The Prologue of Sophocles’ Philoctetes

Abstract

The present article discusses in detail the prologue of Sophocles’ tragedy Philoctetes. It points out the innovations in the Sophocles’ dramatic representation of the Philoctetes’ story, i.e. the introduction of the new dramatic character of Neoptolemus and the modification regarding the place of the action, the isle of Lemnos in Sophocles’ drama being uninhabited. The prologue plays informative as well as dramatic role. On the one hand, it makes us acquainted with the dramatic characters and the basic traits of the dramatic action, on the other hand, the prologue is by itself an inseparable part of the dramatic action. Thus, here becomes manifest the theme of human nature, phýsis, which will later serve as a crucial axis of dramatic action. In the name of his nature, Neoptolemus reacts disapprovingly to Odysseus’ order to get in possession of the Philoctetes’ bow by guile. Having predicted this kind of reaction, Odysseus prevails over Neoptolemus’ concerns by fostering his ambition with the promise of his future glory as conqueror of Troy. It is for this motive that, at the end of the prologue, Neoptolemus is willing to fulfil Odysseus’ order, even though conscious of acting against his own nature. The Neoptolemus’ experience of Philoctetes’ suffering will later provide him with a deeper confrontation with a human nature in general and his own in particular. In this experience, the frame of the dramatic action as set in the prologue will break up and the denouement will proceed by the ways unimaginable and unpredictable in the prologue.