; rank is reestablished--"right worthy you priority"-- including mutinous citizens: "take these rats thither/to gnaw their garners"

vii. Tribunes remain behind; gossip about his pride and political position; their savvy--best to be in second place

i. disagreement about military intelligence: Auf. has most and knows Romans know about Volsces; Senators are sceptical

i. Volumnia vs. Virgilia--make war vs. make love debate; doing needlework instead of politics or war; Virgilia wont go out till M. comes back

i. Mar. and Lar. betting; amiable competitive play

ii. Mar. attacks alone and takes the city by himself, while soldiers are afraid or take spoils

i. Mar. received heroically by Comin. Finds more heros and continues to fight in pursuit of Aufid.

i. "We hate alike" --Aufid. loses against Cor.

ii. Comin.'s boundless praise; Mar.'s modesty--for my country; adulation of crowds and new name p.83

iii. Mar.'s concern for prisoner p.84 who has given him mercy and for whom he is concerned; but he has forgotten the old man's name; the crowd is nameless; Coriolanus ends up "Boy."

i. Aufidius, frustrated with fifth honorable defeat, decides on vengeance by any means necessary--clear contrast to Mar's high-mindedness.

i. Long scene following flurry of short ones

ii. Menenius and tribunes trade lengthy abuse; class insults each accused of judicial incompentence. Menenius admits he's a drinker; they call him clown

iii. Ladies enter with news of Mar.'s return; Vol's pride, Virg's fear; discussion of his wounds

iv. Grand procession enters, Cor. crowned; all welcome Cor. hysterically; proud Vol. says "my boy": he kneels to her; she has "lived to see inherited my very wishes and buildings of my fancy only there's one thing wanting" --consulship.

v. they leave; tribunes Brutus and Sicinius remain to make contemptuous comments about crowd's adulation and predict their turning on him. They are threatened by his success.

i. Two officers debate Mar's hate for the people--excessive or not

ii. entry procession; tribunes asked to share praise with people; Mar. refuses to stay and hear praises; Cominius relates his heroic past, since a girl-like boy a hero; Senate makes him consul if he'll speak to people; he doesn't want to play the role

i. group of citizens debating whether they should be grateful; decisions are made in common; waver

ii. Cor enters in gown of humility and has to request their vote, against his inclination, coached by Men.; all he has to do is "ask it kindly." He gets their voices.

iii. Tribunes rebuke people for conceding; they reinterpret Cor's gestures and words as hostile and mocking; convince them to revoke support

i. war w. Volsces reported at stalemate; tribunes block M's progress to market; Men tries to calm heat; accused of being traitor; predicted chaos breaks out; old triubnes abused "confusion's near (125) "

i. dialogue with mother; first he says she taught him to hate the commons; now she tries to get him to relent by putting him down;

i. tribunes prepare to manipulate the crowd in the tribunal, and agin to stir up Cor.

ii. Cor. plays at being peacemonger: throng our large temples with the shows of peace/and not our streets with war." 140

iii. at goading, Cor loses it; bansihed by crowd that wont listen to Comin.

iv. Cor. claims to banish them and threatens revenge; they celebrate his banishment; ostracism; ugly crowd behavior.

i. pathetic departure to family and friends, but insisting on self sufficiency

i. tribunes are content with triumph; ready to make peace

ii. afraid to encounter Volum.; they're sheepish; they call her mad

i. Nicanor--a real traitor to Rome-- reports civil unrest between people and senators in Rome, "almost mature for the violent breaking out" (151)

i. Cor. enters in mean apparel, disguised; these are the two conditions he earlier refused; his soliloquy on fortune, friends and foes.

i. Feast in Aufidius' house, [festive] but C's not guest 154;

ii. unmuffling and naming himself to Aufid 157; he is made of revenge and spite alone; long speech affirming it;

iii. Aufidius passionate love-response 158; gives half his troops to Cor.--(perfect friendship that soon will sour)

iv. servingmen find Cor. awesome, moreso than Aufid.

v. V. Servingmen celebrate the onset of war and end of peace

i. Cor's strength with Volsces growing; Aufidius getting jealous 171--A's soliloquy and plan

i. Menenius called father by Cor. ; tribunes persuade Men. to plead with Cor. despite rebuff to Comin. Men. agrees, Comin. thinks ites hopeless.

i. Men tries to pass Watch; says he ever lied on Cor's behalf--[similar scene to Cor. trying to get to Aufid]; uses trivial and flattering rhetoric; more concerned with servants than reaching Cor.; plays up father/son relation

ii. Cor. wont speak to him, but gives him note; inner conflict, but performs before Aufidius--"This man Aufidius, was my beloved in Rome; yet thou beholdst."

iii. Watch characterize Cor: "He's the rock, the oak not to be wind-shaken" 180 [but everyone is windshaken; see Aufid's and Cor's solils]

i. Cor. concerned with his image among Volsces; Aufid reassures him he has been tough, but he's "wind-shaking" and softening 181

ii. Entrance of women; he softens further at the call of affection and Great Nature ; wants to be author of himself; but sinks to earth and yields to kiss

iii. Mother kneels to him; he can't stand that

iv. Prays his boy will "like a great sea-mark, standing every flaw/ And saving those that eye-thee" 184

v. Vol. condemns his hardness; he switches to Aufidius; her speech of persuasion continues, a relentless assault

vi. He crumbles; Volumnia's pro-peace/anti-war speech

vii. Cor gives in; agrees to make peace; appeals to Aufid.'s humanity--motherhood. Aufid. states "I was moved withal," but in aside, plans treachery. 188

i. Men. 's false prediction: The tartness of his face sours ripe grapes...He wants nothing of a god but eternity and a heaven to throne in...there is no more mercy in him than there is milk in a male tiger...189

ii. The plebians are attacking the tribunes

iii. Messenger brings opposite news; celebration, festivity, dancing; help the joy--tragic-comic reversal

i. Senators welcome ladies

i. Aufid. accuses Cor. also conspires treacherously with assassins.

ii. Cor is the darling of the commoners and the peacemakers; the victim of military interests: We have made peace with no less honor to the Antiates/Than shame to the Romans

iii. Auf. calls him traitor and takes his name away; makes appeal to sexism; calls him bleeding heart peacenik 196..."boy of tears."

iv. Cor. becomes enraged and reverts back to "Alone I did it" and rage

v. Crowd wants again to tear him to pieces

vi. Lords try to make peace and convene an orderly tribunal, but swept away with mob blood-lust

vii. Aufidius mourns after his rage is spent