Shakespeare’s "Coriolanus" quotes historical facts and records of the ancient Greek biographer Plutarch's "Juxtaposed Biographies of Greco-Roman Celebrities" translated in 1579, describing Rome in the 5th century BC During the Republican period, a legendary story of General Caus Marsius. Shakespeare introduced his prototypes into his own works, and transformed them in accordance with the spirit of the times. This is a tragedy that reflects the weakness of human nature. General Kaus Marsius was abandoned by the people due to his self-reliance and self-esteem.
The film enlarges Shakespeare's descriptions of psychology and human nature, and sets the story in Belgrade today based on the present. The film is wrapped in a modern virtual shell, but inside is still the core of Shakespeare, and the dialogue of the characters is in Old English. The points that can be interpreted are as follows:
1: The staunch disposition of a lonely hero.
At the beginning of the film, the words of the media and the people made us think that Kaus Marsius was an out-and-out public enemy of the whole people. He was violent and arrogant. In fact, Kaus Marsius is indeed a hero. He leads the troops well, is brave and good at fighting, and is a respectable general. However, it is his upright character that has been used by others who play with politics, and the media and public opinion have intensified, fooling the people into hating him.
2: Water can carry a boat and it can overturn it.
From "Henry VI" to "Coriolanus", Shakespeare has a gradual process of sympathy with the people, and he has also begun to understand the power of the people "can overturn the boat". Caius Marsius did not win the hearts of the people, and the opening of the film was pointed out. The people started various riots due to the food crisis. There was a riot and suppression scene in which the people and the police confronted each other. Kaus Marsius came out to try to resolve the conflict, but was criticized by the crowd with cross-brows. A hero loses its footing and is worthless at all. Because of this, Caius Marsius embarked on the road of rebellion, which laid the foundation for his tragic fate.
3: Mother is like the incarnation of Rome.
Mother Volunia is more of the incarnation of Rome, she has ancient Greek Spartan beliefs (Spartan is the name of the ancient Greek city-state, and its folk customs are passed down to later generations with the characteristics of simplicity, hard work, harshness, and military warfare) In his early years, he sent his son to the battlefield. He was addicted to military service as his life, and exhorted the daughter-in-law who resented his wife. The scene in the movie: "If I had twelve sons, I would hope that all eleven sons would die on the battlefield. May one live at home", it shows that Marsius’s mother’s military-style education to her son has burdened Marsius just like Rome and the motherland. The film’s subsequent military salute and the scene where the mother bandaged her son’s wounds shed light on the subtle relationship between mother and child. The rise of psychology once made Coriolanus another “love” after Hamlet. "Maternal Complex" the protagonist. In addition, Shakespeare’s own mother died in 1608 or 1609, which may also be one of the factors that led the playwrights to work hard to express the relationship between mother and child in artistic form.
4: The metaphor of the modern political landscape.
The movie restores the characters in the original work well and introduces modern meaning. Roman civic guards in suits and leather suits, female representatives of the spitting masses, and conscientious consuls all have new meaning in modern drama. Coriolanus was encouraged by his mother to participate in the election, but he did not want to play. Political games are also unwilling to devote themselves to the social entertainment and propaganda that are necessary to win seats. His campaign was almost immediately disrupted by his political opponents, the election ended in failure, and Coriolanus was banished. The film is undoubtedly a good metaphor for the modern political landscape, from the uncertain ending of the Occupy Wall Street movement to the Iraq War. "Coriolanus" is not only a great tragedy, but also means constant compromise in politics. Politicians have been facing a dilemma. Sometimes they have to win the support of the people and cannot follow their own moral codes. BR Smith of Georgetown University in the United States asserted: "If one of Shakespeare's works was written specifically for Washington official sites, it would be Coriolanus."
5: Every opponent will meet Liangcai.
Marsius respects his opponent, Orpheidius, played by Gerald Butler, and he has a sense of sympathy for meeting Liangcai when he meets his opponent. At the war conference in Rome, Marsius once said to Orpheidius: "I am jealous of his noble personality." This seems to be a kind of irony, but it is actually his respect from the heart. The corner of Orpheidius is more interesting. Although he was repeatedly defeated by Coriolanus, when Coriolis went to surrender, he forgot what he had been before, took the aftereffects, accepted it with pleasure, and showed exaggerated enthusiasm. It is more exciting than marrying a bride and entering a new house. This has led some critics to interpret the meaning of sex); indeed, there are several scenes of close encounters between the two in the movie. For Coriolanus, Orpheidius is not only a well-matched opponent, but even the "other self", but one is mediocre without being jealous. Phidius no longer cherishes heroes, but cuts him down without mercy.
6: The inevitable tragic fate caused by human nature.
Looking back at the fate of Caus Marsius, it is inseparable from his character and the environment he is in. He was raised by his mother with an army-style education. Later, he was sent by the Roman Republic to fight against the enemy Volsians, and to capture Koch bravely. The city of Leo, known as Coriolanus, was simple-minded, short-tempered, and refused to keep his voice down. He offended the masses and their spokesperson and civic officer, and turned from a people’s hero into an exiled one. Enemy, he had nowhere to go, so he went to the Volks to serve Orpheidius. But soon he was jealous of Orpheidius for his gradual rise in position, and was finally persuaded by his mother (also due to the delicate relationship between him and his mother) when he later joined forces to attack Rome, and was eventually persuaded by Orpheid Killed by Us. Throughout his tragic fate, it is the inevitable result of human struggle.
Although poor people must be hateful, Shakespeare has always been sympathetic to Coriolanus. Director and starring Ralph Fiennes said, "I like his unpopularity. "In fact, his interest in adapting "Coriolanus" can be traced back to the stage play of "Coriolanus" in 2000. "I think there are some unfinished stories between me and this character." It is precisely because of Fiennes' love of Shakespeare's story that we can see this modern interpretation. I have to say that the adaptation of the film is still very successful, "This is the most masculine work." Another producer Gabrielle Tana said with a smile. Fiennes portrayed his "Rome" as a state of power, while Volski was an ancient ethnic group trying to maintain autonomy. The drama of the war between the two races is wonderful and enjoyable, and it is also in line with the setting of a large number of war dramas in the original book. The political drama is hailed as a modern meaning, which brings the film to a higher level. Fiennes' performance is still the kind of introverted arrogance, which makes people unbearable to applaud when he is unruly. In addition, several supporting roles such as his mother Vanessa Redgrave are also extremely powerful. The film cost of 10 million yuan, independence and universal spirit, is really commendable. It is also the work of the virgin director. On the other hand, Angelina Jolie's new film "The Land of Blood and Honey", word-of-mouth is about making judgments. It seems that acting and being excellent is not so easy to direct. It requires more personal cultivation. And cultural accumulation.
Reference
Baidu Encyclopedia: Coriolanus
Shakespeare's "Coriolanus" and Modern Meaning - Text / Lu Sun Valley
"Ten Lectures on Shakespeare Studies" (published by Fudan University Press in the fifth series of "Special Topics by Famous Experts")
Coriolanus: Modern Political Metaphors in Shakespeare's Dramas
View more about Coriolanus reviews
