Information Technology Reference
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eral subtext is displayed at the bottom of the screen, comically revealing in-
ner monologues replete with worries that the other person will not find the
speaker attractive. Such variations exemplify the wide range of roles that the
chorus can play, providing a rich base of potential functions for computational
narrative systems.
In ancient Greek theater, the chorus evolved through several eras and in-
carnations. Initially the chorus were separate from the actors in role, location,
and appearance, but over time they merged more and more with the actors
and the action. At first a collective, singing, dancing, and speaking together,
chorus members gradually emerged as individual speakers. Often, a chorus
leader spoke for the group or provided coherence for their diverse expressions.
Originally anonymous, their uniform identities accentuated by masks, chorus
members gradually appeared as personalities with particular views on issues
and events. And, beginning as a theatrical device whose function was to express
mood or tone, and whose contribution was to witness, comment, or clarify, the
chorus gradually shared responsibility for delivering pieces of the narrative.
In Sophocles's
Antigone
(Corrigan 1965), the chorus speak both singly and
collectively as they comment on the moral dilemma. Interestingly, their change
of view through the course of the drama suggests the sort of character devel-
opment that we would normally expect an individual actor to represent. The
chorus of elders begin by describing the conflict between Oedipus's sons. The
elders side with Creon in his decree that Eteocles should receive a decent burial
but Polyneices should not. Creon is king, they declare, and his word should be
the respected law of the land. Here the chorus speak separately but hold one
view. Even as they assert it, though, they acknowledge the complexity of the
issue by reserving the possibility that their view could be flawed, affected by
vulnerabilities of old age. Indeed, they waver as it becomes increasingly clear
that both Antigone's and Creon's arguments are substantive. Eventually real-
izing that Creon is behaving rashly, they continue to side with him but again
allow that old age may predispose them to a certain foolishness. They begin
cultivating a way out of their stated position by articulating two aspects of the
dilemma: “You acted for the good,” they tell Antigone,” but disobeyed the law.”
“What moral law have I disobeyed?” she asks.
The Law, it seems, may have more than one face. Originally siding with hu-
man law, the chorus now understand and respect “good,” the law of the gods.
They urge Creon to relinquish his decree, but it is too late. Faced with sweep-
ing tragedy, the elders condemn Creon and manage to frame the situation
in terms of themselves - they, like Creon, have changed through the horrific
events: “proud men in old age learn to be wise.” They have managed to both
