shakespeare redux

[reverancepavane]

Coriolanus is one of the lesser known of Shakespeare's plays, not because of the play lacks any theatrical qualities, but rather that the proper appreciation of the play hinges on a knowledge of the Roman political system (especially of the early Republic), as well as early Roman history. It is also rather difficult to engage with the principle character, as an important them of the play that he is not given to either self reflection or undue speech and, unlike Hamlet or Macbeth, is therefore not given to soliloquise. He is the very model of a stoic Roman general. Basically it is set in the very early Republic, when the Latin tribe of Rome's major enemy was the neighbouring Volsci tribe (in a war started by Tarquin, the last of the Roman Kings), and concerns the rise of Gaius Marcus Coriolanus, a Roman general, who defeated the Volcsi at Corioli in 493 BC. However he fell pray to the bicameral nature of the Republic when he was encouraged to seek the position of Consul, primarily due to the machinations of two tribunes, who turned the plebians against him (at the time the tribunes were the officers of the Plebian Council who maintained the interests of the common citizens in the face of the patrician-controlled Senate (whose job was essentially to ensure that no king arose again in Rome). And as such was banished for uttering words against the plebians and their tribunes (incidentally it was the corruption of these elected politicians - the tribunes - that eventually led to the fall of the Republic; Augustus later took full control of the office to prevent it from happening again). Anyway, a banished Coriolanus finds his way to the Volsci King and offers his services against the Rome that had almost raised him to the highest rank and then torn him down so precipitously. He leads the Volsci to the very gates of Rome, only to turn aside at the last moment by the pleas of his wife and mother, and forges a lasting peace (which will eventually lead to the Volsci being one of the Italian tribes that make up the Roman Empire - and effectively indistinguishable from the proper Latins of Rome. Anyways, Ralph Fiennes has recently written, produced, directed, and starred in a BBC production of Coriolanus that does a reasonably good job of presenting this complicated situation to a modern audience. Like the previous BBC production of Julius Caesar, it is set in modern times with modern military equipment. The character of the tribunes shines forth as they are willing to do anything to ensure that Coriolanus does not gain the Consulship (which would interfere with their political ambitions). Their joy at "winning" is shown nicely turning to ash when they receive news of the latest Volsci intrusion, led by none other than Rome's former General. They send the loyal Romans in to try and convince Coriolanus, but none can stay his hand. Interestingly, as in the play, the tribunes get away with it at the end. Is it an indictment of the 1% (the patricians) and their troops, or is in indictment of the 99% (the plebians) and their corrupt politicians (the tribunes). Or the story of a soldier who will burn on a pyre of his own pride and honour (something I can appreciate). Watch it and see. I like adaptations of Shakespeare. I think my favourite is Ian Richardson's Richard III with it's theme of the rise of fascism in the 1930s, although I also like Anthony Hopkin's Titus Andronicus, and it's industrial goth Goth army.My favourite version of Julius Caesar was the aforementioned BBC production. Whilst I've seen The Scottish Play performed in many genres my favourite is Akira Kurosawa's (or maybe that should be Toshiro Mifune's) Throne of Blood. More Shakespeare for me later today!