Coriolanus · Character
Caius Marcius Coriolanus
Rome's most lethal soldier, who wins the name Coriolanus at Corioli and recoils from the very crowds that crown him.
major
Also known as Marcius, Coriolanus, Caius Marcius, noble Marcius, renowned Coriolanus
First appearance: coriolanus
As a major figure in Coriolanus, Caius Marcius Coriolanus is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.
Arrives and harshly rebukes the citizens, calling them 'dissentious rogues' and 'curs,' displaying his contempt for the common people and their grievances.
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A patrician general whose battlefield fury earns him the surname Coriolanus, he returns from Corioli to find Rome's citizens and tribunes already measuring his pride. He cannot flatter, cannot wear humility like a…
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The fuller portrait of Caius Marcius Coriolanus sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.
See Caius Marcius Coriolanus in coriolanusCharacter Web
17 connectionsA slice of how Caius Marcius Coriolanus sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.
Relationship types
- Rivalry
- Friendship
- Family
Character groups
- Protagonist
- Roman political and military figures
+12 more in the full Character Web
Open in readerNarrative arc
Story tension across the book.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This scene is the dramatic climax because it marks the emotional and psychological peak of Coriolanus’s banish…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingRelationships
- Sicinius Velutus
rivalry · negative
Coriolanus and Sicinius are bitter political enemies, with Sicinius leading the tribunes'… How this plays out →
- Cominius
friendship · positive
- Junius Brutus
rivalry · negative
- Volumnia
family · positive
- Tullus Aufidius
rivalry · negative
- Menenius Agrippa
friendship · positive
- First Citizen
rivalry · negative
- Second Citizen
rivalry · negative
- Valeria
friendship · positive
- Messenger
professional · ambivalent
- Cominius
friendship · positive
- Sicinius Velutus
rivalry · negative
Coriolanus and Sicinius are bitter political enemies, with Sicinius leading the tribunes'… How this plays out →
Relationship notes
How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.
See Caius Marcius Coriolanus in coriolanusIn the story
Caius Marcius Coriolanus appears across 24 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.
Chapter companion notes
Spoil-light check-ins for Caius Marcius Coriolanus unlock in the free preview.
See Caius Marcius Coriolanus in coriolanus