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Shakespeare's Coriolanus and Plutarch: Part 1/3

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Shakespeare's play Coriolanus is mainly based on Sir Thomas North's 1579 translation of a French translation of Plutarch's Life of Coriolanus by Jacques Amyot. The last of Shakespeare's plays with a Roman theme, it was most probably first staged 1607-08.

Following Sir Thomas, Shakespeare refers to Coriolanus as Caius Martius rather than Caius Marcius. Sir Thomas calls the Volscians Volsces, while Shakespeare makes them Volces. However, many modern texts of Shakespeare use the "correct" forms Caius Marcius and Volsces. Sometimes Shakespeare uses the very words of Sir Thomas's translation in the play.

In what follows, I have given a summary of each scene in normal type, plus some comments in italics.

Act 1, Scene 1

A group of discontented and hungry citizens blame Caius Martius for the famine and plan to march on the Capitol but are dissuaded by Menenius Agrippa, who tells the fable of the uprising of the parts of the body against the stomach to dissuade them. Caius Martius enters and gives a speech expressing his contempt for the crowd. Caius Martius informs Menenius that the senate has decided to grant the common people five tribunes to represent them. He names two of the tribunes: Junius Brutus and Sicinius Velutus. He then exits on being told by senators that the Volces under Tullus Aufidius have taken up arms. Brutus and Sicinius discuss this turn of events.

The famous secession of the plebs took place in 494 to 493 BC. The plebs, oppressed by the rigid enforcement of debts by the patricians, left the city and took up residence across the Anio. Menenius Agrippa was sent by the senate to negotiate with the plebs and he told the story of the revolt of the parts of the body against the stomach. Much to Coriolanus' disgust, the plebs were granted five tribunes to represent them. Two of the tribunes were Junius Brutus and Sicinius Veletus who had led the plebs in the secession. See the North translation section 6 and section 7

Act 1, Scene 2

Aufidius and Volcian senators discuss the countermeasures being taken by the Romans against the Volcian raids. The Roman commanders mentioned are: Comminius, Caius Martius, and Titus Lartius. Aufidius will take the mobile forces while the Volscian senators will stay in Corioles (Shakespeare sometimes refers to the place as Corioles and sometimes as Coriolus).

Cominius was consul for the year 493 and Titus Lartius was put in charge of the siege of Corioli.See the North translation, section 8

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