Coriolanus is perhaps the most brilliant political play ever written. Set in Ancient Rome, it remains a gripping psychological study of the relationship between personality and politics. The introduction to this new edition considers Shakespeare\047s adaptation of his historical material (Plutarch\047s Lives) in relation to the social and political conditions in London and Stratford at the time of the play\047s composition, also offering new evidence that it was written in 1608. Professor Parker examines the play\047s history and particularly its staging at the Blackfriars theatre, where it was probably the first of Shakespeare\047s plays to be presented and for which it may have been written. A thorough commentary pays special attention to the needs of actors and directors.