Relationship Between Coriolanus and Volumnia in William...

The Relationship Between Coriolanus and Volumnia The speech patterns of Coriolanus reveal the title characters psychological turmoil. Churning with self-doubt about his determination, his relationship with those around him, and his relationship with his mother, Coriolanus is a man at the mercy of his environment. The environment that shapes Coriolanus is the instruction he receives from his mother Volumnia.1 In his relationship with his mother, Coriolanus plays the weak and subservient role. Volumnias treatment of Coriolanus during his childhood and later, when he is an adult, profoundly molds Coriolanus. Even when absent in scenes, Coriolanuss mother acts as an invisible force, shaping Coriolanuss interactions with other†¦show more content†¦Volumnia, unlike the other women in the play such as Virgilia, does not recoil from war and the battlefield. Instead, Volumnia both identifies with the war hero and delights in both his triumphs and his pain. In describing the pride she would gain from her sons deaths in battle, Volum nia separates herself from the other women in the play who want nothing to do with war, I had rather eleven die nobly for their country than one voluptuously surfeit out of action. (1.3.20-21). Thus the pride that Coriolanus derives from his own wounds and wounded body is a product of his mothers pride in having a wounded son. Volumnia describes with pride Coriolanuss bloody brow, Though you were born in Rome! His bloody brow/ with his mailed hand then wiping (1.3.31-32). The pride that Volumnia procures from her sons victories and injuries winds up reflecting itself on Coriolanus who describes these victories and wounds with equal pride. By the end of the first act, Volumnias descriptions of mothering demonstrate the warlike spirit she has channeled into her raising of Coriolanus. The imagery she uses in Act 1 Scene 3 also separates her from the other women in the play. Volumnia speaks of blood, swords, and death, while women like Virgilia speak of sewing and butterflies. Volumnias speech patterns put her in the commanding position in her relationship with Coriolanus. In Act 5 Scene 3,Show MoreRelatedEssay on Maternity and Masculinity in Macbeth and Coriolanus2837 Words   |  12 PagesMasculinity in Macbeth and Coriolanus The power of womanhood is linked with both maternity and masculinity in Shakespeare’s Macbeth and Coriolanus; one might say that they are interchangeable. Lady Macbeth becomes the psychologically masculine force over her husband, essentially assuming a maternal role, in order to inspire the aggression needed to fulfill their ambitions. Similarly, in Coriolanus, Volumnia maintains a clear, overtly maternal position over Coriolanus, molding him to be the idealRead MoreEssay on Challenging Gender Roles in English Society2707 Words   |  11 Pagesvalues of the time. Shakespeare, however, challenged the traditional patriarchal values of his time by introducing powerful and highly influential female characters in some of his most memorable plays. Lady Macbeth and her earlier counterpart, Volumnia, both serve pivotal roles as dominant and commanding mother figures and also challenge the traditional role of the dutiful wife. Both of these independent, strong-willed women are far ahead of the times in their approach to marital, maternal, andRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare : Gay?1123 Words   |  5 Pagesplaying women that they inspired Shakespeare to write those significant female parts. However, it is impossible to avoid talking of homosexuality when two men are snuggling on stage. It was possible that the audience was just regarding any romantic relationship on stage as a subtext for a queer existence: some found it amusing or some might even (knowingly/unknowingly) found it interestingly arousing. Whether or not Shakespeare himself was writing for his own special amusement, he was passive positivelyRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Most Famous Writers Of All Time1859 Words   |  8 Pagesfamilial relations. William Shakespeare’s major works have survived the test of time due to their relatability, both then and now. Shakespeare, who become one of the most famous writers of all time, was born to Mary, who most likely could neither read nor write, and John Shakespeare. The Bard’s father was, â€Å"highly esteemed by his fellow townspeople, for he held a series of important posts in local government† (Greenblatt 43). Tensions arose in the Shakespe are family when William moved to London to