Coriolanus by William Shakespeare
I really enjoyed this one, possibly because of the timelessness of the themes: pride, power, class, war.
Coriolanus is a war hero who rises to political power, but shows great disdain for the people of Rome and once banished he sides with Rome's enemy who has declared war.
The people had every reason to mistrust the body politic (as we still do today):
I.1 First Citizen: "They ne'er cared for us yet....repeal daily any wholesome act established against the rich, and provide more piercing statutes daily to chain up and restrain the poor."
As well as politicians and nobles:
II.3. Brutus: "...He did solicit you in free contempt
When he did need your loves; and do you think
That his contempt shall not be bruising to you
When he hath power to crush?"
An interesting commentary on war:
IV.5 Second Servant: "...This peace is nothing but to rust iron, increase
tailors, and breed ballad-makers."
First Servant: "Let me have war...it exceeds peace as
far as day does night; it's spritely, waking, audible, and
full of vent. Peace is a very apoplexy, lethargy; mull'd,
deaf, sleepy, insensible; a getter of more bastard children
than war's a destroyer of men."
Second Servant: "...and as war in some sort may be
said to be a ravisher, so it cannot be denied but peace is
a great maker of cuckolds."
First Servant: "Ay, and it makes men hate one another."
Second Servant: "Reason: because they then less need one another."
Coriolanus can only be swayed by his powerful mother, Volumnia:
IV.2 Menenius:"...You'll sup with me?"
Volumnia: "Anger's my meat..."
V.3 Coriolanus: "...it is not little thing to make
Mine eyes to sweat compassion."
And of course, I love a good Shakespeare insult:
I.8 Marcius: "...for I do hate thee
Worse than a promise-breaker."
I.1 Marcius: "What's the matter, you dissentious rogues
That, rubbing the poor itch of your opinion,
Make yourself scabs?"
III.1. Coriolanus: "Hence rotten thing! or I shall shake thy bones
Out of thy garments."
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