Samson
Samson is the central character of the play. He is based on the biblical Samson from the book of Judges in the Old Testament. God endowed Samson with unparalleled strength that allowed him to perform many famous feats, including slaying a lion with his bare hands and killing 1,000 Philistines with nothing but a donkey's jaw bone. Samson was an Israelite and Nazirite, meaning he made a promise to God never to cut his hair, which became the source of his strength.
Samson married Delila, a Philistine woman, who betrayed him by ordering a servant to cut his hair while he was sleeping. The play takes place after Samson has lost his strength and has been captured by the Philistines and put into a prison in Gaza. As Samson sits in prison, blind, he admits his own fault for trusting Delila and contemplates taking his own life. Eventually, Samson gets revenge on the Philistines by destroying their amphitheater and killing them all, along with himself, in the process.
In many ways, Samson serves as a mouthpiece for John Milton himself: blind and at the end of his career, Milton died only three years after Samson Agonistes was published. Both Milton and his version of Samson, then, are concerned with their respective "falls": Samson from unparalleled strength and notoriety, and Milton from a robust poetic and political career rendered somewhat empty after the restoration of the English monarchy.
Manoa
Manoa is Samson’s father who came to visit him in prison. Manoa is a loving and loyal father, suggesting that God was too harsh in his punishment of Samson. Manoa pleads with the Philistine lords to free Samson for ransom money, accepting that he will live as a poor man for the rest of his life in order to save his son. At the end of the play, though Manoa is devastated by Samson's death, he encourages other Israelites to look toward Samson as a hero and martyr for the country and for God.
Dalila
Dalila is Samson's wife. She is a Philistine woman who betrayed Samson by ordering a servant to cut his hair while he slept. Dalila appears in the prison where Samson is confined in order to ask for Samson's forgiveness, saying that she simply loved him too much to let him be free. Delila also notes that she received pressure from the Philistine lords to betray Samson. Once Samson makes it clear he will not forgive her, Delila says she will be celebrated in her country for her deeds even if she is scorned in Israel. Samson blames himself for trusting Delila—and all women, whom he sees as deceptive and manipulative—with the secret to his strength.
The Chorus
The chorus is present throughout the play. Milton uses the chorus in the style of ancient Greek tragedies, as they introduce different characters, offer sympathy and pity for Samson, and provide backstory and context to make the play easier to follow. The chorus in Samson Agonistes is made up of voices of Israeli brethren who ultimately celebrate Samson for his sacrifice at the end of the play.
Harapha
Harapha is a giant who comes to see Samson and compare himself to him, because he has heard of Samson's enormous feats of strength. He mocks Samson for his current state, but Samson still challenges him to combat. Harapha values his armor while Samson mocks him for having to use it, saying that he could still beat him in a fight even though he is blind and dressed in rags. Samson argues that, if they were to engage in combat, he would win because his god is the true God, not Dagon whom Harapha worships. Harapha leaves, refusing Samson's offer, and Samson labels him a coward.
