The people of Thebes are in serious trouble; Oedipus has to figure out who killed Laius fast, or he won't have any subjects left to rule. Unlike his contemporary Euripides, Sophocles was known to integrate his choruses into the action of the play.
In Oedipus the King we see the Chorus constantly advising Oedipus to keep his cool:. Much I fear From this dead calm will burst a storm of woes. Most of the time in ancient tragedies choruses do a lot of lamenting of terrible events, but do little to stop them. Amazingly, though, the Chorus in Oedipus the King manages to convince Oedipus not to banish or execute Creon.
The Chorus in Oedipus the King goes through a distinct character arc. They begin by being supportive of Oedipus, believing, based on his past successes, that he's the right man to fix their woes. As Oedipus' behavior becomes more erratic, they become uncertain and question his motives. The fact Oedipus doesn't start lopping off heads at this point is pretty good evidence that he's not a tyrant. In the end, the Chorus is on Oedipus' side again and laments his horrific fate.
The chorus is also critical for the structure and the progression of the plotline through foreshadowing. Above all, the chorus guides the audience by explicitly saying what may be inferred and questioning what is doubtful. Remember: This is just a sample from a fellow student. Starting from 3 hours delivery. Sorry, copying is not allowed on our website. We will occasionally send you account related emails. This essay is not unique. Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay.
Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper. Want us to write one just for you? We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. This essay has been submitted by a student. This is not an example of the work written by professional essay writers. Get help with writing. Pssst… we can write an original essay just for you. Your time is important. Get essay help. Hammon Essay. The audience, like Oedipus, does not know what the future holds in store.
The Chorus at the end of Oedipus at Colonus seems genuinely to express the thought that there is nothing left to say, because everything rests in the hands of the gods.
The final chorus of Antigone, on the other hand, seems on the surface much more hopeful than either of the other two but is actually much more ominous and ambivalent. Antigone ends with a hope for knowledge—specifically the knowledge that comes out of suffering. This ending is quite different from the endings of the other two plays, from a mere truism about death or the fact that fate lies outside human control. While the Chorus may believe that people learn through suffering, Sophocles may have felt differently.
Antigone represents the last events in a series begun by Oedipus the King, but it was written before either of the other two Oedipus plays.
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