Topsy-Turvy and Other Carnivalesque Aspects in Coriolanus

Shakespeare's late tragedy Coriolanus seems to defy definition, having been categorized in a variety of ways from historical tragedy to satirical tragedy to comedy, to name a few. Such a wide spectrum of labels is true too for the play's eponymous character who is seen by many as haughty and proud in the extreme, immature, virtuous, and even lovable. That the tragic hero Coriolanus undergoes extreme topsy-turvy fluctuations at a break-neck pace is a given. Though the play is lacking in laughter?subtle humor is present?it is rife with many poignant examples that illustrate Bakhtin's concept of carnivalistic literary modes. This paper will discuss such extreme carnivalesque transformations, particularly the main character's topsy-turvy fluctuations in name, status, loyalty, and sexuality, as well as his own position relating to the scheme of Bakhtin's carnivalesque concepts.