Thursday, November 20, 2014

Coriolanus

What do the names in The Hunger Games mean? asked almost no one ever.  Still, an article on Slate makes interesting observations, such as the District residents having names from "plants or other earthy items"while Capitol characters have names with Roman influences - like President Coriolanus Snow, whose namesake was not only a Roman general but the subject of one Shakespeare's last tragedies.

It loses its way, though, when suggesting that "Shakespeare's Coriolanus supported the power of aristocrats over the common people, " giving him something in common with Snow.  The actual Roman recommended that pro-plebeian reforms should be rolled back (losing support from every part of society). While Shakespeare's version is no fan of the people either, the character's real problem is being a great warrior but a horrible politician.  He doesn't want to be a political leader, and has no talent for appealing to the common people. The aristocracy is no better, though - he may have even more contempt for the consuls and tribunes. Only his fellow warriors appear worthy of his respect.

(That Coriolanus is a general at the time of the Crisis period described later in the play indicates that he's probably a Nomad, giving him even more in common with  General George S. Patton (b. 1885, Lost).)

All of which is in opposition to what we know of President Snow. Too young to have been involved in the war, it's unlikely that he was ever a general at all. His actions at the start of Catching Fire indicate he is a skilled politician, charming Katniss' mother and even making Katniss believe, for a moment, that he really did care about the fate of Panem. While the choice of such a name must have some purpose, contrast seems the literary tool employed here.

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