| Essays |  |
John Milton’s Samson Agonistes is based on the story of Samson, an Israelite hero in the Old Testament
who falls from grace. In this work Milton shapes his version around the issue of accountability,
whether Samson or God is responsible for his actions. Milton displays Samson’s accountability
by contrasting his God-given strength with his self-effected weakness.
When Samson was born, God gave him extraordinary physical strength. The very fact that God puts
prohibitions on Samson implies that there is an element of free choice.
His parents told him that in order to preserve his strength he should not cut his
long Nazirite hair or drink alcohol. Therefore Samson has control over his strength
and can be held accountable for his deeds.
Initially, Samson did not appreciate the gift given to him. Before losing the privilege of
his power he was unaware of its significance. He says that God put the strength in his hair
in order to show him how minor the gift is. "Proudly secure,” (55) he worried about things
that now "least afflict [him].” He regarded his strength as a matter of course because he
had never experienced weakness and did not recognize that he was “liable to fall.”
The first time he assumes responsibility for a major decision is when he chooses his wife.
He is free to choose the wife he pleases. Nevertheless, he is unaware of the responsibility with
which he is confronted. He does not take into account the fatal consequences that could result
from his decision. His marriage to Dalila, a Philistine woman, harms not only himself but also the
other Israelites. Samson’s decision leads him to blindness and captivity and his people to suffer
under the rule of the Philistines. Samson’s late regret for having revealed the source of his power
to Dalila shows that he did not think about the consequences before.
Samson begins to reflect on his responsibility in his downfall from grace after he is blinded and
imprisoned. At first he does not feel responsible for his fate and believes in the “will of highest
dispensation.” Since he does not even feel responsible for himself, he does not think himself accountable
for the well-being of the Israelites. He "transfers" the responsibility for Israel’s oppression "on Israel’s
Governors, and Heads of Tribes.” At first his lack of compassion seems to be caused by his inability to
recognize his true friends. After his downfall, he realizes that most of his friends have been with him
in "prosperous days"; as soon as he loses his power they turn away from him and can "not [...] be found,
though sought.“ Although the contrast with his false friends leads him to appreciate his real friends,
he does not take compassion on his real friends.
Samson gains a first insight into his responsibility when he perceives that his plight is his own fault
and comes to the conclusion that his wife “[Dalila] was not the prime cause, but [he himself].“
He regrets his weakness when “[he] gave up his fort of silence to a woman.
”
Having recognized partial responsibility, he then goes even farther and admits that
“all [...] had been fulfill’d [...] through [his] own default.”
At this point he becomes aware that his life is not completely predetermined by God,
but that he is able decide his own deeds.
Although Samson knew that he was capable of taking full responsibility for himself, he preferred
to be guided by someone else, be it God, Dalila or the Governors. At the beginning of the play,
when he is already blinded and imprisoned, he expresses this wish by adressing an anonymous person
with the words: “ A little onward lend thy guiding hand [...], a little further on.” However,
in the course of his life, he had been forced to assume responsibility, for example when he
chose his wife.
Samson’s story reveals Milton’s denial of predestination at the time he wrote “Samson Agonistes”.
When this work was published in 1671, the author did not regard himself as a Calvinist,
as he had during most of his life. Instead, he held an Arminian belief, which criticized
the Calvinistic view of predestination; Arminianism allowed human decision a role in achieving
personal salvation. The belief in predestination makes life seem hopeless for every effort would
be in vain. Moreover, predestination could serve as an excuse for immoral behavior because we
could refuse to bear responsibility for our shortcomings. It is a valuable gift that we are
all capable of taking responsibility for ourselves and for the people close to us. We can only
hope that everyone will be brave enough to make good use of this gift.