A number of citizens who are partially individualized characters, but none of them is given a name. Their speech headings are first citizen, second citizen, and so on. These headings refer to the order in which the citizens speak within a specific scene. Thus the first citizen in I.i is not necessarily the same individual as the first citizen in II.iii, for example.
The Roman citizens have drawn a variety of reactions from readers and commentators. Many believe that they have genuine grievances. The citizens' charge about the shortage of corn—that the government has a...
Source: Shakespeare for Students, ©2013 Gale Cengage. All Rights Reserved. Full copyright.
(The entire page is 652 words.)
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