Coriolanus: Act 4, Scene 1 Summary & Analysis

Outside a gate of Rome, Coriolanus is saying farewell to Volumnia, Virgilia, Menenius, Cominius, and the young nobles of Rome. He tells them to leave their tears, asking for a brief farewell. “The beast with many heads” has banished him. He asks his mother to show her ancient courage, and to demonstrate the precept that she always taught him: everyone can deal with commonplace events, but true character is tested during extreme circumstances. Virgilia cries out “O heavens!” and Coriolanus tries to calm her. Volumnia cries out for typhus to strike all of Rome, but Coriolanus says that he’ll be loved when he is missed.

Coriolanus tells his mother to go back to the spirit she had when she said if she were the wife of Hercules, she’d have done six of his tasks herself to save him some of the work. He tells Cominius not to be sad, and says goodbye to his wife and mother. He tells Menenius not to cry, and asks his general (Cominius) to teach the women how to be stern in the face of horror. Coriolanus claims he must go alone, “like to a lonely dragon,” and promises his mother that he’ll be exceptional.

Volumnia tries to convince Coriolanus to take Cominius with him until he gets settled, and Cominius says he’s happy to go, especially since it will be difficult to locate Coriolanus if the banishment is ever repealed and he is completely alone in the world. Coriolanus denies Cominius’s company, though, and asks for everyone to come with him to the gates and smile when they say goodbye. He promises that they’ll still hear from him. Menenius says if he were seven years younger he’d accompany Coriolanus into his exile, and they all leave to prepare for Coriolanus’s departure.