The Chorus Character Analysis in Medea

The Chorus is composed of a group of Corinthian women who have assembled outside of 's house because of the loud wailing and lamentation they have overheard coming from it. In many cases the Chorus can be taken as standing in for the audience of the play—reacting as the audience would (and in doing so subtly guiding the audience in its own reactions). The chief difference, of course, is that the Chorus participates in the action and dialogue.

The Chorus Quotes in Medea

The Medea quotes below are all either spoken by The Chorus or refer to The Chorus. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

Tell us, Nurse. At the gate I heard [Medea]
Crying inside the house.
I don't like to see the family suffering.
I sympathize with them.

Related Characters: The Chorus (speaker), Medea, The Nurse

Page Number and Citation: 123-126

Explanation and Analysis:

Sacred rivers flow uphill:
Justice and all things are reversed.

Related Characters: The Chorus (speaker)

Page Number and Citation: 399-400

Explanation and Analysis:

Jason, you have put a fine gloss on your words.
But – I may not be wise to say this – I think
You've acted wrongly: you have betrayed your wife.

Related Characters: The Chorus (speaker), Medea, Jason

Page Number and Citation: 553-555

Explanation and Analysis:

The Chorus Character Timeline in Medea

The timeline below shows where the character The Chorus appears in Medea. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...be forced through extremes as Medea has. The middle course, the Nurse comments, is best. The Chorus of Corinthian women enters, and speaks for the first time, saying it heard Medea crying. (full context)

The Chorus asks the Nurse to tell them what's going on. The Nurse responds that Medea and... (full context)

The Nurse asks if the Chorus hears the way Medea calls out to the gods, and says that she's certain to... (full context)

Medea enters at the door. She tells the Chorus of Corinthian women that she has come out because she does not want them to... (full context)

...that, despite what men say, women's lives are no safer than theirs. The women of the Chorus , Medea says, have a home, but she has no family or safe place to... (full context)

She asks the Chorus for a favor, not to say anything if she can find a way to punish... (full context)

The Chorus wonders where Medea will find refuge from her troubles. Medea admits that she is beset... (full context)

The Chorus begins its first choral ode by singing that sacred rivers now flow uphill. Men are... (full context)

...without women and women shouldn't exist at all. Then, he says, life would be happy. The Chorus responds by saying Jason speaks well, but that he has acted wrongly and betrayed his... (full context)

The Chorus begins the second choral ode, reflecting on the occurrences in the preceding exchange. The Chorus... (full context)

In its ode, the Chorus insists that it witnesses the terrible suffering of exile first hand in Medea and wishes... (full context)

...She wishes Aegeus luck on his journey and swears she will reach his city soon. The Chorus makes a prayer to Hermes, the messenger god and god of travellers, to guide Aegeus... (full context)

The Chorus says that because Medea shared her plan, it wants to help her, but says it... (full context)

The Chorus begins its third choral ode, calling the Athenians children of the gods and their land... (full context)

...won't live long because of their impending exile. She weeps on one of the boys. The Chorus interrupts to say it too is weeping and hopes things don't get worse. (full context)

Medea tells Jason to send a maid (a member of the Chorus ) to get the presents and tell the children to take the gifts to the... (full context)

The Chorus begins its fourth choral ode, singing that it has no more hope for the boys'... (full context)

...to her plan, there is a choral interlude, not a formal choral ode, in which the Chorus of Corinthian women suggests that women, too, feel inspiration—even if it's lesser than that experienced... (full context)

And the worst misfortune, the Chorus adds, that can befall parents is to have brought up and provided for their children... (full context)

Medea addresses the Chorus members as friends and says that she sees the Messenger from the palace, one of... (full context)

...can only be more or less fortunate, not happy. His long, expository monologue concludes and the Chorus says that Jason earned this great calamity. It pities the Princess for her attachment to... (full context)

Medea tells the Chorus she is resolved to kill the children and leave Corinth. She says she won't leave... (full context)

The Chorus begins its fifth choral ode. It asks Earth and Sun (Helios) to look down at... (full context)

The Chorus asks if it should enter the house. The children cry for help. The Chorus calls... (full context)

Jason enters and questions the Chorus if Medea is still in the house. He says she will either have to hide... (full context)

Jason asks where the children were killed. The Chorus tells him to open the door. He commands his servants to undo the bolts. He... (full context)

The Chorus speaks the final words in the play, saying that Zeus ordains many fates and the... (full context)