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The picture above represents the chorus off to the
side
trying to bring peace to a messy situation.
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The Chorus
appears usually after a conversation and reacts to the situation that has just
occurred. They input their thoughts, wanting to keep peace and prevent an
upheaval. The first time the Chorus enters the play is after Antigone’s
conversation with Ismene. They respond by singing an ode praising the
magnificent Thebes and also condemning Polynices. Reading the ode one can
interpret the Chorus’s disapproval of Polynices for he is, “ the enemy out of
Argos, the white shield, the man of bronze...” (122) The audience can also
infer that the Chorus disagrees with Antigone’s decision to bury her beloved
brother and agrees with Creon’s views. The Chorus emphasizes on the destruction
excessive pride can have. Antigone’s prideful comments become her demise—soon
to be Creon’s as well.
The
second choral ode ends darkly. They begin to sing about how there are,
“numberless wonders terrible wonders walk the world but none the match for
man,” (376-377) and how man “conquers all, taming with his technique.” (391)
The main idea of the ode is while many man are able to develop practices in
order to achieve their goals, those man should consider the law, justice, and
good for the city or that man converts into a monster. The Third choir ode
explains the continued misery of the Oedipus house and how, “the ruin will
never cease, cresting on and on from one generation on throughout the race.”
(659-660) Also, the Chorus concludes that there is no end for the pattern of
devastation in Antigone’s family. The third ode explicates the second one, by
articulating that man is not powerful, the gods and Zeus are and they are the
ones that determine fate. No matter the spectacles man can do, man is incapable
to change anything, hence Oedipus’s family misery.
The utilization of the chorus as a makeshift narrator is genius. I love your analysis of the chronological choral characterization. Using the chorus as a moral compass to the audience of greek plays is fascinating. It seems as though the characters go about their sinning and occasionally the chorus appears to impart the moral lessons to the audience. This subtle implementation would allow the greek playwrights to concoct morally sinful artwork as long as the chorus leads the audience back on track. Perhaps the chorus was what allowed Antigone to be created? The story of a rebel female who sins against the gods could impart dangerous ideas to an unsuspecting audience. Yet, though the chorus and their progression of morale, the audience is led down the correct path of virtue.
ReplyDeleteThe chorus plays a large role throughout the setting and situational instances in the play. They emphasize the previous conversations and underlying meaning of them without interrupting the story. I feel that the connecting picture you chose really emphasizes the role of the choir as well, amidst all the fighting and conversations the choir maintains the background meaning, explanation and much more but manages to be so irrelevantly relevant.
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