Samson Agonistes Fate and Free Will Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Line number)

Quote #4

CHORUS: [God] made our laws to bind us, not himself, and hath full right to exempt whom so it pleases him by choice (309-311).

Maybe we should just give up this whole free will/ divine fate thing, right? God doesn't need to explain himself to us. In fact, God seems to be the only one who's outside of fate.

Quote #5

MANOA: Reject not then what offer'd means, who knows but God hath set before us, to return thee home to thy countrey (516-517)

God works in mysterious ways—and they're extra mysterious to Manoa, who seems to literally have no idea how these things work. It's obvious to everyone except him that Samson's never going home.

Quote #6

SAMSON: Of birth from Heav'n foretold and high exploits, full of divine instinct (525-526)

This idea of "divine instinct" suggests that Samson isn't just special, but that he and God are on the same wavelength. Sort of like Voldemort and Harry Potter.