Having a tragic flaw does not necessarily mean that the flaw is innate from birth. There are various interpretations of what a tragic flaw is. Though fate often plays an essential role in tragedy, a tragic flaw is commonly agreed to be a fault that helps bring about a hero’s downfall. Coriolanus arguably has many flaws which contribute to his demise, but pride is perhaps the most discussed. Many characters in the play talk about how his upbringing contributes to his defects.

Volumnia brags that she sent a very young Coriolanus “to a cruel war” in order to “seek danger where he was like to find fame.” He made her proud by fighting bravely. Because he has succeeded in battle his whole life, he knows little other than war. Coriolanus acts aggressively even during peacetime. His friend Menenius defends his harsh language towards the plebeians as speaking “not like a citizen” but as “a soldier.”

Of course, his disdainful attitude towards the commoners seems to come from his mother, who taught him that they were superior to the poor people. Interestingly, Volumnia takes credit for his courage but disavows his pride: “Thy valiantness was mine, thou suck'dst it from me, / But owe thy pride thyself.” Perhaps Coriolanus has developed this trait on his own, but arguably he learned it from her teachings and his city’s admiration for his exploits.

Ultimately, Coriolanus’s bad relationships with others, refusal to compromise, and pride, as well as circumstances out of his control, cause him to be murdered. Therefore, though Coriolanus’s upbringing indeed shapes his personality, he still has at least one major tragic flaw.