Coriolanus 2.1 IOC Passage

Link to IOC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhoWbMR1DLg

Annotated Passage:

Menenius Agrippa. Is he not wounded? he was wont to come home wounded.

Menenius points out he is likely to come home wounded, which provides an opportunity to characterize Volumnia.

Virgilia. O, no, no, no.

This characterizes Virgilia as a dutiful wife, who genuinely cares for Martius. This is consistent with  her character, as throughout the play Virgilia has been the image of the perfect wife. This starkly contrasts with Volumnia’s reaction,

Volumnia. O, he is wounded; I thank the gods for't.

Volumnia is glad that Coriolanus might be wounded. She prioritizes how she can get into a position of power through his son rather than care about his health.

Menenius Agrippa. So do I too, if it be not too much: brings a'

5 victory in his pocket? the wounds become him. 5

Volumnia. On's brows: Menenius, he comes the third time home

with the oaken garland.

Shows his battle experience and how he is a very good warrior with his previous wins.

Menenius Agrippa. Has he disciplined Aufidius soundly?

Menenius already expects victory from Coriolanus, again signifying that he a trustworthy warrior and can take anyone in battle.

Volumnia. Titus TITUS writes, they fought together, but

Aufidius got off. 10

Menenius Agrippa. And 'twas time for him too, I'll warrant him that:

an he had stayed by him, I would not have been so

‘fidiused for all the chests in Corioli, and the gold

that's in them. Is the senate possessed of this?

Volumnia. Good ladies, let's go. Yes, yes, yes; the senate 15

has letters from the general, wherein he gives my

son the whole name of the war: he hath in this

action outdone his former deeds doubly

She is stating how Martius is going to receive his new name and he has outdone his expectations and she therefore shows the pride she has for him and it shows that she raised him to be one of Rome’s deadliest warriors. This is further characterization of Volumnia and Coriolanus.

Valeria. In troth, there's wondrous things spoke of him.

Menenius Agrippa. Wondrous! ay, I warrant you, and not without his 20

true purchasing.

Virgilia. The gods grant them true!

Volumnia. True! pow, wow.

Menenius Agrippa. True! I'll be sworn they are true.

Where is he wounded? 25

[To the Tribunes]

God save your good worships! CORIOLANUS is coming

home: he has more cause to be proud. Where is he wounded?

Menenius states how Coriolanus has much to be proud of after his success in Corioles and also showing some father-like features by also participating in the curiousness for Coriolanus’s battle scars as to show the people and gain support for his future campaign.

Volumnia. I' the shoulder and i' the left arm there will be

large cicatrices to show the people, when he shall

stand for his place. He received in the repulse of 30

Tarquin seven hurts i' the body.

Volumnia is not too concerned about her son’s wounds but rather the scars the will become to show the people and therefore represent the valor he showed in battle and get support to be consul. She of course uses this as an opportunity to get him into a position of political power and at the same time, she also having power and influence in the field for being the mother. As she is a woman, she doesn't have that much ‘say’ in things to do with politics, and participate in wars, so in a way she is and wants to continue living those experiences through Coriolanus.

Menenius Agrippa. One i' the neck, and two i' the thigh,—there's

nine that I know.

Volumnia. He had, before this last expedition, twenty-five

wounds upon him. 35

She keeps note of how many wounds he has in order to measure her pride for her son. Shakespeare writes her as the sort of woman that goes against ideal standards, as she has more of a bloody mouth and is versed in things having to do with the military.

Menenius Agrippa. Now it's twenty-seven: every gash was an enemy's grave.

The inconsistent arithmetic demonstrates their exhilaration by the possibilities that Martius’ wounds bring forth. Menenius further characterizes Coriolanus by saying that for every scratch in his body there was a casualty for the enemy, this reinforcing his position as a ruthless warrior. Metaphor in “every gash was an enemy’s grave.

[A shout and flourish]

Hark! the trumpets.

Volumnia. These are the ushers of CORIOLANUS: before him he

carries noise, and behind him he leaves tears:

Death, that dark spirit, in's nervy arm doth lie; 40

Which, being advanced, declines, and then men die.

By saying that that he carries noise and leaves tears, Shakespeare uses Volumnia to characterize Coriolanus as man which brings such emotional impact on the people welcoming him home for his god-like actions in the field of war.

Theme of Power in Coriolanus

In the play, Coriolanus, the main character Caius Martius is a god-like persona who is ruthless and an inspiring leader to its people in battle. This is shown continuously throughout the battle for Corioles in which is the place where he earned his name 'Coriolanus'. Coriolanus tries to use his extensive power and reputation in the field of war to try and get in the political arena as a consul, however even though he is compared by numerous characters throughout the play as a furious lone dragon, capable of escaping near impossible situations, he isn't able to gain the support of the plebeians and the tribunes due to his lack of respect and value for them. Despite his great military service for Rome and "growing from man to dragon", his quest for political power is what eventually led to his tragic death by Aufidius towards the end of the play. The person behind his pursuit for sovereignty is his mother, Volumnia, who holds a different kind of power in which she is able to use for her own purposes. She uses her position as the mother of Coriolanus to persuade and manipulate him into heading certain directions and get political power herself. She expects nothing but the best from his son as she hoped for his son to get scars from battle to show to the people and gain more votes and support from them. Other people that continue this trend of power in the play can be seen with Tullus Aufidius, general of the Volscians, is shown as Coriolanus's main enemy and the man who brought him to his death. He first takes advantage of Coriolanus's position of being exiled from Rome and accepts his request to join his army against them and therefore bring fear among the Romans. However he then uses his high position as a general to turn the Volscians against Caius after him deciding against the attack on Rome. The theme of power in the play can show how Coriolanus was unfortunate to be born in an era where putting good military service and being a hero to Rome was not enough to have political power due to his lack of knowledge and care for the people in the lower classes.

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

Shakespeare depicts Caius Martius through the lens of different perspectives in Rome as a dominant, inspiring, high status figure, and as an arrogant unyielding force to deal with. This is done throughout the play with the use of direct and indirect characterization of Coriolanus for the larger purpose of introducing the numerous conflicts within the play, the introduction of a hero-like character with his strengths and flaws, and how these later play a pivotal role in foreshadowing his downfall.

In the beginning of Act 1 Scene 1, the plebeians are seen protesting and threatening to revolt to the change grain prizes, and straightaway it is seen that they have come to a single common target in Caius Martius "Caius Coriolanus is chief enemy to the people."(Act 1 Scene 1, Page 7). One side of Coriolanus is immediately shown with how he is "a very dog to the commonalty"(Act 1 Scene 1, Page 9) and how when the citizens are discussing his service to the country trying to justify his actions against him, they dont believe he did it for reasons other than personal gain, referring to his mother Volumnia "He did it to please his mother and to be partly proud"(Act 1 Scene 1, Page 9). This conflict between Martius and the common people further develops after his introduction in the play, describing the plebeians as "dissentious rogues"(Act 1 Scene 1, Page 17) which only angers them even more and reveals the lack of political knowledge and speech which greatly contrasts with that of him in the battlefield. This early section of Act 1 gives us an important plot in the play where it can be seen that Coriolanus does not have a good relationship with the peasants, something which would later play an important role when Martius decides to became consul. This hate from Coriolanus towards the lower classes of Rome is self-justified with his actions in war (later in Corioles), how the patricians are the most involved in the fighting and are in the front line, proving their worth, while the citizens would be seen making up the numbers in back.

The other side of Coriolanus is seen later on Act 1 as he goes up against the Volsces in the battle of Corioles. In the battlefield, he manages to prove himself physically, Shakespeare showing his leadership and demi-god abilities which get him off a very disadvantaged position with just enough scars to prove his service in the military. This shows how he managed to put Rome before himself "If any think brave death outweighs bad life, and that his country's dearer than himself; let him alone, or so many minded wave thus, to express his disposition and follow Marcius" inspiring his soldiers with multiple types of inspirational speeches and threats as a strategy to galvanize the men of Rome into action. This manifests a higher status and respect from the both the patricians and the plebeians as he doesn't even accept a reward for his service after the war "But cannot make my heart consent to take a bribe to pay my sword. I do refuse it and stand upon my common part with those that have beheld the doing.". He stands up as one man army during the latter stages of the war at Corioles and has a performance which makes a strong argument towards taking the position as a consul. However due to his lack of connections with the people who have the final say on the matter as well as very limited knowledge in politics can foreshadow his rejection by the tribunes who represent the plebeians. 

Lastly it can be seen that with the characterization of the Coriolanus throughout the first act Shakespeare managed to convey a larger message and purpose by foreshadowing future events and plots to be taken place such as Coriolanus's death, his rejection as a consul and possible exile from Rome. Shakespeare shows the two sides of Caius Martius on both settings (Rome-politics, Corioles-war) in which later develops to re-establish his position as a hero in this play by showing his strengths and the eventual appearance of his weaknesses which lead Coriolanus to exile and death.