Who is the chorus in this tragedy?

In essence, the Chorus in Greek tragedy is the embodiment of the city. It is a group of people intended to represent the opinions, hopes, fears, and sorrows of the collective Greek polis. They act as one single unit and present the opinion of history, the judgement of the audience.

What was the chorus in ancient Greek tragedy?

The chorus in Classical Greek drama was a group of actors who described and commented upon the main action of a play with song, dance, and recitation. Greek tragedy had its beginnings in choral performances, in which a group of 50 men danced and sang dithyrambs—lyric hymns in praise of the god Dionysus.

How many chorus are there in a Greek tragedy?

The chorus originally consisted of fifty members, but some later playwrights changed the size. Aeschylus likely lowered the number to twelve, and Sophocles raised it again to fifteen. Fifteen members were used by Euripides and Sophocles in tragedies.

What are three functions of the chorus in Greek tragedy?

They function, scholars have suggested variously, to offer a sense of rich spectacle to the drama; to provide time for scene changes and give the principle actors a break; to offer important background and summary information that facilitates an audience’s ability to follow the live performance; to offer commentary …

What is the role of the chorus in Dr Faustus?

The chorus speaks directly to the audience and tells the basic background history of Faustus and explains that the play is to concern his downfall. The chorus is also used to express the author’s views and to remind the audience of the proper moral to be learned from the play itself.

How was the Greek chorus usually costumes?

Traditionally in Greek theatre Comedic performers wore the everyday garments of the Greeks. This included a body stocking, an under tunic, a draped woolen garment called a chiton, and possibly a form of draped outerwear called a himation.

Are Greek chorus still used today?

The ancient Greek chorus is still used in some modern plays and films, and often in modern musicals.

What is the leader of a Greek chorus called?

Greek choruses originally had anywhere between 12 and 50 singers and dancers, but many modern iterations of the Greek chorus are smaller. There is always a chorus leader, called the coryphaeus, who speaks for the rest of the group.

What did the Greek chorus wear?

Members of the chorus also wore masks, except all members wore the same mask because they were all representing one character. Illustrations of the masks rarely showed them in use during performances but rather when they were being handled by the actors before or after a performance.