A Synopsis of Coriolanus
Beware — there be spoilers ahead!
Coriolanus begins with the starving plebeians of Rome protesting against the city’s wealthy citizens and aristocracy. As their demonstrations reach a fever pitch, a patrician named Menenius and the famed soldier Martius quiet the uprising by delivering news that they have been granted new political power in Rome in the form of tribunes from their ranks joining the senate.
Martius returns to battle when news that nearby enemies have invaded the Roman territory of Corioles. He almost single handedly defeats the Volscian army when his soldiers retreat out of fear. With this victory, he earns the name Coriolanus and a pledge of revenge by the Volscian leader Aufidius who has long been his rival.
When the newly donned Coriolanus returns to Rome victorious, he is persuaded to campaign for the office of consul — an exercise which requires him to ask for votes from the plebeians who he despises. His disdain enrages the common people and the new tribunes scheme against him. He is charged with treason and banished from Rome. Betrayed, he seeks both refuge and revenge with his enemy Aufidius in the Volsce’s camp.
Coriolanus and Aufidius are nearly victorious in their siege of Rome when Coriolanus’ mother, Volumnia, along with his wife and son plead for his mercy. In an uncharacteristic turn, he gives in to his family’s pleas even though he knows it will surely mean his demise. Coriolanus returns to Corioles where Aufidius and his men plot and execute his assassination. Volumnia returns to Rome, where she is praised for saving the city.
For more detailed synopses and analysis, please visit the following:
More about Coriolanus:
Shakespeare’s Collaborators: Sean San Jose & Rosa Joshi
Meet the theater artists whose collaborative creativity in adapting Shakespeare's words brought this unique production of Coriolanus to life.
The World of the Play: Coriolanus' Rome
Situated on the Tiber River in central Italy, Rome grew from a city to an empire over the course of centuries. Sort out myth from fact with this primer on the historical setting of Shakespeare's Coriolanus.
Shakespeare's England
With booming trade, increasing incomes, and a swelling population facing plagues and uncertain food supplies, England during the time of Shakespeare was an era of both prosperity and mortality.
Production History & Trivia for Coriolanus
Written between 1605-1608, Coriolanus is based on Plutarch's account of a Roman general and may have been inspired by a period of civil unrest in Shakespeare's era. In more recent times, actors from Morgan Freeman to Ian McKellen to Tom Hiddleston have played the title role in notable productions.
Reviews of Coriolanus
"The production propels you through a story of political turmoil which, though set in the early days of the Roman Republic, feels current." —Oregon ArtsWatch
Coriolanus Reading List
Calling all readers! Multnomah County Library put together a reading list inspired by our production of Coriolanus.
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