Essay on Philoctetes

Chapter 22- Odysseus shoots an arrow through Alcinous’s throat. Odysseus starts to kill everyone, while Telemachus leaves to get more weapons and shields. However, because he leaves the storeroom open Melanthius also retrieves weapons. Meanwhile, Athena, disguised as the Mentor, encourages Odysseus. After the battle ends, Phemius and Medon are kept

Seeking out the man who slew Laius leads Oedipus to question his own innocence, and leads into the final metamorphosis of Oedipus’ quest. Prompted by a messenger heralding the death of Polybus, he is beginning to dig into his past, going deeper than the possibility of his murdering Laius. He has become obsessed with his hunt for truth to the point where he is a worry to those around him: "He will listen to any voice that speaks disaster…" (III.7). He finally draws parallels between Laius and himself, realizing the horrible truth of his very existence; he has murdered his father and married his mother. This prompts him to gouge out his eyes, ending his search.

Odysseus describes this incident himself “I called back with another burst of anger, ‘Cyclops--if any man on the face of the earth should ask you who blinded you, shamed you so--say Odysseus, raider of cities, he gouged out your eye, Laertes’ son who makes his home in Ithaca!” (Homer 227). This is a clear representation about how his overconfidence in himself has gotten the better of him. This causes Polyphemus to bellow out what Odysseus did to his father, Poseidon, “Hear me -- Poseidon, god of the sea-blue mane who rocks the earth! If I really am your son and you claim to be my father-- come, grant that Odysseus, raider of cities, Laertes’ son who makes his home in Ithaca never reaches home. Or if he’s fated to see his people once again and reach his well-built house and his own native country, let him come home late and come a broken man-- all shipmates lose, alone in a stranger’s ship-- and let him find a world of pain at home!”(Homer 228). This is the reason that Odysseus came home late, the reason why he was alone, and the reason why he had such a rough, terrible, journey back to his homeland

When he does get home he does not recognize where he is. He goes to the palace and regains trust of his fellow servants.He sees the suitors who are awaiting Penelope in marriage.Her last challenge shall be so string a bow and shoot an arrow through twelve axes. Odysseus disguised completes the task and has one final question from his longed wife. She tells the servants to get the bed\, however Odysseus knows you cant get the need for he has made it irremovable and Penelope

Odysseus and his men land on the shore of cyclops island. They get trapped in a cave by Polyphemus, the cyclops son of Poseidon. Odysseus tells the cyclops

This passage is told as a flashback, as Odysseus sits in the palace of the Phaeacians telling the story of his wanderings. Odysseus reluctantly tells his story after King Alcinou notices his weeping during a minstrel, which was about the fall of Troy. So in answer to the King, Odysseus reveals his identity, background and adventures: from Troy, the winds sweep him and his men to Ismarus, city of the Cicones. The men plunder the land and, carried away by greed, refuses to leave until the Cicones turn on them and attack. Odysseus and his crew finally escape, having lost six men per ship.

Odysseus has to face many challenges during his journey and through most of them he learns to show courage and to stand up for his own decisions. After long years of waiting for Odysseus’ return Penelope puts on a contest for the suitors so they can find out who becomes her new husband. Little does Penelope know that Telemachus and Odysseus have a plan to save their kingdom from the suitors. Odysseus dressed as a beggar watches the suitors completely fail at the bow contest so he gives it a try and succeeds because the only person who could do it is himself. When his true identity is revealed he gets

From the distance, Odysseus saw that smoke was coming from a fire. Assuming that it is Telemachus he decides to go to it. As he began to approach to fire, he began to hear the sound of three men talking. By a tree, a man with brown hair was tied up, while the other three men sat by the fire arguing. “What should we do with his Andronicus?” said the skinny man looking at the tall one with the beard. “I say we kill him,” the other said. “No, you imbecile!” said the tall one named Andronicus. “Look at him. He is a rich boy. We make him tell us where he comes from and we will take all of his money” As the man continued to dispute, Odysseus walked closer with his stealth behind the trees. He examined the body tied to the tree. He then realized it was his son, Telemachus still unconscious covered in dirt. At the sight of his son, Odysseus became furious. He slowly reached for his spear and watch his targets more by the fire. Once his target was locked he threw his spears into the skinny man's back. The other two men then realizing what had happened to their friend they reached for their spears but were to later. The mighty warrior Odysseus came behind them pushed the other into the fire. Andronicus watched as his friend was burning and then turned to see Odysseus face fuming. Andronicus afraid for his life as Odysseus grabbed onto him by his rags. “Please, sir. Let me go. I will never do it again. I swear by the gods. Just please have mercy.” Andronicus said as

Odysseus’s strong desire to return to his family inspires foreign rulers to assist Odysseus in returning home. Odysseus states, “Nevertheless I long—I pine, all my days— / to travel home and see the dawn of my return” to Calypso (5.242-234). Odysseus stayed with the goddess Calypso as her “unwilling lover” until he leaves on a raft (5.172; 179-187). Calypso grants Odysseus leave from her island because he is in grieving over being separated from his family. Odysseus lands in Phaeacia after leaving Calypso’s island. While begging for passage home, Odysseus says, “How far away I’ve been / from all my loved ones—how long I have suffered” (7.180-181). King Alcinous

as a possible heir to his fathers thrown. Then finally Odysseus and his need to avenge the

Philoctetes is a play in which the audience follows the moral journey of Neoptolemus as he faces a moral dilemma concerning a plot to steal Philoctetes’ bow and arrows. Meanwhile, the play also focuses on Philoctetes hardships and agony due to desertion on the island of Lemnos. These two characters form a father-son relationship that becomes indelible in both Greek mythology and modern culture. Sophocles uses Neoptolemus’ resistance to befriend Philoctetes, Neoptolemus’ promise to Philoctetes and Neoptolemus’ betrayal of Philoctetes to create conflicts within their relationship establishes Neoptolemus’ journey into becoming a man thus conveying the central idea that overcoming moral dilemma allows moral maturity.

Imagine having to choose between your morals and beliefs and what your people want you to do; tough choice right? This was a reality for Neoptolemus. Faced with this intense dilemma, He was torn. Betray your people or betray your values, each comes with a dire consequence. Throughout life, we make many difficult decisions, which not only impact us but those around us. The decisions Neoptolemus will make will not only impact him but an entire empire. When the city of Troy needs them the most, Odysseus and Neoptolemus conspire a plan to steal the bow of Hercules from Philoctetes.

Neoptolemus proves that he values morals over the greater good through several different external conflicts with Odysseus. The younger man speaks to his guilt often in terms of actions and, toward the end of the play, this is seen when he disobeys Odysseus and confesses to Philoctetes about that he had been lying. His confession was brought by his discombobulated state of mind; his state of guilt drove him to do what he felt was the right thing. Odysseus, however, had been angry when he found out, and, once again, he goes to the argument that without Philoctetes’ bow the Greeks would lose. With this point, he continues to call Neoptolemus a traitor and guilts the boy into following his orders and leaving with the bow.

Philoctetes who has a wounded-rotting foot, has a bow that the greeks need in order to win the Trojan War. The bow was previously Hercules and the bow does not miss any target and it kills everyone. Philoctetes acts as the protagonist in the play, The Cure at Troy. Since abandonment, he has became wild, and somewhat animal like. He has suffered for 10 years in the harsh elements of the outdoors.

Knox, B. M. (1998). Hero. In Oedipus at Thebes: Sophocles' tragic hero and his time (1st ed., p. 4). New Haven, NY: Yale University Press.