Samson Agonistes

The Faerie Queene by Edmund Spenser (1590, 1596)

Spenser had a critical influence on Milton and English poetry, and his famously intricate epic poem features many of the same themes and symbols as Samson Agonistes. In Milton’s dramatic play, Samson’s suffering represents his dedication to God; in Spenser’s epic, the knights endure suffering to symbolize their virtue and fortitude. Like Milton, Spenser often depicts women as deceitful or malicious, though the epic also features heroic women.

“When I Consider How My Light Is Spent” by John Milton (1673)

In this sonnet, Milton presents “light” as a form of introspection, as the speaker contemplates how he’s spent his life. Like Samson Agonistes, the sonnet considers free will, with Milton wondering how his choices correlate to God‘s plan. He realizes that God doesn’t need everyone to live laborious or action-packed lives: God also favors those who quietly hang back and proceed cautiously.

“Lady Lazarus” by Sylvia Plath (1963)

In this confessional poem, Plath retells the story of Lazarus, a man Jesus resurrects in the New Testament. Plath presents Lazarus as a woman, who violently fights against her foes—specifically, her father and husband. As with Milton, Plath uses hyperbole and alliteration to reinforce the drama. Plath, too, harnesses the imagery of the mythological phoenix, as the poem ends with a picture of her rising out of the ashes.