Blog Post 16- What is Shakespeare’s larger purpose in his characterization of Coriolanus in Act I?

What is Shakespeare’s larger purpose in his characterization of Coriolanus in Act I?

In Shakespeare's play; Coriolanus, he began presenting the political context within English during King James' Rule (1603- 1625) rather than his conventional tragedies. Act one is seen to be the primary act for where Shakespeare introduces the setting of the play; Ancient Rome, the main characters as well as the conflict. Coriolanus' character builds where he struggles to gain power due to his verbal self-control.

In Act one, Menenius and Coriolanus are introduced to the audience where there is a riot between the plebeians because of food shortage; grain. Due to the fact that Shakespeare has presented as the "chief enemy to the people' (1.1.7), the plebeians acknowledge him with hatred; making the audience believe he was the main issue of the shortage of food. The first conflict presented in Shakespeare's play is the conflict between Martius (Coriolanus) and the common people. He confronts the plebeians where he displayed his anger against the people, which illustrated his bad-temperated characteristic. Although, Shakespeare then begins to contrast the common people's judgment on Martius and Menenius; whereby Menenius is presented as the "one that hath always loved the people' (1.1.45). The people or Rome show respect and love towards Menenius regardless of his rank (patrician). He is presented to the audience as the wise character through the use of the body motif "there was a time when all the body's members Rebell'd against the belly.." This motif can be associated with the plebeians. Shakespeare has placed Menenius and the First Citizen together to emphasize the characteristics of Martius (Coriolanus) wherein the subsequent acts this, unfortunately, leads to his death.

Throughout the Act, Shakespeare has placed Martius Coriolanus on the battlefield where he was then credited for be brave and great warrior of Rome by the generals and the soldiers. He was given the respect that he never received from the common people. This portrayal of 'Coriolanus' illustrated his characters as brave with heroic traits and even thought to be a demi-god figure were shown to the Capitol. However, there is a disconnection between the two social classes; whereby the plebeians frame him as a self-centred, ignorant character though is portrayed by the generals as a brave warrior and a hero. 

The genre of the play is considered to be a political play unlike his conventional tragedies his audience is predominantly are shown. Like said previously, Shakespeare illustrates the two perspectives of the characteristic of Coriolanus' King James I ways of ruling. Shakespeare utilises the plot of Coriolanus to explore King James I's totalitarian methodology of ruling. The way Shakespeare describes the Roman society in Coriolanus is similar to the England society during this time period. 

Blog Post 15- Bell Hooks

Freedom by Beyoncé ft. Kendrick Lamar 


[Beyoncé:]
Tryna rain, tryna rain on the thunder
Tell the storm I'm new
I'ma walk, I'ma march on the regular
Painting white flags blue
Lord forgive me, I've been running
Running blind in truth
I'ma rain, I'ma rain on this bitter love
Tell the sweet I'm new

I'm telling these tears, "Go and fall away, fall away"
May the last one burn into flames

Freedom! Freedom! I can't move
Freedom, cut me loose!
Freedom! Freedom! Where are you?
Cause I need freedom too!
I break chains all by myself
Won't let my freedom rot in hell
Hey! I'ma keep running
Cause a winner don't quit on themselves

I'ma wade, I'ma wave through the waters
Tell the tide, "Don't move"
I'ma riot, I'ma riot through your borders
Call me bulletproof
Lord forgive me, I've been runnin'
Runnin' blind in truth
I'ma wade, I'ma wave through your shallow love
Tell the deep I'm new

I'm telling these tears, "Go and fall away, fall away"
May the last one burn into flames

Freedom! Freedom! I can't move
Freedom, cut me loose!
Freedom! Freedom! Where are you?
Cause I need freedom too!
I break chains all by myself
Won't let my freedom rot in hell
Hey! I'ma keep running
Cause a winner don't quit on themselves

[Kendrick Lamar:]
Ten Hail Marys, I meditate for practice
Channel 9 news tell me I'm movin' backwards
Eight blocks left, death is around the corner
Seven misleadin' statements 'bout my persona
Six headlights wavin' in my direction
Five-O askin' me what's in my possession
Yeah, I keep runnin', jump in the aqueducts
Fire hydrants and hazardous
Smoke alarms on the back of us
But mama, don't cry for me, ride for me
Try for me, live for me
Breathe for me, sing for me
Honestly guidin' me
I could be more than I gotta be
Stole from me, lied to me, nation hypocrisy
Code on me, drive on me
Wicked, my spirit inspired me
Like yeah, open correctional gates in higher desert
Yeah, open our mind as we cast away oppression
Yeah, open the streets and watch our beliefs
And when they carve my name inside the concrete
I pray it forever reads

[Beyoncé:]
Freedom! Freedom! I can't move
Freedom, cut me loose!
Freedom! Freedom! Where are you?
Cause I need freedom too!
I break chains all by myself
Won't let my freedom rot in hell
Hey! I'ma keep running
Cause a winner don't quit on themselves

[Kendrick Lamar:]
What you want from me?
Is it truth you seek? Oh father can you hear me?
What you want from me?
Is it truth you seek? Oh father can you hear me?
Hear me out

[Hattie White:]
I had my ups and downs, but I always find the inner strength to pull myself up. I was served lemons, but I made lemonade

 Possessing a shared language, black folks could find again a way to make community, and a means to create the political solidarity necessary to resist. Needing the oppressor’s language to speak with one another they nevertheless also reinvented, remade that language so that it would speak beyond the boundaries of conquest and domination.

The text that I have chosen to answer the selected quotation from Bell Hooks was written by Beyoncé featuring Kendrick Lamar. These lyrics are a part of her song Freedom, of which is from her most recent Album Lemonade. People believe that her last album is about cheating although, in fact, it is about cultural violence towards woman, specifically black women. Beyoncé begins to create songs based on her personal grief through anger and sadness but opens her so-called creative lenses where she had broadened the scope.

"Freedom" is song number 10 on her album 'Lemonade'. The song emphasizes areas of old Negro prison song as well as a 'fiery verse from Kendrick Lamar' (1). This song in somewhat ways speaks the truth about Beyoncé's feelings towards the topic.

"Painting white flags blue" is stated in Beyoncé's verse. She is implying that the symbol meaning of the white flag (giving up, surrendering, etc.,) will be painted blue. The colour blue signifies liberation, determination and independence. (The Bonnie Blue Flag was an unofficial banner of the Confederate States of America at the start of the American Civil War in 1861. It consists of a single, five-pointed white star on a blue field. It closely resembles the flag of the short-lived Republic of West Florida of 1810) [2] When Viewing Kendrick Lamar's verse,

 "Ten Hail Marys, I meditate for practice

Channel 9 news tell me I'm movin' backwardsEight blocks left, death is around the cornerSeven misleadin' statements 'bout my personaSix headlights wavin' in my direction
Won't let my freedom rot in hellHey! I'ma keep runningCause a winner don't quit on themselves"Five-O askin' me what's in my possession"

He's implying to the audience what is being displayed on national television "Channel 9 news" about the police attacks on Black Americans "Seven misleadin' statements 'bout my persona" In my opinion, I believe he explains how there have been black Americans who have been falsely accused of breaking the law. For example, statistics reveal that Police in the U.S. shot and killed 16 unarmed black men in 2016 [3]. This further justifies my claim where Police in the US believe that black Americans or black people, in general, are seen stereotypically as being dangerous, can be harmful and violent.

In regard to African American Vernacular English (AAVE), Beyoncé does not use her cultural dialect as many do, she used Standard English although has used Vernacular English to connect to those to evoke her argument and empower the black society. Although in Kendrick Lamar's verse, he uses some slang implying a certain dialect from AAVE.

Lastly, when looking at the chorus, Beyoncé states "I break chains all by myself"

She is implying to her audience that she sometimes have to do things independently to get what you want. Beyoncé is one of the most successful singer/songwriter on his pop history and with this, she is able to influence a lot of people from mixed generations. She is able to be a public figure in leading society, standing up for her race, her family, her cultural background as well as those who discriminate them Beyoncé is one of many black Americans who believes in equality amongst all. 

Overall, this supports the quotation from bell hooks as black folk believe in solidarity and want to create an independent yet peace community amongst all folks.  

Work Sited Page:


[1] http://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/18214-beyonce-freedom-ft-kendrick-lamar/

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonnie_Blue_Flag

[3]http://europe.newsweek.com/police-killings-unarmed-black-men-538542?rm=eu