Chorus:
* Group of performers: The chorus is typically a group of actors who sing, dance, and comment on the action of the play.
* Collective voice: They represent the thoughts, feelings, and opinions of the community or society within the play.
* Direct address to audience: The chorus often addresses the audience directly, offering insights and explanations.
* Historical context: The chorus often provides historical background or context for the events of the play.
* Emotional response: They can express the emotional response to the events in the play, amplifying the audience's experience.
Narrator:
* Single individual: The narrator is a single character who tells the story of the play.
* Third-person perspective: The narrator typically speaks in the third person, observing and describing the events.
* Objective or subjective: The narrator can be objective, simply presenting the facts, or subjective, offering opinions and insights.
* Direct involvement in the story: The narrator may or may not be directly involved in the events of the play.
* Voice-over or onstage character: The narrator can be a voice-over, speaking from offstage, or an onstage character who addresses the audience directly.
Examples:
* Chorus: In Greek tragedy, the chorus provides commentary on the action, often representing the views of the community.
* Narrator: In Shakespeare's *Romeo and Juliet*, the prologue is narrated by a chorus, who provides background information on the story.
In summary, a chorus is a group of actors who comment on the action, while a narrator is a single individual who tells the story. They serve distinct purposes in a play and contribute to the overall storytelling experience in different ways.