I talk of you:
Why did you wish me milder? would you have me
False to my nature? Rather say I play
The man I am.

Remember that scene in Always Be My Maybe where Randall Park’s character makes fun of Ali Wong’s character and her “phone voice.” Many politicians and public figures (and yes, even vloggers) “adjust” how they present themselves based on the audience. On some level, this is just good strategy. On another level, it can feel disingenuous or even deceitful. Which brings me to the quote above from William Shakespeare’s Coriolanus.

Currently playing at Bard on the Beach in Vancouver, Coriolanus is about a military hero thrust into a political life, only to be exiled by the people. The original takes place in Ancient Rome; the Bard interpretation takes place in the “near future.” They’ve also swapped the title character for a female hero, giving Coriolanus almost a Sarah Connor-like vibe.

In Act 3, Scene 2, Caius Martius Coriolanus address her mother Volumnia. Her mother is the one who encourages her to vie for the role of consul. In doing so, Coriolanus is asked to be less brash, less harsh, more gracious with the common people of Rome. But that’s not in her nature.

Universal insights like these are a big reason why Shakespeare is still relevant today. We’re reminded that, at least on some level, we need to be mindful about staying true to who we really are. The role she “plays” is that of herself. At the same time, it’s because Coriolanus sticks to her guns that she is ultimately ousted and exiled from Rome.

The stories told by Shakespeare are complex and nuanced, each offering powerful insights still open to interpretation today. I’m particularly fond of Hamlet, which taught me that nothing is good or bad, but thinking makes it so. Life is never so simple, so black and white; it’s always many shades of grey.

Anger’s my meat: I sup upon myself, And so shall starve with feeding.

Later on in the play, in Act 4, Scene 2, Volumnia expresses her self-consuming rage over Coriolanus’ exile from Rome. And here we learn another important life lesson. When you allow your anger to feed upon itself, it is ultimately to your own detriment. The more you feed it, the emptier you become.

If you have the opportunity to catch Coriolanus at Bard on the Beach, I highly recommend it. They recently added a few more performances. Barring that, you can always pick up the 2011 movie version with Ralph Fiennes and Gerard Butler. For Rome!