Re: Rép. : Re: [Milton-L] Samson as suicidebomber

[James Rovira]

I very much appreciate these plugs, and I'll try to avoid a pun
uniting "hair" and "plugs."

I would like to add that I don't think anyone here, at least, believes
Samson's hair has magical qualities.  It is simply the most
significant sign of his faithfulness to the Nazirite vow.  His
faithfulness to that vow is the basis of the Divine source of his
strength.

Jim R

On Fri, May 15, 2009 at 11:55 AM, JD Fleming <jfleming at sfu.ca> wrote:
> In point of fact, it is clear throughout SA that the hero's strength has returned with his hair. Thus turning the millstone, offering to fight Harapha -- declined, H says, because S is blind, not because he is an unworthy opponent -- numerous comments by Manoa and Chorus, and, above all, S performing feats of strength in the theatre, "none daring approach." Other Renaissance and Baroque Samson plays (see Kirconnell) follow an intentionalist logic such that S's strength departs when he breaks his congenital vow, and does not return until God's favor is renewed, hair or no hair ("just" a symbol). So they have S, for example, performing for the Philistines in drag, beaten by small boys, etc.  What makes SA striking and odd is precisely that it does not work that way. On all these points (if I can be forgiven a plug) I have a fair bit to say in chapters two and three of my recent book.
> JD Fleming