Consider the way in which Shakespeare presents Martius in the early part of the play Essay Example

shares Volumnia's love for violent stories. In this scene, Volumnia appears to be a warlike figure who places great emphasis on bloodshed, claiming it is more fitting for a man than adorning a trophy. She is also intensely focused on her son to the point where it borders on incestuous thoughts ("If my son were my husband...").

Much of Martius' character is revealed in this part of the play through descriptions of his childhood, behaviour on the battlefield, and reputation by his mother. Additionally, Valeria discusses Martius' young son and how his behaviour exemplifies his father's temperament. Volumnia boasts about how she made her son the ruthless man he is today by sending him to cruel war as a tender-bodied youth. This maternal behaviour is far from typical.

Considering that Volumnia has the most influence over Martius, it is crucial to note her perspective on war. Volumnia argues that she prefers to have her eleven sons die heroically in service of their country rather than one son dying leisurely from inactivity. Martius' upbringing in this ideology has contributed to his ruthless authority. Volumnia mentions blood and violence frequently, praising her son's bravery in battle with descriptions such as "His bloody brow with his mail'd hand then wiping" and "He'll beat Aufidius' head below his knee and tread upon his neck." If these portrayals of Martius' conduct in conflict are accurate - as suggested by later battle scenes - he would be a formidable opponent; only a seasoned warrior would use a chain mail glove to wipe away a painful wound, as it would usually exacerbate the injury.

Valeria recounts a tale of young Martius' vicious attack on

a butterfly, likening him to his father. Shakespeare uses this anecdote to draw parallels between the father and son, employing grim imagery. Unfortunately, Martius lives up to his mother's expectations, displaying cruelty and disdain towards the citizens from his first speech onwards. He refers to them as "dissentious rogues" and sees them as a disturbance that needs to be quickly settled, even with force. Martius threatens to turn them into a "quarry" if given the opportunity.

Martius' behavior in this scene is highly insulting towards the plebeians. He believes he belongs to a higher social class and ridicules them for their common ways, mocking their 'cobbled shoes', accusing them of gossiping and presuming to know about Capitol affairs, and stating that their desires are like those of a sick man. Although some might find this behavior humorous, Martius is an unapologetic snob who is solely interested in his own pursuits. He holds a strong disdain for democracy and thinks that the lower classes deserve more oppression than they are already receiving. Despite Martius' poor relationship with the commoners, he is admired for his exemplary service as a soldier. His mother speaks proudly of him returning from his first battle with 'brows bound in oak', and plebeians acknowledge his contributions to the country in an earlier part of the act. At the end of Act One, he is bestowed with the title Coriolanus, which means 'man of Corioles,' in recognition of his remarkable accomplishments. Interestingly, in Act One Scene Five, Titus Lartius recounts how Martius bravely handled the city of Corioles single-handedly after his men retreated in fear.Lartius promptly presumes the defeat and death of his comrade

and proceeds to deliver a eulogy for Caius Martius as an esteemed soldier.

Lartius compliments the brave individual for surpassing the recklessness of their weapon. He compares them to a precious carbuncle that is as valuable as their own size.

Your appearance was so austere that even Cato wished he had a soldier like you.

Thou caused thine adversaries to tremble as if the entire world were shaking.

In Act One Scene Ten of Shakespeare's play, Martius is likened to a precious stone and praised for his achievements on the battlefield. Cominius, in particular, lauds Martius for inspiring fear in his opponents and predicts that even those who are normally resentful of him will be thankful for his heroic actions. Martius is celebrated as the hero of the battle, responsible for the Romans' triumph. Despite his military prowess, however, Martius lacks charisma and is unable to navigate the political arena. Eventually, he confides in Cominius that he would rather serve on his own terms than compromise his beliefs to appease others. In recognition of his accomplishments, Martius is bestowed with the title "Coriolanus" and rewarded with Cominius' "noble steed".

Shakespeare portrays Martius as having little tolerance for those with different opinions, such as the plebeians. This will be further examined later. Despite praising his battle skills, Shakespeare also provides visual examples of Martius' valiant combat through stage directions such as 'Martius beats them back', 'Enter Martius bleeding', 'Enter Martius, bloody', 'Martius fights till they be driven in breathless', and 'at another door Martius with his arm in a scarf'. Although readers may overlook these instructions, they are crucial in how the character is perceived on stage. Martius' intimidating demeanor

is evident in most cases.

Martius displays a strong desire for combat upon his entrance in Act One. He expresses this attitude through animalistic language and a longing for gore, mirroring his mother's appetite for violence. Upon learning of the Volsces' desire for war, Martius is pleased to engage them and eagerly anticipates facing his old adversary, Tullus Aufidius, whom he admires. In Act One Scene Four, Martius appears impatient for the start of battle and expects perfection from his men, warning them of the consequences if they fall short. He also invokes Mars, the Roman god of war, to hasten their progress.

During Scene Five's battle, the Romans face their initial defeat, causing Martius to become enraged and display the same intolerance shown by his child in Scene Three. He directs profanities towards his troops, referring to them as 'shames of Rome' and 'souls of geese that bear the shape of men'. He even wishes for 'contagion...Boils and plagues' to afflict them for their cowardice in fleeing from a weaker army which he believes could have been defeated by 'apes'.

The use of animal and disease imagery in Martius' words highlights the strength of his emotions, contrasting with Cominius' more comforting language towards his soldiers. Martius displays great valor in Scene 6 as he singlehandedly defeats the Volsces and insists on continuing to fight despite his injuries. However, others view this behavior as foolhardy, as seen in Scene 5. Martius' words in Scene 7 serve mainly to continue the story and shows his eagerness to seek out the enemy and rally others to fight alongside him against Aufidius.

Scene Nine depicts a visual face-off

between Martius and his adversary Aufidius, resulting in Martius emerging victorious and celebrated as a hero upon return to the Roman camp after the final act's battle. Despite Martius's typically prideful behavior, this scene portrays an uncharacteristic display of modesty, potentially stemming from exhaustion or feigned humility in pursuit of even more acclaim. Martius's inability to form coherent sentences in response to the constant adulation highlights his discomfort and disbelief in the overwhelming appreciation for his actions. Another atypical moment for Coriolanus (Martius's new name) occurs after the battle, where he shows generosity by requesting the release of a man who previously sheltered him in Corioles from Roman captivity.

It is possible that his anomalous behaviour was a result of trauma from combat or shock from receiving a great honour. In Act 1 of Coriolanus, he is shown becoming highly popular despite not always appearing pleasant. Charisma matters less as a soldier; what counts is fighting well, which he does to achieve success. It is only in later acts that his negative traits become a hindrance.