Sophocles' "Antigone"

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that the roles of the Greek Chorus in Sophocles' "Antigone" are its technical functions as the logical division of the play into sequential parts and as the representation of the characters and the Chorus' own role as an autonomous entity in the plot of the play. The author explains that the Chorus as a character in the play appears as a single entity, thus using the first person singular body, "I", and acts as a lyrical commentator. The paper relates that the Chorus creates the connection between Sophocles' "Oedipus Rex" and "Antigone".

From the Paper:

"The typical technical characteristics of the Greek Chorus are generally maintained in Antigone. The Chorus sings as it enters onto the stage--the parodos--shortly after the first scene and unfolds the exposition of the play, i.e., the events that took place before the time of the play itself. In the exposition of Antigone [704-706, lines 117-179], the Chorus tells us about the great war of "the seven against Thebes" and, by that, provides the missing details such as the cause of death of Antigone's brother, the general atmosphere in the city (the aftermath), and the reasons that back and nourish Creon's unquestionable leadership as well as his blasphemous acts."

More papers on Sophocles' "Antigone":

• Analytical Essay # 103396 : "Sophocles' "Antigone" and Conflict"
• Persuasive Essay # 114381 : "Sophocles' Antigone and the Athenian State"
• Essay # 63415 : "Sophocles' "Antigone"

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