The Different uses of Choruses in Ancient Greek Drama
The Different uses of Choruses in Ancient Greek Drama
The chorus in ancient Greek drama has always been misunderstood. From chanting, to ritual singing, to mask wearing and dancing, it has always been seen to be so different then what we are used to now when we attend a drama. Although, the chorus was the nucleus form which tragedy evolved and had a central place in the drama throughout classical times. In the beginning a tragic chorus consisted of 12 to 15 choreuts (dancers), who were young men just about to enter military service after some years of training. There were five objectives that the Greek chorus had. First was to serve as an agent, they would act as the person to give advice, express opinions and ask questions. The second is to establish social and ethical framework. The third was to serve as the “ideal spectator” throughout the play. The fourth was to set the overall mood for the audience. The fifth and final objective was the use of their rhythmical function and spectacle (dress). With the passage of time, the inclination in tragedy was toward a decline in the significance of the chorus. This was caused mostly by the introduction of additional actors and rising sophistication in their dramatic use, and by the more personal and complex nature of the stories chosen for dramatization. The quantity of choral to individual lines decreased significantly, and the dramatic objective of the chorus, aside from the continued use of choral odes, which were performed between episodes, were greatly reduced. We shall examine the decline and transformation in the chorus as we look at the ancient Greek dramas of Agamemnon, Oedipus Rex, and Medea.
In the drama of Agamemnon the chorus is very abundant in use and in lines. We may be tempted from time to time to skip a few pages until the next person enters and the action moves forward. But, to do so would be a mistake because following what is happening to the chorus in play is essential to understanding the significance of what is going on. The chorus is made up of adult male citizens of Argos, who ten years ago were too old to join the expedition to Troy, for this reason they were extremely old and very aware...