THE CHORUS IN KING OEDIPUS The chorus sings lyrical songs of great poetic grace and profundity.

Some of the odes are beautiful self-contained poems in themselves. They also to some degree comment on the action of the play and explain some of the main themes. The choral odes are more formal and poetic than the episodes in each play, the odes in this play are especially grand and powerful. Are the choral reflections Sophocles' own ideas or not? Certainly it is generally accepted that the chorus's fear of the gods in the play is significant. They are presumably the ideas and emotions of the "ideal spectator" or the ordinary person for much of the play. To some extent the chorus is of course a "character" i.e. the citizens of Thebes. They certainly add to the effect in the play of terror and pity inspired by the gods. The chorus is sympathetic and loyal to Oedipus in the play but there is a measure of detatchment there too. Their dramatic value is in the introduction of new characters, asking questions, answering questions and advising moderation. E.g. they intervene in the quarrels between Oedipus and Tiresias and Oedipus and Creon. Above all their odes create an almost religious mood varying from despair to hope and joy to enormous grief and terror. In this way they emphasise and maximise the impact of the major moments of the play. 1. In the parados the chorus sings of its concern for the sinking city of Thebes. From the very start, they emphasise terror and worship of the gods, placing their faith in Oedipus but also in Zeus, Apollo, Artemis, Athene and the other gods. They create an atmosphere of terror and awful devastation caused by the plague "Thebes is dying". 2. In the second choral ode, they build up the tension and suspense that surrounds the chase of the killer and an atmosphere of fear enhancing dramatic tension. They re-state their loyalty to their king "Never will I convict my king, never in my heart". 3. The next ode is a prayer that they may always worhip the gods and above all, fear them.There is a condemnation of hubris, a wish that the evil may be punished and a devout prayer for religion to prevail."Pride breeds the tyrantcrammed to bursting and rich with ruin". They wonder if the old gods are going down, if their prophecies have come to nothing.

4. There is real irony in the next, joyful ode which has an air of great hope. The chorus wonder is Oedipus even a son of one of the gods? These hopes are cruelly shattered within minutes. So there is a hugely effective crash from the happy mood created by the choral ode to the sudden revelation of the awful truth.

5. The final ode is one longing for stability and certainty and lamenting how uncertain life is "Is there a man on earth who seizes more joy than just a dream, a vision?" They point out how Oedipus "outranged all men" and still was brought crashing low by the gods. 6. The exodus message of the so famous and terror. "COUNT LAST". (final ode as the chorus leaves) sums up play: they tell all to look on Oedipus who so great, now overwhelmed by a black sea NO MAN HAPPY TILL HE DIES, FREE OF PAIN the was of AT