Like the chorus in many Greek tragedies, the
chorus in Oedipus Rex
represents the voice of the greater society. The elders of the chorus are
considered to represent men of Thebes who honor and respect the king and the
gods. Their odes show both the knowledge of religious culture as well as strong
loyalty to the king.
The functions of the Chorus are very
well performed in Oedipus Rex. In the very first ode the Chorus depicts the horror of the
plague. Other odes comment on the action that has taken place after the last
ode and build an atmosphere appropriate to that stage of the play. Its most
significant response is when Oedipus and Jocasta have expressed irreverent
thoughts against the oracles. At many other times also they reflect the
dominant mood and help to deepen it. In the fifth or last choric ode in Oedipus Rex, the Chorus reflects the dejection of Oedipus and says that
all the generations of moral man add up to nothing. At end the chorus says: “Now as we keep our
watch and wait the final day,/count no man happy till he dies, free of pain at
last.”
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