Greek chorus
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| - | :''[[Lessons for Children]]'' | + | The '''Greek chorus''' (''choros'') is a group of twelve or fifteen minor actors in [[tragedy|tragic]] and twenty-four in [[Ancient Greek comedy|comic]] plays of [[classical Athens]]. They can portray any characters, for instance, in [[Aeschylus]]' ''[[Agamemnon (play)|Agamemnon]]'', the chorus comprises the elderly men of [[Argos]], whereas in [[Euripides]]' ''[[The Bacchae]]'', they are a group of eastern [[bacchants]], and in [[Sophocles]]' ''[[Electra (play)|Electra]]'', the chorus is made up of the women of Argos. |
| - | A '''moral lesson''' is a term in [[narratology]] used to denote the educational value of a work. Moral lessons can be found in [[fable]]s, [[emblemata]], [[wisdom poetry]], [[exempla]], [[bestiaries]], [[traditional stories]]. The [[moral lesson]] (the "moral") is usually found at the end and may be expressed [[explicit]]ly in a [[pithy]] [[maxim (saying)|maxim]]. | + | |
| - | A '''moral''' is a [[message]] conveyed or a [[lesson]] to be learned from a [[story]] or [[event]]. The moral may be left to the hearer, reader or viewer to determine for themselves, or may be explicitly encapsulated in a maxim. As an example of the latter, at the end of [[Aesop's Fables|Aesop's fable]] of [[the Tortoise and the Hare]], in which the plodding and determined tortoise wins a race against the much-faster yet extremely arrogant hare, the moral is "slow and steady wins the race". However, it can also be interpreted that arrogance or overconfidence in one's abilities may lead to failure or the loss of an event, race, or contest. Undermining another persons ability based on image is another message or moral trying to be conveyed. The use of [[stock characters]] is a means of conveying the moral of the story by eliminating complexity of personality and so spelling out the issues arising in the interplay between the characters, enables the writer to generate a clear message. With more rounded characters, such as those typically found in [[Shakespeare]]'s [[Play (theatre)|plays]], the moral may be more nuanced but no less present, and the writer may point it up in other ways (see, for example, the [[Prologue]] to ''[[Romeo and Juliet]]''). | + | ==Dramatic function== |
| + | [[Play (theatre)|Plays]] of the [[Theatre of ancient Greece|ancient Greek theatre]] always included a chorus that offered a variety of background and summary information to help the audience follow the performance. The '''Greek chorus''' comments on themes, and—as [[August Wilhelm Schlegel]] proposed in the early 19th century to subsequent controversy—shows how an ideal audience might react to the drama. The chorus also represents, on stage, the general population of the particular story, in sharp contrast with many of the themes of the ancient Greek plays which tended to be about individual heroes, gods, and goddesses. | ||
| - | Throughout the history of recorded literature, the majority of fictional writing has served not only to entertain but also to instruct, inform or improve their audiences or readership. In [[Ancient Greek theatre|classical drama]], for example, the role of the [[Greek chorus|chorus]] was to comment on the proceedings and draw out a message for the audience to take away with them; while the [[novel]]s of [[Charles Dickens]] are a vehicle for morals regarding the social and economic system of [[Victorian morality|Victorian]] Britain. | + | In many of these plays, the chorus expressed to the audience what the main characters could not say, such as their hidden fears or secrets. The chorus often provided other characters with the insight they need. |
| - | Morals have typically been more obvious in [[children's literature]], sometimes even being introduced with the phrase, "The moral of the story is …". Such explicit techniques have grown increasingly out of fashion in modern storytelling, and are now usually only included for [[irony|ironic]] purposes. | + | ==Stage management== |
| + | The '''Greek chorus''' usually communicated in song form, but sometimes spoke their lines in unison. The chorus had to work in unison to help explain the play as there were only one to three actors on stage who were already playing several parts each. As the [[Greek theatre]]s were so large, the chorus' actions had to be exaggerated and their voices clear so that everyone could see and hear them. To do this, they used techniques such as synchronization, echo, ripple, physical theatre and the use of masks to aid them. A Greek chorus was often led by a [[coryphaeus]]. They also served as the ancient equivalent for a curtain, as their parodos (entering procession) signified the beginnings of a play and their exodos (exit procession) served as the curtains closing. | ||
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| + | Modern plays, especially [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] musicals and grand [[opera]]s, sometimes incorporate a contemporary version of the chorus, although they serve a different purpose. | ||
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| + | ==Decline in antiquity== | ||
| + | Before the introduction of multiple, interacting actors by [[Aeschylus]], the Greek chorus was the main performer in relation to a solitary actor. The importance of the chorus declined after the 5th century [[BCE]], when the chorus began to be separated from the dramatic action. Later dramatists depended on the chorus less than their predecessors. | ||
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| + | ==Modern usages== | ||
| + | [[Woody Allen]]'s movie ''[[Mighty Aphrodite]]'' uses a Greek chorus. | ||
| + | |||
| + | In the musical ''[[Legally Blonde (musical)|Legally Blonde]]'', Elle's sorority sisters serve as a Greek chorus, a pun on the Greek system of [[fraternities and sororities]]. | ||
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| + | In the popular musical ''[[Seussical]]'', the bird girls serve as a Greek chorus, singing backup to principal characters. They have no official roles in the story. | ||
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| + | In the musical ''[[Little Shop of Horrors (musical)|Little Shop of Horrors]]'', Crystal, Ronnette and Chiffon function as a Greek chorus, commenting on the action throughout the show. | ||
| + | |||
| + | In the movie ''[[Repo! The Genetic Opera]]'', the character of the Graverobber along with the Zydrate addicts, serve as a Greek chorus, supplying exposition, commenting on the action, and both opening and closing the movie. | ||
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| + | In the musical play ''[[Mamma Mia!]]'' and its [[Mamma Mia! (film)|film adaptation]], the locals at the villa are literally a Greek chorus in the classical and modern sense. | ||
| + | |||
| + | In parts of the animated film ''[[Flushed Away]]'', the slugs some times act as back up singers and some times as miniature Greek chorus. | ||
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| + | == References == | ||
| + | {{reflist}} | ||
| + | |||
| + | * Haigh, Arthur Elam, ''The Attic theatre: a description of the stage and theatre of the Athenians, and of the dramatic performances at Athens'', Oxford : The Clarendon Press, 1898. | ||
| + | * [[H. D. F. Kitto|Kitto, H. D. F.]], ''The Greeks'', 1952. | ||
| + | |||
| + | == Further reading == | ||
| + | * Calame, Claude; (tr. Derek Collins), [http://books.google.com/books?id=DhfmgSz1eR4C&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_summary_r&cad=0 "Choruses of Young Women in Ancient Greece: Their Morphology, Religious Role, and Social Functions"], Rowman & Littlefield, 2001. ISBN 0742515257 | ||
| - | Some examples are: "Better to be safe than sorry", "The evil deserves no aid", "Be friends with whom you don't like", "Don't judge people by the way they look", "Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me" and "Slow and steady wins the race". Or, "your overconfidence is your weakness." | ||
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Revision as of 10:37, 26 April 2010
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The Greek chorus (choros) is a group of twelve or fifteen minor actors in tragic and twenty-four in comic plays of classical Athens. They can portray any characters, for instance, in Aeschylus' Agamemnon, the chorus comprises the elderly men of Argos, whereas in Euripides' The Bacchae, they are a group of eastern bacchants, and in Sophocles' Electra, the chorus is made up of the women of Argos.
Contents |
Dramatic function
Plays of the ancient Greek theatre always included a chorus that offered a variety of background and summary information to help the audience follow the performance. The Greek chorus comments on themes, and—as August Wilhelm Schlegel proposed in the early 19th century to subsequent controversy—shows how an ideal audience might react to the drama. The chorus also represents, on stage, the general population of the particular story, in sharp contrast with many of the themes of the ancient Greek plays which tended to be about individual heroes, gods, and goddesses.
In many of these plays, the chorus expressed to the audience what the main characters could not say, such as their hidden fears or secrets. The chorus often provided other characters with the insight they need.
Stage management
The Greek chorus usually communicated in song form, but sometimes spoke their lines in unison. The chorus had to work in unison to help explain the play as there were only one to three actors on stage who were already playing several parts each. As the Greek theatres were so large, the chorus' actions had to be exaggerated and their voices clear so that everyone could see and hear them. To do this, they used techniques such as synchronization, echo, ripple, physical theatre and the use of masks to aid them. A Greek chorus was often led by a coryphaeus. They also served as the ancient equivalent for a curtain, as their parodos (entering procession) signified the beginnings of a play and their exodos (exit procession) served as the curtains closing.
Modern plays, especially Broadway musicals and grand operas, sometimes incorporate a contemporary version of the chorus, although they serve a different purpose.
Decline in antiquity
Before the introduction of multiple, interacting actors by Aeschylus, the Greek chorus was the main performer in relation to a solitary actor. The importance of the chorus declined after the 5th century BCE, when the chorus began to be separated from the dramatic action. Later dramatists depended on the chorus less than their predecessors.
Modern usages
Woody Allen's movie Mighty Aphrodite uses a Greek chorus.
In the musical Legally Blonde, Elle's sorority sisters serve as a Greek chorus, a pun on the Greek system of fraternities and sororities.
In the popular musical Seussical, the bird girls serve as a Greek chorus, singing backup to principal characters. They have no official roles in the story.
In the musical Little Shop of Horrors, Crystal, Ronnette and Chiffon function as a Greek chorus, commenting on the action throughout the show.
In the movie Repo! The Genetic Opera, the character of the Graverobber along with the Zydrate addicts, serve as a Greek chorus, supplying exposition, commenting on the action, and both opening and closing the movie.
In the musical play Mamma Mia! and its film adaptation, the locals at the villa are literally a Greek chorus in the classical and modern sense.
In parts of the animated film Flushed Away, the slugs some times act as back up singers and some times as miniature Greek chorus.
References
- Haigh, Arthur Elam, The Attic theatre: a description of the stage and theatre of the Athenians, and of the dramatic performances at Athens, Oxford : The Clarendon Press, 1898.
- Kitto, H. D. F., The Greeks, 1952.
Further reading
- Calame, Claude; (tr. Derek Collins), "Choruses of Young Women in Ancient Greece: Their Morphology, Religious Role, and Social Functions", Rowman & Littlefield, 2001. ISBN 0742515257
