アリストパネース初期喜劇に見るコロスの二層
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概要
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Unlike its counterpart in tragedy the chorus of comedy has its own will and plays a decisive role, especially in the earlier comedies of Aristophanes. But this characteristic feature of the comic chorus is conspicuous only in the scenes before the parabasis, in particular in the parodos or "a battle scene". Then the chorus occupies the central stage together with protagonists and participates in the process of the plot. Each chorus is supposed to have been chosen to enhance the effect of these scenes of the play. After the parabasis, however, the function of the chorus is down played and they retreat behind the actors. A less decisive character appears to be assigned to the chorus in the latter half of the play. Yet we can find some significant passages in which the chorus sings or speaks in relation to the main theme of the play. In Acharnians the chorus as Acharnian charcoal burners try to stand against Dikaiopolis and his private peace-treaty. They are chosen, I think, as resentatives of Attic farmers who had suffered badly in the Spartan invasions. Charcoal symbolizes burning resentment and the obstinacy of the chorus which is shown in the battle scene. But in a song after the parabasis the chorus sing their yearning for peace and desire to return to their farms. It is not the feeling of the Acharnian charcoal burners but of the Attic farmers in general that is represented here. In Knights the confrontation between Kleon and the Knights takes place in the elaborate scene of the parodos which also functions as the battle-scene. The chorus of the knights thoroughly shows their prowess that was proved in an actual battle. But gradually they lose their character as knights until, in the final scene, they together with spectators welcome the rejuvenated Demos. Then the chorus and spectators can be identified as Athenian citizens whose main concern is the politics of their polis. Though the next play, Clouds, has no battle-scene, it provides us with a most impressive parodos with the songs and the entrance of the chorus. The function of this parodos and the following scene, I think, is to portray Socrates as a researcher of astronomy, meteorology etc. and follower of non-traditional gods like clouds. After the parabasis, however, another side of the chorus becomes visible and finally it admonishes Strepsiades for his misconduct from the standpoint of traditional moralizing gods. The chorus of Wasps are old Athenian jurors as they enter at the parodos, but they are said to become waspish once they get provoked. And in fact they fight fiercely like wasps in the battle-scene. But after the parabasis they resume the character of the old jurors. They praise Bdelykleon and envy Philokleon who has got such a good son, for the play unfolds around the theme of a "sick" old man's cure and re-education by his son. The chorus in the parabasis has an independent function. After the ode they sing and address to audience in character, but the theme there is often not related to the plot or the main theme of the play. Aristophanes seems to have used these parts as a place to express his personal concerns on current topics through the mouth of the chorus of his plays.