Point of View

Since these works are plays, the point of view is that of a spectator. We are watching the action from the viewpoint of someone who can see many things that the characters themselves cannot see, though we are not presented an omniscient viewpoint. The reader or theatergoer's point of view mirrors the point of view of the Chorus. The Chorus is a group of usually twelve people that comment on the action of the play; oftentimes, the leader of the chorus will also engage with some of the characters in the play. They can act as a kind of ideal spectator in that they often reveal underlying motivations and background that the audience may not have access to through the action of the play. They are also convenient because during their interludes, the playwright can change scenes or locations. Much of the dramatic effect in Greek...