The Role of the Chorus in"Oedipus Rex"

A common theme found in Greek plays is the use of a chorus. The chorus, a group of people that would serve as a parallel between the actors and the audience, can be found in almost every Greek play. In "Oedipus Rex," the chorus appears at the end of each scene and provides the audience with commentary on the story and the characters. By interacting with both the play and the audience, the chorus causes the audience to become a significant part of the play.
While the main function of the Greek plays was simply to entertain, they did serve another significant purpose. This purpose was to communicate a certain message to the audience. Sophocles uses the chorus in "Oedipus" to clearly display his message to the audience. He does this by having the chorus reflect the viewpoints and interpretations of the play that Sophocles intended the audience to have. Plainly, the chorus reflects the intended thought processes of the members of the audience. Also, as the play evolves, the...