In Act 5, Scene 3 of William Shakespeare's Coriolanus, Volumnia delivers a poignant monologue to her son, Coriolanus, pleading for the salvation of Rome.
Title of Monologue:
Volumnia's Monologue from Act 5, Scene 3 of Coriolanus
Synopsis:
Volumnia, accompanied by Virgilia, Valeria, and young Martius, confronts Coriolanus, who is poised to attack Rome. She implores him to reconsider his assault, emphasizing the personal and communal devastation his actions would cause.
What’s just happened before this moment that’s relevant to the scene?
Coriolanus, having been banished from Rome, allies with the Volscians to exact revenge on the city. As he prepares to lead an assault, his mother, wife, and son arrive to dissuade him from attacking their homeland.
Original Text:
Should we be silent and not speak, our raiment
And state of bodies would bewray what life
We have led since thy exile. Think with thyself
How more unfortunate than all living women
Are we come hither: since that thy sight, which should
Make our eyes flow with joy, hearts dance with comforts,
Constrains them weep and shake with fear and sorrow;
Making the mother, wife, and child to see
The son, the husband, and the father tearing
His country's bowels out. And to poor we
Thine enmity's most capital: thou barr'st us
Our prayers to the gods, which is a comfort
That all but we enjoy; for how can we,
Alas, how can we for our country pray,
Whereto we are bound, together with thy victory,
Whereto we are bound? Alack, or we must lose
The country, our dear nurse, or else thy person,
Our comfort in the country. We must find
An evident calamity, though we had
Our wish, which side should win; for either thou
Must, as a foreign recreant, be led
With manacles through our streets, or else
Triumphantly tread on thy country's ruin,
And bear the palm for having bravely shed
Thy wife and children's blood. For myself, son,
I purpose not to wait on fortune till
These wars determine: if I cannot persuade thee
Rather to show a noble grace to both parts
Than seek the end of one, thou shalt no sooner
March to assault thy country than to tread—
Trust to't, thou shalt not—on thy mother's womb,
That brought thee to this world.
Translation of Text into Contemporary Language:
If we remained silent, our appearance alone would reveal the hardship we've endured since your exile. Consider how we are more unfortunate than any other women, for seeing you, which should bring us joy, now causes us to weep with fear and sorrow. We witness you, our son, husband, and father, attacking your own country. Your hostility affects us deeply; it prevents us from praying to the gods—a solace everyone else has. How can we pray for our country, to which we are devoted, and also for your victory? We face a dire choice: lose our homeland or lose you, our comfort within it. Either outcome brings disaster. If you win, you'll parade as a traitor in chains through our streets, or you'll walk triumphantly over your country's ruins, having spilled the blood of your own family. For my part, I won't wait for fate to decide. If I can't convince you to show mercy to both sides, then as you march to attack Rome, you'll be stepping—know this—on the womb that bore you.
Meaning of Difficult or Unusual Words:
Raiment: Clothing.
Bewray: Reveal or disclose.
Constrains: Forces or compels.
Bowels: The interior parts; metaphorically refers to the heart or core.
Enmity's most capital: Greatest hostility.
Manacles: Handcuffs or restraints.
Recreant: Coward or traitor.
Determine: Conclude or come to an end.
Breakdown of Text into ‘New Thought’ Paragraphs:
Silent Suffering: Should we be silent and not speak, our raiment
And state of bodies would bewray what life
We have led since thy exile.Volumnia begins by stating that even without words, their appearance would reveal the hardships they've endured since Coriolanus's banishment.
Unfortunate Encounter: Think with thyself
How more unfortunate than all living women
Are we come hither: since that thy sight, which should
Make our eyes flow with joy, hearts dance with comforts,
Constrains them weep and shake with fear and sorrow;She expresses the tragedy that seeing him, which should bring happiness, now causes them immense grief and fear.
Family's Agony: Making the mother, wife, and child to see
The son, the husband, and the father tearing
His country's bowels out.Volumnia highlights the pain of witnessing Coriolanus, in his roles as son, husband, and father, destroy his own nation.
Personal Conflict: And to poor we
Thine enmity's most capital: thou barr'st us
Our prayers to the gods, which is a comfort
That all but we enjoy; for how can we,
Alas, how can we for our country pray,
Whereto we are bound, together with thy victory,
Whereto we are bound?She laments that his actions place them in a position where they cannot pray for their country or his success, as both are in direct conflict.
Inevitable Calamity: Alack, or we must lose
The country, our dear nurse, or else thy person,
Our comfort in the country. We must find
An evident calamity, though we had
Our wish, which side should win;Volumnia points out the inevitable disaster they face, regardless of the outcome: losing their country or losing him.
Dire Consequences: for either thou
Must, as a foreign recreant, be led
With manacles through our streets, or else
Triumphantly tread on thy country's ruin,
And bear the palm for having bravely shed
Thy wife and children's blood.She outlines the grim outcomes: either Coriolanus will be paraded as a traitor in chains or celebrated for destroying his own family.
Personal Resolve: For myself, son,
I purpose not to wait on fortune till
These wars determine: if I cannot persuade thee
Rather to show a noble grace to both parts
Than seek the end of one, thou shalt no sooner
March to assault thy country than to tread—
Trust to't, thou shalt not—on thy mother's womb,
That brought thee to this world.Volumnia declares that if she cannot convince him to show mercy to both sides, she will position herself in his path, making him confront the act of destroying his own mother.
Journey Keypoints:
Hook: Volumnia highlights the visible suffering they've endured since Coriolanus's exile.
Turning Point: She emphasizes the personal and communal devastation his actions would cause.
Climax: Volumnia presents the dire consequences of his potential victory or defeat.
Resolution: She resolves to stand in his way, making him confront the act of destroying his own mother.
Famous or Notable Actors Who Have Played the Role:
Vanessa Redgrave: Portrayed Volumnia in Ralph Fiennes's 2011 film adaptation of Coriolanus, delivering a powerful performance that highlighted the character's strength and determination.
Deborah Findlay: Played Volumnia in the 2013 Royal Shakespeare Company production, bringing depth to the complex mother-son relationship.
Haydn Gwynne: Assumed the role in the 2017 Royal Shakespeare Company production, offering a nuanced portrayal of Volumnia's influence over Coriolanus.
This monologue delves into themes of familial loyalty, patriotism, and the personal costs of political actions, offering rich material for performance and analysis.