How we cite our quotes: (Act.Scene.Line)
Quote #7
FIRST OFFICER
That's a brave fellow, but he's vengeance
proud, and loves not the common people.
SECOND OFFICER
'Faith, there had been many great
men that have flattered the people who ne'er loved
them; and there be many that they have loved they
know not wherefore; so that, if they love they
know not why, they hate upon no better a ground.
Therefore, for Coriolanus neither to care whether
they love or hate him manifests the true knowledge
he has in their disposition and, out of his noble
carelessness, lets them plainly see 't. (2.2.5-15)
Zzzz. Seriously, we're getting a little tired of this: yeah, yeah, Coriolanus is too proud and he hates the commoners. Whatevs. What's interesting about this passage is that we're also told that Coriolanus is not alone. The other patricians hate the commoners just as much as Coriolanus does. The difference is that Coriolanus is the only one who's honest about it.
Quote #8
CORIOLANUS
You common cry of curs, whose breath I hate
As reek o' th' rotten fens, whose loves I prize
As the dead carcasses of unburied men
That do corrupt my air, I banish you! (3.3.150-153)
When Coriolanus gets banished from Rome, his response is to say something like "Ha! I don't think so. I banish you!," which we think is the equivalent of, "You can't fire me! I quit!" We've got to hand it to Coriolanus for having the most arrogant response ever to being exiled.
Quote #9
AUFIDIUS
He bears himself more proudlier,
Even to my person, that I thought he would
When first I did embrace him. (4.7.9-11)
Here, Tullus Aufidius claims that Coriolanus has been acting like a proud jerk toward him. But guess what? Aufidius is lying, because he's already admitted that he's just jealous of Coriolanus' popularity with his soldiers. In fact, we could argue that it's Aufidius' pride that leads him to conspire against Coriolanus and kill him in Act 5, scene 6. Hm. The case for Coriolanus' pride is starting to look pretty shaky.