Coriolanus: Let Shakespeare Infect Your Brain

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I was in high school when I caught the Shakespeare bug. In the evenings, you'd often find me cozied up by the crackling fire, poring over our family's giant tome of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare. It was a ritual I cherished, lost in the rich tapestry of his words, sometimes nibbling on raisins, sometimes sipping sparkling cider. Those were the days, filled with the magic of literature and the warmth of home.

My college days were sprinkled with various classes, but the one that truly stood out, the one I find myself thinking of often, was the Shakespeare class. Spending an entire quarter immersed in the Bard's works was an absolute delight. Each session brought new insights, and the lessons learned still resonate in my conversations today.

After college, I continued delving into Shakespeare's plays in various forms—reading and rereading them, relishing their live performances, sharing them aloud with my husband, indulging in cinematic adaptations on repeat, and exploring multiple renditions of the same play with my family. As many as they could stomach anyway. Each encounter with his works has offered new perspectives and enriched my appreciation for the timeless themes and characters crafted by the Bard.

Here's the twist: given all this, all these symptoms of infection, you might assume I've devoured every play in Shakespeare's repertoire, but truth be told, there are some elusive ones that have slipped through the cracks.

Coriolanus? Yep, that's one of them. Despite our best efforts, my husband and I couldn't quite crack its enigmatic shell. Amidst the chaos of managing three energetic youngsters, diving into Coriolanus felt like navigating a labyrinth. Just too obtuse, somehow. Volsci? Tribunes? Consuls? Plebeians? And so it slipped away, barely started, quickly forgotten.

Fast forward to homeschooling my boys. When each hit 4th grade, we started diving into three Shakespeare plays a year. The 7th year of this tradition brought Coriolanus back into focus. It was just me and my youngest reading now, and boy, were we in for a surprise!

I found myself LOVING the play. Thinking about it all the time. Ranking it among my favorites. Yes, it required some mental gymnastics to bridge the gap between ancient Roman values and ways of thinking and our modern sensibilities. But therein lay the magic. We found ourselves delving into the intricacies of Coriolanus, uncovering its layers of meaning and relevance to our lives.  Coriolanus, once a puzzle, emerged as a complex figure—valiant, brave, and undeniably patriotic, yet flawed in his inability to rein in his temper and his disdain for the plebeians, or commoners.

We found ourselves delving into the intricacies of Coriolanus, uncovering its layers of meaning and relevance to our lives.  The lessons within? Oh, they hit home. The perils of unchecked pride, the consequences of letting anger rule our actions—my son and I found ourselves applying these insights to our daily lives. To ourselves, characters on the screen, people in our family! We saw the same pitfalls and patterns. We considered what it would take to change course.

But no spoilers here! History, after all, is best experienced firsthand. I implore you: don't shy away from Shakespeare's lesser-known works. Embrace them with an open mind, remembering that they hold truths and joys just for you, waiting to be discovered. I loved the challenge presented by the character of Coriolanus. His perspective was so different from my own, and I dedicated myself to understanding him. And that insight, that outside-ourselves-perspective, is one of the great gifts of literature.

Of course, another gift is simply the wonder of a well-written word. I keep a commonplace journal (see my favorite!) Here I collect beloved lines from literature. In our Shakespearean journey, we've unearthed quite a few passages that we want to hold on to. Maybe they are pictures beautifully painted:

“But look, the morn in russet mantle clad walks o’er the dew of yon high eastward hill…” [Hamlet Act I, Scene I],

or the perfect response to use in a disagreement, such as

“And sure, he is an HONORABLE man” [Julius Caesar Act III, Scene II],

which has been tossed around our table a few times. Maybe they are just delicious rolling across the tongue, or something diamond-cut and deeply resonating. One line we took from Coriolanus is:

"More of your conversation would affect my brain." [Coriolanus Act 2, Scene I]

It’s wickedly funny. But it’s remarkably profound, too. Of course, it is. It’s Shakespeare.

Inspired by its profound impact and fueled by a sense of fun and creativity, I stepped beyond the pages of my commonplace journal and embarked on a transformative mission to bring Shakespeare's timeless words to life. Infusing them into art and products adorned with this poignant quote, the journey became not only a quest for self-discovery but also a celebration of joy and imagination. Using playful watercolor splashes and a melted ink skull design, I sought to encapsulate the essence of Shakespeare's words in visually captivating forms, inviting others to join in the excitement and embrace the magic of his language.

Check them out HERE and let Shakespeare infuse your daily existence with not just art and humor, but also with a gentle nudge towards introspection and self-discovery. After all, the words we encounter and the conversations we engage in have a profound impact on our lives. Isn't that reminiscent of the plot of Othello? Imagine the tragedy that could have been averted if Othello had recognized the danger in Iago's witty and insidious words and responded with, "More of your conversation would infect my brain."

So, my dear friends, I urge you to ponder this thought. Let it resonate within you, let it stir something deep within your soul. Dare I say, allow it to “infect your brain” with its wisdom and insight?

And above all, keep reading. Explore the vast depths of literature, immerse yourself in its richness, and let it shape your understanding of the world around you.

Here's to more books and conversations that infect our minds and stir our souls in the best possible way!