『투사 삼손』: 폭력, 죽음, 살아남은 자들의 선택

Abstract

It is not easy to read Milton's Samson Agonistes which has been the subject of dispute for its violence and massacre. After 911, John Carey wrote an article on Samson Agonistes and criticized Stanley Fish's, though not without waver, praise of Samson's act as moral act of God's chosen person. He pointed out the similarities between Samson and the real world violence of the 911, both of which could be justified as divine acts by the supporters. He, therefore, suggested to exclude Samson Agonistes from the reading list. In fact, in Samson Agonistes, we meet the characters who acknowledge the violent physical ability of Samson as disposition of Providence. Violence, however, is often criticized as well and is not always a signifier of God's grace, which becomes clearer after Samson destroyed the theater and killed (by accident, according to Milton's point of view) himself. The results of violence and massacre are left to be interpreted and are anything but indisputable God's grace. Samson Agonistes rather asks us to think about how to get oneself out of the unjust pressure and what is the result of the violence as a possible alternative in an impelling situation than simply exhorts us to praise his act. Therefore, even with deep understanding on Carey's worries and after the painful experience in the real world, Samson Agonistes should be kept in the reading list.