What does “you don't need a husband, you need a Greek chorus!” mean?

Question

A female friend recently saw a video of pretty old movie, “The Last Station” (directed by Michael Hoffman), which illustrates the struggle of Leo Tolstoy (the Russian author) to balance fame and wealth with his commitment to a life devoid of material things.She said that in the movie, Tolstoy declares “**You don't need a husband, you need a Greek chorus**!” to his wife, who growls back “I’m gonna be Anna Karenina by being buried under a tramcar. See how the papers will like that!” My friend asked me what “You need a Greek chorus” meant.I haven’t seen that movie, therefore I have no idea regarding the meaning of that line.Does “Greek chorus” have a specific, figurative meaning in this line, or does it simply mean that his wife was more interested in the notion of having a Greek chorus than on having a husband?

Answer 1

The traditional purpose of a Greek chorus was to be "the perfect spectator" to a drama. They didn't engage; they just witnessed a drama, and were given a pause in the action where they were meant to inform, or reflect, what an audience should feel or think. But they were not to engage with the characters; they simply witnessed. A husband, by contrast, should be an active partner; a person with his own thoughts and feelings, who engages with his partner. So, to tell someone they need a Greek chorus, not a husband, means they (basically) want someone to witness drama, not to engage as an actual partner or active character in someone's life.