Royalshakespearecompany Coriolanus

Coriolanus follows the legendary Roman general Caius Marcius, whose military prowess and contempt for the common people make him a figure of both admiration and resentment. After his triumphant return from war against the Volscians, the Senate proposes him for consul, a position requiring him to seek the approval of the plebeians. His inability to mask his disdain for the masses, combined with the machinations of ambitious tribunes, transforms him from celebrated warrior into political pariah. Banished from Rome, Coriolanus seeks an unlikely alliance with his former enemy Aufidius, leading to a devastating confrontation that explores themes of honor, pride, and the destructive nature of political ambition. The play examines the tension between individual merit and democratic process, between martial virtue and civic responsibility.