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Anonymous Posted 14 years ago
Essay & Composition Writing

Modern Adaptation of Coriolanus

Hi,
I'd like to write a modern adaptation of Coriolanus for an English task that we've been set and I was hoping if some people here would be able to offer advice.

The setting is a man who has just had his ownership over a family company liquidised as the board decided to shift it from private to public and is seeking revenge by aiding rival companies to destroy the one that he formerly owned.

Do you think that this is a good idea? Since the task is a short story (~2000 words) I was thinking of setting it during the first meeting between Coriolanus and the rival who he hopes to team up with as the dialogue would be very interesting and full of subtext if I pull it off.

Also, do you think I should have flashbacks? Or do you think these dull the writing?

Thanks for all of your help!
  

Top answer

I think that if you are going to do that, it should be a play, since Coriolanus is a play. If you are going to write a short story, then relegate Coriolanus to the role of inspiration and concentrate on the internal effectiveness of your story itself. The word is 'liquidated', but it is companies that are liquidated, not ownership.

— Mister Micawber

  • I think that if you are going to do that, it should be a play, since Coriolanus is a play.
  • If you are going to write a short story, then relegate Coriolanus to the role of inspiration and concentrate on the internal effectiveness of your story itself.
  • The word is 'liquidated', but it is companies that are liquidated, not ownership.
  • I think you'd better know a lot about corporate operations if you attempt this.
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8 Answers
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I think that if you are going to do that, it should be a play, since Coriolanus is a play. If you are going to write a short story, then relegate Coriolanus to the role of inspiration and concentrate on the internal effectiveness of your story itself.

The word is 'liquidated', but it is companies that are liquidated, not ownership. I think you'd better know a lot about cor
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Unfortunately, the task is specifically a short story. Would you be able to elaborate on what you mean by Coriolanus being a role of inspiration? Do you mean that I should change the situation of the story so that it eventually has a moral to it or some sort of guidance that Shakespearean plays give? I also do not understand what you mean by 'internal effectiveness'.

Thank you for the adv
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I mean that you should just take the general idea of the story and not worry about following it closely (use as inspiration) but pay more attention to the quality of your own story itself (internal effectiveness).

Of course that can happen to founders, but they are not liquidated these days.
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I've tried to think of situations where Coriolanus is the inspiration and not the set for the story however I keep coming back to the same problem that in such a situation I would need to provide context for the story. For example if I was writing about the theme of revenge and betrayal I could write about how a person's invention or idea was stolen by their student or apprentice.
In such a s
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All I'm saying is that you needn't follow the Shakespeare tale strictly. However, whatever you write, you are going to have to explain some things. Few read Coriolanus and even fewer see performances of it.
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Can I not assume that my teacher will have read Coriolanus? Or should I still explain the plot?
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I would not assume that for my own teachers, so I doubt you should unless s/he has already revealed that s/he is a Shakespeare buff. But there is no point in 'explaining' anything—just write your story.
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Thank you for the help, I guess there is nothing more to say but to get on writing.
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