Coriolanus versus the warrior women : a dramaturgical analysis of an adaptation of Shakespeare's play

Abstract

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] Coriolanus by William Shakespeare has a respectable performance history, although it has never been as popular as Hamlet, Macbeth or Romeo and Juliet. Adapting the work of Shakespeare is common both on stage and screen, but by creating an adaptation of Coriolanus that features more female characters, modernizes some of the language, and shortens the play to a more manageable length, the play appeals to a broader audience. The changes made in the adaptation require a dramaturgical analysis to historically justify the revisions and prepare the script for performance. There are several key components of dramaturgical analysis that serve to illuminate the script and prepare it for its eventual life on the stage. A review of the production history of the original play provides an idea of the status quo of Coriolanus production in both the United States and Great Britain. Reviewing the history of ancient Rome and how it is presented in the play creates a crucial relationship between the characters in the play and the location of the historical story. There are several analytical tools that may be used to interprete the characters in a play, but Jungian-based literary analysis provides insight into the characters themselves and their position in the journey of the plot. Finally, because the adaptation features additional female characters that were male in the original script, a great deal of dramaturgical analysis into feminist themes that are now critical to the presentation of the play and its characters is required. Through the dramaturgical analysis provided, the play begins to take shape as a distinctly unique version of Shakespeare?s original work. The adaptation is ready for the next step in the production process ? casting, rehearsal, and eventual presentation to an eager audience.