Prison
The primary setting of the play is the prison where Samson is kept in Gaza. However, vivid descriptions of the setting are notably absent from the play. Samson's surroundings are only ever described as dark, and this absence of imagery emphasizes Samson's fallen state as a blind slave to the Philistines. He laments being cut off from God's creation, and as such the reader, too, experiences the misery of darkness.
Delila
The chorus describes Delila as a "stately ship" (714), dressed in her finest clothing, covered in ornate decoration, and producing a perfumed smell of amber. This detailed description of Delila portrays her as a wealthy Philistine woman, suggesting her comfort in the aftermath of her betrayal of Samson. By cultivating the image of a ship, the chorus also suggests that Delila is strong and formidable, a comparison that foreshadows her temptation of Samson.
Parade of Dagon
Readers hear about the parade for the Philistine idol, Dagon, from the messenger at the end of the play. He describes how the amphitheater was overflowing with people and how Samson was led through the center as a form of entertainment. The messenger's description of the celebration portrays it as a moment of exuberance and blissful ignorance for what is to come.
Destruction
Readers also hear about the destruction of the amphitheater from the messenger, who describes Samson's behavior in great detail. The messenger focuses on the way Samson feigned exhaustion in order to be granted time to rest against the pillars he will eventually collapse. That the messenger relays Samson's actions in such detail returns the reader to the question of Samson's strength and how it was restored through his service to God.
