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More than 5000 entries on the history, culture and life of Britain (published in 1993 by Macmillan, now out of print)
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Samson Agonistes
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(1671)
Poetic drama by *Milton, similar to a Greek tragedy in the intensity with which it fills a narrow canvas. The action is limited to the final days of Samson, captive of the *Philistines, who describes himself as 'eyeless in Gaza at the mill with slaves' (many have seen a parallel with the blind author himself, out of step in a society that had reverted to royalist rule with the *Restoration). During the drama Samson moves from self-pity to a new sense of strength and mission, which enables him to bring the hall of the Philistines crashing down.
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