Free Will in John Miltons Samson Agonistes Essay -- Samson Agonistes

Free Will in butt Miltons shit Agonistes John Miltons bulls eye Agonistes is based on the fabrication of Samson, an Israelite hero in the Old Testament who falls from grace. In this treat Milton shapes his version around the issue of accountability, whether Samson or beau ideal is responsible for(p) for his actions. Milton displays Samsons accountability by contrasting his God- apt(p) 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 refrain his strength he should not cut his long Nazirite hair or drink alcohol. Therefore Samson has control over his strength and potty 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 hai r in order to utter him how minor the gift is. Proudly secure, (55) he worried about things that at present least afflict him. He regarded his strength as a head of course because he had never experienced weakness and did not choose that he was liable to fall.The first time he assumes debt instrument for a major decision is when he chooses his married woman. 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. Samsons decision leads him to blindness and captivity and his people to suffer under the design of the Philisti... ...nistes. 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 Calvinist vi ew of predestination Arminianism allowed human decision a role in achieving personal salvation. The belief in predestination makes life seem black 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.Works CitedMilton, John. Samson Agonistes. In John Milton Complete Poems and Major Prose. Ed. Merritt Y. Hughes. New York Macmillan, 1957.