Philoctetes

Analyze the three viewpoints held by Philoctetes, Neoptolemus, and Odysseus. How do the three characters differ in how they see their situation, and what does this suggest about how they see the world more broadly?

Philoctetes is now frequently used in the context of addressing veterans, particularly those who are disabled or suffering from PTSD. What modern-day message does the play offer for these groups and those hoping to better understand them?

Before Heracles intervenes, it’s suggested that Neoptolemus is preparing to bring Philoctetes home, though he never says this outright: “If that is what you want, we will go” (68), he says. Is Neoptolemus genuine in this moment in his intention to bring Philoctetes back to Skyros, or is the move another trick to get Philoctetes on the boat to Troy? What is the evidence supporting either side?

Analyze Neoptolemus’ moral struggle throughout the play. Is he an honorable character as the other characters believe, or does his willingness to go along with Odysseus’ trickery so that he can secure the Greek’s victory in Troy suggest he’s driven more by self-interest?

Examine the play’s deus ex machina device of having Heracles convince Philoctetes to go to Troy. Why does this ultimately persuade Philoctetes when Neoptolemus and Odysseus could not? How does ending the play in this way affect the overall story?

Philoctetes wrestles between whether deception in the name of a greater good—in this case, winning the Trojan War—is honorable or shameful. What stance does Sophocles take on this issue through the play? Through the debates, what message does the play ultimately offer about the morality of deception?

Examine the chorus in Philoctetes. What purpose do they serve in the play? What does their presence accomplish that Neoptolemus alone cannot?

Philoctetes takes place during the final year of the Trojan War. What do you learn about the war through the play and its characters?