Heaney's play The Burial at Thebes is a version of the Greek tragedy Antigone by the Athenian playwright Sophocles (c496-406 BCE). According to Heaney, it is not a translation but a version because he “was looking for a meaning and not a language” (Heaney, 2009, CDA5937, The Burial at Thebes - Interviews). This is in line with the commission of the play to celebrate 100 years of the Abbey Theater in 2004, as the founders, WB Yeats and Lady Gregory, were Irish “cultural nationalists” (Hardwick, 2008, p193). The change of title from the traditional Antigone to The Burial at Thebes shifts the characters' focus to the "controversial question of the burial of a prince, who was considered a defector" (Theocharis, 2009, CDA5937, L 'Burial at Thebes). - Interviews) allowing Heaney to mix Greek ideological tradition with Irish nationalism. The chorus of Greek tragedy is defined as a group of people who often participate and comment on the dramatic action, emphasizing traditional moral and social attitudes and providing commentary (Moohan, 2008). In Greek theater they also played a more practical role, entertaining the audience during the play with song and dance and allowing the performers to change. Most artists played two or more roles called dubbing. In The Burial at Thebes, director John Theocharis (2009) states that the chorus also adds dramatic tension and suspense while creating subjective and objective voices that underpin the context of the play. In examining the contribution of the chorus, this essay will look at the different functions of the chorus - their role as commentator, participant and commentator on the dramatic action and how they present traditional morality and society...... middle of paper.. ....ture of the piece, mainly based on Greek, expounds these values ​​in poetic form in the Choral Odes. The chorus' commentary on the characters and drama and their subsequent participation push the plot toward traditional ideas with encapsulation in their final summary. Works Cited Hardwick, L. (2008), “Seamus Heaney's The Burial at Thebes”, in Brown, R (ed.), Cultural Encounters (AA100 Book3), Milton Keynes, The Open University, pp.192-235 Heaney, S. ( 2004), The Burial at Thebes, London, Faber and Faber LtdHeaney, S. (2009), CDA5937 The Burial at Thebes – Interviews (audio CD AA100), Milton Keynes, The Open UniversityMoohan, E (2008), “Glossary”, in Moohan E (ed.), Reputations (AA100 Book1), The Open University, pp.231-238 Theocharis, J (2009), CDA5937 The Burial at Thebes – Interviews (Audio CD AA100), Milton Keynes, The Open University