The Chorus in Greek Theatre

The traditional Greek Chorus, in both comic and tragic theatre, was a group of individual actors/performers speaking with the identity, and from the perspective, of a single character. Generally, the Chorus observed the action and commented on it, often in language more poetic than that of the central characters. In that context, the Chorus often presented and discussed the play's themes - while the central characters played those themes dramatically, the Chorus told the audience what they (the themes) were.

The Chorus in tragic theatre was, in general, more reactive than the Chorus in comedy. This is not to suggest that the Chorus in tragedy was unemotional, and did not relate to/with the central characters. On the contrary, in tragedies like "The Oresteia" and "The Bacchae," the Chorus led and inspired the characters through great intensities of emotion and experience. It could...