The Chorus in Greek Tragedy

The origins of Greek Tragedy are born from the Chorus, comprising in its earliest days just a simple choral song and dance, performed as part of a religious festival of the Great Dionysia in Anthens. The concept of actors in fact developed from the Chorus, the Greek word for Actor (hypokrites) meaning the one who responds, answers or interprets; answering and interpreting the questions of the Chorus. So from the Chorus came the actor, in the beginning comprising of only rudimentary dialogue with the Chorus and later developing more extended dialogue, with Aeschylus adding a second actor in the fifth century and finally Sophocles who added a third. It is from this strong tradition of choral song and dance that it's form developed, the poetic meter setting the rhythm for the choral dance. Because its meter varied it could express mood, speeding up to indicate urgency or anxiety or lengthening syllable to indicate sadness and mourning. It is also thought that the Chorus mimed what it sang and was often accompanied by them music of pipes, adding to its intensity and drama.

Aeschylus' Oresteia comprises three interconnecting plays that are largely choral, the chorus central to it's overarching theme. As explained by John Jones, in On Aristotle and Greek Tragedy, the connection between the dominant Chorus and the trilogy is evident from the opening choral song of "Cry 'Sorrow, sorrow!' - but may the good prevail!" setting the moral tone and religious nature of the play. He explains how this idea is echoed directly, ironically, pathetically, devoutly, blasphemously and hopelessly by the Chorus throughout each play, culminating in the Chorus retreating from their threat of curse and finally blessing Athens; proving that the good in sacred and public life has prevailed.

The first play of the Oresteia, is Agamemnon in which the Chorus is comprised of the elderly men of Argos. Their role is to serve as a link to the past and the present within the story and to provide the overall context in which the events unfold. They critique the characters and their behavior within the moral and social context of their society. At other times, they take the role of 'second actor', providing the main actor with the opportunity to interact with another voice on the stage revealing their character in greater depth that could be achieved in single monologue. Most importantly the chorus performs in a lyric style that contrasts the formal nature of the rhetoric performed by the actors. McCaughey in Talking about Greek Tragedy explains that these plays are "...not word and word, but word and dance". This contrasting style of the chorus, often presented through song and dance juxtapose the rational discourse of the actors creating a vehicle that can feature, underline or stress emotions, reactions and reflections of the main action within the play. Conacher asserts that it is this feature of the chorus that makes Tragedy so powerful, allowing the themes to be stated in such a way that the audience feels it as a potent and immediate experience.

The aforementioned aspects of the Chorus will now be examined in a close reading of the "carpet" sequence (11.783ff) and the Cassandra sequence (11.976 ff) in Aeschylus' Agamemnon, to demonstrate its integral importance to Greek Tragedy.

The 'carpet sequence,' explains the events in which Clytemnestra incites her husband to walk amongst the gods, equal in his victory against Troy and justified in walking upon the purple silk clothes she has laid out before him. The tone of the chorus begins optimistically as they welcome the return of Agamemnon - 'King! Heir of Atreus! Conqueor of Troy!' But then proceeds to doubt and questions, as they begin to reflect on Agamemnon's lack of judgment and question his wisdom in his past decisions - 'When you led Greece to war for Helen's sake / You were set down as sailing / Far off the course of wisdom.' The ode ends in the negative where the Chorus resign themselves that only time will reveal - Who has been loyal, who has played you false. Conacher describes this sequence as a 'rhythm of disaster' set by the Chorus and repeated again and again within the choral odes as a pattern that emphasizes the thematic functions.

In this sequence the chorus link the past to the present as they address their king, Agamemnon. They greet him and assure him of their devotion but they allude to those that may not be so sincere - 'So now some harsh embittered faces, forced/ Into a seemly smile, will welcome you, / And hide the hearts of traitors/ Beneath their feigned rejoicing.' The chorus reflects that '... a wise king can tell the flatter's eye - / Moist, unctuous and fawning - / The expressive sign of loyalty unfelt.' The words of the chorus set up the idea that perhaps he is not as insightful or as wise as he thinks he is. They in fact makes the judgment that he was not wise in his actions that brought him to victory - 'We thought you wrong, misguided / ... / By offering sacrifice to calm the storm.' Before Agamemnon or Clytemnestra have spoken a word on stage, the chorus has imbued the audience with images of the past, reminding the audience that this victory of war has come at the cost of their daughter's life. As Conacher describes, the 'thematic' role of the Chorus is immense, bringing the past into the present, in such a way that the audience is able to imagine and actually feel their presence at the appropriate moments of the play.

As the scene unfolds Agamemnon boasts his victory and shows a proud, almost pious sense in his triumph. He dismisses the chorus' disapproval over his actions as jealousy, stating that - 'There are few whose inborn love / Warms without envy to a friend's prosperity.' Clytemnestra's declaration of her enduring love for her husband and recount of her fear and despair in his absence now seem exaggerated and overstated. In affect the chorus have revealed the undercurrent of Clytemnestra's true feelings, in their introduction, putting her words into a truer context. Similarly, as she coxes her husband to stand upon the crimson silk, an act that symbolizes a step taken on equal footing with the gods, it is reasonable for the audience to surmise that her motives are not as pure as she would have her husband believe.

Agamemnon, goaded by Clytemnestra takes the disastrous step and now the chorus despairs. Again they draw the audience into the rich imagery of the fleet, sailors shouting, bells chiming as they return victorious simultaneously using this image as a metaphor for destruction - 'Bold in success,