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.