Antigone: Emotion and Chorus Essay

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The Chorus: The Real Main Character Plays throughout history captivate the minds and hearts of the audience watching. The plight of the protagonist, the evil of the antagonist, and the swaying opinions of the supporting cast create the perfect situation for deep emotional cleansing. In Greek drama, the supporting cast is called the chorus. The chorus, through voicing opinions and personifying the emotion of the scene, greatly influences the characters and events in the play. The chorus’ influence on Creon completely changes the course of the play, and its result. Creon makes very rash decisions in Scene one concerning the burial of Antigone’s brother, Polyneices, and rather than oppose him, the chorus backs him up. According to the chorus, they say, “None are so foolish as to seek for death (I, 250),” to please Creon, and break moral law to do this. By doing this, the chorus lets Creon choose his own law over their god’s law. However, later on in the play, the chorus, and especially the chorogus, causes a change of heart in Creon. Creon sees his mistakes and is humbled. This is the turning point of the play, and is only possible through the chorus. The chorus’ influence on Antigone affects her emotions, and eventually tries to save her through Creon. Antigone is extremely despondent as she walks to her death, but the chorus cheers her by saying, “Surely you carry fame with you and praise…. You were in charge of your own fate (III, 942,946).” Her fate does not seem so menacing to her as a result of this. Also, the chorus changes its collective consciousness mind on the subject of Antigone’s plight. This shows that moral law trumps civil law in every case. This means that Antigone is in the right all along. Throughout the play,

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