in this dark world and wide

8/11/2019 In This Dark World and Wide

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"In this dark world and wide": Samson Agonistes andthe Meaning of Christian HeroismCarol Barton

Averett [email protected]

Barton, Carol. ""In this dark world and wide": Samson Agonistes and the Meaning of Christian Heroism." Early Modern Literary Studies .! #e$tember, %&&&': (.%)!* + -: htt$: $/rl.oclc.org emls 0 )

! bartsams.htm .

1e gro$e for the wall like the blind, and we gro$e as if we had no e2es3 we st/mble at

noonda2 as in the night3 we are in desolate $laces as dead men. Isaiah &:%0'

%. 4o m2 mind, Samson Agonistes is the second of a trilog2 of works which wereinitiall2 com$osed b2 their a/thor not as the $/rel2 didactic e5ercises the2 aresometimes taken to be, b/t as e5tended $ersonal meditations, that is, asreifications of his $rogressive attem$ts to 6/stif2 the wa2s of 7od to 8ohn Milton,and thereb2 establish a vision of Christian heroism that wo/ld answer the fearsand misgivings of his own mind and heart. I sa2 "com$osed" rather than "written"in deference to the ongoing arg/ment in Milton scholarshi$ abo/t the order inwhich these $oems were committed to $a$er, tho/gh I remain convinced that, invario/s forms, the seminal ideas for all three of them e5isted conc/rrentl2 in

Milton9s $s2che, and c/lminated )) after some false b/t brilliant starts )) in theiterative reali ation of his heroic ideal. 4he $oet9s search, not for an Arth/r to o/t)Aeneas Aeneas, b/t for a role model less n/mino/s than Christ or even the 8es/sof Paradise Regained ' on whose actions he might $redicate his own res/rrectionand salvation begins, I think, with the events and emotions s/rro/nding hiscom$osition of #onnet ;I; )) that is, with the midlife onset of his blindness, and

hard on the heels of his $olitical $art29s dr/bbing of the ro2alists and his ownintellect/al annihilation of Cla/de de #a/maise' with the defeat of the 7ood


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es$ite what some critics have over the 2ears alleged to be its shortcomings8ohnson9s "missing middle," etc.', Samson Agonistes is $erha$s therefore even

more interesting as a theodic2 in $rocess than it is as the classicaltraged2 Christian comed2 so man2 readers have 6/dged as having fallen too farshort of its im$licit mark.

!. 7iven that a vast bod2 of scholarshi$ has alread2 been devoted to the $olitical and $s2chological corres$ondences between the benighted $oet and the beleag/ered


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#ingl2 b2 Dthe regicidesE against their Con /erorsAcknowledg9d not, or not at all consider9d

eliverance offer9d . . .B/t the2 $ersisted deaf, and wo/ld not seem4o co/nt them things worth notice . . . !G!) 0'

G. -ike the children of ! )!* '

. -ike #amson9s too, Milton9s $olitical come/$$ance had been as swift and as tragicas it was /tterl2 /ne5$ected. Both had been derelict in the f/lfillment of theirres$ective covenants with 7od, s/bscribing instead to /rgent internal $rom$tingswhich nonetheless $roved /nreliable3 both had mistaken $ersonal $redilection forheavenl2 a$$robation3 and both had s/ffered mightil2 as a conse /ence. [2] Beingcertain that he "motion9d was of 7od3 Dand knowingE ?rom intimate im$/lse"that he was doing Heaven9s bidding in taking his gentile bride of 4imna, "she

$roving false," #amson "tho/ght it lawf/l from DhisE former act And the same
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end" i.e., of "watching to o$$ress Israel9s o$$ressors" !%&)((' to wed the=hilistine alila tho/gh it was the call of his libido and not his -ord that heobe2ed'. es$ite Milton9s em$hatic $rotestations to the contrar2 in the Second

Defence that he is aware of no reason wh2 he sho/ld be afflicted b2 the"calamito/s visitation" CPW G %': F*' of that blindness b2 which he is

momentaril2 b/t /tterl2 for that moment' inca$acitated, [3] he, too, seems tohave been $lag/ed b2 the nagging do/bt that he ma2 /nwittingl2 have $reci$itated his own miser2, no matter what brave $/blic words he might /tter orwrite [4] )) otherwise, he wo/ld not be so incensed b2 the "s/$erstitio/simaginations" of the "cal/mniators of the divine goodness" CPW G %': F!G',[5] chief among whom is Mor/s act/all2, / Mo/lin', "the barren and wind2 eggfrom which iss/ed that flat/lent cr2 of the ro2al blood" CPW G %', *0'. #/ch amisgiving co/ld onl2 have been am$lified b2 the ta/nts of the $oet9s detractors

who sneered that his blindness was a $/nishment for the errors of his $en', andwas no do/bt reinforced b2 the Biblical $recedent of the a arite9s self)del/sion.Milton, too, had heeded what in retros$ect seemed to be a misleading "intimate

im$/lse," descending into the "cool element of $rose" to "write . . . o/t of DhisEown season" in the service of the /ltimatel2 abortive 7ood


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misa$$rehension, flawed concl/sion, error recognition, re)eval/ation, and/ltimate enlightenment that occ/rs again and again as the com$etent reader

$roceeds thro/gh Milton9s canonical c/rric/l/m. 1hile 8es/s in the wildernesshas the distinct s/$ranormal advantage of a priori a$$rehension of a 4r/th that hehas b/t to /$hold, #amson, Adam, and ve $roceed as we do, b2 trial and error,

/naided b2 an2 divine ill/mination of the world the2 see b/t thro/gh a glass,darkl2:

#amson9s agon2 n/mbs /s3 b/t it is, after all, the trial of a man, not the stor2 of a7od who has emerged from a h/man chr2salis. In his own wa2 ver2man ma2em/late #amson3 for #amson9s world consists of all the contrar2 forces thatconstit/te di/rnalit2. He is not onl2 a t2$e of Christ, he is an ect2$e of the greatarchet2$es of obedience and sin Abdiel and #atan' and a descendant of Cain andAbel, of imrod and oah. As that mi5t/re, #amson forms a com$rehensible wa2station in the 6o/rne2s of man to 7od and of 7od to man that meet in the terrible

6o2 of Calvar2 Miller %*&'.

*. In Paradise Regained , it is the e5traordinar2 tran /illit2 of the hero who issteadfast in his righteo/sness and serene in his faith that $ermeates the mood ofthe $oem, the $ower of an "inner virt/e, the strength of mind and so/l to resistsoftness and luxuria even when the2 seem inviting and $ro$er as the2 alwa2s do'. . . the strength to resist . . . des$air abo/t one9s $h2sical and moral lot" Cirillo!%%', which is vis/all2 enca$s/lated in the $otent image of 8es/s standing/nafraid and "no worse than wet" in the e2e of a hell)raising th/nderstorm PR (& )GF&'. Blind and $h2sicall2 fettered and for the most $art as "immobile as=romethe/s chained to the rock" ad inowic %*&', however, #amson seethesand ch/rns with an internal agon2 that is virt/all2 the onl2 motion $ossible within

the confines of the "moving 7rave" of his m/scle)bo/nd conscio/sness, anintellect/al and s$irit/al ca$tivit2 that holds him "within doors, or witho/t, still asa fool, In $ower of others, never in DhisE own" **)F', /ntil the slow and ard/o/s

$rocess of learning "to what Dhe canE be /sef/l, wherein serve" breaks theshackles of his self)recrimination and sets him free. #ensible at last of the"ro/sing motions" that will res/rrect the a arite slee$er from his s$irit/al"se$/lcher," #amson is em$owered b2 7od to rise $hoeni5)like from the ashes ofhis own des$air3 to h/mble his ego long eno/gh to follow the =hilistinemessenger to the agonalia3 to regale the worshi$$ers assembled there with themeaningless feats of brawn that are the stock in trade of their $agan' kind ofheroism, while end/ring their gloating e5/ltations as $atientl2 and as silentl2 asmight Christ Himself3 and finall2 to stand between the tem$le $illars, and in amanner consistent with the will of Heaven, bring down the roof of the Ho/se of

agon on the enem29s infidel heads. [!] 4h/s in an instant both alternatives of theim$erfect $ro$hec2 of the anite chor/s are f/lfilled, that the lot of "#amson,with might end/9d Above the #ons of man3 b/t sight bereav9d" %!&!)G' is eitherto be a deliverer into whose hands 7od has $/t his invincible might allowing him"with $lain Heroic magnit/de of mind And celestial vigor arm9d" to defeat thewicked, as he has done in the $ast', or, bereft of his vision, to take on the $atience
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of a saint, and with that e5$ression of s$irit/al fortit/de become "his owneliverer, And victor over all 4hat t2rann2 or fort/ne can inflict" %!F&)&%':

both as$ects of Christian heroism [ ] are accom$lished in the series of actions thatc/lminate in his to$$ling of the tem$le, 6/st as in that single achievement, #amsonvalidates both of the alternative $remises of his own tentative $remonition that

"this da2 will be remarkable in DhisE life B2 some great act, or of DhisE da2s thelast" %(FF)&'. In the final action of his long career of Herc/lean barbarism and $l/nder, #amson crosses over the line from the br/te heroism of classicalanti /it2 re$resented b2 the $h2sicalit2)for)its)own)sake that is the essence of his

$erformance at the agonalia to the mind and $ra2er)governed feat of strengthreg/lated b2 the will of 7od that is to be the forer/nner of tr/e Christian heroism,[1#] another 8an/s)like res$ect in which the classical 7reek traged2 that is"#amson)dead)for)his)/5orio/s)foll2" is blended into the Christian comed2 that is"#amson)who)died)for)the)glor2)of)7od." 4he res/lt is both and neither, [11] which ma2 e5$lain wh2 it is all b/t im$ossible to achieve a consens/s as to whichlabel a$$lies. Milton was notorio/sl2 s/s$icio/s of labels, and we sho/ld be as

well.F. If we ma2 for a moment consider "1hen I Consider . . ." in relation to the"traged2 coming forth after the ancient manner," and view Samson Agonistes fromthe $ers$ective of Milton9s other great dis /isition on his blindness, the cr/cialconnections between #onnet ;I; and the longer $oetr2 of Milton9s mat/re careersho/ld become self)evident. I have arg/ed that the meaning of the fo/rteenth lineof the sonnet "4he2 also serve who onl2 stand and wait"' is that one m/st standin $atient obedience and wait with steadfast faith for the inner $rom$tings of theHol2 #$irit that will lead to righteo/s behavio/r rather than gratif2 his or her ownsense of /rgenc2 and take wrong action on im$/lse'3 this same conce$t iss/bs/med in the tem$tation of 8es/s on the $innacle in Paradise Regained

"4em$t not the -ord th2 7od3 he said and stood"', and b2 the dJno/ement of thestr/ggle of #amson in Samson Agonistes as well, the entire narrative of which isin fact an answer to a s/btle variation on the /estion, " oth 7od e5act da2)labor,light denied>" Having been "effeminatel2 van /ish9t" in the do/ble sense ofhaving been bested b2 a woman, and overcome b2 his own garr/lo/sness,

behaved like a wag)tong/ed gossi$', #amson, "now blind, disheart9n9d, sham9d,dishonor9d, /ell9d" wonders at the beginning of the traged2 "to what DheE can . . .

be /sef/l, wherein serve DHisE ation, and the work from Heav9n im$os9d, B/tto sit idle on the ho/sehold hearth, A b/rdeno/s drone . . .>" ()*'. B/t if that)) indolence, a "sedentar2 n/mbness," hel$less de$endenc2 )) were the answereither to this /estion or to the one $osed b2 the narrative voice in #onnet ;I;,#amson wo/ld not retort as he does in ra$id re6oinder to his own in /ir2, "Hererather let me dr/dge and earn m2 bread, 4ill vermin or the draft of servile food Cons/me me" *() '. As 4homas Kranidas s/ggests, the /estion "to what can I

be /sef/l>"

has in some wa2s been im$licit in the $la2 since the o$ening $lea for the g/idinghand. #amson has been asking for directionD, andE the /estion is half)sha$edeven in those statements where he seems nearest to des$air. #amson is
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/nconscio/sl2 waiting for the word, for the $ro$er in6/nction to /sef/lness. If hewere not, he wo/ld not re6ect the s$ecio/s sol/tions offered to him b2 Manoa,

alila, Hara$ha, and the


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having been certain all the while )) /ntil this devastating loss )) that he hassomething im$ortant to contrib/te to the world )) something that will bring hisMaster a fair ret/rn on "these his entr/sted gifts," of which "7od even to astrictness re /ires the im$rovement" RCG , '. -ike #amson at the beginningof the traged2, tho/gh, he is /nable in the $iercing freshness of his grief to

imagine how he can $ossibl2 deliver what he knows is re /ired )) onne9s "-aCorona" and Marvell9s "Coronet" have alread2 made it clear that the h/mble ealto serve 7od well can be a kind of arrogance, too [13] )) and neither #amson norMilton can afford to risk additional errors or 6/dgment at this 6/nct/re:

B2 ass/ming that he is now worthless to 7od, DMilton like #amson'E im$lies thathe was once val/able. His $ride s/ggests that 7od needs man3 and DhisE des$air)aswe have seen in #atan)is the /ltimate $ride Miller %*G'. . . .7od ma2 choose to/se #amson Dor MiltonE, or He ma2 work thro/gh some other means, b/t/ltimatel2, no man is necessar2 to 7od Miller %**'.

%%. -ike Adam and ve, #amson of co/rse commits the reci$rocal sin of notrecogni ing that 7od is necessar2 to man b2 attem$ting to take destin2 $res/m$tivel2 into his own hands, since in each instance the /nderl2ing motive isdes$air, a fail/re of the actor to rel2 on 7od9s $rovidence, merc2, and benevolenceto give him or her what is needed, or to restore to him or her what has been lost,accom$anied b2 an id)like insistence on the need being met I7H4


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treacher2 of his =hilistine bride, and to ignore the fact that his marriage to aninfidel is based on m/t/al infidelit2 from the start. In virt/al solit/de for the firsttwo fifths of the $oem [14] the /nregenerate #amson in some res$ects are$lication of Herakles at his worst' has the distinct advantage of being the soleso/rce of the reader9s im$ressions of him, an advantage #atan also en6o2s in the

initial books of Paradise Lost . And 6/st as #atan s/ffers b2 com$arison with hismoral betters later in the longer $oem, so #amson is mirrored to his moral andethical detriment b2 his amorall2 sed/ctive e /al, whose onl2 s/$erior vice seemsto be that she ends /$ on the losing side of the agon . [15] es$ite his castigationof alila for being a "s$ecio/s monster" and his "accom$lisht snare" !(0' in thatshe /ses their marriage for her own financial and $olitical gain, #amson o$enl2admits that his motive in marr2ing her was to "o$$ress Israel9s o$$ressors" !(!)(' )) had he had the chance, he wo/ld have /sed her 6/st as she has /sed him,slighted her, sold her, and foregone her &G0', and as little bemoaned the loss. Inseveral im$ortant res$ects, alila9s betra2al of #amson mirrors ve9s betra2al ofAdam: each $laces the man she has sworn to love and hono/r in mortal 6eo$ard2

for her own advancement, sed/cing him into an ini /it2 that he has /ntil that $oint assid/o/sl2 avoided "she $/r$osed to betra2 me," sa2s #amson, then"so/ght to make me 4raitor to m2self" (&&)G00'3 then, after rea$ing the rewardsof her own transgression, $leads with her h/sband for forgiveness, becomingthereb2 the catal2st of his /ltimate regeneration tho/gh the means and theo/tcome in terms of their res$ective re/nions with #amson and Adam are asdifferent as night and da2'. -ike ve9s initial Book I; self)e5c/l$ations, too,

alila9s s$eeches when she ret/rns to #amson in tri/m$h

s/ggest a com$le5 tiss/e of motives and im$/lses: c/riosit2, a challenge to see ifshe can draw him back, regret that it t/rned o/t worse than she tho/ght it wo/ld,

$h2sical desire to have #amson back with her again, a desire to defend herself, to $rove to herself that $erha$s she is not as bad as it ma2 seem. At the end we havethe nat/ral anger of a woman scorned, which does not necessaril2 $rove her to bea h2$ocrite thro/gho/t . . . . 1hatever her nat/re, whatever her motives, the

$ower of her a$$eal has certainl2 accom$lished a remarkable change in #amson:she has stirred him o/t of his sense of loss, st/ng him into more $ositive res$onses

Mart !0F',

and forced him to eval/ate the sed/ctive fallacies that lie behind her seemingl2 $la/sible arg/ments and co/nter them with recta ratio , a f/nction which ve9scontrition descending into des$air also $erforms for Adam, with more blissf/lres/lts for them both. [16]

%(. Clearl2, #amson has for most of his less than entirel2 ill/strio/s career been acreat/re of the material world, a classical killing machine who is as $ro/d of his

$h2sical strength and his warrior9s con /ests as he is neglectf/l of thedevelo$ment of his intellect and his ethos: "< im$otence of mind in bod2 strong "he cries in des$air, recalling how "liable to fall" he was "b2 weakest s/btleties,"having "strength witho/t a do/ble share of wisdom" !) ' )) which co/ld be said
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with e /al acc/rac2 of almost an2 of his co/nter$arts from Ili/m. 4ho/gh "thriceDheE del/ded her, and t/rn9d to s$ort Her im$ort/nit2" (& )*', the attraction hefeels for "the s/m$t/o/s alila" $lainl2 terrifies her h/sband: when she glides /$"like a statel2 #hi$ "

%0GG) ' B/t the "thing of #ea or -and" whose ver2 a$$arition is /ntr/stworth2"?emale of se5 it seems ," *%%', "some rich =hilistian Matron she ma2 seem "*!!', "she wee$s, and words addrest seem into tears dissolv9d" *!& )) em$hasis

added' "comes this wa2 sailing" an2wa2, and accosts her anite s$o/se withtearf/l $rotestations of remorse, her "con6/gal affection" she sa2s' having

$revailed over her "fear and timoro/s do/bt," "still dreading" the "dis$leas/re" ofthe blind anite slave in =hilistine shackles who des$ite her rhetorical $ost/ringis no threat of an2 kind to her at all *(()&'. Her first assa/lt is $enitence, aseemingl2 earnest $lea to be of hel$, "if a/ght in DherE abilit2 ma2 serve"

4o light9n what tho/ s/ffer9st, and a$$ease4h2 mind with what amends is in m2 $ower,4ho/gh late, 2et in some $art to recom$enseM2 rash b/t /nfort/nate misdeed. *GG)*'

% . As #amson recogni es immediatel2, if her offer were sincere, it wo/ld not havecome so "late," 6/st as her "misdeed" was neither "/nfort/nate" for her' nor"rash": it was the $remeditated act of a $olitical mercenar2 for the $romise of ahandsome reward, attem$ted /ns/ccessf/ll2 three times before, when she had alsolain in wait for him with her henchmen l/rking aro/nd her, looking for an


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o$$ort/nit2 to wa2la2 her too self)confident lord. " 4o what I did, tho/ showd9st me first thewa2," **F)F%'3

it was all 2o/r fa/lt " re I to thee, tho/ to th2self wast cr/el," *F!)G'3 2o/9re no better than I am "-et weakness then with weakness come to $arle,

#o near related," *F )&'3 I did it beca/se I love 2o/ "And what if -ove . . . Ca/s9d what I did>", *&0)&'3

And besides, I was sed/ced "I was ass/r9d b2 those 1ho tem$ted me, thatnothing was design9d Against thee b/t safe c/stod2, and hold," F00)F0!'3 In addition to which, I was 6ealo/s "I knew that libert2 1o/ld draw thee forth

to $erilo/s enter$rises, 1hile I at home sat f/ll of cares and fears, 1ailing th2absence in m2 widow9s bed," F0()%0'3

And 2o/ reall2 sho/ld forgive me, beca/se the $recedent is well)established"4hese reasons in -ove9s law have $assed for good," so "be not /nlike all others,

not a/stere As tho/ art strong, infle5ible as steel," F%%)%F'.

% . 1ith the $erce$tiveness of a #olomon, #amson answers and ref/tes each of herself)6/stifications in t/rn:

How c/nningl2 the sorceress dis$la2sHer own transgressions, to /$braid me mine4hat malice, not re$entance, bro/ght thee hither,B2 this a$$ears: I gave, tho/ sa29st, th9e5am$le,I led the wa23 bitter re$roach, b/t tr/e,I to m2self was false ere tho/ to me. . . .

1eakness is th2 e5c/se,And I believe it, weakness to resist=hilistian gold . . .B/t -ove constrained thee3 call it f/rio/s rage4o satisf2 th2 l/st: -ove seeks to have -ove3M2 love how co/ldst tho/ ho$e, who took9st the wa24o raise in me ine5$iable hate,Knowing, as needs I m/st, b2 thee betra29d>In vain tho/ striv9st to cover shame with shame,


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%*. Let still alila $ersists, and the s/mmation for the defence contin/es: an2one inm2 $osition wo/ld have done what I did, she sa2s "Hear what assa/lts I had,what snares besides, 1hat sieges girt me ro/nd, ere I consented," FG()F'3 I did itfor agon and co/ntr2 "tho/ knowst the Magistrates And =rinces of m2 co/ntr2came in $erson . . . Ad6/r9d b2 all the bonds of civil /t2 And of eligion,

$ress9d how 6/st it was, How honorable, how glorio/s to entra$ A commonenem2," FG&) %'. 4hen she $roffers as her final arg/ment a variation on ragionede stato , the evil9s $ragmatic $lea "to the $/blic good =rivate res$ects m/st2ield," F %)*0', im$loring her blinded, disgraced, disfig/red victim to have thecom$assion to /nderstand that the woman who vowed to love him and hono/rhim, then delivered him into the hands of his enemies, was onl2 doing what"virt/e, as I tho/ght, tr/th, d/t2, so en6oinDedE" F*0'. 4he a arite who has beene /all2 /nconcerned with "virt/e" and "tr/th" in his th/s)far checkered career'fights this fire with more fire also, answering alila9s lies with several of his own:"I before all the da/ghters of m2 4ribe And of m2 ation chose thee from among

M2 enemies, lov9d thee, as too well tho/ knew9st, 4oo well," F*%)F beca/se I

tho/ght I co/ld /se m2 marriage to 2o/ to infiltrate 2o/r $eo$le'3 I "/nbosom9d allm2 secrets to thee ot o/t of levit2, b/t over$ow9r9d B2 th2 re /est, who co/ldden2 thee nothing," F*&)F% beca/se I was too st/$id not to give in to 2o/r"flattering $ra2ers and sighs And amoro/s re$roaches" (&!)(', 2o/r "blandisht

$arle2s, feminine assa/lts, 4ong/e batteries" 0()G' and 2o/ wore me o/t at bedtime, when "over)watch9t, and wearied o/t . . . men seek most re$ose andrest" G0G) '3 "1h2 then idst tho/ at first receive me for th2 h/sband, 4hen, assince then, th2 co/ntr29s foe $rofest>" FF()&G' Lo/ were m2 wife3 2o/r lo2alt2was to me, not to 2o/r co/ntr2, or to the idols 2o/ call gods, and I ho$ed to /sethat lo2alt2 against 2o/ and 2o/r $eo$le'.

%F. "-et me obtain forgiveness of thee, #amson," alila answers3 "Afford me $lace toshow what recom$ense 4owards thee I intend for what I have misdone, Misg/ided" &0&)%!', where/$on she offers him a second o$$ort/nit2 to ab/se histalent, not b2 b/r2ing it as Manoa has s/ggested', b/t b2 em$lo2ing it for a

$/r$ose altogether different from that for which it was intended. "-ife hath 2etman2 solaces, en6o29d 1here other senses want not their delights, At home inleis/re and domestic ease" &% )%*', she coos, inviting #amson to descend intowhat A /inas called delectationes venereae , con6/gal se5 and /nnamed maritalhedonism &0*)&!F' which will ca$itali e on those incidental as$ects of herh/sband9s strength that contrib/te to his virilit2, and lead him to a different kind of sloth. #amson9s ref/sal is $hrased in all/sions to Circe that resonate with imagesof the 1hore of Bab2lon and are entwined as well with s/btle linkages even to theser$ent of ve, a connection which will be reinforced both b2 the choralobservation that alila is "a manifest ser$ent b2 her sting," and b2 #amson9sdismissal of his errant bride as a "vi$er" &&*, %00%' "I know th2 trains," he sa2s,

4ho/gh dearl2 to m2 cost . . .4h2 fair enchanted c/$, and warbling charms#o m/ch of Adder9s wisdom I have learn9t


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4o fence m2 ear against th2 sorceries, &(!)*'

In this declaration, #amson aligns himself with the onl2 classical warrior evercelebrated for his intellect, who likewise ref/sed to let himself be transformedinto a beast b2 his $assion for a bea/tif/l sed/ctress )) and his conversion from an

Achilles to an


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re$resents the third o$$ort/nit2 that the dramatic #amson is given to make/n$rofitable /se of the talent the -ord has invested in him, this time for thesatisfaction of his own ego. Classicall2 heroic and as boorishl2 self)im$ressed asan2 other "$rimitive r/ffian of a half)savage legend" [1 ] and o$erating in a worldin which might witho/t /estion makes right, Hara$ha re$resents the best and the

worst of ever2thing the a arite once was, "b/lk witho/t s$irit vast," brawnwitho/t brains, action witho/t reason, a $arod2 of manhood mas /erading as as/$erman. [2#] In a c/rio/s inversion of #atan9s Book IN enco/nter with + iel,Ith/riel, and Oe$hon in Paradise Lost F%0) %', #amson9s confrontation with thisswaggering boor forces him at least tem$oraril2 to see himself as others see him,and to reali e both what he was, and what he has become, a 8an/s)like $ers$ectivethat is /navailable to the fallen archangel. [21] ?rom Hara$ha9s classical $oint ofview, #amson is a fallen "$ett2 7od," once "admir9d of all and dreaded


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!0. +$ to this $oint, #amson has trained his bod2 b/t not his intellect to be of serviceto the Almight2, val/ing his "Heav9n)gifted strength" onl2 in terms of the glor2 itaccr/es for him in the $h2sical, material world so that what remains of it after histransgression is not a blessing b/t his "bane . . . the so/rce of all DhisE miseries #o man2, and so h/ge, that each a$art 1o/ld ask a life to wail" () '. -ike

' oaken staff s/ggests he somehowknows, even before he reali es what he is doing. 4he time for "tilting ?/rnit/re"and fistic/ffs, "hitherto the onl2 Arg/ment Heroic deem9d" PL I;: !F)&' has

$assed, and its death)knell is signalled b2 the fact that #amson dares "dis$arageglorio/s arms 1hich greatest heroes have in battle worn" PL I;: %%(0)%'

dismissing th2 gorgeo/s arms, th2 Helmet

And Brigandine of brass, th2 broad Habergeon,Nant)brace and 7reaves, and 7a/ntlet, add th2 #$earA 1eaver9s beam, and seven)times)folded shield

as so m/ch "clatter9d Iron" %%%&)!G', a $rono/ncement misread b2 the giant asthe effect of "s$ells, black enchantments, DorE some Magician9s art" %%(!)('which are the onl2 things in his $agan conce$tion stronger than the sons of "


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whom is no 7od Din the $osition to beE com$ar9d with idols, isglorifi9d, blas$hem9d, and had in scorn, B2 th9 Idolatro/s ro/t amidst thir wine" GG0)G(',even this mea culpa becomes "an h/bristic ass/m$tion of acco/ntabilit2, for noone is 9sole A/thor . . . sole ca/se" (* ' of his destin2, and no one9s defa/lt canca/se the tr/e 7od to be 9 isglorifi9d, blas$hem9d9 b2 an 9Idolatro/s ro/t9"

Hoffman !0%'. #amson and Manoa have $laced false val/e on #amson9s "shame"in this regard, for, as #amson has clearl2 recogni ed some five h/ndred linesearlier an observation $erha$s forgotten at this moment in the a arite9s eal todefend and reassert his challenged manhood', "all contJst is now 94wi5t 7od and

agon . . . , D1hoE hath $res/m9d . . . to enter lists with 7od, His eit2com$aring and $referring Before the 7od of Abraham" G %) ': #amson "doesnot see that the strife was alwa2s between 7od and agon," that "he is merel27od9s agent, as are all men" Hoffman !0%'. It was 7od who at his birth gave#amson the strength he va/nts as Heaven9s self)a$$ointed cham$ion, and theAlmight2 who likewise took that $ower awa2 when #amson violated the terms ofthe covenant entered into on his behalf b2 Manoa and his wife before the a arite

was born: He from whom ever2 entit2 in the /niverse derives its allotted $/issance needs no mortal "second" to assist Him in $revailing over His ownworks and creat/res, and it is indeed "$res/m$t/o/s" of #amson so to a$$ointhimself, es$eciall2 in view of the fact that he does so from a $osition of disfavo/r.In the best of times, as Hara$ha /ngentl2 reminds him, that is not what his talentis for. "=res/me not on th2 7od, whate9er he be," snorts the giant of 7ath inres$onse to #amson9s challenge3

4hee he regards not, owns not, hath c/t offP/ite from his $eo$le, and delivered /$Into th2 nemies9 hand, $ermitted them4o $/t o/t both thine e2es, and fetter9d send theeInto the common =rison, there to grindAmong the #laves and Asses th2 comrades,As good for nothing else, no better service . . . %% ) ('

!!. 4he word "as" in the final line of this $assage is more critical s2ntacticall2 than $erha$s it seems: 7od has left #amson to labor among slaves and asses as if e!ere good for nothing else, not beca/se he is good for nothing else, and thedistinction between Hara$ha9s words and 7od9s $rovidence is th/s an im$ortantone: it is onl2 as a warrior that #amson9s lack of e2esight makes him "/seless,"that vocation being merel2 one among an2 n/mber of means b2 which his talentcan still be em$lo2ed in the service of the Almight2 or mis)em$lo2ed in theservice of alila and the =hilistines'. 7od will "/se him f/rther 2et in some greatservice" % 00)%', not $ermitting him "to sit idle with so great a gift +seless"

%G&F)&' b/t has not 2et "restoreDdE him Ds/fficientE e2esight to his strength"% 0!' to come to that concl/sion on his own:

#amson9s inabilit2 to rise to the #on9s contem$t for 9ostentation vain of fleshl2arm9 D Paradise Regained E III.(F*' ...is /nderlined b2 Milton in the Hara$ha


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e$isode. 1hether or not we regard Hara$ha9s visit as a tem$tation Dand somecritics do notE, it is clear that #amson9s res$onse is serio/sl2 flawed. 1holl2admirable is his tr/st in the living 7od, his willingness to acknowledge that 7odhas inflicted these indignities on him 6/stl23 less admirable, at best, is hiseagerness to engage Hara$ha in single combat, his $athetic belief that b2 cl/bbing

Hara$ha to death he will demonstrate the glor2 of 7od Madsen & '.

!(. Having comm/nicated b2 /nwitting im$lication the $recio/s $iece of insight that#amson is good for something better than mill)work in the $rison of the=hilistines, the l/mbering oracle stalks offstage, leaving the anite Chor/s toworr2 that Hara$ha will instigate new miseries for their tribesman as a res/lt ofhis enco/nter with the "#lave enroll9d" who dared to call him coward. "His7iantshi$9s" de$art/re "somewhat crestfall9n" is of little im$ortance to #amson,

b/t his friends9 e5$ressions of concern elicit from the a arite a griml2 $lacidinde5 of the $rof/ndit2 of his des$air: like #atan in Paradise Regained , he who is" 2eless in 7a a at the Mill with slaves" a$$rehends the worst that co/ld befall

him with ac /iescence rather than terror, observing with a calm more dist/rbingthan his earlier ang/ish that "come what will, m2 deadliest foe will $rove M2s$eediest friend, b2 death to rid me hence, 4he worst that he can give, to me the

best" III.!0*)%%' "and in that calmer mood, comes so near an /nderstanding as toforeshadow /nknowingl2 the tri/m$hal catastro$he" Harris !*&' "2et so it ma2fall o/t, beca/se thir end Is hate, not hel$ to me, it ma2 with mine raw thirown r/in who attem$t the deed," %! )*'. As even Manoa diml2 /nderstands,

7od had not $ermittedD#amson9sE strength again to grow /$ with his hair. . .were not his $/r$ose

4o /se him f/rther in some great service, ot to sit idle with so great a gift+seless and thence ridic/lo/s abo/t him, %G& )% 0%'

and #amson9s oft)re$eated death)wish is therefore a form of $res/m$tion worsethan an2 he has heretofore dis$la2ed. "Be $enitent, and for th2 fa/lt contrQte," theold man tells him earlier in the $la2, "b/t act not in th2 own affliction, #on" 0!)

':

...$erha$s7od will relent, and /it thee all his debt31ho ever more a$$roves and more acce$ts

Best $leas9d with h/mble and filial s/bmission'Him who im$loring merc2 s/es for life,4han who self)rigoro/s chooses death as d/e31hich arg/es over)6/st, and self)dis$leas9d?or self)offense, more than for 7od offended. 0F) %G'

!G. Manoa is as /s/al right for all of the wrong reasons: 7od does indeed e5$ect"filial s/bmission" of #amson, that is, a d/tif/l son9s obedience to his loving


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?ather in Heaven, b/t not the "filial s/bmission" of Manoa9s son to Manoa9s /rgedavoidance of a $/nishment deserved: "wanting in a correct conce$tion of 7od9swondro/s wa2s, Manoa /nwittingl2 s/bstit/tes himself for 7od, and seeks to

$ers/ade his son to acce$t the $lans of a loving father instead of awaiting those ofa loving 7od. If there is a tem$tation in this scene, it revolves aro/nd this

s/bstit/te $ro$osal" Allen ' that is, aro/nd the $ossibilit2 of #amson9s esca$efrom his miser2 at Manoa9s instigation, b2 means of a total retirement from theworld that wo/ld be tantamo/nt to another form of s/icide. onetheless, the older man9s co/nsel serves as a reminder to the a arite that above all else he m/st be

$atient, and wait not for that "s$eediest friend" who brings an eas2 release indeath "s$eed2 death, 4he close of all m2 miseries, and the balm" 0)%', b/t for 7od9s forgiveness, "with $ra2ers and vows renew9d" !0'. As 1illiam


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"Home to his ?ather9s ho/se" in the wrong manner and before the $rovidential"right" time, the a arite wo/ld hono/r his earthl2 father b2 dishono/ringhimself, 6/st as he bro/ght false hono/r and em$t2 glor2 to himself b2 hiscon /est of 4imnath witho/t bringing tr/e hono/r or glor2 to his ?ather inHeaven. [24] If he had not obe2ed the "ro/sing motions" of his own libido, and

had waited instead for the tr/e "ro/sing motions" of the divine #$irit to g/idehim, he wo/ld not be "e2eless in 7a a at the Mill with slaves"3 and if he had morereverentl2 considered the $ro$er /ses of his 7od)given strength and the missionfor which it was intended in his confrontations with the enem2 at 4imnath, at-ehi, and at 7a a, he wo/ld not have made a mocker2 of the -ord9s vengeance b2triviali ing his con /ests with self)serving riddles and games.

! . Having come thro/gh the initial $hases of his s$irit/all2 regenerative rite of $assage /ndefeated in antici$ation of 8es/s9 more accom$lished re6ection o/t ofhand of the tem$tations of the flesh, the world, and the evil', #amson, too, isgiven the final challenge of an im$ossible choice, a "catch)!!" $ro$osition from

the noonda2 devil that, like 8es/s on the tem$le s$ire, he can neither re6ect noracce$t witho/t sinning. #/mmoned b2 his ca$tors to "make s$ort" for their $eo$leat the festival of agon, and commanded to dis$la2 his 7od)given talents at amidda2 feast of thanksgiving to be offered to the $agan idol in celebration of the=hilistine em$ire9s tri/m$h over the Israelites that which was accom$lished in

$art at the cost of #amson9s freedom and his sight', the a arite9s first reaction isindignantl2 soli$sistic: he is an brew forbidden to $artici$ate in the heathen ritesof the agonalia, and the =hilistine lords have demanded of him all that he willtolerate3 he cannot come %(!%'. 4old b2 the officer who has been sent to lead himto the festival that this answer will not content those who s/mmon him, #amsonremains both adamant and defiant: the2 will not "make a game of DhisE

calamities." "Have the2 not #word)$la2ers, and ev9r2 sort "he snarls, "b/t the2 m/st $ick mee o/t with shackles tir9d, And over)labor9d atthir $/blic Mill, 4o make them s$ort with blind activit2> . . . et/rn the wa2tho/ cam9st, I will not come" %(%&)(!'. Again the officer $resses the $risoner toreconsider, advising him with /ne5$ected com$assion to "regard himself" ))which #amson literall2 cannot do, for he can neither see himself as he is, noracce$t himself for what he has become. =owerless des$ite his strength, the blindand filth2 mill slave in "ill)fitted weeds " %(( ) '.


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worshi$, b/t b2 labor Honest and lawf/l to deserve DhisE food "', and again, he "will not come" %((F)G!'. 1hen the Chor/s /rgeshim once more to take stock of the sit/ation, and reconsider his res$onse " 5$ectanother message more im$erio/s, More -ordl2 th/nd9ring than tho/ well wilt

bear"', #amson at last a$$rehends the onl2 cogent arg/ment among the man2lesser $rinci$les on which he might stand in his ref/sal to hono/r the =hilistine9sdict/m, which is that he m/st not "ab/se this Consecrated gift


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im$ortant ca/se" takes the a arite from the "dark, dark," darkness of tristitia "amid the bla e of noon" F0)!' toward faith and the "ho$e of da2," the "firstcreated Beam" and "great 1ord" of ill/mination and #on)light he antici$ates andimitates witho/t f/ll2 com$rehending. "4he #/n," he sa2s, to him "is dark Andsilent as the Moon" F*', b/t there is an im$lied ass/rance at the end of the $la2 in

the fact that the ?ather, who also "oft seems to hide his face" has "/ne5$ectedl2ret/rnDedE, And to his faithf/l Cham$ion in $lace Bore witness glorio/sl2"%*G&) !': #amson "$artici$ates in the festival in a wa2 that is ironic in res$ect to

its nat/re as a celebration of a $agan god," b2 honoring, "not the god whosefestival this is s/$$osed to be, b/t the 7od whose instr/ment he is" Cirillo !!*'and becomes "b2 his own willing choice, a chosen son of DthatE 7od" Mart!%('3 his "tri/m$h is $resent in eternit2 beca/se the #on9s offer of redem$tion ismade in eternit2" Cirillo !% '. He, too, will be a $artaker in that reward.

1hile #amson9s service to 7od before his fall had been lo2al, it had also been $res/m$t/o/s. B/t the o$$osite of $res/m$tion is not, as the 9tong/e)do/ght29

Hara$ha ho$es it will be, a retreat into des$air. =res/m$tion and des$air are twosides of the same coin, which is willed ignorance of 7od. 4he o$$osite of s/chignorance is faith, which seeks gen/ine /nderstanding, tr/sting that a knowledgeof the 4r/th is attainable. . . . D#amson9sE faith in 7od9s righteo/sness . . . isrewarded with the discover2 of what he has gro$ingl2 so/ght, a rationall2 andmorall2 governed /niverse. 4hat discover2 has bro/ght with it victor2 over the/ltimate enem2, over his own sin and des$air. And #amson is read2, from now on,to meet not what 9ma2 chance9 %!& ', b/t what 7od will offer Bennett !( )*'.


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sacrificial death, he is transformed into the image of the second. As he stands,head bowed and arms o/tstretched between the $illars, Milton9s readers, familiarwith #amson as a t2$e of Christ, wo/ld not fail to detect the imagoC risti " Hawkins !!F': in both res$ects, he "heroicl2 hath finished A lifeHeroic" %*%0)%%' and indeed, "nothing is here for tears" %*!%'. B/t des$ite his

s$irit/al $rogress, and des$ite his im$erfect vision of the =romised -and, likeMoses at the end of 5od/s or Nirgil at the end of #l Paradiso , #amson cannotcross the desert into the land of milk and hone2: he lacks a coherent/nderstanding and acce$tance of 7od9s grace. 4ho/gh there are man2 $arallels

between #amson and avid, [26] the former is /nsatisf2ing and even dist/rbingas a Christian e5em$l/m beca/se, /ntil the last, his moralit2 is $redicated on theHamm/rabian lex talionis , not ew 4estament merc2: "strengthen me, I $ra2 thee,onl2 this once, < 7od, that I ma2 be at once avenged of the =hilistines for m2 twoe2es" he sa2s, moments before he brings down the ho/se on the agonites

8/dges % :!F'. 4h/s it is not re$/diation as m/ch as it is redirection of the blood2acts of his $ast that is the basis for his final act of heroism, a gest/re that even so

re /ires n/mino/s abilities the average h/man being does not $ossess. Milton willhave to t/rn to a lesser man to find the $ath to a greater.

$otes

1% ven to one who looks on them with ind/lgent affection, the $lenit/de of Milton9sdeclarations of rob/st self)res$ect is something of an embarrassment. Clearl2, Milton the2o/ng classicist so/ght fama3 Milton the elder statesman h/ngered after grace. I cite b/t afew of the man2 e5am$les of his earlier boistero/sness:

In Ad Patrem in % (* at the age of !&', Milton tells his father that, having received the

gift of knowledge via the genero/s ed/cation his $arents have $rovided for him,"however h/mble m2 $resent $lace in the com$an2 of learned men, I shall sit with the iv2and la/rel of a victor. I shall no longer mingle /nknown with the d/ll rabble, and m2walk shall be far from the sight of v/lgar e2es" H/ghes F '.

In the concl/ding $aragra$h of the same $oem, the a/thor addresses his literar2 $rogen2:"And 2o/, m2 6/venile verses and am/sements, if onl2 2o/ dare ho$e for immortalit2 anda life and a glim$se of the light be2ond 2o/r master9s f/neral $2re . . . $erha$s 2o/ will

$reserve this e/log2 and the name of the father whom m2 song honors as an e5am$le toremote ages" H/ghes F '.

4en 2ears later, while re$lacing a lost vol/me of his own $oetr2 at the re /est of hisfriend, 8ohn owse Ad $oannem Rousium , H/ghes %GF', Milton e5$resses confidencethat,

Lo/ then, m2 labors)whatever m2 sterile brain has $rod/ced)have hardl2 been in vain. ow at last I bid 2o/ look forward to /iet rest . . . DinE the alert $rotection of owse,where the insolent noise of the crowd shall never enter and the v/lgar mob of readersshall forever be e5cl/ded. B/t o/r distant descendants and a more sensitive age will
http://extra.shu.ac.uk/emls/05-2/bartsams.htm#fn26http://extra.shu.ac.uk/emls/05-2/bartsams.htm#fn26


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$erha$s render a more nearl2 6/st 6/dgment of things o/t of its /n$re6/diced heart. 4hen,when env2 has been b/ried, a sane $osterit2 will know what m2 deserts are)thanks to

owse.

4ho/gh s/ch remarks have often been /sed against him as a demonstration of his

arrogance, it is im$ortant to remember in his defence' that "contem$orar2" writers likeonne and #hakes$eare fre /entl2 e5$ressed intimations of the immortalit2 of theirworks, and that, as he wrote in % e Reason of C urc Government CPW I: FG!', Milton

believed that

he that holds himself in tr/e reverence and esteem, both for the dignit2 of 7ods image/$on him and for the $rice of his redem$tion, which he thinks is visibl2 markt /$on hisforehead, acco/nts himselfe both a fit $erson to do the noblest and godliest deeds, andm/ch better worth then to de6ect and defile with s/ch a debasement and s/ch a $oll/tionas sin is, himselfe so highl2 ransom9d and ennobl9d. . . . or can he fear so m/ch theoffence and re$roach of others, as he dreads and wo/ld bl/sh at the reflection of his own

severe and modest e2e /$on himselfe, if it sho/ld see him doing or imagining that whichis sinf/ll, tho/gh in the dee$est secrec2.

As a res/lt, Milton arg/ed in An Apology Against a Pamp let Called &A ModestConfutation of t e Animadversions 'pon t e Remonstrant Against smectymnuus(& C=1I: F&0' that, $ossessed of "a certain nicenesse of nat/re, an honest ha/ghtinesse and self)esteem either of what DheE was, or what DheE might be which let envie call $ride'," he

was confirmed in DtheE o$inion that he who wo/ld not be fr/strate of his ho$e to writewell hereafter in la/dable things, o/ght himselfe to bee a tr/e =oem, that is, acom$osition, and $atterne of the best and hono/rablest things3 not $res/ming to sing high

$raises of heroick men, or famo/s Cities, /nless he have in himselfe the e5$erience andthe $ractice of all that which is $raise)worth2.

2%I refer in this res$ect $rimaril2 to the conse /ences of each hero9s misg/ided faith inthe eal of his nation for liberation, and in Milton9s case to the disintegration of the "7ood


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As is the case in man2 instances, the Lale =rose version of Milton9s -atin differs literall2b/t not idiomaticall2' from the H/ghes te5t to a marked degree, and a$$ears to sacrifice

some of the $oetic flavor of Milton9s $rose for the sake of greater ling/istic $recision:

?or m2 $art, I call /$on 4hee, m2 7od, who knowest m2 inmost mind and all m2

tho/ghts, to witness that altho/gh I have re$eatedl2 e5amined m2self on this $oint asearnestl2 as I co/ld, and have searched all the corners of m2 life' I am conscio/s ofnothing, or of no deed, either recent or remote, whose wickedness co/ld 6/stl2 occasionor invite /$on me this s/$reme misfort/ne C=1 G !': &F'.

4%I refer, of co/rse, to the long $assage of % e Second Defense of t e Englis People inon M. 1olfe, ed. Complete Prose Wor"s , % Nol. IN, F!) &!' in which an incensed and

indignant Milton reb/ts the allegations of "More, the barren and wind2 egg, from whichiss/ed that flat/lent cr2 of the ro2al blood," i.e., "4he o2al Blood Cr2ing to Heaven forNengeance on the nglish =arricides," that the $oet is "a monster, dreadf/l, /gl2, h/ge,de$rived of sight . . . 2et not h/ge, for there is nothing more feeble, bloodless, and

$inched."

5%4he translation is that given b2 Merritt L. H/ghes in Complete Poems and Ma)or Prose , F!G3 the Lale =rose reads "let those who slander the 6/dgments of 7od cease tos$eak evil and invent em$t2 tales abo/t me."

6%Carol Barton,"94he2 Also =erform the /ties of a #ervant 1ho


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does avoid the "revenge" theme of the


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or co/ntries, or otherwise defend their owne.9" Clearl2, as #amson9s re$/diation of "tiltingf/rnit/re" indicates, Milton was of this o$inion, too.

1#%#ee 8ose$h 1ittreich9s s/mmar2 in the first cha$ter of #nterpreting Samson Agonistes of the "debate" between Irene #am/el, 1end2 ?/rman, Barbara -ewalski, 7eorgia

Christo$her, Mar2 Ann ad inowic , #tanle2 ?ish, 4homas Kranidas, et al . as to whether or not Milton is attem$ting to $ortra2 #amson as a Christian mart2r and model forem/lation, or a classicall2 flawed tragic hero condemned b2 his own br/talit2 andimmoral behavio/r to die a vengef/l death.

4ho/gh "t2$olog2 is s/fficientl2 elastic to read each of these advent/res as antici$ationsof events in Christ9s life," the e5$loits of the Biblical #amson are, as avid M. Miller $o n Milton2 Poetry , %*0)%' s/ggests, "witho/t dignit2":

He began b2 contracting marriage to a =hilistian woman and then tra$$ing her friends ina riddle game. 1hen the2 solved the riddle b2 coercing #amson9s wife, he killed thirt2 of

them, and gave his wife to a friend. -ater, #amson ret/rned and demanded to slee$ withthe woman3 and, when her father ref/sed him the $rivilege, #amson tied the tails of (00fo5es together, set them on fire, and chased them thro/gh =hilistian cro$s. #amsonres$onded to their $rotests b2 sla/ghtering all within reach and b2 then r/nning awa2.

ot s/r$risingl2, a =hilistian arm2 moved against the Israelites who, to save themselves,delivered #amson, bo/nd, to the enem2. He broke the bonds and slew a tho/sand=hilistines with the 6awbone of an ass. -ater he visited a harlot in 7a a and carried off thecit2 gates.

4he Miltonic #amson is, on the other hand, "elo /entl2 intros$ective," and endowed with

"the conscience of a seventeenth cent/r2 =/ritan." -ike his Biblical model, he $ra2s"with head inclin9d And e2es fast fi5t" moments before he destro2s the 4em$le of agon% ( )*', b/t the s/bstance of his $ra2er is not revealed. 4his distinction between the two

is an im$ortant one, since moments before his death, the Biblical #amson s$ecificall2 $ra2s, "< -ord 7< remember me, I $ra2 thee, and strengthen me, I $ra2 thee, onl2 thisonce, < 7< , that I ma2 be at once avenged of the =hilistines for m2 two e2es" 8/dges% :!F': rather than an2 indication of his having felt the sort of "ro/sing motions" thatwo/ld be consistent with a $remonition that he has been restored to grace, and hisstrength has ret/rned to him to carr2 o/t 7od9s mission, it a$$ears that in the last min/tesof his life, 7od grants him one final and vengef/ll2 self)absorbed wish "#o Sampson gro$9d the 4em$le9s =osts in s$ite, 4he 1orld o9erwhelming to revenge his sight,"observes Marvell'. Milton also down$la2s the Biblical #amson9s clear distr/st of his=hilistian bride, glossing over in si5 short lines (&!)*' the fact that there were threeearlier sed/ction attem$ts of the same kind and magnit/de before elilah was able to"ve5" his "so/l /nto death" with her badgering not sed/ce him with her feminine wiles'so that she s/cceeded in learning his secret, all of ! ic Samson t !arted b2 l2ing to herabo/t the so/rce of his strength 8/dges % : )% '.


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It is /nderstatement to sa2 that the Biblical #amson is th/s to a considerable degree theintellect/al inferior of his literar2 co/nter$art, a fact which detracts commens/rabl2 fromhis abilit2 to f/lfill the Aristotelian re /irement that he be an e5em$lar2 fig/re when he

becomes a character in a classical traged2. 1hile Milton does not o$enl2 deviate from theBiblical $recedent e5ce$t in the addition of the "7reek" chor/s of anites and the

creation of the berserker Hara$ha whose h/bristic ta/nts teach #amson what he has been, and m/st not be again', his commencement of the stor2 in medias res is th/s thatm/ch more /nderstandable, since, b2 foc/sing on #amson "e2eless in 7a a," he is able toavoid direct disc/ssion of the events that $reci$itated that condition.

11%4raged2 and classical doctrine wo/ld demand that #amson be $/nished for hisamartia b2 a fall from which he does not get /$3 comed2 and Christian doctrine wo/ld

demand that these $otentiall2 tragic circ/mstances end in a re/nification, an at)one)ment,which is s2mboli ed b2 the heavenl2 grace that restores #amson9s "talent" to him once hehas learned how to /se it wisel23 in Milton9s $la2, both occ/r offstage. As Merritt L.H/ghes $oints o/t in his Introd/ction to #amson, "if Milton9s drama reali ed his earl2

ho$e of master2 9in those ramatick constit/tions, wherein #o$hocles and /ri$idesraigne," he ma2 be forgiven for having $rod/ced a kind of isoto$e of traged2 somethingassa2able as of the same general kind of metal, tho/gh of a better /alit2, $erha$s, thanmost of the s/rviving 7reek tragedies themselves" Complete Poems and Ma)or Prose ,

G '.

12%#ee Milton9s letter to -eonard =hilaras regarding the "=aris $h2sician 4hevenot,es$eciall2 disting/ished as an oc/list," dated !F #e$tember % G.

13%#eeking with the "garlands" of his $oetr2 to "redress that wrong" that wreathed his#avior9s head with thorns, Marvell finds "the ser$ent old 4hat twining in his s$eckled

breast, Abo/t the flowers disg/ised does fold, 1ith wreaths of fame and interest." "Ah,foolish man," he cries, "that wo/ldst debase with them, And mortal glor2, Heaven9sdiadem " 4he same $roblem tho/gh not the same discomfort abo/t it' afflicts the first of

onne9s Hol2 #onnets: "do not with a vile crown of frail ba2s, eward m2 m/se9s whitesincerit2," he sa2s, "b/t what th2 thorn2 crown gained, that give me A crown of glor2,which doth flower alwa2s . . . ."

14%4ho/gh he shares the stage with the anite chor/s and Manoa almost from the start,the2 serve as foils rather than antagonists, in the sense that des$ite their sometimestactless "comfort"', the2 are clearl2 on #amson9s side, and sincerel2 want to hel$ him:"2o/r coming, ?riends, revives me, for I learn ow of m2 own e5$erience, not b2 talk How co/nterfeit a coin the2 are who friends Bear in their #/$erscri$tion . . . ." Samson

Agonistes , %F )&, in Merritt L. H/ghes, Complete Poems and Ma)or Prose , '. It takes*%0 lines to get to #amson9s confrontation with his first real adversar2, alila, and thereare %* F lines in the $oem.

15%#ir Ma/rice Bowra th/s com$lains in #nspiration and Poetry , -ondon, %& %!F'that "#amson9s fa/lt is stressed so strongl2 that we hardl2 $it2 him, and if we feel an2fear, it is less for him than for the =hilistines." As Merritt L. H/ghes s/ggests, it is likel2


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that, if Milton had heard the comment, it wo/ld have done no more than make him smileComplete Poems and Ma)or Prose , G '.

16%4his is not to s/ggest that ve o$erates on the same Machiavellian $lane as alila, orthat her motives for offering the s$ecio/s alibis that attem$t to $aint her better than she is

are at all the same3 an im$ortant difference between the two is that #atan never s/ggeststo ve that what he offers her is contingent on her ind/cing Adam to $artake of theforbidden fr/it making her worse than alila, self)tem$ted', while alila betra2s herman in $art' for the $romise of eleven h/ndred $ieces of silver from each of the=hilistian lords 8/dges % : ', making her a t2$e of 8/das and therefore worse than ve'.

1 %4he convention is


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21%#atan, too, m/st come to terms with the fact that his brightness is "diminisht," andthat he "resemblDesE now DhisE sin and $lace of doom obsc/re and fo/l," even tho/gh hethinks himself /nchanged. B/t where #atan is abashed to find himself th/s degeneratedand inferior to those who once looked /$ in awe to him "4h/s abasht the evil stood,"sa2s Milton, "and felt how awf/l goodness is, and saw Nirt/e in her sha$e how lovel2,

saw, and $in9d His loss"', one gets the distinct im$ression that #amson is /ltimatel2disg/sted b2 Hara$ha9s swaggering bravado, and does not grieve a moment for the lostvocation that made them brothers.

22%As 1illiam 8es/s said /nto him, 4ho/ shalt lovethe -ord th2 7od with all th2 heart, and with all th2 so/l, and with all th2 mind. . . .

4he difference between the two the em$hasis in the


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re'marriage in the sense of at)one)ment between #amson and 7od that wo/ld transformthe $la2 into a comed2 is im$licit in the final action, it will not $ro$erl2 or historicall2occ/r b2 Christian standards for some nine or ten cent/ries hence, at the birth and deathof 8es/s Christ3 it is therefore arg/abl2 not "$art of" the tragic action from the nominal

$ers$ective of the classical Aristotelian $la2 that the work $retends to be for the $/r$oses

of its $erformance. Here again, I think the ve5ed /estion of whether or not Samson Agonistes is a traged2 and there is a long and disting/ished tradition of arg/ments on both sides' stems from the blending of $agan, Hebrew, and Christian $ers$ectives thatMilton conflates into a "/nified" tri$artite $rovidential vision: from an Aristotelian

$agan' $oint of view, #amson9s hamartia is the overweening $ride or u4ris ' that leadshim not onl2 to con /er b/t to bait his enemies consider the e$isode of the fo5es at4imnah, or his l2ing "confessions" to alila, which are reminiscent in this res$ect of


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moment of his e5$iration will lead to his 6o2f/l re/nion with the ?ather and #on inHeaven.

26%Indeed, the resemblances are striking: avid was the sla2er of the fictional Hara$ha9s Biblical son, 7oliath, in % #am/el %F: G&) %3

was sent b2 #a/l to do battle with the =hilistines, "?or #a/l said, -et not m2 hand be/$on him, b/t let the hand of the =hilistines be /$on him," in % #am/el %F:%*3 was $romised #a/l9s da/ghter Michal in marriage "that she ma2 be a snare to him, and

that the hand of the =hilistines ma2 be against him," in % #am/el %F:!%3 and bro/ght two h/ndred =hilistian foreskins to #a/l as a dowr2 so that he might marr2 the

king9s da/ghter Michal, after the king9s re /est that he bring him "an h/ndred," in %#am/el %F:! .

&orks Cited

Allen, on Cameron. "4he Idea as =attern: es$air and Samson Agonistes ." In

Samson Agonistes2 %!entiet Century #nterpretations . d. 7albraith Cr/m$.nglewood Cliffs: =rentice)Hall, %& F. Barker, Arth/r . "#tr/ct/ral and octrinal =attern in Samson Agonistes ." In

Samson Agonistes2 %!entiet Century #nterpretations . d. 7albraith Cr/m$.nglewood Cliffs: =rentice)Hall, %& F.

Bennett, 8oan #. "A reading of Samson Agonistes ." In % e Cam4ridge Companionto Milton . d. ennis anielson. ew Lork: Cambridge +niversit2 =ress, %&&G.

Bowra, #ir Ma/rice. #nspiration and Poetry . -ondon: %& . Cirillo, Albert. "4ime, -ight, and the =hoeni5." In Calm of Mind2 %ercentenary

Essays on Paradise Regained and Samson Agonistes in onor of $o n S5 Die" off .d. 8ose$h A. 1ittreich. Cleveland: Case 1estern eserve +niversit2, %&*%.

Harris, 1illiam


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Mart , -o/is -. " Samson Agonistes : 4he Breath of Heaven." In $o n Milton2 Modern Critical 6ie!s . ew d. Harold Bloom. ew Lork: Chelsea Ho/se, %&F .

Miller, avid. $o n Milton2 Poetry . Boston: 4wa2ne =/blishers 7.K. Hall',%&*F.

M/eller, Martin. "=athos and Katharsis in Samson Agonistes ." In Critical Essays

on Milton from EL1 . Baltimore: 8ohns Ho$kins +niversit2 =ress, %& &. ad inowic , Mar2 Ann. " Samson Agonistes : 4he ivided Mind." In $o n

Milton2 Modern Critical 6ie!s . d. Harold Bloom. ew Lork: Chelsea Ho/se,%&F .

#am/el, Irene. " Samson Agonistes as 4raged2." In Calm of Mind2 %ercentenary Essays on Paradise Regained and Samson Agonistes in 1onor of $o n S5 Die" off . d. 8ose$h A. 1ittreich. Cleveland: Case 1estern eserve +niversit2,%&*%.

#tein, Arnold. 1eroic 0no!ledge2 An #nterpretation of Paradise Regained andSamson Agonistes . Hamden: Archon Books, %& .

4ill2ard, .M.1. Milton . ew Lork: Collier, %& .

1olfe, on M., gen. ed. % e Complete Prose Wor"s of $o n Milton . F vols' ewHaven: Lale +niversit2 =ress, %& ()F!. 1ittreich, 8ose$h. Calm of Mind2 %ercentenary Essays on Paradise Regained and

Samson Agonistes in 1onor of $o n S5 Die" off . Cleveland: Case 1esterneserve +niversit2, %&*%.

))). #nterpreting Samson Agonistes . =rinceton: =rinceton +niversit2 =ress, %&F .

es$onses to this $iece intended for the eaders9 ?or/m ma2 be sent to the ditor at-.M.Ho$kins@sh/.ac./k .

R %&&&), -isa Ho$kins ditor, EMLS '.
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://extra.shu.ac.uk/emls/05-2/emlscopy.htmlhttp://extra.shu.ac.uk/emls/05-2/emlscopy.htmlhttp://purl.oclc.org/emls/emlshome.htmlmailto:[email protected]://extra.shu.ac.uk/emls/05-2/emlscopy.html

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