Poetic Terms Dictionary
Structure

Strophe

From Greek strophe: turning. Named for the chorus's movement across the stage. In modern usage, 'strophe' sometimes means simply 'stanza.'

Definition

In Greek choral performance and Pindaric odes, the first of the three movement stanzas (strophe, antistrophe, epode) danced by the chorus.

Example

The chorus of Sophocles' Antigone alternates strophe and antistrophe, each metrically identical.

Related Terms

Antistrophe Epode Pindaric Ode Choral Poetry