Chorus of the elderly in classical Greek drama

The chorus of the elderly in classical Greek drama is a common trope in the theater of that period. Out of the thirty or so plays that are extant from the classical period, seven have choruses that consist of elderly people.[1] Choruses in ancient drama often provided some moralizing lesson to the protagonist, especially in tragedy. However, the figures of the elderly chorus often seem to imply a traditional way of thinking that has become outdated with time, or, in some cases, provide a model of inefficacy. As history progressed from the early stages of Greek drama (with Aeschylus) the chorus became more integrated with the happenings on stage, rendering the chorus a messenger between the world of the audience and that of the actors.[2]

  1. ^ Falkner, Thomas M. The Poetics of Old Age in Greek Epic, Lyric and Tragedy.Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1995.242
  2. ^ Kitto, H.D.F. Greek Tragedy London: Methuen, 1939. 55