Class
is a crucial theme in the play; people are accorded power and respect according to their class, and the rebellion that has Coriolanus thrown out of Rome is a class-based one. Throughout the play, there are ideas that one's class determines worthiness, autonomy, or amount of intelligence. The play itself validates the patricians' ideas of class, that the people are a collective that are easily guided and deceived, and are unable to handle large amounts of responsibility or decision-making.
Pride
Coriolanus' fate is mainly steered by this trait; had he not been so governed by his pride, he would have been able to make amends with the people, and may not have even offended them in the first place. Some of Coriolanus' pride stems from his special abilities and his stature as a hero, and this pride keeps him from being a political leader and from being able to save his own career and life through compromise.
Reputation
How Coriolanus is treated depends very much on reputation; his reputation is hated, feared, and later loved by the Volscians, which determines how exactly they feel about him. Coriolanus' reputation in Rome, however, does not help him on some counts. Although the patricians and those of the noble class are well aware of Coriolanus' good reputation, the people disregard this lofty reputation when Coriolanus speaks out against him.
Enemy and friend
Especially relevant and important in Aufidius and Coriolanus' relationship, and in Coriolanus' relationship to Rome. This determines who they are fighting and why; and when enemies and friends shift, as Aufidius and Coriolanus do, there is often confusion, and the threat of violence.
Fortune/ Fate
Coriolanus seems doomed from the beginning by the workings of fortune. First of all, he is a hero and a military presence who would have done well if given the autonomy and power of someone like Alexander the Great. Secondly, there are repeated notions throughout the play that Coriolanus is doomed to die no matter what he does; these are echoed by Aufidius and Menenius in the play.
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