[Milton-L] Reading Samson Agonistes

[Derek Wood]

 Jim,
You clearly have an expectation about how a 'hero of faith' should behave. Where does it come from? Does the Bible tell us? Should he be a nice Jewish boy who obeys his mother, doesn't get drunk, pick fights and kill people he doesn't like? You're in good company because most Milton scholars in the 20th C. did just that. Assuming the hero of faith must be good, they constructed one, ignoring Milton's text where it was awkward. But does the Bible present the morality of the hero of faith? It does: in the story of Samson, of Rahab the harlot etc. Isn't the murder of 3000 people homicide? Samson was saved by faith not works. Of course we don't expect him to behave like Christ.  Christ brought a New Covenant better than the Old one. In PR Christ refuses Satan's offer of legions, military power,  dominion etc. PR. echoes many moments in SA (e.g. the motions) but only to contrast the new Christian ethic with the OT consciousness and morality. Christ dies as does Samson but how differsntly! Remember, Milton, unlike many Protestants, disagreed with Luther and Calvin in abrogating the Old Testament rules and morality. Samson did the best he could, but he was 'exiled from light.' Remember the angelic promise before his birth, that he would begin the deliverance of Israel? There isn't much evidence that it waas fulfilled.
Best wishes,
Derek Wood.
 
 
 
Derek N. C. Wood,
Senior Research Professor and Shastri Fellow,,
St. Francis Xavier University,
ANTIGONISH,    NS,
Canada,    B2G 2W5
 
e-mail: dwood at stfx.ca
phone: 902-867-2328 (w)
           902-863-5433 (h)
fax:      902-867-5400
web:     http://www.stfx.ca/people/dwood <http://www.stfx.ca/people/dwood/Welcome.html> /Welcome.html 

________________________________

From: milton-l-bounces at lists.richmond.edu on behalf of James Rovira
Sent: Sat 01-Mar-08 10:12 PM
To: John Milton Discussion List
Subject: Re: [Milton-L] Reading Samson Agonistes



I have a hard time reconciling these two comments, Prof. Wood:

1. <<Is it really thinkable that Milton could have identified the
Christian serenity of the 'paradise within' with the homicidal
vengefulness of that massive slaughter at the temple? It seems
impossible to me that the 'love of God' feasted on the horrifying
massacre of 3000 screaming and dying human beings.>>

and

2. <<Perhaps he did not read the part of my book where I argue that
Samson is a hero of faith, not a satanic villain or the Antichrist.>>

How can a hero of faith be guilty of  "the homocidal vengefulness of
that massive slaughter at the temple"?

I have an even harder time holding Samson responsible for following
the teachings of Christ.

Jim R
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