Coriolanus Act 1 Analysis

Act 1 characterizes Caius Martius in scene 1 through the perspective of the tribunes and the citizens. This introduces the first conflict - between Martius and the citizens as they feel they are not given enough corn/grain. The citizens instantly think that the solution to the problem is to kill Martius due to the fact he is ”…chief enemy to the people.” The issues are not resolved at the end of the scene, therefore the reader feels unease as conflict continues. Scene 2 adds onto Martius’ conflict as Aufidius is introduced to be Martius’ prime enemy. There’s a contrast to Aufidius and Coriolanus based on what we know so far. Aufidius reads this letter of an attack on the Volsces which includes “Who is of Rome worse hated than of you” regarding Coriolanus. Scene 3 characterizes Martius’ family members – especially his mother, Volumnia, who encourages her son’s brutality, comparing that if he were her husband, she would have comfort seeing him out on war than having comfort in their own intimacy in bed. Virgilia – Martius’ wife – is seen as the typical damsel in distress and would rather have her husband in the safety of her view. Only in scene 3 of the first act of the play, we are given another perspective of Coriolanus through the eyes of his mother. She encourages him to be the strongest of all. And she praises his nobility.

Shakespeare’s larger purpose in his characterization of Coriolanus in Act 1 is to introduce the setting surrounding this ‘hero’ who is Coriolanus. The genre states that the play is considered ot be a political play, so Act 1 may exhibit how the effects of an individual in a society (Coriolanus) affects the rest of society. Scene 1 presents the conflict between the citizens and Coriolanus and because these issues were not resolved, history of this conflict stacks and carries on throughout the play... So far, it shows that although Coriolanus proves to be noble to his side, his personality is one that is unlikeable by the people. At the end of Act 1, with the added perspective of Aufidius, it adds on the intimacy and intensity of the relationship between him and Coriolanus.