Typical Structure of a Tragedy
1. Prologue: A monologue or dialogue preceding the entry of the chorus, which
presents the tragedy's topic.
2. Parode (Entrance Ode): The entry chant of the chorus, often in an anapestic
(short-short-long) marching rhythm (four feet per line). Generally, they remain
on stage throughout the remainder of the play. Although they wear masks, their
dancing is expressive, as conveyed by the hands, arms and body.
Typically the parode and other choral odes involve the following parts,
repeated in order several times:
1. Strophê (Turn): A stanza in which the chorus moves in one direction
(toward the altar).
2. Antistrophê (Counter-Turn): The following stanza, in which it moves in
the opposite direction. The antistrophe is in the same meter as the
strophe.
3. Epode (After-Song): The epode is in a different, but related, meter to the
strophe and antistrophe, and is chanted by the chorus standing still. The
epode is often omitted, so there may be a series of strophe-antistrophe
pairs without intervening epodes.
3. Episode: There are several episodes (typically 3-5) in which one or two actors
interact with the chorus. They are, at least in part, sung or chanted. Speeches
and dialogue are typically iambic hexameter: six iambs (short-long) per line,
but rhythmic anapests are also common. In lyric passages the meters are treated
flexibly. Each episode is terminated by a stasimon:
4. Stasimon (Stationary Song): A choral ode in which the chorus may comment
on or react to the preceding episode.
5. Exode (Exit Ode): The exit song of the chorus after the last episode.
Ancient Greek Play Structure Applied to Antigone
Part
Main Action
Page #
Prologue
Antigone declares her intention to defy Creon's decree against
burying her brother, _____________. She also observes that this
decree seems aimed directly at her.
3-5
Parados
The elders of Thebes glory in the victory in yesterday's attack on
the seven gates of Thebes.
Chorus: 5-6
Episode 1
Creon decrees that anyone burying ______________ will be
stoned to death inside Thebes.
Stasimon 1
The elders of Thebes revel in the greatness of
________________.
Episode 2
The guard explains how he found the perpetrator of the crime and
how she performed the proper __________ rights.
_______________ freely admits to her crime, and. Creon decides
to arrest her.
Stasimon 2
The old men of Thebes speak about the ___________ blindness
that seems to infest Oedipus' family.
Chorus: 1516
Episode 3
Haemon tries convince his father to save ________________ .
16-20
Stasimon 3
The chorus blame the city's current turmoil on Love and hassles
Antigone about her actions and parentage.
Chorus: 20
Episode 4
Creon condemns ____________ to being entombed alive with her
last meal; Antigone assumes no one will mourn her.
Stasimon 4
The elders of Thebes site other famous people who were buried
alive or turned to stone as punishment by the gods.
Chorus: 23
Episode 5
Tiresias straightens out _______________, but predicts that his
slowness to rescind his decree will cost him the rest of his
_______________ .
23-26
Stasimon 5
Choral Paean: The elders of Thebes celebrate Creon's relenting.
Chorus: 2627
Epilog
The messenger has some bad news and some more bad news.
Exodos
Fate teaches wisdom and piety, claim the Theban elders.
6-10
Chorus: 1011
11-15
20-23
27-30
30: Last
Stanza