General Tips On Choral Odes

Question 1

What should you do straight away with an ode ?

Answer 1

Fully read it
- common that it starts with something general but in the end that the connection to a play is made

Question 2

What should you consider with regards to a play and an ode ?

Answer 2

• What is going on around it ?
• What happens before and after ?(is there an ironic contrast between what’s said now and a revelation just after)
• Does it include thematic elements running through the play?

Question 3

What is important about if a chorus uses myth ?

Answer 3

Common to a Greek audience and alluding to it
- helps the audience understand how the story relates to it
- perhaps it casts light on something

Question 4

Should you accept whatever the chorus say ?

Answer 4

No
Be skeptical about the Chorus morals and agenda
- don’t always map straight forwardly may create a gap between audience knowledge and chorus knowledge quit important as a tool for irony

Question 5

What is a a stasimon?

Answer 5

General term for a Greek tragic ode

The first is the parados then all after are the stasimon
- the first stasimon is the second ode