Greek chorus. The Function of Chorus in Greek Drama 2019-01-30

Greek chorus Facts for Kids

All the chorus wore masks, because they represented the same character or group of characters. It was a group of who looked alike, and spoke in unison. During the Renaissance the role of the chorus was revised. Such usage of the choral structure-making functions may be observed throughout many classical plays but may be more obvious in some than in others. What aspects of the 5th Century Greek sensibility do these features suggest? My soul is racked and shivers with fear. Smaller choruses take on a more active role in their storytelling because they usually take on more of a narrative role or a more collective character like an army or townsfolk.

Mighty Aphrodite

It also represents the population in any particular story, in sharp contrast with many of the themes of the … ancient Greek plays which tended to be about heroes, gods and goddesses. She opens her eyes and rubs out the sleep of a dreamless night. In comedies the chorus wore thin soled shoes, and smaller mask with, distorted, fanciful features, and they varied between tunics, robes, and skimpy clothing. Can you identify any dramatic elements that might have taken on one or more of the functions of the Greek chorus? Choral performances continued to dominate the early plays until the time of 5th century bc , who added a second actor and reduced the chorus from 50 to 12 performers. New York: Forgotten Books, 2007. Nothing in this website establishes an attorney-client relationship between us. The chorus offers a variety of background and summary information to help the audience follow the performance.

The Greek Chorus

If the play was religious, they would offer praise to the gods. The three famous Greek tragedians whose works survive, Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides, made further contributions to the genre of tragedy. New York: Forgotten Books, 2007. Being a member of a chorus was also part of the Greek civic education process. What impact do those changes have on our experience of the plays as tragedies? Secondly, the chorus would allow the playwright to create a kind of literary complexity only achievable by a literary device controlling the atmosphere and expectations of the audience.

The Function of Chorus in Greek Drama

Their performances provided an extravagant bonus at the beginnings and ends of songs or special dance numbers, and they were considered the flashy sex symbols of the day. Have the groups present their performances in front of the rest of the class. The conventional theater of Shakespeare or Oscar Wilde e. Divide students up into groups try for groups of at least 5-6, even though traditionally the smallest chorus was 12 people. The Functions of the chorus are to act as an agent by giving advice, asking questions, and takes part to establish ethical framework, sets up standard by which action will be judged. To modern readers of Greek tragedy, the chorus may seem an interlude between the main action -- a section to gloss over.

Greek Chorus

The chorus acts as the narrators, make breaks for actors, bring drama to play other than with the use of props, and acts as audience surrogates. For most other ensembles those two words may be used interchangeably. In these odes, the chorus would chant rhythmically, so they could be viewed as one entity rather than individuals. Early dramatists Aeschylus and probably Sophocles and Euripides taught their own choruses. The purpose of the Greek chorus was to provide background and summary information to the audience to help them understand what was going on in the performance. The Attic theatre: a description of the stage and theatre of the Athenians, and of the dramatic performances at Athens.

The Classical Greek Chorus

They both have each other's children but do not realize it. Sophocles increased the chorus to 15 members, although the choral odes became only tenuously related to the dramatic action. Or perhaps make toga-like outfits out of comforters or colourful bedsheets. There were also Romans including and who, adapting the Greek tradition, wrote tragedy in Latin. Antistrophe The antistrophe is the other half of the debate or further exploration of the argument initially presented in the strophe. The Greek chorus was part of.

What Is the Function of the Chorus in a Greek Drama?

I guess the chorus is sort of like an overture in an opera; it sets the mood. The antistrophe serves as a response to the strophe, but it does not get the last word. The chorus was a group that often danced and chanted in unison to enhance the presentation of the drama. Eliot's Murder in the Cathedral, in which the Women of Canterbury serve as a chorus. As there was this clear need to distract the audience while the actors went off-stage to change clothes and costumes, and perhaps prepare for their next role, the function of the chorus may have had more to do with practicality, than with artistic or philosophical considerations. The origins of the in particular may have stemmed out of ancient rites and rituals with elements of song and dance, and most importantly — the gathering of people. Later dramatists depended less on the chorus.

What Is the Function of the Chorus in a Greek Drama?

Perhaps most generally though, the chorus would give the ancient playwright a multifunctional literary device for the creation of an award-winning play on the Dionysian festival. Lenny is awed by their son who, it becomes increasingly clear, is a gifted child. They must write at least six full sentences in modern language or a more poetic style. The style was to comment on what was happening in the play, and help the audience know what a character was thinking. Most often choirs consist of four sections intended to sing in four part harmony, but there is no limit to the number of possible parts as long as there is a singer available to sing the part.

Exploring the Greek Chorus

Some years later, Linda with her daughter and Lenny with Max meet in a toy store. I have it written into my budget that I can reshoot the entire movie if I want. The odes were in strict metrical patterns; sometimes they were direct comments on the action and characters, and at other times they were more general statements and judgments. Thirdly, the chorus would allow the playwright to prepare the audience for certain key moments in the storyline, build up momentum or slow down the tempo; he could underline certain elements and downplay others. The film ends with the Greek chorus singing and dancing. Occasionally, a men's choir will have Basso Profondo, the lowest of all male vocal ranges. Thespis, from whose name comes the term 'thespian' for someone interested in acting, is supposed to be the man responsible for giving the first speaking role to someone.