Medea Journal #1: What is the role of the chorus in Medea?
The chorus is interesting in the amount of sympathy it has for Medea. In Oedipus, the chorus gave overviews of what happened, but there seemed to be a disconnect. Oedipus was a twisting, confusing play, however. The chorus was necessary in order to keep everything straight, and I think that was its primary role. But in Medea, the chorus is like a trusted friend of Medea, whispering its sympathies in our ear. Euripides does this because the story begins with Jason leaving Medea and Medea mourning this. There was a lot of backstory to this event happening, in which Medea saves Jason twice, even killing her own brother. Then Jason leaves her for another woman, and Medea is frighteningly angry. If one did not know the backstory, one might think that Medea is unreasonably angry, and ther would be no sympathy for her. But the chorus provides this, and pity is put into place. But then Euripides twists our feelings again, as Medea lashes out on her sons. The audience feels pity and fear at the same time, the sign of a true tragedy. The chorus is an important role in this precarious balancing act, as the provider of sympathy.