This is a tragic closet drama, which appeared with the publication of Paradise Regained in 1671. Milton began plotting various subjects for tragedies in a notebook much earlier in the 1640s. Many of his ideas dealt with the topic of Samson, with titles such as Samson Pursophorus (Firebrand) or Hybristes (the Violent). He later decided on Agonistes, which depicts Samson as a warrior or an athlete. It is uncertain as to when the poem was composed, which leaves the possibility that it was an early work that was filled with Milton’s ideas about the Civil War or it may have been a later work, influenced by the poet’s despair over the Restoration.
Interestingly, Milton wrote on the titlepage that Samson Agonistes was a ‘Dramatic Poem’, not a drama, as he did not wish it to be performed on the stage. Instead, Milton sought to influence readers, hoping that in combining Samson with traits of other Biblical figures, he could portray the perfect hero, while handling complex theological issues.
Samson Agonistes draws on the story of Samson from the Old Testament, Judges 13-16. The drama begins with Samson’s capture by the Philistines, as his hair, the means of his strength, is about to be cut off. The source text from the King James Bible has also been provided in this eBook and can be accessed from the following contents table.