Fallacies In Coriolanus

While it is often argued that Shakespeare’s tragedy Coriolanus is a play that is about politics, it is not at all clear what sort of politics Shakespeare is advocating for. In reality, the play neither advocates for Marxism nor mocks authoritarian political philosophy, instead providing a rather balanced view of both by viewing the issues on both sides through a lens of fallacies. These fallacies are primarily displayed in the main character, Coriolanus, particularly in his attitudes toward the plebeians, manifesting itself in his lack of understanding for the plebeians due to his own righteous views on nobility. Shakespeare chooses to compound this tribute to human fallacy by making clear the contradictions in the plebeian’s attitudes towards Coriolanus himself, displayed by their seemingly weak convictions brought about by their anger with the patriarchy.
The reason for the plebeian’s anger with the patriarchy was the fact that the peasants “grave bellies” was as a result of the patricians taking …show more content…
However, the plebs fail to see their own flaw, that flaw being their anger and hunger getting in the way of their rationality. Their natures is described aptly by Coriolanus, by saying “What would you have, you curs, that like nor peace nor war? The one affrights you; the other makes you proud”. Similar to Coriolanus, the indecisive, irrational nature of the plebeians caused by hunger is in itself a human fallacy because their whole attitude is driven by emotion. This fallacy is how Shakespeare displays the flaws of Marxism, mainly in the ineffective decision making of the masses.
Coriolanus is a play that objectively views the nature of politics through a lens of human fallacies. These fallacies are personified in the irrational nature of both Coriolanus, representing fallacious dictatorships, and the plebeians who represent irrational