Final answer:
The chorus serves as a mediator between Oedipus and Creon, attempting to calm the tension (Option 1). It provides neutral commentary, offers advice, and reflects on the events throughout the play, guiding the audience's understanding of the moral and philosophical dilemmas.
Step-by-step explanation:
The role of the chorus in Greek tragedies, particularly in the works of Sophocles, is vital to the narrative and thematic development of the play. In the context of the conflict between Oedipus and Creon, the chorus takes on a particular role.
Based on the information given, Option 1 is the correct option: The chorus serves as a mediator between Oedipus and Creon, attempting to calm the tension. In Greek tragedies, the chorus often assumes a neutral position, providing commentary, asking questions, and offering advice to the main characters while reflecting on the play's events. Its role is to guide the audience's moral and philosophical understanding of the play, rather than to align with any particular character's perspective.
Furthermore, the chorus's mediation reflects the dynamics and themes that Sophocles may have intended, such as the fallibility of humans and the inescapable nature of fate. The chorus's attempts to mediate and reduce the tensions between characters underscore the tragedy's thematic concerns with human suffering, pride, and the consequences of one's actions.