John Milton’s closet drama details the final day of the biblical Hebrew judge, Samson, following his capture and blinding by the Philistines. Confined in Gaza, the character confronts his own lapse in judgment regarding Delilah and his perceived abandonment by God. Through dialogue with his father Manoah, the chorus of Danites, and the antagonist Harapha, the narrative focuses on the internal transition from despair to a renewed sense of divine agency. The work concludes with Samson’s destruction of the Philistine temple, an act that results in his own death alongside his enemies.
Students of classical literature and historical theology read this text to understand the synthesis of Greek tragedy and Old Testament narrative. Readers gain a technical perspective on seventeenth-century blank verse and the application of Aristotelian unities to religious subject matter. The text provides a specific framework for analyzing the relationship between individual will and providence. By the end, the reader has a clear view of how Milton interprets the concepts of martyrdom and redemptive violence within a legalistic biblical context.
Deep, contemplative and open-ended; a demanding read.
Best for readers like The Deep Diver. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 1758
- Language
- EN
