When Professor Little spoke about The Tragedy of Coriolanus, he mentioned that hidden in this story concerned with Roman identity was the legend of Rome's founding. Tarquin, the last King of Rome, is mentioned specifically in reference to the past--for example lines 83-85 on Page 1004 in Act 2:2:
Be singly counterpoised. At sixteen years,
When Tarquin made a head for Rome, he fought
Beyond the mark of others.
However, there is no mention of Lucrece--the woman so critical to Rome's founding. According to legend (and wiki), her rape and suicide sparked the people of Rome to overthrow the monarchy. The play's central concern of the shifting identity of Rome must then contend as well with the denial of this woman's suffering and the implications of being founded on such an immoral act. Furthermore, imagery of rape surrounding the desire to see Coriolanus's battle wounds harkens to this untold story.
Kimberlee Vander Most
Waldo ~ 1 D
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