The culmination of Shakespeare’s career writing Roman history plays and plays of war, Coriolanus is a searing, relentless story about what happens when a culture gets what it wants. Coriolanus is the elite soldier who’s been shaped by his mother and by his Roman culture to value military service, valor, and honor above all else. But when he’s rejected by the people he’s defended – and scorned – Coriolanus turns his Roman valor against Rome. In this course, you’ll learn the story and context of Coriolanus, explore the perennial political questions the play raises, and grapple with the fierce, implacable character of Coriolanus himself, to ask if this “unswayable” man ever changes, and how.  

In Part 1, you’ll be guided through a detailed account of the story with commentary by Philip Lorenz, Professor of English at Cornell University. You’ll learn key context behind the play, from the source story of the historical Coriolanus to events in Shakespeare’s own day, that will clarify the political questions that the play works to highlight. This summary is told using the language of the play itself, placing key quotations in context to help you understand where these lines come from and what they mean.