Written between 1605 and 1608, Coriolanus is one of Shakespeare’s lesser-known plays and one of his last tragedies. This film interpretation uses Shakespeare’s language (although the play text has been cut and adapted), yet relocates the story to a modern-day Balkan state.
Look closely at the film poster on this page, and watch the film’s trailer closely.
- Who would you say is the usual ‘audience’ for film adaptations of Shakespeare’s plays? From looking closely at the poster and trailer for Coriolanus, does the film challenge your expectations of how a film adaptation of Shakespeare might be presented? What sort of audience do you think this film is designed to appeal to, and what details in the poster and trailer give you this impression?
- Coriolanus is one of Shakespeare’s less well-known plays. What challenges, and what opportunities, do you think this offers to the filmmakers?
- Aristotle, the ancient Greek philosopher, said tragedy aroused emotions of fear and pity in the audience of a play, purging their souls in a process called ‘catharsis’. Do you think that people today watch films so they can go through this process of feeling certain emotions, with a sense of relief once the film is over?
