Dianoia in Coriolanus

The protagonist of Shakespeare’s Coriolanus understands and reasons about the constitution of the Roman republic and the ways in which it had been altered shortly after it was established in 509 BCE. He expresses some good reasons for his opinions about the sociopolitical situation in Rome and various policies that its governors had adopted. He expresses a shrewd perception of the emergent Conflict of the Orders and the nature of public discourse in Rome, and he makes several prophesies about the city that come true. On some occasions, he reflects upon his particular situation as one that confirms general propositions about friendship, animosity, and the requirements and consequences of custom. On several occasions, he attends closely to the words of others and is swayed by them, but he also often repeats them in order to perform a wide range of speech acts. He displays a comprehension of maxims and precepts which he cites to various purposes. He also often deploys highly tropological and figurative language to express his feelings and opinions and to construct speeches designed to refute various propositions and persuade others to adopt specific policies and courses of action. In short, contrary to what many critics allege, Coriolanus displays plenty of dianoia: the kind of thought, reasoning, and speech not just Aristotle but many who have written on Shakespearean tragedy feel is necessary for a play to qualify as good tragedy.