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
Comparing The Chorus of Sophocles' Antigone and America's News Channels The Greek Chorus is very similar to America's news channels because it brings the people the news in a way that they can understand it. The play Antigone by Sophocles is a tragic drama structured around the argument between a king and two sisters about the burial of their brother. Antigone can be compared to the conflict surrounding granting illegal immigrants amnesty. The Chorus is a group of people who provide background
as a group of people who sing about the current situation at hand in the story. Usually you do not see a third party involved that reacts to the problems at hand. But there is in the play Oedipus the King by Sophocles. The author Sophocles uses the chorus to set the mood of the play. The chorus is very impactful because it describes the fear and joy of the citizens at Thebes. It is definitely an important aspect of the play. In the beginning of the play Oedipus is told about the oracle’s message on
Changing Views of The Chorus in Antigone The chorus, a group of common people who follow the actions of the play Antigone, waver in their support of either Antigone or Creon, depending on their actions during a particular part of the story-line. Early in the play it is evident that they are extremely pro-Creon, but a short time later they seem to sway into the direction of Antigone and support her actions. This incongruency about the them, however, was an extremely interesting
moral dilemma has been displayed by the many playwrights of ancient greece. In the play ‘Antigone’, Sophocles develops the moral imperative of absolute obedience to the gods over any laws of the state. Sophocles uses Antigone’s rise and fall,Creon’s tragic attributes, as well as the messages implemented by the chorus to convey that one should remain loyal to the gods above all else. Sophocles utilizes the rise and fall of Antigone’s character to develop the moral imperative of deciding which
In Sophocles’ Oedipus the King, the audience is able to gain a deeper understanding of Oedipus’ downfall due to the context provided by the chorus. Through its own wavering faith in the Gods, the chorus is able to explain and add meaning to Oedipus the King that would not otherwise be evident. Further, the chorus’ explanation allows Sophocles to expose his goal in writing the play, giving the reader a unique perspective into the true cause of Oedipus’ downfall. Therefore, it is strictly the chorus
In Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex he uses a variety of technics to add to the overall work. One of them is his use of the Chorus. Sophocles uses the Chorus for the dramatic purpose of helping to reveal the theme, to establish the atmosphere and mood, and also to give background information to the audience. The role of the chorus is very important in Greek Tragedy. Throughout the play the chorus changes many roles. It acts as a mediator, evaluator or dramatizer depending on the situation. The role of the
the Earth, written by Sophocles and Rita Dove, respectively. The similarities in plot, characters, and motifs are not the sole concurrencies between both plays; the overall message to the audiences in both plays is one in the same, one cannot escape their fate. Sophocles and Dove both illuminate this message through their use of the chorus. While Sophocles uses a single chorus of Theban elders, Dove illustrates the grimness of fate through several minor characters: the chorus, the prayers and the
and Sophocles. And although Aeschylus was the one to first establish the basics of a Greek tragedy, Sophocles reformed it to become the model of the ideal tragic drama. Sophocles was an important influence in the development of drama, most importantly by adding a third actor, scene painting, increasing the number of the chorus, as well as emphasizing the poetic and emotional possibilities of tragedy. Previously, in Greek dramas, there was a pair of masked actors, a twelve-membered chorus, and no
Throughout his play Antigone, Sophocles demonstrates the value of reason through the various arguments in the script. Reason is displayed in two main characters, Creon and Antigone. Antigone uses her belief in divine laws to argue that her actions of burying her brother are justified. While on the other hand, Creon uses his reason to try to get the support of the people through persuasion. Both characters are proven to present valid arguments through the different support system that each one of
and so received a good education in music, dancing and athletics • 480bc after the second invasion by Persia Sophocles celebrated by singing naked to the lyre • 468bc Sophocles enters and wins the drama competition at the City Dionysia Festival, probably with the play Triptolemos, beating Aeschylus. This makes him instantly famous. • Late 440s Sophocles presents the play Ajax. • 443/2 Sophocles serves as Hellenotamias (treasurer of the Athenian Empire, the former Dalian League). His appointment reveals
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
Children are also being born stillborn from the mother’s wombs (Sophocles 115.100-101). A disease of hunger nothing grows, no wheat, or fruit nothing grows bigger than a seed. The woman also bear dead things and all they do is grieve. The cattle also wither, stumble and drop to the ground, flies simmer on their swollen tongues, the plague spreads everywhere, a stain seeping through the streets, the fields and the homes of Thebes (Sophocles 36-42.14-30). The plague in Oedipus the king is a punishment
and political mindset of its time, one must first look at how the theatre of this age was first developed. The Greek theatre tradition was born at a theatre built beneath the Acropolis in Athens, at an annual religious festival at which a large chorus of men would dance, play instruments and sing odes to the God of the festival, Dionysus. These choral odes to Dionysus were called dithyrambs, performed by fifty men dressed as satyrs, the half-man, half-goat servants of Dionysus. The hymn-like
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
the results taken place and the chorus saying wisdom is gained upon the punishment. The chorus consists of a group of older men keeping the audience updated with the direction of the play. The chorus’ opinions towards Creon’s actions are important due to the myths they believe in and conflict they do not want to occur. In the beginning of the play, Creon states he does not want to bury Polyneices as a form of superiority over his people. In lines 230-240, the chorus intervenes and states how irrational
fifteen elements that create the perfect tragedy. All fifteen of these elements fall into either two main categories, plot and character, or they stand alone, equally as important as the rest. Sophocles’ play, Oedipus Rex uses all fifteen of these elements to create the perfect tragedy. In Oedipus Rex, Sophocles sets the benchmark for future tragedies through Aristotle’s fifteen points of perfect tragedy.
is the Role of the Chorus in Oedipus the King ? In answering this question, I will look at the question in two ways. Firstly, I will look at the role of the chorus objectively, examining the basic role of the chorus in the play, and looking at the role of the Chorus as Sophocles would have intended the role of the Chorus to be understood. However, I will then look at how I think the Greek audience would have perceived the role of the Chorus and then how the role of the Chorus is perceived today
Antigone. Sophocles creates the epitome of the inferiority of a king to reinforce the fact that monarchs will always be secondary to the Greek divine powers. Due to Creon’s unhealthy obsession and grip on personal power and his complete disregard of the divine law and fate, he later fails not only as a ruler but as a father and husband. Evidence of the superiority of religion can be encountered when Antigone rebels Creon’s orders in order to bury her brother’s corpse, when Teresias, the Chorus and his
There were also always almost constant references to the gods and to matters of fate. And it was the ever-present chorus who made a great deal of these references. One of the most important characteristics of the Greek tragedy was that the hero of the play always had a fatal flaw which proved not only to be their downfall but the cause of destruction of all those around them. Sophocles play “Antigone” is a wonderful example of the Greek tragedy because it encompasses all these characteristics. The