Coriolanus Summary

Coriolanus is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, likely written around 1607-1608. The play takes place in Ancient Rome, like Shakespeare’s other works Julius Caesar, Titus Andronicus, and Antony and Cleopatra. Coriolanus tells the story of Gnaeus Marcius Coriolanus, a famous Roman soldier and nobleman. He is banished from Rome in the 5th century BC after failing to become consul, a high-ranking official.

Summary

Coriolanus begins with a scene of a riot in Rome. The people are angry because there’s not enough grain, and they demand that the senate open the grain stores to help them. A senator named Menenius Agrippa tries to calm them down by telling a story about the human body, explaining that the senate is not trying to harm them but is just making sure the grain is shared fairly. Another senator, Caius Martius, dismisses the people, saying they are greedy and not worthy of making decisions because they don’t serve in the military. The senate agrees to appoint two tribunes to represent the people in the government, but the tribunes, Brutus and Sicinius, are secretly worried that Caius Martius will try to take away their power.

Caius Martius goes off to fight the Volsces, a rival tribe, in the city of Corioles. He is ordered by the consul Cominius to lay siege to the city while Cominius and the rest of the army fight the Volscian leader Aufidius. When the Volsces open the gates of Corioles and attack, the Roman soldiers start to retreat, but Caius Martius urges them to keep fighting. He bravely rushes into the city alone, killing many Volsces and setting fire to the buildings, allowing the Romans to enter the city. After the Romans take control, Caius Martius wants to fight Aufidius. He challenges him to a duel, but Aufidius’s soldiers pull him away. Cominius is so impressed by Caius Martius’s courage that he gives him the title “Coriolanus” after his victory at Corioles.

When Coriolanus returns to Rome, his mother Volumnia is thrilled by his heroism and proud of him. His wife, Virgilia, is more worried about the dangers of war, but Volumnia believes that bravery is the highest virtue a man can have. Coriolanus is encouraged by his family and friends to run for the position of consul, the highest position in Rome. Cominius supports him by praising his bravery to the senate. The patricians, or noble class, back him, but Coriolanus faces trouble when he has to speak to the common people to get their approval. Unlike other candidates who would show their battle wounds and promise to help the poor, Coriolanus refuses to do these things, acting arrogantly toward the people.

Because of his attitude, the tribunes stir up another riot against him. Coriolanus becomes angry at the people and says they shouldn’t have any power in politics. The tribunes accuse him of being a traitor and try to arrest him. Menenius, Cominius, and Volumnia try to calm him down and persuade him to apologize, but Coriolanus refuses to lie or flatter the people. He decides to publicly apologize, but the tribunes provoke him again, causing him to lose his temper. As a result, he is banished from Rome.

Coriolanus leaves Rome and goes to Antium, where the Volsces live. He offers to join their army and help them take revenge on Rome if their leader, Aufidius, will give him the chance. Aufidius agrees, and the two of them start a successful military campaign against Rome. The tribunes and the people of Rome realize their mistake in banishing such a great soldier. Cominius and Menenius both try to convince Coriolanus to spare Rome, but he refuses to listen to them.

Eventually, Volumnia, Virgilia, Coriolanus’s son, and a friend named Valeria go to speak with Coriolanus. Volumnia urges him to restore his honor without breaking his promise to Aufidius by making peace between Rome and the Volsces. Coriolanus’s resolve is broken by the women’s tears and prayers, and he agrees to make peace with Rome. But after the peace treaty is signed, Aufidius turns against Coriolanus. He fears Coriolanus could become a rival and is angry that he gave up the chance to destroy Rome. Aufidius orders a group of conspirators to kill Coriolanus. Coriolanus fights back fiercely but is eventually killed. Aufidius, filled with sadness, orders that Coriolanus’s body be buried with respect.

 

 

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