First Published in 1999. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor Francis; an informa company.
#1630206 in eBooks 2014-01-10 2014-01-10File Name: B00HFPV296
Review
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful. A DIFFICULT PLAY BUT VERY RELEVANT TO OUR TIMEBy LAURAPerhaps (?) not among the best known of Shakespeares works; this play partakes of his ironic and tragic celebration of Roman ideals; namely; "laus"; "gloria"; "virtus" in particular. The aristocracy of Coriolanus Rome "appears" dedicated to high-sounding and noble ends - Roman: honour; bravery; valour; proper governance. The governance is presented as "organic" and therefore just. Pleasure is significantly absent from this universe. Continuation as concept and even mere consequences - are best left out of sight. The character of Volumnia devalues what would be "feminine" ends in the language and imagery "she" uses; a deathly and mechanistic language used to describe her son. Marilyn French has seen similarities between Coriolanus-the-character and another notorious misanthrope; Timon of Athens: the search for honor; fame and the attempt to act according to socially accepted rules moves on to a quest for self-exaltation. Without firm rooting in the community - yet while using this very community - there is only the self; and the self cannot provide its own end. One editor having noted that the adjective "alone" occurs more often in Coriolanus than in any other play by Shakespeare; the isolation the eponymous character finds himself in is typical; as it were; of an opposition found between those heroes embodying the "chivalric" as opposed to the "heroic" or "Herculean" ideal (Antony; Coriolanus; Achilles in Troilus and Cressida.) But Hercules is a demi-god: the characters are not; punishment of hubris - Coriolanus bravery leads to extreme arrogance; as he sets himself above all men - means banishment; isolation; and death.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Another excellent entry in the Arden 3rd seriesBy rdCoriolanus is not --never has been -- one of my favorites of Shakespeares works. But the volume under review is in the Arden 3rd series and Ive slowly been working my way through the 3rd series volumes as they appear. Im more than pleased to have read this new treatment of Coriolanus: the editor has done an outstanding job of providing historical context for the play; carefully comparing it to the treatment of the story given in Shakespeares sources. The editorial machinery carefully adheres to the Arden series standards; explaining how other editions have dealt with textual problems; and providing cogent arguments for the choices made in this edition. Ive even come to like the play better. Highly recommended.4 of 4 people found the following review helpful. Missing and duplicate pagesBy Hopeless RomanticWow; I wish Id read customer reviews before I purchased.... but alas; I thought I knew all there was to know about this edition. While normally I have great luck with Folger editions; this one is missing 12 pages (different from the ones missing in books owned by previous reviewers) and there are also duplicate pages. Pretty shabby; Folger. Fie on your publisher. Get your act together.
