Philoctetes

Philoctetes is classified as a tragedy, even though the play ends seemingly happily, with the characters achieving their aims and going contented off to war. What, then, makes this play a tragedy?

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?