Oedipus Rex: Foil 1 key example

The Chorus serves as a foil for Oedipus throughout Oedipus Rex. The Chorus in Greek tragedies serves many roles, including that of narrator and ensemble. However, in Oedipus Rex they are not omniscient narrators and instead are ignorant of Oedipus's fate for much of the story. As such, the Chorus serves as a stand-in for an ignorant audience, frequently lamenting the state of Thebes and urging their king to save them from the curse of the gods. This enables Sophocles to build dramatic tension throughout the play, despite the fact that the audience already knows how the story will end. Similarly, the Chorus's shock and horror after discovering the truth of the situation and seeing a blinded Oedipus for the first time heightens the pathos of the play's climax.