| A chorus in Greek tragedy plays a complex role. On the one hand it is a dramatic character that participates in the plot. On the other hand it sometimes appears to function as a passive commentator on the plot and to stand at a distance from the play as if it is merely a spectator. Choruses, especially those of young women, are also popular outside drama in archaic and classical Greece: they often perform at religious festivals and weddings. I examine a chorus of young women in one particular play, showing to what extent this group behaves as Greeks would expect from non-dramatic choruses of young women. Greek tragedies, as well as other ancient texts, can still affect people nowadays in spite of their stuffy age. I find it fascinating to reveal something of their dynamics by comparing them to other texts and taking the historical background into consideration. |
