Samson Agonistes

Samson Agonistes

by John Milton

Narrated by LibriVox Community

 — 2 hours, 37 minutes

Samson Agonistes

Samson Agonistes

by John Milton

Narrated by LibriVox Community

 — 2 hours, 37 minutes

Audiobook (Digital)

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Overview

“The Sun to me is dark
And silent as the Moon,
When she deserts the night
Hid in her vacant interlunar cave.”

Milton composes his last extended work as a tragedy according to the classical Unities of Time, Place and Action. Nevertheless it “never was intended for the stage” and is here declaimed by a single reader.

Samson the blinded captive, in company with the Chorus of friends and countrymen, receives his visitors on their varying missions and through them his violent story is vividly recalled. Then he is summoned to give a final demonstration of God-given strength to entertain the Philistines, his captors. Famously - and of course, offstage - his performance brings the house down. (Summary by Martin Geeson)


Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

The work allows for teaching feminist teaching as well as Puritan background to English literature. The notes are excellent, very helpful to me as well as to the students."—Pau Sheneman, Miami University

MAY 2014 - AudioFile

While Milton’s closet drama was not intended to be performed onstage, it could have been written for audio. Iain Glen and his supporting cast give listeners everything we need to follow this seventeenth-century disquisition on faith, duty, and blindness, both physical and moral. Glen’s Samson is agonized by guilt and faith but is energized out of his despair by the taunting visit of Delilah, wonderfully portrayed by Samantha Bond. The rest of the cast is nearly as good, making Milton’s iambic pentameter as understandable as ordinary speech, but more thrilling. Some of Milton’s attitudes (particularly toward women) may not be palatable to contemporary listeners, but this is a first-rate performance of a classic work. D.M.H. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine

Product Details

BN ID: 2940170395866
Publisher: LibriVox
Publication date: 08/25/2014
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