Coriolanus by William Shakespeare (Book Analysis): Detailed Summary, Analysis and Reading Guide

By Bright Summaries

Unlock the more straightforward side of Coriolanus with this concise and insightful summary and analysis!

This engaging summary presents an analysis of Coriolanus by William Shakespeare, a historical play set in the Roman Republic. The play centres on the titular character of Coriolanus, a well-respected general whose pride in his own military genius and aristocratic background has fostered in him a deep disdain for the common people. This pride leads to his downfall: when Coriolanus launches into an ill-considered tirade against the plebeians while running for consul, the crowd turns violently against him and he is exiled from Rome. Hell-bent on revenge, Coriolanus forms a temporary alliance with his former nemesis, the Volscian general Aufidius, and turns the full might of his fury towards the city he once called home. Coriolanus is a lesser-known play by William Shakespeare, who is widely considered to be one of the most influential writers in the history of the English language.

Find out everything you need to know about Coriolanus in a fraction of the time!

This in-depth and informative reading guide brings you:

• A complete plot summary
• Character studies
• Key themes and symbols
• Questions for further reflection

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• Language: English
• Publisher: BrightSummaries.com
• Release date: Apr 8, 2019
• ISBN: 9782808018487

Book preview

ENGLISH PLAYWRIGHT AND POET

Born in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1564.

Died in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1616.

Notable works:

King Lear (1623), play

A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1600), play

Richard III (1597), play

William Shakespeare was an English playwright and poet and is generally considered the most influential writer in the English language. He worked in several modes, including comedy, history, tragedy, the narrative poem and the sonnet, and was active during an extraordinary flowering of creativity during the Elizabethan Renaissance – not just as a playwright, but also as an actor and as the eventual co-owner of the Globe theatre in London. Shakespeare spent 20 years in London, where he wrote all of his famous works and staged them with his own acting company, The King’s Men, and others. Shakespeare’s plays are universal in their scope, as they explore all the complexities of the human experience, from politics to love and death. Played constantly all around the world and revered for their complex characters and deft use of language, Shakespeare’s plays are now considered one of the crowning jewels of English and international literary heritage.

TRAGIC DRAMA

Genre: play

Reference edition: Shakespeare, W. (2013) Coriolanus. London: The Arden Shakespeare, ed. by Peter Holland.

1stedition: 1623

Themes: power, ambition,