Coriolanus Characterization

Looking on how Shakespeare has characterized Coriolanus in Act 1, I find it very interesting when we it’s broken down and specifically looked at in specific detail. This relates to the last lesson we had and looked at how Shakespeare used Gods of ancient Greek history and put some of their characteristics into Coriolanus especially one common thing between them all (THEY DIE). That was one of many ways Shakespeare has shown us who Coriolanus is in Act 1.

Coriolanus in war in my opinion was very complicated and hard to understand as he started of by giving an empowering speech that shows us his leadership as well as him crying while saying it and as well as that he was motivating his soldiers. However, later after the war his mood turned from good to bad as he raged at the soldiers and took away everything good he said to them by pointing out their mistakes and poor performance in the battlefield, this can show the seriousness of Coriolanus as well as him being short tempered. These were all different ways that Shakespeare has used to characterize Coriolanus in the first Act.

Many of these characteristics of Coriolanus has began conflicts with many people especially the public as we have seen that he was the most hated by the public and was protested against more then once, even having one of the citizens expressing the idea of killing him. Adding on to that is the way the protesters were all angry with Coriolanus when he came out and called them names, and offended them, etc. And looking at that specific trait it was one of the main reasons to get him banished out of Rome for good as he disrespected its people and lied to them which is another characteristic that we get introduced to.

In the first Act Shakespeare has given an idea of who Coriolanus is, however he didn’t easily lay out his characteristics at once, he kept them all in different parts in the act so as it progresses the audience understand and know more about the true identity of Coriolanus. Furthermore, as we get to know more about Coriolanus’s characteristics the conflicts can be occurring with that, and we can see more of Coriolanus characteristics during battles, etc. That shows how shakspheare has created an outline that gives us detail and introduces us to Coriolanus as a character and not in one scene but, over a full Act we get to know more and more about Coriolanus.

Cheers Shakespeare, you did well!!