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Shakespeare's Coriolanus and Plutarch: Part 3/3


© Bingley

Mar 28, 2005


We finish off our comparison of Shakespeare's Coriolanus and Sir Thomas North's translation of Amyot's French translation of Plutarch's Life of Coriolanus by looking at Acts 4 and 5.

Again, I summarise the play in normal type and comment in italics.

Act 4 Scene 1

At an unspecified location, Coriolanus bids farewell to his family and friends before going into exile.

Plutarch tells us that Coriolanus said farewell to his mother and wife at home, before leaving. At the city gates he says farewell to the patricians accompanying him and then leaves Rome accompanied by a few friends. See the North translation, section 21

Act 4 Scene 2 and Scene 3

Coriolanus' mother and wife accompanied by Menenius meet the tribunes in the street. Volumnia tells them how Coriolanus is a much better man than all of them put together. A Roman and Volce meet, and the Roman gives the Volce the news of Coriolanus' banishment.

These scenes do not appear in Plutarch.

Act 4 Scene 4 and Scene 5

Coriolanus has made his way, with his face covered to Antium, where he asks the way to Aufidius' house. He goes into the house and refuses to be ejected by the servants. Baffled, they call their master, Aufidius, and Coriolanus reveals his identity. He has come to help Aufidius in the war against Rome the Volces are preparing.Aufidius' servants discuss this turn of events. One of them announces that the war will be launched that afternoon.

Plutarch simply says that Coriolanus went to Aufidius' house in Antium. This is Plutarch's first mention of Aufidius. When he arrived, he entered and sat down at the hearth until Aufidius came to ask him who he was. See the North translation, section 23. Again we can see how Shakespeare uses almost the exact words used in Sir Thomas North's translation:

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PlutarchShakespeare
I am Caius Martius, who hath done to thyself particularly, and to all the Volsces generally, great hurt and mischief, which I cannot deny for my surname of Coriolanus that I hear. For I never had other benefit nor recompence of the true and painful service I have done, and the extreme dangers I have been in, but this only surname: a good memory and witness of the malice and displeasure thou shouldest bear me. Indeed the name only remaineth with me: for the rest the envy and cruelty of the people of Rome have taken from me, by the sufferance of the dastardly nobility and magistrates, who have forsaken me, and let me be banished by the people.
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