The Bow of Herakles is a powerful symbol in Sophocles’ Philoctetes. It is used both as a visual and verbal motif throughout the play. Copious references to the Bow convey important themes that ultimately prepares the play’s audience for the events that transpire in the exodos. Some of these points include ___.
The significance of the Bow is made evident in the play with several references to the prophecy within which it is invoked. The first of these references was an indirect allusion to the prophecy by Odysseus to Neoptolemus in the prologos, when he was convincing the boy to obtain the Bow through deceit - “if you fail, you’ll cause distress to the whole of Greece. Unless you capture Philoctetes’ bow and arrows, you won’t be able to flatten …show more content…
As would have been common knowledge for the contemporary audience, the Bow of Herakles was the indestructible weapon given to Philoctetes by Herakles himself as a gift for the loyalty and friendship he showed by lighting Herakles’ funeral pyre when no one else would. The Bow’s primary use during the play for Philoctetes is strikingly mundane compared to its illustrious history. Philoctetes confirms that the Bow is the only utensil standing between himself and starvation, “[his] body’s demands for food were catered for by this bow, which brought to earth any doves on the wing.” (Philoctetes l.287-290). The Bow serves two purposes in the timeline surrounding the play - one which follows a path of glory and victory in conflict, and the other as the sole crutch upon which Philoctetes leant for his survival in exile on Lemnos. Compared to the esteemed heroic past of the Bow in the hands of Herakles, its purpose for Philoctetes seems rather dull. This is certainly due to the fact that the Bow is simply not meant to be used in such a lowly fashion. This weapon, once belonging to the now-deified Herakles, in fact had always been destined to be the driving force for the Greek victory over Troy; to be used in battle for heroic purposes, rather than to simply sustain one man alone on an …show more content…
He is proud, a common trait in heroes of his stature. This trait is a common hamartia and reason for their downfall. In the preface of the text, Raeburn notes the parallel between Ajax and Philoctetes in this regard - that, when presented with a solution to their dilemma that can only be achieved through humiliation, the hero will eventually stray from the solution in the name of preservation of their own dignity. Despite this flaw, however, Philoctetes triumphs in a way that Ajax failed. He did not let his pride go so far as to eclipse his piety, a quality which ultimately saved him from making an irreversible mistake and allowed him to fulfil his divine prophecy - to defeat Troy. Philoctetes’ piety is clearly shown in the play in response to Herakles’ appearance in the exodos - Herakles reminds Philoctetes to “show piety towards the gods, since nothing ranks so high with Zeus. For piety does not die with men. Men live or die, but piety cannot perish.” (Philoctetes l.1439-1443). Philoctetes’ riposte - “I shall not disobey what you bid me to do” (Philoctetes l.1445) - shows that even bordering insanity resulting from his years in exile, Philoctetes has not abandoned the most basic and yet most valuable quality he has. Following his long-passed friend’s appearance, Philoctetes regains sense enough to make the choice that brings himself and the rest of Greece to
The significance of the Bow is made evident in the play with several references to the prophecy within which it is invoked. The first of these references was an indirect allusion to the prophecy by Odysseus to Neoptolemus in the prologos, when he was convincing the boy to obtain the Bow through deceit - “if you fail, you’ll cause distress to the whole of Greece. Unless you capture Philoctetes’ bow and arrows, you won’t be able to flatten …show more content…
As would have been common knowledge for the contemporary audience, the Bow of Herakles was the indestructible weapon given to Philoctetes by Herakles himself as a gift for the loyalty and friendship he showed by lighting Herakles’ funeral pyre when no one else would. The Bow’s primary use during the play for Philoctetes is strikingly mundane compared to its illustrious history. Philoctetes confirms that the Bow is the only utensil standing between himself and starvation, “[his] body’s demands for food were catered for by this bow, which brought to earth any doves on the wing.” (Philoctetes l.287-290). The Bow serves two purposes in the timeline surrounding the play - one which follows a path of glory and victory in conflict, and the other as the sole crutch upon which Philoctetes leant for his survival in exile on Lemnos. Compared to the esteemed heroic past of the Bow in the hands of Herakles, its purpose for Philoctetes seems rather dull. This is certainly due to the fact that the Bow is simply not meant to be used in such a lowly fashion. This weapon, once belonging to the now-deified Herakles, in fact had always been destined to be the driving force for the Greek victory over Troy; to be used in battle for heroic purposes, rather than to simply sustain one man alone on an …show more content…
He is proud, a common trait in heroes of his stature. This trait is a common hamartia and reason for their downfall. In the preface of the text, Raeburn notes the parallel between Ajax and Philoctetes in this regard - that, when presented with a solution to their dilemma that can only be achieved through humiliation, the hero will eventually stray from the solution in the name of preservation of their own dignity. Despite this flaw, however, Philoctetes triumphs in a way that Ajax failed. He did not let his pride go so far as to eclipse his piety, a quality which ultimately saved him from making an irreversible mistake and allowed him to fulfil his divine prophecy - to defeat Troy. Philoctetes’ piety is clearly shown in the play in response to Herakles’ appearance in the exodos - Herakles reminds Philoctetes to “show piety towards the gods, since nothing ranks so high with Zeus. For piety does not die with men. Men live or die, but piety cannot perish.” (Philoctetes l.1439-1443). Philoctetes’ riposte - “I shall not disobey what you bid me to do” (Philoctetes l.1445) - shows that even bordering insanity resulting from his years in exile, Philoctetes has not abandoned the most basic and yet most valuable quality he has. Following his long-passed friend’s appearance, Philoctetes regains sense enough to make the choice that brings himself and the rest of Greece to