Coriolanus has been called Shakespeare's most political play. It depicts a society in the midst of rapid change, struggling to adjust to a new form of government. Until recently, Rome was ruled by a king, and the people had no independent voice. Now, in the early years of the republic, they participate in the election of consuls, and they have tribunes to represent their interests and defend them against abuses of power. Similar situations exist around the world in the late twentieth century. Many nations are presently coping with drastic changes in their governments and dealing with the threat of political instability. After the collapse of   Communism in Eastern Europe in the 1990s, states that were formerly under authoritarian rule began to move toward democracy. In this decade as well, South Africa experienced a dramatic change in the structure of its government; recently, for the...