Q: The Role of Chorus in Oedipus Rex
Chorus is a Greek word which means “a large group of singers”. The Chorus consists of twelve
or fifteen “Elders of Thebes”. It is the function of chorus to comment on actions events and
awareness of the scene of human life.
According to Aristotle:
“The chorus should be like one of the characters”.
The chorus may be described as a group personality, like an old Parliament. It has its own
traditions, habits of thought and feelings and mode of being. The Theban elders of the chorus
are considered to be highly representative men of Thebes who honour and respect the king
and the gods.
The basic role of the chorus in Oedipus Rex is to sing comments about the ongoing
situations in the drama, it builds up the atmosphere and underscores the tragic action.
It acts as a character at times and takes part in dialogues. The chorus often is in the position
of an ideal spectator and sometimes as a critic but most importantly, it connects the
audience with the story by filling the gaps in the story when no character is on stage. Thus,
chorus serves to make significant dramatic commentary that guides the audience's response
from the beginning to the end of the plot and provide the essence of the story.
The chorus appears with the perplexity at the beginning of the drama. The accusation of the
seer greatly perplex the Chorus. They still have full faith in Oedipus, their savior and
benevolent king. Yet they do not find it easy to deny the truth of Teiresias’ prediction. They
are in a fix and everything is dark to them. They are concerned only with surface reality. They
cannot imagine any other reason for the possibilities of Oedipus having killed the Theban
king. They seem to pay no attention to the words of the prophet that Oedipus, will in reality,
be a native Theban. Nor do they pay attention to Teiresias’ accusation that Oedipus is living
in sinful union with his mother and that the children of Oedipus and Jocaste are a monstrous
brood. They end by doubting Teiresias words, thinking of him as only a mortal prophet, who
is not infallible as are the oracle of Apollo and Zeus:
All secrets of earth are known to Zeus and Apollo;
But of mortal prophets, that one knows more than another.
Chorus appears five times in Oedipus Rex and each ode they sing makes a reflection upon
each climatic situation. It also plays the role of guiding our emotions, response and our
Chorus is a Greek word which means “a large group of singers”. The Chorus consists of twelve
or fifteen “Elders of Thebes”. It is the function of chorus to comment on actions events and
awareness of the scene of human life.
According to Aristotle:
“The chorus should be like one of the characters”.
The chorus may be described as a group personality, like an old Parliament. It has its own
traditions, habits of thought and feelings and mode of being. The Theban elders of the chorus
are considered to be highly representative men of Thebes who honour and respect the king
and the gods.
The basic role of the chorus in Oedipus Rex is to sing comments about the ongoing
situations in the drama, it builds up the atmosphere and underscores the tragic action.
It acts as a character at times and takes part in dialogues. The chorus often is in the position
of an ideal spectator and sometimes as a critic but most importantly, it connects the
audience with the story by filling the gaps in the story when no character is on stage. Thus,
chorus serves to make significant dramatic commentary that guides the audience's response
from the beginning to the end of the plot and provide the essence of the story.
The chorus appears with the perplexity at the beginning of the drama. The accusation of the
seer greatly perplex the Chorus. They still have full faith in Oedipus, their savior and
benevolent king. Yet they do not find it easy to deny the truth of Teiresias’ prediction. They
are in a fix and everything is dark to them. They are concerned only with surface reality. They
cannot imagine any other reason for the possibilities of Oedipus having killed the Theban
king. They seem to pay no attention to the words of the prophet that Oedipus, will in reality,
be a native Theban. Nor do they pay attention to Teiresias’ accusation that Oedipus is living
in sinful union with his mother and that the children of Oedipus and Jocaste are a monstrous
brood. They end by doubting Teiresias words, thinking of him as only a mortal prophet, who
is not infallible as are the oracle of Apollo and Zeus:
All secrets of earth are known to Zeus and Apollo;
But of mortal prophets, that one knows more than another.
Chorus appears five times in Oedipus Rex and each ode they sing makes a reflection upon
each climatic situation. It also plays the role of guiding our emotions, response and our
