Coriolanus IOC Practice Passage Outline

This particular passage is sourced from Shakespeare's play Coriolanus, particularly towards the  end of scene IV during a period after Coriolanus' banishment from Rome, prior to his attempt at returning. This Shakespeare is renowned to the most politically exploratory of his plays, ultimately leadings to the overall discussion of my following commentary. This commentary will thematically explore the relevance of social classes in Rome at the time Shakespeare created this play. Throughout the tragedy, the conflict between Aufidius and Coriolanus has developed, and the reader can expect a negative characterisation of the protagonist throughout this passage through his enemy's dialogue. 

Chunk 1: Characterisation of Coriolanus

• In multiple instances in the text, Coriolanus is compared to predator-natured animals as Shakespeare ultimate characterisation of this multi-faceted protagonist as a powerful and violent figure. 
• The characters prevalent within this passage are immediately indicative of the tone Shakespeare sets as the dialogue progresses. 
• The development of Coriolanus as an anti-hero is foreshadowed in the final two lines of the passage, where Shakespeare uses the protagonist's enemy to reveal Coriolanus' eventual downfall from the power he continuously longs for. 

Chunk 2: Transition of power roles in Rome

• Since the beginning of the text, the reader can recognise a struggle for power between the upper and lower classes of Rome, Coriolanus depicting the upper class while the Plebeians are considered lower class. The democratic nature of Rome hints at the reader that Coriolanus would never be appointed power within Rome due to his incredibly selfish nature. As the story progresses, this unsuspected transition of power is becoming more and more probable, much to the demise of Aufidius, who struggles for power as well. 
• At this particular point in the play, Coriolanus is in his most powerful state due to his manipulation of his social appearance as a noble, amicable soldier, to which even Aufidius admits, from lines 10 to 15, that this manipulation of power should result in his seizing of power.

Chunk 3: Roman Social classes

• Coriolanus' inability to consider a life without power and dominance, leads to his manipulation of Rome's upper class of their opinion of him. Despite the lower class of Rome being much more abundant in size, Coriolanus is aware that a close relationship with the upper class will allow him to achieve his ultimate dreams. 
• This characterisation of Coriolanus serves as a tool to Shakespeare to comment on the dominance of the wealthy of the poor and the lack of control the poor essentially had in a Roman democracy. 
• This downfall of Coriolanus as an anti-hero ultimately serves as a commentary about the social flaw Rome has inherited, in its inability to adhere to social equality. 

All in all, Shakespeare's most politically endowed play serves as a relatable template to similar social issues modern day societies encounter, faced with the flaws of greed and the need to control.