Analyse the Dramatic Uses of the Chorus in Greek Tragedy; in What Ways Do Traces of the Choric Function Occur in Twentieth-Century Drama?

The full influence of Greek tragedy upon our modern theatre is incomprehensible, with the mainstays of theatrical convention largely demonstrating roots within Greek tragedy. The choric function is just one of these conventions. This essay hopes to explore various uses of the Chorus within Greek tragedies by Aeschylus and Sophocles, and then to analyse how traits of a Greek Chorus, and the choric function can be found within 20th Century Theatre.

The Chorus in Greek tragedy was a large group (it is suggested between 12 and 30) of people who sang or chanted songs and poems that helped set the scene of the play, bring the audience up to date with the events preceding the play and inform the audience of any political or social consequences of events within the play. As Greek drama progressed, the writers of tragedies began to use the Chorus more as a character in its own right, with feelings and opinions. The Chorus were witnesses to the tragedy, but also often encouraged the tragedy to happen, incensing the characters and prompting them to act .

The Chorus can serve a number of different roles to the dramatist. These roles vary from play to play, and from playwright to playwright. They perform in some cases a narrator role, often setting the scene and ethical and political atmosphere of the piece, yet they also often interact with the actors, at points questioning their actions and giving advice. They also, through the pace and style of their songs/dances/dialogue set the mood of the play, and demonstrate changes in mood throughout the play. The Chorus also served to add to the theatrical effect of the piece, adding movement and heightening the spectacle of the performance . The Chorus are often also considered as the ‘ideal audience’ for a play, in that their reactions to the action on stage reflect the way the playwright hopes the audience might react.

Within The Oresteia Aeschylus’ Chorus play a variety of roles. Aeschylus was the first Greek poet to diminish the role of the Chorus by introducing more