本书是英文原版小说，这是莎士比亚一部罗马题材的悲剧。罗马贵族马歇斯因为在科里奥里城立下军功而获得了“科里奥兰纳斯”的封号，并且成为执政官候选人。但是他拒绝当众展示他在战争中留下的伤疤以获取平民的支持。两个护民官宣称他为“叛徒”，并且放逐了他。科里奥兰纳斯一怒之下投奔伏尔斯人，并且与自己的宿敌奥菲迪阿斯合攻罗马。他在罗马的朋友和战友无法阻止他。最后，他的母亲说服了他放弃进攻，但他自己却被奥菲迪阿斯杀害。

The political and military themes．the rich ironies and the exciting story have made Coriolanus popular not only with modern audiences．but mark it as a play for all times．It"s battle scenes are invariably spectacular in production，and the play offers a challenging prospect for any director．

Coriolanus’searing scorn for the turbulent citizens of Rome shows how the qualities that make for a successful and heroic general in wartime fail to translate to a time of peace．This perceptive study of social influence on the  individualiS one of Shakespeare"s finest tragedies and his most assured Success’．(T"S Eliot)