PROMETHEUS BOUND AND PHILOCTETES

The notion of friendship has been with us throughout history. Almost from the time of birth to death people have friends. Friendship is such a natural and common occurrence that people rarely question it or ask what it is. Yet even the most unthinking person has vague notions about friendship. We classify friends into various categories that approach the ideal of friendship. A "true" or a "best" friend is valued more than someone who is "just a friend." Friends play an important role in most people's lives, yet we rarely know what a friend truly is.

One person who wasn't content to live the unexamined life was Aristotle, and one of the many ideas he wrote about was friendship. An examination of Aristotle's discussion of friendship will help to explain the friendships that are present in Prometheus Bound and Philoctetes. According to Aristotle, Neoptolemus and Philoctetes are true friends. The relationship between Prometheus and humans is goodwill, not friendship. By examining why Aristotle does not define the relationship between Prometheus and humans as friendship, it is possible to gain a clear understanding of what friendship is.

In Prometheus Bound several notions of friendship are present but all fail to live up to Aristotle's "perfect" friendship. In the beginning of the play Hephaestus shows a type of friendship toward Prometheus. He asks Strength, "but how can I find heart to lay hands on a god of my ra

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plains that "Perfect friendship is the friendship of men who are good" (l. 6, p. 513). Throughout the play it is assumed that Odysseus is a bad man and Philoctetes is good. A prime example of utilitarian friendship is the relationship between Odysseus and Neoptolemus. Odysseus uses Neoptolemus to win the Trojan War by getting Philoctetes' bow. Odysseus reminds Neoptolemus, "If you are surprised at anything I say, remember you are here to help me" (l. 51-52, p. 165). Neoptolemus doesn't mind being used this way because he will win "A prize for intelligence and a prize for courage" (l. 117-118, p. 167). Neoptolemus wants to win the Trojan War and gain glory so much that he is willing to obey Odysseus blindly and act immorally. Aristotle comments that this isn't really friendship in his view but since "men apply the name of friends even to those whose motive is utility . . . we too ought perhaps to call such people friends" (l. 25-30, p. 515). Several factors show why the relationship between Odysseus and Neoptolemus is friendship in name only. Real friends don't threaten each other but Odysseus does. From the beginning it is clear that Odysseus doesn't rely on friendship alone to get the job done. He tells Neoptolemus,
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Approximate Word count = 2413
Approximate Pages = 10 (250 words per page)