Philoctetes

Odysseus and Neoptolemus arrive on a near-deserted island for the purpose of bringing Philoctetes back to Troy in hopes of fulfilling a prophecy of victory. Odysseus was one of the men who stranded Philoctetes there, after Philoctetes received an agonizing snake bite on his foot for walking on sacred ground. Odysseus persuades Neoptolemus to trick Philoctetes into coming with them, pretending that he is going home to Greece and also hates Odysseus. Neoptolemus, being mostly honest, rather reluctantly goes along with it and meets up with the pathetic figure of Philoctetes.

Philoctetes is quick to trust him, partially because he knew Achilles, Neoptolemus' father, who was a pretty honest guy. As a fit of pain comes over Philoctetes, Neoptolemus receives his magic bow and he is filled with pity and empathy for the miserable man. Odysseus reappears to force Philoctetes to come to Troy, and Philoctetes turns against Neoptolemus. After a failed attempt at persuading him to come on his own, Neoptolemus decides to go against the wishes of Odysseus and the rest of the army, and promises to take Philoctetes back to Greece. Before this happens the ghost of Herakles (the bow's original owner) appears and informs Philoctetes that he must go to Troy, and that he will be cured there.

Though Euripides and Aeschylus also wrote plays on the character, only Sophocles' version survives.


 * Angst: Philoctetes realizes it a lot.
 * The Archer: Philoctetes, whose only means of getting food was by shooting it.
 * Character Title
 * Deserted Island: Philoctetes was stranded far from society, and whenever anybody did dock in they just left him there.
 * Deus Ex Machina: Herakles solves the problem rather tidily from beyond the grave.
 * Dirty Business: Odysseus and Neoptolemus tricking Philoctetes to go with them in order that the Greeks could finally win the war.
 * Guile Hero: Odysseus. In a negative way.
 * I Did What I Had to Do: Odysseus argues expedience to Neoptolemus both for what they are going to do, and for leaving Philoctetes stranded in the first place.
 * MacGuffin: Herakles' bow.
 * Parental Substitute: With Achilles out of the picture and Philoctetes having a positive remembrance of him, he starts to become this to Neoptolemus, who needs guidance.
 * Shoot the Dog: Odysseus. It is pragmatic both to bring Philoctetes to Troy so that the war will end and to trick him to do so because he would never agree of his own will. It's also totally Jerkass under the circumstances.
 * Third-Act Misunderstanding: As Neoptolemus begins to contemplate not forcing Philoctetes to go, Odysseus shows up, the lies are revealed and Philoctetes becomes very bitter and angry towards Neoptolemus, who is ultimately an honourable guy.
 * Tragedy: Don't let the happy ending fool you; the play is still a tragedy.
 * Wound That Will Not Heal: Philoctetes has a particularly smelly, festering one that he got from a snake for walking on sacred ground. Herakles convinces him to go to Troy partially because it will be healed at some point there.