Role Of Shakespeare As A Stage Manager

Role Of Shakespeare As A Stage Manager
Shakespeare is well known for using stage managers to shape audience understanding or responses.
As a playwright during the English Renaissance period, Shakespeare draws on literature models
from two cultures Greek and medieval English plays. One example of Shakespeare's use of these
models is evident by examining the stage manager character type in Greek, English Medieval, and
English Renaissance literary periods. Shakespeare appears to use the commentary quality of Greek
chorus and the medieval English use of a single stage manager character to produce more
sophisticated stage managers that integrate smoothly into plays but still shape audience
understanding or response. Greek Origins As Greek theatre became popular during the 5th and 6th
century BC, people began realizing they needed actual playwrights to create new plays. The first
Greek plays quickly grew in popularity and started showing up all over Greece. Greek nobility
began financing plays to be performed during the Dionysia festival in honor of the Greek god
Dionysus. In A History of Greek Literature, Dihle writes, Performances were financed by well–to–
do citizens sponsoring by way of tax payment the rehearsal time (choregia) of the chorus for whom
a poet had composed a piece. The performance of plays, always new at this stage, was in the form of
a competition between three officially placed choregoi (Producers), although in fact their three poet–
composers were competing against one another . . . the first
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Chorus In Antigone
The Ancient Greeks believed so fully not only in the existence of their Gods but in their Gods
tendency to play an active role in mortal life that this belief percolated into the narratives of their art.
In Antigone, the chorus personifies Death in the first stasimon and places it in opposition with man
in order to foreshadow Creon's tragic downfall.
The Chorus uses the First Stasimon to boast the magnificence of man, declaring "many wonders,
many terrors,/But none more wonderful than the human race/Or more dangerous./This creature
travels on a winter gale/[...]While on Earth, grandest of the gods,/He grinds the deathless, tireless
land away" (Sophocles 14). The Chorus emphasizes the sheer power of man by introducing this
dichotomy between ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The Chorus sets up the conflict between man and Death––a representation of fate––at the beginning
of the play so that the audience can see the Chorus' warning brought to life through Creon's hubris.
With Creon representing man and Death representing fate, the preeminence of fate is brought to life
so that the audience can avoid Creon's mistakes. Still, the massive power that Sophocles affords to
fate prompts the question does man have any sort of free will or agency or is everything

Sophocles Antigone: 441-442bc
The period that Athens' Sophocles lived in was a time of important changes to the traditional Greek
ways of life. The most significant catalyst of change and concern of the period was democracy.
From here stems ideas such as the nature, role and respect of and for the gods, and the individual.
The drama of Antigone reflects these concerns in the context it was written through various ways.
Athens in the middle of the fifth century BC was at the peak of its power. It attracted foreigners,
writers and artists through its wealth, customs and more importantly the freedom of a democracy.
However, there was tension between Sparta and Greece. The Greeks, especially the Athenians,
represented freedom, wisdom and moderation and strongly opposed ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Sophocles uses this technique to emphasize the problematic issues of a tyrannical government and,
furthermore, the Greeks' attitude for a democracy. Creons downfall is caused by his arrogance and
stubbornness and disrespect for the gods. These characteristics coincidently connect to the enemy of
the time: Xerxes. By this, we can see that Sophocles is reflecting his concerns about the tension
between Sparta and Greece and that the best way to run a country is by carefully listening to the
voice of the demos.
As has been stated, democracy in Athenian cultural life had a huge impact. It was defined by the
high–level of participation by citizens in the process of the government's decision making. Voices
with opinions would not only be proudly and publicly expressed but would function traditionally
with the structure of an argument and a counter argument; view and counter view; opinion and
counter opinion. Sophocles effectively reflects this structure of Athenian expression through various
episodes between characters such as Creon and Antigone, Haemon and Creon, Antigone and Chorus.
These episodes also reflect the way Athenians could express concerns and issues through dramatic
dialogue on stage. Ideas such as political, religious and philosophical issues showed in such events.
Here, in Antigone, the most prominent concern is the need for a democracy; thus, it has been said by

Examples Of Hubris In Oedipus
Hubris in Oedipus Rex Oedipus Rex is a Greek tragedy written by Sophocles around 400 BC. The
play is about the king of Thebes, Oedipus and his discovery on how fate is inevitable. In the play,
Thebes is under a curse because their last king was murdered and no one knows who the murderer
is. Oedipus takes it upon himself to discover who had killed the king and in doing so he discovers
that the murderer is indeed himself. He learns this through a prophecy he had heard that stated: he
would kill his father and marry his mother. Which occurs when he kills a traveler on the road and
marries the queen of Thebes, who is his biological mother. In the play, Oedipus is a man full of
hubris as the reader observes him denying the truth, time and time again until the evidence is
undeniable. The other characters in ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Oedipus shows his hubris throughout the play through how he reacts to situations, specifically
through his conversation with Teiresias. Oedipus' wife, Jocasta is another character that the viewer
can declare as being full of hubris by the way she is willing to ignore the truth at the expense of
others in order to maintain her reputation. The Chorus however, shows hubris by being in the
business of their leadership and giving their opinions on things they have no experience or insight
on. The author of Oedipus Rex, Sophocles, put hubris in the play in order to show us the darker truth
to human nature. While people go about their lives they make decisions based on arrogance and
most of the time it does not go well with them. Sophocles had this theme throughout the play to
show the reader the cost of making those decisions as well as how those decisions can change who
people are. The way he shows this theme in the book causes the reader to connect with the arrogance
in other characters and allows them to be able to discern their own arrogance as

Sophocles ' The Golden Age
Sophocles was born about 496 BC in Colonus Hippius which is now a part of Athens, Greece, he
was to become one of the great playwrights of the golden age. Sophocles was the son of Laius and
Jocasta, both wealthy in the city that Sophocles grew up in. Luckily, He was the son of a wealthy
merchant, he would enjoy all the perks of a successful Greek empire. Sophocles was provided with
the best education which would help him in many ways in the future of his life. He studied the arts.
By sixteen, he was already known around the city for his contribution to lead a choir of boys at a
celebration of the victory of Salamis in a battle they had been fighting. Years later, he defeated
Aeschylus, who was known to be a play writer also dealing with tragedies and other various kinds of
plays that he wrote in his time.
In 441 BC Sophocles was beaten in an Athenian play competition by Euripides. From 468 BC,
however, Sophocles won many awards for his dramas and was noticed for his playwriting mind.
Sadly, Sophocles life ended near 406 BC at about the age of 90 which was about the time Athens
was in the golden age of plays and writings. Although, Sophocles wasn't in politics or militarily, he
was still elected twice to be in high military office. People would remember his contribution to the
city and what he has done to change the way of the theatre.
Sophocles wrote more than 100 plays of which seven complete tragedies and fragments of 80 or 90
others are preserved. He was the first to

Sophocles Oedipus The King
In Sophocles' Oedipus the King, the chorus has one of the most important roles in setting the
audience's reaction to the events going on in the play. They are the embodiment of a common man
in the Ancient Greece and therefore represent the public opinion. Through the use of chorus,
Sophocles interprets the actions just seen and guides the audience's understanding of them. The
choral ode from the lines 954 to 997 praises the gods' almighty power and shuns Jocasta's disregard
of the fate and the prophecies; with this it is shown that the gods' rule truly is all powerful and plants
further fear of them into the minds of the people. The mood of anticipation can be felt, along with
the demand for the gods' reaction.
The ode starts off with the pure praise of all gods and their unmeasurable power, calling destiny
"pure in word and deed" (line 956). It continues to emphasize how man is lesser than gods, purely to
undermine call out Jocasta on her actions in the scene beforehand; she had doubted the ultimate
power of gods ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
After the gods are boasted and their power is praised, Sophocles challenges them by enticing all the
prophecies to come true: "Never again will I go reverent to Delphi / (...) /unless these prophecies all
come true" (lines 985 and 989 respectively). With the desperation they are showing, "Zeus,
remember, never forget!" (line 992), it can be seen that the chorus' intention in this ode is to make
the audience realize that, in the end, they can always have faith in their gods. Further, the diction
and the repetition of the 'g' ("Nowhere Apollo's golden glory now–/the gods, the gods go down."
(lines 996–997)) is used to make the audience truly see the how, even though what Jocasta was
saying had been wrong, if what she said was to come true, and the prophecies were to be false,
atrocious damage would have been done to the people's

Theme Of Love In Antigone
Joseph Keighley was a thirty year old father whose wife had been subjected to a terrible illness. He
loved her so much that he would perform any task she wished for him to do for her. however as time
passes, she had passed away and his devoted heart for her rendered him to not be with any woman
other than his wife. Love, a powerful word and action is often described to be something in which
you devote your feelings and emotion to something or someone with full intent, however Love in
Antigone, a tragic play, written by Sophocles reciprocates this idea in a completely new way. A
theme that Sophocles writes throughout Antigone could possibly be the idea of loyalty to the city
versus family, and he often grazes upon the origin on many of the themes, providing sufficient
amount of details that could be used to support them. However, a possible main occuring theme of
Antigone is that Love is unconquerable. This theme surfaces in many ways throughout the play,
specifically, in the idea of Love overpowering every aspect that the Greeks and Athenians believed
to be impenetrable. In the midst of the conflict between Creon and Haemon, Creon strongly dislikes
and neglected Haemon's point of view because he believes that he had been corrupted by a woman.
Haemon is accused of being held captive by Antigone and his love for her recognized "[him as] the
slave of a woman," referring to the love that Antigone possesses, overpowering Haemon (Sophocles
769). Sophocles intentionally adds a

The Role Of The Chorus And Its Impact On The Audience
THE ROLE OF THE CHORUS AND ITS IMPACT ON THE AUDIENCE IN OEDIPUS THE
KING
Angad Dev Singh
History of Drama and Theater I
Optional Research Paper
Tenth of December 2014
The chorus is an essential feature of Greek classical drama. Instances of various types of dance,
singing, and speech are some elements of a Greek chorus. "Composed of similarly costumed men,
they performed on the orchestra located beneath the stage. The chorus stayed in the orchestra for the
duration of the performance from which vantage point they observed and commented on the action
of the characters." Oedipus is a play written by Sophocles, a respected playwright, and it is
"generally assumed that the main function of the Sophoclean chorus is a philosophical one; that it
serves above all as the spokesman for a certain view of life." The chorus can be dramatic in the
following ways: "through the personality of the group forming the chorus and the appropriateness of
their relationship to the action and the characters, through the iambic lines spoken by the
coryphaeus, through physical participation in the action and through the choral songs." The chorus is
an important component of the Greek Tragedy Oedipus. Aside from its responsibility to effectively
represent the people of Thebes, the chorus in Oedipus has a powerful influence over audience
perceptions and emotions. Oedipus is a play centered around the mythical Greek King of Thebes
and his

Religious Laws In Antigone
There has always been a struggle between government laws and religious laws. This struggle is
tragically shown in Antigone by Sophocles. A play way ahead of its time when it comes to religion,
government, and the issues they both present. Antigone represents the laws of the gods, whereas her
uncle Creon represents the laws of man. When the religious act of burial is forbidden by a state law,
the audience is left to decide or ponder through their fear of Creon and pity for Antigone which laws
come first: those of men or those of the gods. Creon, the king of Thebes, believes his laws are more
important than the gods laws. He believes that "The city is the king's – that's the law!" (Sophocles,
826). His tyranny isn't a problem until he forbids the burial of Polynices, who betrayed the city in
it's recent war. The punishment for "Whoever disobeys in the least will die," (Sophocles, 41–42).
Creon may seem heartless, but he's trying to set a precedent "I now possess the throne and all its
power. Of course you cannot know a man ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Tiresias talks sense to Creon, making him realize he has been tyrannical and stubborn. He says
failing to honor the god is "Obstinacy brings the charge of stupidity. Yield to the dead, don't kick a
fallen man!" (Sophocles, 1031–33). Creon all this time claimed that his laws were for the best of
Thebes, but as Tiresias points out, its Creon's "high resolve that sets this plague on Thebes."
(Sophocles, 1124). Without Tiresias Creon wouldn't have realized just how much he had angered the
gods. He tells Creon "you've robbed the gods below the earth, keeping a dead body here in the
bright air, unburied, unsung, unhallowed by the rites." (Sophocles, 1189–1191). Unfortunately,
Creon learned his lesson the hard and may of his loved ones died. While Creon thought he was
protecting his people his inability to balance religion and state is what brings him the most

Antigone
In the Action One of the most important characters in Sophocles' Antigone is actually a group of
individuals. The chorus consists of a group of Theban elders, and they serve as the voice of the
people. These men are considered the wisest in all of Thebes. "Their attitude to what is going on is
always shaped by their responsibilities and special interest of their position" (Kirkwood 3). The
chorus is not attached to any one character specifically; it reacts to its own thoughts and emotions
(3). The chorus is often used to create breaks in the scenes of plays, but in Antigone, the chorus
serves a greater purpose then that of a segue. It is seamlessly integrated into the play, which allows
the chorus to become highly personal and ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The chorus cannot judge their actions based on right and wrong, because the gods control human
actions. Antigone is deluded by the gods (Gardiner 90). "The gods lure a man's mind forward to
disaster, and he thinks evil's something good" (Sophocles 621–623). The evil in this case is not
made clear, whether it be the burial of the traitorous Polyneices or the defiance to Creon's edict. The
specific evil committed does not matter, because the chorus believes that the gods rule the will of
the people entirely (Gardiner 90). This becomes the basis for its justification of Creon's decision to
put Antigone to death. The chorus justifies their support of Creon by blaming Antigone's plight on
the family curse. The chorus originally refers to Antigone as the unfortunate daughter of an
unfortunate father, but later the men refer to her as her father's daughter (Adams 55). This subtle
change of words implies that the chorus believes the curse of Oedipus has been passed down to his
daughters, and Antigone can do nothing to prevent her downfall. During the argument between
Haemon and Creon, the chorus' role as a character begins to grow. The chorus functions as a third
party observer with a strong bias towards the king of Thebes. Creon's initial arguments impress the
chorus, for they are steadfast supporters of the throne. Creon argues that one "must obey whatever
man the city puts in charge, no matter what the issue

Medea And Oedipus Comparison Essay
Kayleigh Campo
Survey of Dramatic Lit: Oedipus & Medea
Nathanael Fisher
15 September 2014
Oedipus The King Vs Medea
"Now as we keep our watch and wait the final day, count no man happy till he dies, free of pain at
last" (Sophocles 134). This particular quote encompasses the idea of Oedipus The King written by
Sophocles, a play that tells the story of the new reigning king of Thebes. Through fate, Oedipus met
his end by blinding himself all due to the fact that he would not let go of the past. This quote also
applies to Medea by Euripides, a play about a woman named Medea, who is driven to kill her kids
because of a betrayal of her husband, Jason. The main similarities between these two plays are that
they are both based on Greek Mythology, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
I find that there is an equal amount of similarities and differences within the text of the play. Starting
with Oedipus, we see that he is a very sympathetic leader who always wants to provide a personal
connection with that of his community. He is fighting so hard to remove the plague that is stricken
over his city of Thebes. This specifically tells us about what type of character Oedipus is as a person
and not only that but we see him portrayed as a victim of fate throughout the entire play. Main
reason for that is because he was bound by the ankles as a child. Some examples that support
Oedipus' kind moral are as follows, "But we do rate you first of men, both in the common crises of
our lives and face to face encounters with the gods...We taught you nothing, no skill, no extra
knowledge, still you triumphed..." and "Speak out, speak to us all. I grieve for these, my people, far
more than I fear for my own life" (Sophocles 94 & 96). These quotes show how respected Oedipus
is within his community and that he can relate to them on a personal and spiritual level and not just
governmental. Truly fate is what caused Oedipus to fall greatly but it does not lesson his character at
all because he accepts punishment by blinding

Chorus In Antigone
The Chorus in Sophocles' Antigone plays an interesting role in the sense that, not only do they serve
as characters in the story, but they also as a party able to interact with the audience. They function as
a personification of Sophocles' own opinions in the major conflict between Creon and Antigone of
which authority ranks higher: man, or gods. However, as they are also characters this insertion of the
playwrite's is not jarring. By the end of the play, it is evident that the Chorus mostly on the side of
Antigone.
The characters of Antigone and Creon are representations of competing types of authority. Antigone
embodies piety and the divine right to rule the gods have over humanity. Creon, on the other hand, is
the personification mankind and its desire to ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
However, this does not mean that they necessarily agree with what he is saying. In fact, many of the
responses the Chorus say to Creon that could be construed as them agreeing with him are actually
fairly noncommittal. When Creon asks the Chorus to not side with those who want to see Polyneices
buried, their response is, "There is none so foolish as to love his own death (line 239)." They do not
claim that they agree with Creon's punishment, simply that no one would be stupid enough to go
against the king. The Chorus then suggests the mysterious burial of the body may in fact be "the
work of the gods" before Antigone ever brings that idea to their attention. When Antigone is brought
in for her crime, the Chorus discusses the reasoning behind her actions, "There is a certain reverence
for piety. But for him in authority, he cannot see that authority defied (line 927)." They believe that
Antigone should be respected for upholding the will of the gods, and only disagree because she
should know better than to go against the authority of the

Oedipus The King Research Paper
Ancient Greece is a very unique and foreign place to us today but surprisingly the ancient Greeks
liked theatrics as much as we do now. This love for the stage led to many great plays being written
one of which was "Oedipus the King". "Oedipus the King" written by Sophocles in 430 BC is a
Greek tragedy that shows the tragic downfall of Oedipus the king of Thebes. In this play Oedipus
finds out that the prophecy that he had fled from so long ago had come true as he married his mother
and murdered his father. "Oedipus the King" is a brilliant allegory for man's unwinnable struggle
against fate and the puzzling actions of the indifferent gods. To most Greek people the gods were
flawed and quite human in that regard, but to Sophocles the gods ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
While Oedipus was recalling the prophecy that made him flee his home he also talked about
murdering a man and his caravan at the same exact spot where Laius was killed. On page 13
Oedipus shaken by the questionable nature of Apollo's prophecy recalls "as I journeyed I came to
the place where, as you say, this king met with his death... And then I killed them all". Even when
trying to leave his fate Oedipus only filled the role faster showing that for Sophocles fate is a
fundamental governing force of the universe that can't be bargained with or fled from because as
cruel as it may seem the story for everyone and everything has already been written and it cannot be
edited. This same macabre philosophy towards fate is also expressed by the character Teiresias a
slave with mystical prophetic visions. After Oedipus mocks Teiresias for being blind and foolish
Teiresias replies with the fate of Oedipus at the end of the story on page 7 "blindness for sight and
beggary for riches his exchange, he shall go journeying to a foreign country tapping his way before
him with a stick". Of course Oedipus doesn't believe Teiresias but this happens exactly at the end of
the play because the fates of everyone have already been set in stone and Teiresias can see the truth.
In these attempts to flee from fate the only thing waiting for

Theban Trilogy, Oedipus At Colonus By Sophocles
Thousands of years after its origin, the dramatic tragedy remains one of the arts most popular forms,
combining the potent elements of love, hate, revenge, ambitions, and the human condition.
Sophocles, took place to be one of the greatest tragedy writers of his time. Sophocles has written
many plays over the course of his lifetime; his plays are one out of three tragedy writers whose plays
survived. The Theban Trilogy, one of many plays Sophocles had written, composed of 3 different
plays, Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Colonus, and Antigone. Oedipus the King, a tragedy that shows
the role of fate, chance and pride inside of a family and community. Oedipus at Colonus, dramatizes
the end of a tragic hero's life, Oedipus, and his importance to Athens. Antigone, the last play in the
trilogy, shows the empowerment of Antigone after she decides to choose her own path in life. The
chorus, the voice of a greater society, plays three major roles in the trilogy; mediating, directing and
dramatizing. Throughout the trilogy we are introduced to the chorus, and their importance in the
plays.
Mediating, one of the most important roles the chorus plays in the trilogy. The chorus mediates in
the sense of space and understanding, such as comments and making known certain ideas and
themes that developed in the dramatic world. The chorus had made comments on the fall of
Oedipus, about his greatness, weakness and fate and frailty of man, the commentary also sets and
creates the mood and aura

Theban Plays Vs Oedipus
For centuries Greek literature and theater has shaped the meanings of many different aspects of life.
When comparing the two many things have to go into consideration. From the time it was written to
the explanation of why events happened Greek literature remains a foundation of what literature has
become today. Oedipus Rex by Sophocles and the film The Theban Plays: Oedipus the King
directed by Don Taylor (1986), Made Oedipus Rex one of those tragedies that people in ancient
Greece would base life off of. In Oedipus The Chorus and Oedipus are presented to audiences, but
differently with the feelings and emotions varying from one work to the other. One of the
differences presented in the film and the play comes with Oedipus' understanding. ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
Readers can begin to notice the tragedy that is supposed to occur in this play. After Tiresias tells
Oedipus what he is the chorus tells readers what actually lies in Oedipus' way. In the film The
Chorus played a more major role in the total understanding of the events. Not only did the chorus
justify the event but they put audiences on the edge because the audience what was coming was not
going to be good. While the play, written by Sophocles, comes with many differences because it was
not adapted for the people of today. The chorus in the play has a different meaning as well from the
chorus in the movie. In the play the chorus acts as a guide taking us towards the truth about what is
happening in the story. It also acts as a voice of reason when Oedipus does not speak on something.
"Or perhaps Cyllene's king or the Bacchants's God that lives on the tops of the hills received you a
gift from some one of the Helicone Nymphs, with whom he mostly plays?"(1.1. 1168–1172). The
chorus also symbolizes the people of Thebes and says what the people were thinking when all of this
was going on. This was the story told through time of what had happened to the child of the old
king. The readers get to catch the glimpse of the whole story with those words spoken. You cant
have that many people in a play to portray the audience so the chorus acted as them. In the movie
the chorus portrayed a more judgmental attitude. They had more to say regarding Oedipus' actions
towards many things. A lot of the actions portrayed in the film Director Don Taylor seemingly took
out of some of the dialogue that the chorus originally had (Taylor). Making it become serious
whenever the chorus did speak and adding the urgency that many audiences tend to seek. If
audiences were to come with no knowledge at all of the story they would become lost. Which is also
why the way the

The Role of the Chorus in Ancient Greek Plays Essays
The Role of the Chorus in Ancient Greek Plays
*Works Cited Not Included
In ancient Greek plays, the role of the chorus was to sing lyrical passages. The lyrical passages were
set up by the writer and the chorus would then perform dance movements to compliment those
lyrics. In today's day and age, it is the cast members in many musicals who depict the role as the
chorus. However, in some cases, the chorus also helps assist the modern reader in interpreting
ancient terminology used during that period. I believe that the chorus held a very important role in
the play Antigone, by Sophocles. The loyal and religious citizens of Thebes, who are very devoted
to their state, represent the chorus. These citizens also have excellent moral ... Show more content
on Helpwriting.net ...
In the usual course of events, the chorus is used to apply a setting, or a mood in the play. For
example on page 1281, the chorus describes the entrance of Isemes as she comes in as, "weeping a
sister's tears, …her face flushed, her cheeks streaming…." The author sensibly chooses
for the chorus to narrate this event because, this very minute detail provides the audience to picture
the state that the character is in. Similarly, on page 1283, the chorus describes the power of Zeus as
being the foremost, unbeatable power. This is quoted in the text as, "power that neither sleep, the all
––ensnaring no, nor the tireless months of heaven can ever overmaster– young through all time,
mighty lord of power…." I feel that the chorus adds flavor to the play. In other words, it is
used as a seasoning in the dish (play). No matter how good the chef (writer) is, without the
seasoning (chorus), he is unable to provide that special flavor, that zest (interest), that the meal
(play) needs in order to add that complimenting appeal in to his (writers) work. In the same notion,
the chorus is added to help spice up the play, and not leave the audience wondering what the writer
was trying to imply through his work. Sophocles and other dramatists use "the chorus" as a notable
element to portray an image, or an idea that they base their work on. In Antigone, Sophocles uses
the chorus to show the chief concerns of the people of Thebes. As a matter of fact,

The Chorus Of Sophocles ' Antigone
Introduction
A large part of Greek culture were the religious festivals that occurred once a year. Furthermore,
during these festivals the greeks would honor their gods. The Festival of Dionysus honored the god
of fertility, revelry and wine (Reinhold 1959).
The author of Antigone, Sophocles had participated in one of these festivals and won the award for
his performance. He did not become known as one of the greatest playwrights then. Only now is he
thought of as one of the greatest playwrights during the greek era.
The point of this paper is to show how the chorus in Greek Theater tragedy performances affect the
way the play Antigone is performed. Through the use of mask, staging, and speech, Sophocles best
distinguishes the chorus.
Sophocles most famous playwright is Antigone which was written around 441 b.c. (Reinhold 1959).
The odes for the chorus is why this playwright is famous. In order to perform Antigone, a director
would need to understand numerous things relating to the chorus: where the chorus adds structure of
the play, traditional Greek staging, mask and type of costumes in the play.
Antigone and her sister decide to return to Thebes with the intention of helping their brothers
(Eteocles and Polyneices) avoid a prophecy which predicts they will kill each other in a battle for
the throne of Thebes (Samooh Theater 2014). Unfortunately for the brothers, the prophecy fulfills
itself . Antigone returns home to find out that her brothers are dead. Her

##emon, Ismene, Tiresias, And The Chorus, By Sophocles
Describe how Sophocles portrays each of the following characters' personalities, functions, and
goals: Haemon, Ismene, Tiresias, and the Chorus.
Sophocles portrays Ismene as of obedient personality. According to Ismene, it is better not to
perform burial rights to her brother than disobey the law. Ismene is more loyal to the king than to his
family. However, this does not indicate that she is patriotic, only that she lives in fear of the
consequences of violating the law (Tyrrell and Bennett 95). Ismene plays the function of a kind and
obedient citizen. Ismene goals are merely obeying the law, avoiding trouble and gaining respect and
recognition from the community, which had since lost after the death of their parents and brother.
On the other hand, the Chorus is the voice of the minority who hunger for truth and just within the
community. Sophocles portrays the Chorus as the arm that wrestles with the unfair acts of bloodshed
and dishonor to individuals (118). The Chorus is more of an activist stating what is wrong and
unjust. The goal of the chorus is to see Creon stopping his arrogance and the shedding of blood.
Sophocles portrays Tiresias as a straightforward person. Been a prophet, he not only speaks of what
favors the king but also talks about the punishment the king would face. Here, Tiresias functions as
an individual who reveals the evil deeds of Creon and warns him of the consequences. Tiresias is
courageous enough to tell Creon that he will suffer the same fate

Justification of Creon in Antigone by Sophocles Essay
Justification of Creon in Antigone by Sophocles
Antigone is a tragic play written by Sophocles in about 441b.c. The play is a continuation of the
curse put upon the household of Oedipus Rex. Sophocles actually wrote this play before he wrote
Oedipus, but it follows Oedipus in chronological order. The story of Antigone begins after the
departure of Oedipus, the king of Thebes, into self–exile. Oedipus' two sons, Eteocles and
Polyneices, were left to rule over Thebes. An argument over rights to power forces Polynices to
leave Thebes. Some time passes and Polynices returns with the army from Argos and attempts to
overthrow his brother. The two brothers fight and kill one another and the war ends. Creon, the
uncle of the two ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Through looking at the history of the era, the intentions of the playwright, and the critical analysis
and commentary offered on the play, it is in my opinion that Sophocles intended Creon to be the
character who was in the right, not Antigone.
The start of theater and drama in Ancient Greece took form in about 5th century b.c, with Sophocles
being considered the master of tragedy. In his plays and those of the same genre, classic fables that
the people of the era knew well were used to tell the stories. The tragic hero's of these stories often
strive to live honorable and righteous lives, but because of some mistake their lives would often
great and noble death. The idea that serving the state was proper way to gain honor was a popular
belief during this time period. This philosophy was echoed by Plato in his book, the Republic. Plato
dealt with establishing the ideal state. The way to achieve the ideal state was through striving for
justice. Justice, according to Plato, is doing only the tasks assigned to them by nature. This is the
fundamental notion for his creation of an ideal city. It is both knowing what true justice is and where
one belongs in the city that the ideal can be achieved. Justice in a city can be found in an individual
as well outside the individual because it is a concept that is universal. If a ruler of a state was to
maintain order and control over his people

Antigone Critical Lens Essay
One of the ideas that had always fascinated readers was the idea of good and bad, light and
darkness, kind and evil. Ever since children could comprehend stories, they come in contact with
many books that revolve around the idea of opposite forces such as the Three Little Pigs, Cinderella
or Rapunzel. They are taught to find the "bad guy" , the one who opposes the actions of the main
character. As they grow up, and read more complex texts such as the Harry Potter or the 13
Treasures series, they continue to label characters as "evil" and "good" using the terms "protagonist"
and "antagonist", not quite understanding that it is all dependent on perspective. In Antigone, the
contradicting opinions between Antigone and Creon collide, resulting in the tragic conclusion of the
play. Both ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
A one man state is no state at all Creon. The state is his who rules it. Is that plain? The conclusion in
which Sophocles has in store for the battle of two contradictory ideas is most significant in the
message he wishes to give his audience: tragedy results when neither perspective agrees to see or
understand each other. This is absolutely the case with sophists and those who believed in religion at
the time, neither seeing eye to eye. In a universe where different,but justifiable perspectives of
opposite spectrums exist, it is best to be in the middle, understanding both perspectives before
acting. To conclude, although there are numerous different major ideals in Antigone, including the
importance of civil law, loyalty to family and the importance of religious beliefs, what connects all
of them appear to be the battle of prospective. Despite being considered a piece of literature from
ancient Greece, the main themes aren't ancient at all. In the midst of dissension in 441 BC, citizens
of Athens were able to learn and acknowledge the knowledge of perspective that Sophocles had
instilled into his play. One would think that with the numerous

The Mentalization Of Ajax : The Ideal Hero Of Odysseus
The start of the passage opens with Ajax commenting on his mentality of being a hero. Throughout
his life as a hero, Ajax had accepted the principle of hating one's enemy and loving one's friend. But
as time goes on, the traditional definition of a hero changed, yet Ajax refused to alter his mindset.
Not until after past the point of no return did he come to the realization that heroes like Odysseus,
who have a contrasting attitude, are becoming the ideal hero of the time. Ajax states that he learned
"To hate my enemy while knowing/That one day he may be my friend"(Sophocles 679–680). This is
foreshadowing Odysseus, Ajax's sworn enemy, helping him at the end of the play. By stating this, it
confirms that Odysseus is the ideal hero and that Ajax has failed to be a hero that is supported in the
current times. Ajax further reveals his view on relationships by saying "friendship is a treacherous
harbor."(Sophocles 683), which relates to his relationship with the Greek army, who was once his
ally that he betrays. Relationships are often hard for heroes, especially for Ajax due to his principals.
Ajax believes that he must punish his sworn enemies, which is Odysseus since he received Achilles
arms instead of Ajax. These two heroes were once allies, which is why it's hard for Ajax to have
friendships since his principals left no option besides betrayal.
As the passage continues, Ajax orders Tecmessa, his wife, to pray to the gods for him. Tecmessa is a
woman that Ajax won as a

The Chorus Picking Sides In Sophocles Oedipus Rex
The Chorus: Picking Sides? In the second choral ode of Sophocles' play Oedipus Rex, the chorus
seems to condemn the Theban citizens' lack of respect for Delphi's oracles and the Gods. The chorus
thoroughly explains that the Gods themselves set forth the moral laws of the universe, and nobody
should dare to break these rules. The chorus' noting that the father of these rules is "greater than
Time, and ages not" (46) emphasizes the Gods' power and virtue. The phrases "greater than Time"
and "ages not" mimic repetition, and emphasize that the Gods' will remains forever, and that no one
defies the Gods' will with impunity. The chorus then discusses a possible punishment for one's
disrespecting Gods. The chorus' saying that anyone who "dare hold / no immortal power in awe /
Will be caught up in a net of pain" (46) clearly stresses the importance of obeying the Gods.
However, in the chorus' description of the Gods' punishment, the chorus also ... Show more content
on Helpwriting.net ...
The chorus' advice, "From blasphemy stand apart– / Else the crackling blast of heaven / Blows on
his head, and on his desperate heart" (46) exhibits the chorus' lack of approval in the Gods'
punishments. The contrast between one blasphemous act and God's "crackling blast," likely a
euphemism for death, portrays the interaction between human and God as unjust. The chorus'
description of the guilty man's heart as "desperate" emphasizes God's harsh, merciless nature. As the
chorus begins to doubt the Gods' method of dealing with iniquity, the chorus then begins to question
whether or not the Gods' are even fit to rule humans. That the chorus ponders, "Zeus, if indeed you
are lord of all" (47) clearly displays the chorus' challenging the Gods' authority directly. Here, the
chorus may wonder not only if Zeus rules over all humans, but also what qualifies Zeus to rule "all".
Either way, both questioning the Gods' existence and doubting the Gods' ability to rule disrespect
the

Comparing Today's Media and the Chorus of Sophocles'...
Comparing Today's Media and the Chorus of Sophocles' play, Antigone
When you think of ancient Greece, what do you think of? Do you think of outrageous myths and
impossible art? Do you think ancient Greek culture has absolutely no effect on today? What many
people don't realize is that the ancient Greeks have immensely affected the world today. The chorus
in Sophocles' play, Antigone greatly relates to Daniel McGinn's article, "Guilt Free TV." Antigone is
a girl who wants to obey the gods and give her deceased brother a proper burial even though her
uncle, Creon, King of Thebes, forbids it by law. The article and the play may seem very different but
the media today is very similar to the chorus of the ancient Greek play, Antigone ... Show more
"They learn so much [Colleen] Breitbord says. (I think children who don't have the opportunity to
watch some of this excellent programming miss out" (McGinn 57). This shows what other everyday
people, just like the reader, think about their children and TV. The argument goes on over whether
TV is good or bad and thanks to the media, like Newsweek, it gives background information on the
situation, "in the beginning, there was Big Bird. Now, thanks to intense competition from Disney
and Nick, there are more quality shows for preschoolers than ever" (McGinn 53). The article brings
the reader up to date about both sides of the TV argument for a better understanding. The article is a
way to inform the public about whether TV has good or bad effects on children while at the same
time, the chorus is a way to inform the audience about Antigone.
The chorus plays a vital role in interpreting what occurs throughout the play, just as the media plays
a vital role in interpreting whether TV is good or bad. Reporters can be nosy and sometimes rude. At
the same time, so can the chorus. "Do you really intend to steal this girl from your son?" (Sophocles
324). He's just saying it as if it is and laying out the facts, even though it may seem harsh. This
makes it easier for the audience to better appreciate the play. The chorus says, "But the ancient
wisdom speaks for our own

The Tragedy Of Sophocles ' Oedipus The King )
The Forgotten Ones
(Describe the Significance of the Chorus in Sophocles' Oedipus the King) Oedipus the King is a
famous play written by the renowned author Sophocles and first acted out back in 429 BC. It is the
second of three plays written by Sophocles that dealt with Oedipus; the first one being Oedipus at
Colonus and the last one being Antigone. This play relates the story of Oedipus, a man who
becomes King of Thebes while unwittingly fulfilling an old prophecy that said that he would kill his
father Laios and marry his mother Jocasta. He embarks on a journey to try and find the man who
killed his father, and promises to banish this man from Thebes forever. In the end, he will learn the
ugly truth; he is the one who killed his father, and the woman he considered to be his wife is actually
his mother. This play is a classic tragedy, considering that Oedipus' own faults will lead to his tragic
downfall at the end of the play. One of the important aspects of this play that makes it so good,
although unknown to many, is the fact that this is a piece of climatic drama, which means that most
of the action and of what constitutes Oedipus' misery in the end occurred before the play even starts.
In fact, the prophecy that will end up being the focal point of the play was set on Oedipus when he
was a little boy, which is long before the action of the play even started. This is where the Chorus
comes in handy. According the "Glossary of Dramatic Terms", the Chorus is "a masked

Oedipus The King Research Paper
The Importance of the Chorus in Sophocles' Oedipus the King
In classical Greek theatre, the Chorus is an instrumental stage character comprising of a collective of
twelve to fifty actors who aid in bridging the gap between the stage performers and audience
members. The role of the Chorus is beneficial to the thousands of spectators in large–scale
amphitheaters by leading audience reactions with the use of rhythmic song and dance. Specific to
Sophocles' tragic play Oedipus the King, the Chorus represents a band of Theban Elders, who
provide three literary roles: provide the audience a summary of background information near the
onset of the drama, perform as an interactive group of actors within the drama, and serve as a
commentary to important developments during the performance. ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Sophocles is able to convey additional information about the severity of this scenario by introducing
the Strophe and Antistrophe, a gesture of balanced movement and counter–movement by the
Chorus. This narrative establishes the degree of the famine that Theban citizens face. To further
convey the visualization of this famine, the Chorus speaks of the gruesome detail of children of
mothers young and old whom "lie unpitied on the ground." Within a short manner of time, the
Chorus is able to successfully deliver the severity of the famine bestowed upon Thebes which
Oedipus must resolve, thus effectively setting the underlying scene of the

Ignoble Downfall : Oedipus Rex And The Infernal Machine
Lena Khalidi
Megan Vasavada
AP Literature
16 October 2017
A Noble vs. Ignoble Downfall: Oedipus Rex and The Infernal Machine
Originating from the philosopher, Aristotle, the characterization of "pity and fear" developed into an
idea present in classic Greek tragedies (Oedipus Packet). As the outcome of these emotions, the
audience experiences catharsis in response to the inevitable downfall of the protagonist. It was not
uncommon to see playwrights stray away from this classical approach in tragic literature as writing
conventions became less restricted over time. Sophocles' Oedipus Rex (430 B.C.) and Jean
Cocteau's The Infernal Machine (1934) highlight the conceptual differences of heroism, destiny, and
a man's consciousness to the influence of the period it was written in. Handling the same myth,
Cocteau conveys how a legend's adaptability is present thousands of years later and he questions the
illusory heroic qualities of Oedipus in Sophocles' original play. Whereas both authors argue that
Oedipus was blinded by his own arrogance, in the original Oedipus Rex, Sophocles depicts Oedipus
as a noble tragic hero who owns up to his sins while in The Infernal Machine, Cocteau mocks the
concept of the tragic hero, depicting Oedipus as ignoble with a helpless demise. Though both texts
follow the same plot, Cocteau modifies the motives of Oedipus to reinvent the traditional status and
role of the tragic hero. Sophocles and Cocteau both seem to agree that the obstinate,

Oedipus Rex Plain Sight
Hiding in Plain Sight
Sophocles, one of the most famous writers of all time, wrote 120 plays in his lifetime. Now, only
seven of those survive. Fortunately, these seven plays demonstrate complex themes and portray the
beauty of Aristotle's tragedy. Oedipus Rex, one of his most famous plays, develops a prime example
of a tragic hero. The play's hero, Oedipus, fails because of overwhelming pride which causes his
blindness to the truth. Sophocles highlights Oedipus' tragic flaw through the chorus and characters,
and uses dramatic irony to show that the truth can hide in plain sight.
Throughout Oedipus Rex, Sophocles uses characters to present the truth to the audience to
emphasize Oedipus' hamartia, his blindness towards the truth. Not only do characters like Tiresias
and the messenger build up conflict within the tragedy, but they also introduce the idea of how
obvious the truth is and how ignorant Oedipus actually is. This is ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Oedipus does not believe this and exclaims, "You've lost your power, stone–blind, stone–deaf–
senses, eyes blind as stone!" (181). Sophocles chooses to use Tiresias and his straightforward
explanation of the truth to prove that truth is in fact hidden in plain sight. The use of Tiresias, a
trusted figure and the voice of the gods, is to assure the audience how authentic his word is.
Moreover, his explanation of Oedipus' fate was so clear, no one could question him as he said, "you
are the murderer you hunt" (180). Tiresias' explanation is so concise that whoever questions it is sure
to be blind towards the truth. To continue, the audience is clearly convinced that Tiresias, with his
background, is telling the truth. When Oedipus questions such a trusted prophet and throws horrible
claims like, "You've lost your power", and that he's, "stone–blind" it exemplifies Oedipus' blindness
even more because he can't see even when everyone else

Structure Of Oedipus The King
Nearly every Greek play has a clear central theme that is emphasized by both its characters and its
structure. The everlasting Theban plays are no exception to this. Of the three Theban plays, Oedipus
the King is the finest example of how a drama's structure and characters heavily contribute to the
development of the theme. In the prologue of Oedipus the King by Sophocles, the audience learns
that the city–state of Thebes, ruled by a beloved man by the name of Oedipus, is in shambles.
However, almost immediately after the audience discovers this, the supposed solution is revealed. In
order to cure the city of Thebes, Oedipus must delve deeper into the mysterious death of the
previous king, Laius, and punish whoever is responsible for his ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Better to live at random, best we can. And as for this marriage with your mother–have no fear. Many
a man before you, in his dreams, has shared his mother's bed. Take such things for shadows, nothing
at all– Live, Oedipus, as if there's no tomorrow! (1068–1078).
While Oedipus did exactly the opposite, stating;
She perhaps, she with her woman's pride may well be mortified by my birth, but I, I count myself
the son of chance, the great goddess, giver of all good things–I'll never see myself disgraced. She is
my mother! (1186–1190).
These two contrasting viewpoints say a lot about how people act in times of distress. Jocasta, by
trying to play the situation off, shows how people sometimes lie to themselves in order to feel better
about their situation. By saying that many other men dream about sharing their mother's bed, she
attempts to justify that their marriage is normal. Even though it is clearly not. In fact, what she said
was a logical fallacy––for multiple reasons. Most prominently because what she said is a lie, most
men do not dream about sleeping with their mother. But also because even if they did, that does not
mean that Oedipus should as well. Additionally, by claiming that Jocasta's "womanly pride" clouded
her judgment, Oedipus shows how people make excuses for themselves in difficult situations. Just
like Jocasta, Oedipus simply makes an excuse for himself so that he does not feel any remorse for
ignoring Jocasta's requests. Later, Oedipus gouges out

Faith In Sophocles Oedipus The King
Faith was a key aspect of society in Ancient Greece. This is reflected in Sophocles' Oedipus Rex
(429 BCE) through the representation of religion and authority as an essential aspect of the plot and
an underlying principle in the lives of the characters. Sophocles uses the narrative to explore the
shift in paradigm from complete faith to skepticism in the authority of democracy as it diminishes
and the subsequent movement back to having complete faith in the authority of religion by the
people of Thebes. The theme is portrayed most heavily within the character development of Oedipus
and the Chorus. The wavering of faith in regards to the control that different authority figures hold
over the characters is a crucial theme in Oedipus Rex as it ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
Initially the Chorus is reliant and loyal to Oedipus; they see him as an idol. This leads to them
believing that he has the answer to the plague that has enveloped the city. This is shown through the
"young and old, from the tenderest of chicks to the age–bent seniors" coming to plead with Oedipus
for an end to their suffering after their prayers to the Gods did not result in an end to the plague.
This displays Sophocles using the Chorus to exhibit the power that Oedipus has over his
countrymen, but also that Oedipus was a second option to his people; they first turned to religion. As
more evidence towards Oedipus being the murderer amounts, the infallibility of Oedipus becomes
questionable for the Chorus and they start to question whether Oedipus is worthy of their trust. This
results in their thoughts move back towards a reliance on religion; saying "Surely this is not well,
when all our thoughts should be, how to discharge the god's command", after he starts to argue with
Teiresias. These attitudes towards religion can be contrasted through a statement by Jocasta
however; "Chance rules our lives, and the future is all unknown". Through Jocasta's statement,
Sophocles shows the audience that the population can become antireligious in the right
circumstances. Sophocles' portrayal of the characters present the society as one that doesn't want to
be

Oedipus The King Free Will
Forgoing Free Will Oedipus the King is an enduring tale that has survived for thousands of years,
and its ideas only seem to grow more sage as time goes on. Sophocles artfully delineates a story of
constant juxtaposition; he tells the reader that the characters possess free will, but simultaneously
shows us that it never mattered. This stark contrast is what generates the tragic irony in this Theban
masterpiece. In Oedipus the King, Sophocles shows us that our own free will guides us to our
ultimate predetermined fate by utilising irony and juxtaposition. Sophocles presents to us a
seemingly irreconcilable truth: while we possess free will, our ultimate fates are predetermined and
inescapable. The Chorus tells Oedipus that "Time sees all; ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
Oedipus' fate is one that he learns relatively early in his life, and takes measures to avoid; however,
ultimately the measures that he takes to avoid his fate are what bring it about. Oedipus is told that
"what will be, will be" (Sophocles 35) no matter what he does, but nevertheless he chooses not to
listen and instead tries to hunt down the truth, despite being told to "not do [this]" (Sophocles 55). In
this, Sophocles presents the reader with the greatest irony of the entire play: by utilising his free will
to try to escape his fate, Oedipus only manages to fulfill his fate. Upon hearing of Oedipus' horrible
misfortune, the Chorus proclaims "all the generations of mortal man add up to nothing" (Sophocles
59). In the end, the choices Oedipus made in life didn't change anything; he still fulfilled the
prophecy by wedding his mother and killing his father. However, this is not to say that Oedipus
didn't possess or utilize free will. In life, Oedipus acts on his own terms; however, at the same time
Oedipus' life is heavily influenced by his refusal to accept his fate. By placing the concepts of fate
and free will so closely together, Sophocles forces the reader to consider their relationship with each
other. The Shepherd tells Oedipus "If you are the man, O then your life is lost" (Sophocles 58). This
starkly

Antigone Speech Ethos
Ethos. It is the credibility of an author, and is incredibly important when trying to persuade towards
one side of an argument. When making a claim, knowing how ethos is displayed and interpreted by
those listening is essential to creating a strong case. Effective and pure ethos allows those who are
listening a reason to trust the given argument. In Sophocles' play Antigone, Creon and Antigone
fight a battle not of swords and shields, but of words; a battle of ethos. As the play goes on, the
Chorus' opinion sways and changes based on the ethos of each character at that current time.
Throughout Antigone, Creon's ethos declines from the first speech with the Guard to his later speech
with Haemon because he develops from wanting to do what he believes is right in the sight of the
gods to insulting Haemon using petty arguments with ineffective persuasion through the use of
pathos. This showcases Sophocles' message that pride and arrogance will destroy your credibility
and undermine the arguments you are making. Creon's argument is valid and his ethos is strong in
the beginning of the play because he is the king of the land, and he persuades the Chorus and many
others to follow after his beliefs. Right before Creon's discussion with the Guard, the Chorus tells
Creon, "Such is your pleasure, Creon, son of Menoeceus...and you have power, I know, to enjoin
what you will. (p. 128)" Although the Chorus' words are simple, they bring a powerful message. The
Chorus is saying that

Chorus In Antigone
In Sophocles' Antigone, the chorus serves an essential role in the play by having the ability to
communicate indirectly with the reader or audience. By remaining a character in the play and not
just a narrator, the chorus is connected to the plot of the play and can interfere with the storyline.
Sophocles' goal for the chorus is to "teach [the reader] wisdom" through the morals of the play
(128). In a play where almost every character commits some kind of transgression, Sophocles
includes the chorus to guide the reader to know which of these transgressions are good and bad, so
that he or she will recognize the morals taught in the play. The chorus consists of "the old citizens of
Thebes," secondary characters who aren't essential to the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
Creon, concerned with only himself and his own power, refuses. Creon, disregarding the chorus'
advice, is overly proud of himself. However, the chorus knows that "the mighty blows of fate" will
eventually catch up with Creon (128). Creon is no match for the power of the gods. Even though
Creon believes that he is on the same level as the gods, the chorus, like the viewer, realizes that
those who go against the gods will be free "for a moment only" (92). Fate catches up to Creon when
Haemon kills himself followed by Eurydice committing suicide as

Oedipus The King Primary Sources
In Sophocles' Oedipus the King, I believe the Chorus is not a reliable source of information and
advice. The reason is that they change opinion too often, and they believe that Oedipus is higher
than humans. However, there is a point that makes their information dependable, the Chorus is
influenced by their determination to save the city of Thebes.
The Chorus change their point of view too quickly to be a reliable source of information and advice.
In the beginning, the Chorus "hail[s] Apollo, Lord of Delos, Healer! [They] worship and revere
[him]" (13). By worshiping the god Apollo, they believe that the Gods and their prophecies are true.
However, their faith in the Gods fades as the truth is revealed. They believe that "the old prophecies
about Laius are failing, men reject them now. Apollo is without honor everywhere. The gods are
defeated" (49). With this complete change of opinion, they cannot be a valid source of advice
because they go by what their mind thinks is right, and not by what actually is correct. ... Show more
In the beginning of the book the chorus claimed that they "see no reason to attack the great fame of
Oedipus in order to avenge the mysterious murder of Laius" (28). They "will never judge him guilty
of evil action" (28) because Oedipus defeated the Sphinx who was terrorizing Thebes. This
statement is proof that their opinions, advice, and information are biased. They believe that Oedipus
is not guilty of Laius' death, and they advise wrongly and/or give bad information about anything
going against

Sophocles ' Greek Tragedy And The Chorus
Sophocles' Greek tragedy, Oedipus Rex, has a voice beyond the main characters. The chorus plays a
major roll in this tragedy. In Greek plays, there were a select few main characters and the chorus
was the rest of the cast. (INSERT). To completely understand the tragedy, it is important for the read
to read the whole play including the chorus. The chorus is valuable to the play with their knowledge
and cultural awareness of the time. Not only did the chorus provide extensive context, but also their
other main job was to verbally judge the main character's actions and moral decisions. The chorus
provides the audience with new perspectives on the tragedy and the characters themselves.
In Oedipus Rex, the chorus was composed of Thebans. At the start of the tragedy, the chorus' main
job was to provide the audience with the circumstances that surround the beginning of the play. The
chorus provided information about the widespread destruction that has happened to the protagonist.
For Oedipus, he is on a path to self–discovery and the chorus has to constantly remind him to
remain calm when tried to find who murdered Laius. Sophocles' chorus foreshadows and provides
the main characters with crucial information that will help in the future. The chorus was composed
of wise, old citizens. The chorus also warns and suggests to the audience what could potentially be
happening later in the play. With the cultural awareness, the chorus demands Oedipus
to not kill Creon. This is extremely

Movie Analysis : ' Oedipus The King '
While watching a cheesy romantic comedy or a sappy drama, it 's likely that one will feel some sort
of emotional connection to the characters, whether that be through happiness, grief, or empathy. As
the characters in these movies fall in love, lose a loved one, or struggle through any of life 's
obstacles, one may cry or laugh out loud as they relate to what is happening on the screen. When it
comes to Sophoclean tragedies, one of the main goals is to give the audience these intense emotions
through catharsis, bringing them an emotional purging and lasting empathy for the characters being
portrayed. The characters in these tragedies experience intense trauma and fatal downfalls, and the
audience feels relief that they are not experiencing ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
By the beginning of the tragedy, the audience is already aware of the famine, the prophecy fulfilled
by Oedipus, and the tragic outcome of the whole ordeal; in order to ensure an emotional experience,
the Chorus goes into great detail about the suffering the citizens of Thebes face. For instance, in the
first Choral Ode, one Chorus member goes into dark detail about the overarching death due to the
famine and plague in Thebes:
Wasted thus by death on death
All in our city perish.
Corpses spread infection round;
None to tend or mourn is found,
There 's wailing on the altar stair;
Cries of mothers rend the air –
Long drawn–moans and piercing shrieks
Blend with prayers and litanies. (Sophocles 183–190)
As the Chorus describes the infected corpses scattered about the city and the desperate cries of the
people, the audience is inclined to create a graphic image of these events in their own minds,
tailoring these horrific events to the capacities of their own experiences and understanding. Death is
a natural, human experience, and it is likely that members of the audience may have experienced
grief and suffering themselves. Sophocles adding details of the desperation the people of Thebes
face, the wailing of those close to death, and the prayers they chant for a cure, is likely to make the
audience relate to a time they experienced grief and suffering themselves, making audience
members feel for the characters and see

Characteristics Of Heroism In Oedipus
1.1 Oedipus: "Now that I've become one of you, though, I shall talk to you all" (Sophocles 221).
Oedipus is an everyman figure because of his fatal flaw that being his pride. This play explores the
fact that no human is even close to being perfect.
2.1 Priest: "Come then, our Lord and King! Come, first among all mortals! Make our Thebes live
again!" (Sophocles 44).
Oedipus is associated with qualities of heroism. He is also seen as seen as a savior that was sent to
the land.
2.2 Priest: "we think you are the best in working out the meaning of these hardships that have been
tossed upon us, by life and by the gods" (Sophocles 33).
Oedipus is being called not only to save Thebes but to find the man that killed Laius.
3.1 Chorus: "And Zeus! Make Ares the winged god of war turn his back and leave this land!"
(Sophocles 191). The chorus assumes that the gods are the ones that control the outcome and are the
ones that can save them.
3.2 Oedipus: "As for the evil doer, I curse him and whether it was he alone, or with the help of
others that he has caused our wound, let him live a wretched life" (Sophocles 247).
After the chorus curses the murder Oedipus does the same. He contradicts the chorus by saying he
will be the one to find the killer.
4.1 Oedipus: "Oh! You will not insult me twice without punishment!" (Sophocles 366).
Oedipus tries to get the truth out of Tiresias by threatening him.
5.1 Creon "So much hatred in your compromise!" (Sophocles 674–675). Creon makes the charge
against Oedipus that his ruling is unjust. Oedipus is blinded and refuses to believe simple facts due
to his pride and ego.
5.2 Creon: "Yet, when your anger subsides a little how you will suffer! Souls like yours are their
own worst enemy! Quite rightly, too!" (Sophocles 675). Creon makes the prediction that Oedipus's
pride will seal his fate and lead to his own demise.
6.1 Oedipus "But if he says it was only one traveler, then it would be all too clear: the deed falls on
me!" (Sophocles 846). Oedipus reveals that he might have been the murder of Laius but does not
know the rest of the prophecy.
7.1 Jocasta "Oedipus left his beloved home in trembling fear lest he kills this man, his father, yet this
man, Polybus died a natural

The Function Of The Choruses In SophoclesAntigone
Antigone begins by focusing on the dispute between Antigone and her sister Ismene. These two
polar opposite characters are arguing over whether they want to bury their brother Polynices or not.
This raises questions such as, " Why are the brothers fighting on two different sides?" or " Who
attacked the city in the first place?" The questions that arise are simply answered by the chorus. The
chorus enters and gives more information on the battle that happened before Antigone and Ismene
met with one another. Immediately, the chorus serves as plot because of the fact that they implement
more information for the audience. They give background information for us to better understand
what really happens during the fight. Also, in the information that the chorus gives the audience, are
specifics about setting. Not only does the chorus function as plot, but they function as setting as
well. The usage of chorus does not stop there though, because they can also be seen as an actual
character. In Antigone, the chorus directly interacts with both Antigone and Creon. Generally, they
advise or warn the two about what is to come if they continue their path. In all, the chorus functions
as plot, setting, and character. Sophocles' Antigone mainly focuses on the banter between Antigone's
righteousness or in others' eyes "cockiness", going against Creon's discrepancy to those that his
people consider divine. Antigone begins with an argument between Antigone and Ismene because
they are

Chorus In Oedipus The King
Dihle argues,
Sophocles rarely had his chorus intervene in the action, but it continued to have a close emotional
bond with it in terms of its observations, advice and admonitions. The chorus rarely appeals to the
audience, using words coming directly from the intentions of the poet. Nevertheless, however
topical they may have seemed to his audiences, statements of this kind, such as the glorious tribute
to Attica in Oedipus Coloneus, or the admonition against flouting divine law in Oedipus Rex, never
lacked adequate motivation in terms of the actions. (114)
Sophocles made the actors the center of the plays instead of the chorus. The chorus became used
more for advice and the observations they made as the stage manager. Sophocles chorus type doesn't
narrate the plays as much as before in Aeschylus's play. The chorus stage manager type began
turning into a stage manager that mostly made comments throughout the play.
One of Sophocles' main plays where the stage manager is demonstrated is Oedipus the King. In
Sophocles play Oedipus Rex also known as Oedipus the King, the chorus type is used extensively as
it was in Aeschylus's play. Sophocles wrote Oedipus the King in 429 B.C. for the gods to be
performed during a religious festival. However, most Greeks already know the play in some way,
because like Sigmound Freud was known to say every boy has a latent desire to kill his father and
sleep with his mother. In Oedipus the King, the chorus mentions the gods,
Great welcome

Sophocles ' Oedipus The King
Like all classical Greek tragedies, Sophocles's Oedipus the King features a chorus that sings several
odes over the course of the play. In Sophocles's play, the chorus is composed of old Theban men and
represents the population of Thebes as a whole. The chorus recites a parodos, four stasima, and a
brief exodus. Through the choral odes, Sophocles reflects on the events and motifs of the play,
including piety and faith in the Gods, the inevitability and the uncertainty of fate, and the dichotomy
of right and wrong.
After Sophocles establishes the premise of Oedipus the King through a dialogue between Oedipus,
the priest, and Creon, the chorus of old Theban men take the stage to recite the parodos. The parodos
takes the form of a prayer to the Greek Gods arranged into three pairs of strophes and antistrophes.
The ode opens by asking about the prophecy that has been introduced in the prologue, instantly
linking the ode to the opening actions of the play. The chorus then responds to the events of the
prologue with a fearful prayer to the gods, reflecting deep faith in the words, "Speak to me,
immortal voice, child of golden Hope" (157–158). The parodos of Oedipus the King presents the
profound piety that is persistently prevalent in all the choral odes of the play despite the horrendous
actions that unfold over the course of the play. The antistrophe follows by calling upon Athena,
Artemis, and Apollo in particular to alleviate their pains, who, according to the chorus, have

Role Of Shakespeare As A Stage Manager

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