Agamemnon

Drama | Aeschylus

Comment on the role and function of the Chorus in the play “Agamemnon.”

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Comment on the role and function of the Chorus in the play Agamemnon NU Or assess the role of the chorus in Agamemnon NU Agamemnon BCE written by Aeschylus c BCE c BCE is the first play of The Oresteia It presents the tragic story of revenge and fate in the House of Atreus In this play the Chorus plays a very important role They are not only observers but also guides of the audience They help to explain events express fear and judge actions Their function is central to both the meaning and structure of the play Voice of Tradition The Chorus speaks as the voice of Argos They represent the older generation and traditional beliefs Their words show respect for gods customs and fate They give background about the Trojan War and its reasons They remind the audience of Agamemnon s sacrifice of Iphigenia Through them we learn

about divine justice and human weakness Their views highlight Greek values of respect honour and obedience Thus they serve as teachers of moral lessons Guide for Audience The Chorus acts like a guide for the audience They explain the meaning of signs and events For example they describe the signal fires that announce Troy s fall They also interpret suffering as a path to wisdom Their comment The scales of Justice move to show wisdom comes through suffering In this way the Chorus connects action with ideas They make the audience think about justice suffering and destiny Voice of Warning The Chorus often warns against pride and sin They remind us that arrogance leads to downfall They reflect on Paris s crime of stealing Helen They also fear Agamemnon s pride in walking on the purple carpets Their words suggest that even victory may bring punishment They say Old violent aggression loves to generate new troubles among evil men Such warnings prepare the audience for Agamemnon s tragic death They act as moral judges in the play Share in Fear The Chorus shows human fear and confusion When Agamemnon cries from inside the palace they panic They do not know whether to call for help or stay silent Their confusion reflects human weakness in the face of fate They are powerless to stop Clytemnestra s act But they show the natural reaction of people in danger Through them Aeschylus adds realism to the play They share human emotions of sorrow fear and helplessness In Chorus Parodos Sing out the song of sorrow song of grief but let the good prevail Link to Future The Chorus connects present events with the future They remind the audience of the curse on the House of Atreus After Agamemnon s death they pray for Orestes to return They see the cycle of revenge continuing They say The man who sins is sinned against the killer pays the price This shows the endless chain of blood and revenge The Chorus thus prepares for the next plays in the trilogy They connect past present and future In conclusion we can say that the Chorus plays many roles teachers judges guides and witnesses They explain the story give moral lessons and warn against pride They show human fear and link events to future revenge Their presence gives depth to the play and makes the audience reflect on justice and fate Without the Chorus the drama would lose its meaning guidance and tragic atmosphere

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