Blindness
Samson's blindness is indicative of how far he has fallen, and indeed both he and the chorus frequently lament his state as a type of living grave. For Samson, being blind means being cut off from the rest of God's creation and living in perpetual darkness, which leads the chorus to declare that he inhabits a prison within a prison. Blindness is, according to Samson, the most insufferable part of his captive life. Blindness is also especially significant in this text because Milton himself was completely blind by the end of his career. In his sonnet "When I Consider How My Light is Spent," Milton laments his own blindness but suggests that there are other ways to serve God without all of one's senses. Similarly, Milton shows how Samson regains his strength despite his blindness and continues to serve God through his own self-sacrifice.
Temptation
Throughout the play, Samson is presented with opportunities to free himself: first, his father Manoa says that he plans to entreat the Philistine lords to let Samson go for ransom money. Second, Delila offers to convince the lords to free Samson so that he can live with her and she can take care of him. Samson rejects these offers, instead choosing to remain in prison because he feels he is to blame for what happened to him. These moments of offered freedom represent temptation for Samson as he is presented with the opportunity to no longer suffer for his crimes against God. That Samson rejects the potential for freedom underscores his dedication to serve God through his own suffering even after betraying the Nazirite secret to Delila.
Commitment to God
What ultimately saves Israel from Philistine rule is Samson's commitment to serve God. That he continues to suffer in prison, challenges Harapha to combat, and ultimately sacrifices himself in order to kill the Philistines showcases Samson's unwavering dedication to God despite his mistakes. When Samson finally decides to go with the officer to the amphitheater, it is only because he feels the restoration of his own strength, suggesting that God is merciful and just. God's redemption of Samson's strength is what ultimately fosters Samson's plan to kill the Philistines with his own self-sacrifice, a feat that shows his loyalty to God until the very end of his life.
Misogyny
Because of Delila's betrayal, Samson comes to despise women and expresses misogynistic thoughts throughout the play. He sees all women as deceptive and manipulative, and blames himself for having trusted Delila with his secret. Delila, too, uses internalized misogyny as an excuse for her behavior, arguing that she is inherently too weak as a woman to make the right choices. The chorus further echoes this misogyny by noting that God's law renders men more powerful than women to inhibit men from being influenced by women's deceptions.
Politics
As with most of Milton's work, Samson Agonistes contains political commentary for early modern English society at the same time it dramatizes a biblical narrative in the style of ancient Greek tragedy. The most persistent political commentary that exists throughout the play is the notion that liberty is difficult while servitude is easy. In fact, the chorus notes that men are always more likely to allow themselves to be ruled by despots than to take independence into their own hands. For Milton, these arguments mirror his interpretations of the English monarchy: Milton was a staunch supporter of the commonwealth and frequently challenged monarchical absolutism and the divine right of kings. That the restoration occurred just before Milton wrote Samson Agonistes suggests that Samson's thoughts about the ease of servility are also Milton's critiques of England's return to monarchical structure.
The Fall
Throughout the play, Samson and other characters continue to mourn Samson's greatness. His feats are recounted multiple times, by himself, the chorus, Manoa, and Harapha, and characters frequently express pure shock and despair over seeing him in prison. His own father, for example, does not even recognize him at first, and sees Samson's imprisonment as a form of death itself. That the play dedicates so much time to describing Samson's fallen state returns readers to the notion of one's commitment to God. In the end, God restores Samson's strength, showcasing how an unwavering desire to serve God can redeem even those who have fallen in such an extreme way.
Heroism
The play portrays Samson as a hero for the people of Israel, as he sacrifices himself in order to kill the Philistines present at the feast of Dagon. But Samson's heroism is conditional, as it depends on his restoration of strength from God. By the end of the play, Samson's heroism is a quieter heroism than he enjoyed before: he is still blind and, rather than slaying lions with his bear hands, he feigns exhaustion in order to trick the Philistines into letting him rest by the pillars that ultimately bring about their destruction. In this way, Milton showcases how heroic action derives not simply from outward strength or fame, but from pure and persistent faith in God.
