Philoctetes

Roles

• Philoctetes - Young Adult (20-35), Adult (36-50), Male

About this piece

Philoctetes scolds Neoptolemus for deceiving him

Summary

In the background story of the play, during the Trojan war between Troy and Greece, the Greeks capture a Trojan seer who tells them they will need Philoctetes and Heracles' bow to win the war. When Heracles had died, in fact, Philoctetes had received his bow. Philoctetes is a Greek hero and soldier who, after being bitten by a snake on his foot, had been left on the deserted island of Lemnos by Odysseus. Odysseus now sails back to the island with Neoptolemus to try to convince Philoctetes to join the Trojan war, difficult task considering that Philoctetes now hates him. In the beginning of the play Odysseus and Neoptolemus arrive on the island. Odysseus decides to hide and convinces Neoptolemus to tell Philoctetes that he hates Odysseus as well since he has his father's armor (Neoptolemus is Achilles' son and Odysseus had received his armor after his death). After gaining his trust, Philoctetes has a fit of pain in his foot. Neoptolemus steals his bow and when Odysseus enters the scene, Philoctetes realizes he has been deceived. In this monologue he curses Neoptolemus for having deceived him and begs him to return his bow to him.

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