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Practice IOC, Act 3 Scene 3

Act 3 Scene 3
SICINIUS
For that he has,                                                       1
As much as in him lies, from time to time
Envied against the people, seeking means
To pluck away their power, as now at last
Given hostile strokes, and that not in the presence
Of dreaded justice, but on the ministers                       5
That do distribute it; in the name o' the people
And in the power of us the tribunes, we,
Even from this instant, banish him our city,
In peril of precipitation
From off the rock Tarpeian never more                       10
To enter our Rome gates: i' the people's name,
I say it shall be so.
Citizens
It shall be so, it shall be so; let him away:
He's banish'd, and it shall be so.
COMINIUS
Hear me, my masters, and my common friends,--   15
SICINIUS
He's sentenced; no more hearing.
COMINIUS
Let me speak:
I have been consul, and can show for Rome
Her enemies' marks upon me. I do love
My country's good with a respect more tender,    20
More holy and profound, than mine own life,
My dear wife's estimate, her womb's increase,
And treasure of my loins; then if I would
Speak that,--
SICINIUS
We know your drift: speak what?                        25
BRUTUS
There's no more to be said, but he is banish'd,
As enemy to the people and his country:
It shall be so.
Citizens
It shall be so, it shall be so.
CORIOLANUS
You common cry of curs, whose breath I hate             30
As reek o' the rotten fens, whose loves I prize
As the dead carcasses of unburied men
That do corrupt my air, I banish you!
And here remain with your uncertainty;
Let every feeble rumour shake your hearts;             35
Your enemies, with nodding of their plumes,
Fan you into despair! Have the power still
To banish your defenders; till at length
Your ignorance, which finds not till it feels,
Making not reservation of yourselves,                        40
Still your own foes, deliver you as most
Abated captives to some nation
That won you without blows! Despising,
For you, the city, thus I turn my back:
There is a world elsewhere.                                             45

Annotations:
• Sicinius’ first quote pits the Plebeians against Coriolanus, as he mentions that Coriolanus envies (Shakespeare means ‘ill will’ when he uses envy) against the Plebeians and aims to take their power
• “in the name o' the people, And in the power of us the tribunes, we, Even from this instant, banish him our city” the use of ‘we’ and ‘name o’ the people’ is how Sicinius paints an image of himself and Brutus and speakers and protectors of the people acting in their best interest
• Citizens agree with Sicinius (could be described as being manipulated by him) and demand Coriolanus be banished
• The Tribunes are constantly trying to stop Cominius from speaking. Perhaps Shakespeare is implying that the public could be swayed by his words? After all, he is a former consul, and an experienced general for Rome, that may grant him some Ethos with the public; and therefore Shakespeare characterizes the Tribunes as being knowledgeable of their plans potential downfall, and has them stop him from saying too much
• Their frequent interruptions and eventual halting of Cominius’ speech supports this hypothesis
• There is motif of the idea of voices, which is the idea of having a say in society. In previous scenes, Coriolanus had gone out into the city and requested voices, calling them ‘sweet voices’. These same voices, he is now revealed to believe, actually ‘reek’ to him. This is a direct contrast to the previous scenes as mentioned. Coriolanus is characterized by Shakespeare as only looking at the plebs in a good light to get them to do things for him, but the moment they go against him, Shakespeare shows Coriolanus’ true view of them.


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