The Choruses of Sophocles and Euripides
The choruses of both Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex and Antigone and Euripides’
Medea sympathize with and guide the conscience of their respective heroes, but
Sophocles’ chorus is elevated above common folk while Euripides’ chorus is more
relatable to the ordinary person. While Sophocles conveys the inevitability of fate and the
folly of trying to prevent it, Euripides demonstrates how friends will try to help
circumvent what is fated to happen.
Though they express sympathy and offer advice to Oedipus and Antigone, the
senators of Thebes that comprise Sophocles’ chorus are highly sophisticated, elevating
them beyond the realm of the common man. The chorus pities Antigone, crying “O my
child, of daring, / Against the lofty threshold of the laws / Didst stumble and fall”
(Antigone, 32). They feel distanced, however, because of their apparent superiority over
common folk, as they refer to the rest of the population as “generations of mankind! /
How do I find / Your lives nought worth at all!” (Oedipus Rex, 42). Because they exclude
themselves from the “generation of mankind” that they refer to, they are placing
themselves on a pedestal and distancing themselves from the other characters and
audience. The chorus constantly invokes the gods, often with affectionate epithets such as
“Jove’s golden child” (Oedipus Rex, 8). They are distancing themselves further by
referring to the deities so often, which implies that they have some almighty power or
sight akin to those of the gods. The chorus indeed possesses some talents in prophecy, for
they foreshadow tragedy to come. By reminding the heroes of their inevitable fate and
advising them not to make an attempt to avoid the inevitable, Sophocles’ chorus conveys
his purpose.
Euripides’ chorus, comprised of Corinthian women, is more down-to-earth,
allowing it to relate more to the characters as well as the audience. Like the senators of
Thebes, the chorus of Medea also sympathizes with the heroine, assuring her that she is
“in the right” (Medea, 9). Whereas the chorus of Sophocles acts superior than Oedipus
Rex or Antigone, the Corinthian women regard themselves as Medea’s equals. They
fondly refer to her as a friend, offering, “My willingness to help will never / Be wanting
to my friends” (Medea, 7). This differs form the chorus of Oedipus Rex and Antigone
who consider themselves as mentors rather than “friends.” Euripides’ chorus begs Medea
“by [her] knees” to not kill her children, something Sophocles’ chorus’ dignity would not
permit (Medea, 27). Sure, they advise Oedipus and Antigone, but they will not go so far
as to drop to the floor and beg. The chorus in Medea does not possess any all-seeing,
prophetic powers that Sophocles’ chorus possesses, for they are just as surprised as
Medea is by the outcome of the play, wondering, “What we though / Is not confirmed and
what we thought no god / Contrives” (Medea, 47). The chorus of Sophocles, however, is
not surprised by the tragic turn of events. Medea’s chorus attempts to help Medea
circumvent her fate by persuading her not to commit the murder. Euripides conveys the
possibility of circumventing fate.
Sophocles’ chorus is a pessimistic reminder that such powerless humans are mere
pawns in fate’s game, whereas Euripides keeps the possibility of human control over life
alive.