Wrestling and Greek Drama

How a recent storyline on All Elite Wrestling mirrors Sophocles' drama Philoctetes

The story of Philoctetes begins at the end of Hercules’. After the mythical demi-god received a wound from a poisoned cloak, he realized that the only way an immortal can escape the pain that he’s in is to burn his body on a funeral pyre. None of the Meliboeans were willing to carry a flame from their village to set it ablaze and risk the ire of the gods, save for our hero Philoctetes. Hercules then gave him arrows dipped in the poisonous blood of the Hydra and a bow in return for his bravery. Years later, Philoctetes participated in the struggle to marry Helen and therefore was obligated by oath to protect her from any injustice that may befall her favored suitor.¹ When Paris abducted her and brought about the Trojan War, Philoctetes fulfilled this pact by bringing seven ships to the Ilian shores. At the island of Chryse, he was bitten by a venomous snake for unwittingly wandering onto a sacred grove. Though it was not fatal, the wound gave off a horrible odor and his constant screaming from the pain prevented any Greeks from properly offering sacrifices to the gods. Odysseus ordered the men to mutiny and silently abandon him on the island of Lemnos and gave command of his ships to Locrian Ajax’s half-brother. For 10 years he languished alone in a cave on the island, occasionally hunting and dressing his wounds. Only when the Achaeans received the prophecy that they would not be able to win the war without the bow and arrows did they send Odysseus and Neoptolemus to retrieve him. This is the point that Sophocles’ play on the matter begins.

On the shores of Lemnos, Odysseus tells Neoptolemus to find Philoctetes’ dwelling and convince him to return to Troy. Odysseus suspects that Philoctetes might hold a grudge after being marooned for 10 years, and he conjures up a lie that will protect them all from the deadly arrows. Neoptolemus is told to explain that Odysseus has unjustly claimed part of his inheritance after the death of Achilles and abandons the Achaeans because of it. Neoptolemus was not among the suitors of Helen, so his participation in the war was purely voluntary and his reputation would not be questioned by a stranger. If he can find a common enemy with Philoctetes, then it will be easier to disarm him. Neoptolemus questions the necessity of lying, but relents and enters the cave. Philoctetes is immediately overjoyed to have company: the island is not easy to make port in so he gets few visitors. When he learns of Neoptolemus’ identity and cover story, he is excited that one of such noble birth and good conscience would happen upon him and asks to be taken home as a suppliant. It’s a bit far out of the way from Skyos, Neoptolemus’ stated destination, but relents and makes the promise. A “merchant” shows up with one of the guards that the audience would recognize as part of the chorus of sailors in Odysseus’ ship. The “merchant” immediately recognizes Neoptolemus-- he’s from a nearby island and is traveling back from the Trojan front. On his way back, he saw some Achaean generals beginning to set sail for Skyos in order to get the well-fated son of Achilles back on their side; whether they meant to do so by persuasion or by force is unknown to him. Neoptolemus asks him if Odysseus is among the fleet of ships, but the “merchant” says that Odysseus was sailing after another man. He then explains the whole prophecy of the captured Trojan seer Helenos, and how both men are needed to win the war.

Philoctetes is frightened by this news and insists that they depart immediately. A sudden burst of pain overwhelms him though, and he asks Neoptolemus to promise to keep guard of the camp with his bow while he takes some drugs to sleep off the worst of it. Being the good-natured son of Achilles, he agrees to do so. With his bow at hand and danger mollified, Neoptolemus has everything he needs to win the Trojan War, but he stays there and keeps watch anyway. When Philoctetes wakes, Neoptolemus is still there. This shocks both Philoctetes and the merchant, who reveals himself to be Odysseus in disguise. Odysseus tells Neoptolemus to come back to the ship with the bow, but Philoctetes says that depriving him of the only tool he has to gather food is too cruel, even for his mortal enemy. Odysseus takes the bow and tells Neoptolemus that he’ll be disembarking soon because they have what they came for. Neoptolemus begs Philoctetes to swallow his pride and join them on the Trojan front instead of wasting away here, but he stays headstrong and will not board their ships. Neoptolemus goes back to Odysseus and demands that he send the bow back because it’s not right to take it through deceit, and he begrudgingly gives it up. In order to restore trust, he returns the bow, but Philoctetes still refuses to go to Troy. The honorable Neoptolemus still intends to keep his promise and take him home (and face whatever consequences desertion entails), but the moment before they leave Hercules shows up and orders Philoctetes to go to Troy and keep his oath to recapture Helen. This convinces Philoctetes wholeheartedly and they both sail back east.

All Elite Wrestling has recently hired a number of seasoned professional wrestlers, and whether they know it or not, one recent storyline mirrors certain key elements of this play. The role of Philoctetes is portrayed by Eddie Kingston: Kingston is a well-traveled wrestler who, up until recently, never achieved the fame that his quality of performance suggested he ought to. He’s had professional connections with people who hold him in high regard, but his first major televised appearance wasn’t until 14 years into his career as the third man of a masked/anonymous tag team.² In some ways, he can be viewed as being “left behind” compared to where some other wrestlers of his age and experience were at that point in their careers. An aspect of the persona that Kingston portrays onscreen is his instability. Part of this comes from a place of honesty with the audience; when he’s a villain, it’s used as exaggerated psychopathy, but when he’s a good guy, he’s very open about his real-life struggles with depression and mental health issues. He talks about the medications he’s on and how seeking help has gotten him through tough times.³