Volumnia's Triumph in Shakespeare's "Coriolanus" Essay

It is inferred that the parents should take care of their children and have their best interest at heart. This however, is not the case in Greek and Roman mythology. The killing of ones own children, or filicide, was not viewed as negative upon in their era. The contemporary times contrast with the ancient Greek and Roman’s because it was justified to use any means necessary to obtain a higher status. The Greeks and Romans valued keeping a high social reputation and having respect for those of great power. The motherly union between their children conflict with the reality that the father strives to retain or gain control. These circumstances cause a tense bond between the members of the family. The strained parent to child relationship in

Where this evidence survives it usually portrays any women who had any role in public affairs as not behaving in a manner that was befitting of a proper Roman women. For example, Fulvia is presented as “a counter-example of correct Roman women’s behavior” by literary sources for reportedly imposing her will upon the senate, and getting herself involved in

The Passion of Perpetua and Felicitas is classified as a hagiography on the martyrdom of two important Christian women. Though this source contains bias, being written by a supporter of the two martyrs, important information lies in the typical Roman Christian’s perspective on religious women. Perpetua, in contrast to Lysistrata, does not derive her power and

One of the oldest beverages known to man is wine, an alcoholic drink made from fermented grapes. Wine has been enjoyed all around the world and Ancient Rome is no exception. Ancient Rome played an important role in its history. Wine carried religious, philosophical, and social implications for the Romans as it was a part of their daily life. The popularity of wine and drunkenness in Ancient Rome is clearly portrayed throughout poetry, art, literature and even laws. Although wine was eventually available to all, it’s implications for women were severe. An important connection between Ancient Rome and wine that is rarely discussed is the idea of denying women a right to drink. Today, it is not uncommon or distasteful for women to have a glass of wine but in Roman society, women’s overindulgence of wine was frowned upon. This paper will discuss women in Ancient Roman society and analyze sources from Valerius Maximus and Propertius to focus on how the role of wine reinforced the patriarchal system and oppression of women.

Along with the actuality and the attempts of manipulation in this play reside many forced manipulations. In the same scene in which Calpurnia convinces her husband to not go to the Capitol, a group of conspirators meet at Caesar's house to make sure he does not decide to stay at home, simply so that the planned assassination can, in fact, take place. Brutus, one of the conspirators, tells Caesar that his wife is superstitious, and that he should not be listening to her.

William Shakespeare’s Othello, the Moor of Venice is a play of great manipulation and jealousy. Iago is the antagonist character of the play Othello. Iago becomes irate and filled with jealousy when Othello names Michael Cassio as his lieutenant, because Iago believed he should have been the one promoted not Michael Cassio. By manipulating everyone around him, Iago portrays himself as an honest noble man whom can be trusted. Iago being known for the honest man he earns everyone’s trust and therefore learns their weakness for his ultimate plan of destruction. Iago’s greatest skill is disguising his manipulative schemes of destroying and betraying the ones around him with what he leads people to believe as honesty. Iago uses their

Pomeroy, S. B. (1995). Goddesses, whores, wives, and slaves: women in classical antiquity. New York: Schocken Books.

During the time period of the early Roman Empire, and through the early times of Octavian, it is important to note the roles that each sex played. Unlike current western culture, men and women were not equal. Each sex was thought of differently, with women being less than men. According to Severy, the Romans thought of the Roman women as “weakness, instability, and irrationality” (Severy 23). These viewpoints of women lead to women being treated in way that was subservient to men. According to Severy, in contrast, the Romans thought of men as “strength, integrity, and self-control” (Severy 23). This thought process lead to men being in positions of power and control and ultimately the decision makers. This was so much the case that women had to have a male guardian to go out with them during major purchases to verify that was what was supposed to be bought at points (Severy 23). This thought process bled into the

In the play Julius Caesar by Shakespeare, Shakespeare is telling his readers that people like Caesar, Brutus and Cassius only make certain decisions to benefit their ego and will only directly help themselves. Brutus only cares about himself although he claims he cares for Rome and the people. Cassius persuades Brutus to turn against Caesar, because he is worried of Caesars rising power. Caesar thinks he is the biggest, the best and will only listen to who he wants.

In Shakespeare?s play Othello, Othello himself is the tragic hero. He is an individual of high stature who is destroyed by his surroundings, his own actions, and his fate. His destruction is essentially precipitated by his own actions, as well as by the actions of the characters surrounding him. The tragedy of Othello is not a fault of a single person, but is rather the consequence of a wide range of feelings, judgments, misjudgments, and attempts for personal justification revealed by the characters.

The short story, “Roman Fever” illustrates the shocking relationship between two women, Mrs. Ansley and Mrs. Slade, by a chance meeting in Rome. As the story opens the two women are sitting on the terrace of a Roman restaurant that has an astonishing view of the Colosseum and other Roman ruins. While the women sit in silence and enjoy the tranquil view from the terrace they notice their daughters down below running off to spend a romantic evening with two young men. This triggers Mrs. Slades memories of her and Mrs. Ansley’s quixotic adventures in Rome as young adults and their first encounter with “Roman fever”. Wharton uses the term Roman fever to illustrative the women’s past relationship that is embedded with destruction,

The female stock characters in Roman comedy tend to be traditional or stock characters. The primary role of these women is to be subject to the lust and desires of men. The protagonist tends to be a young man who wants to continue his relationship with a young woman for marriage or sex. This

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, Volumnia 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 mother's pride in having a wounded son. Volumnia describes with pride Coriolanus's 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 son's 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, Volumnia's 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."

In The Winter’s Tale, the fate and happiness of women lie with men, however, men can only gain lineage, and subsequent power, through the female act of birth ‘‘No barricado for a belly’’(1.2.205). The only element a man cannot control in a woman is the most important to him, her fidelity. Hermione, Paulina, and even his lost daughter Perdita, represent the role women played in a male-centric society, but in vastly different ways. The King devalues Hermione as Queen, mother, and woman and uses degrading language ‘‘hobbyhorse/ slippery/ flax-wench’’ (1.2.275) to publically humiliate her in his court as judge, jury and executioner. Although a passive, obedient, and willing wife, Leontes only views her as his inferior, not the other half of his monarchy. When he does discriminate against her, Hermione does not wish to upset her husband and only hopes that he will regain control over his emotions ‘‘My life stands in the level of your dreams, Which I’ll lay down’’ (3.2.78), and offer her what she is due to her ‘‘A moiety of the throne’’(3.2.37). At her husband’s request, Hermione’s success of enticing Polixenes to stay at court is her ruination, and she suffers for it. Of the two women in his life, Hermione fails in establishing a balanced relationship with Leontes, and it takes 16 years for Paulina to

Sicinius (the tribune) is not in a mood to be calmed. He tries to make Coriolanus angrier. He accuses him of two things. 1, He doesn’t follow the rules (‘seasoned office’), 2, He assumes ‘tyrannical power.’ You are a traitor to the people.