Unit 3: Stuart Britain, John Milton, and Samson Agonistes

Vocabulary flashcards covering the historical context of the Stuart Dynasty, the English Civil War, John Milton's life, and the literary analysis of Samson Agonistes.

Divine Right of Kings

The political and religious doctrine held by Stuart monarchs like James I and Charles I asserting that kings derive their authority directly from God and therefore cannot be held accountable or controlled by Parliament.

Petition of Right (1628)

A major English constitutional document accepted by Charles I that prohibited the Crown from levying taxes without Parliament's consent, imprisoning citizens arbitrarily, and violating established legal rights.

Personal Rule (1629–1640)

The 11-year period during which King Charles I dissolved Parliament and ruled England entirely without parliamentary input, financing his reign through measures such as Ship Money.

Ship Money

A controversial non-parliamentary tax utilized by Charles I during his Personal Rule to raise revenue for the crown, generating widespread political opposition.

Cavaliers

The Royalist faction in the English Civil War that supported King Charles I and advocated for strong monarchical authority.

Roundheads

The Parliamentarian faction in the English Civil War, eventually led by Oliver Cromwell, that opposed Charles I's policies and fought for greater parliamentary governance.

Commonwealth

The republican government established in England after the trial and execution of King Charles I in 1649, which abolished the monarchy.

Lord Protector

The official title assumed by Oliver Cromwell as head of the Commonwealth, under whose increasingly authoritarian government Puritan ideals were implemented.

The Restoration (1660)

The historical return of the Stuart monarchy under Charles II following his return from exile, leading to greater political flexibility and the revival of theatre and the arts.

Glorious Revolution (1688)

The transition of power in which the Catholic King James II was removed from the throne and replaced by William of Orange and Mary, permanently strengthening Parliament's authority and limiting royal independence.

Rustication

A temporary expulsion from university, which John Milton received in 1626 from Christ's College, Cambridge, following a conflict with his tutor, William Chappell.

Prolusions

Formal Latin academic exercises and oratorical debates performed by university students at Cambridge; Milton authorized seven of his prolusions to be published in 1674.

"Lady of Christ’s College"

The nickname given to John Milton by his Cambridge classmates, attributed to his fair complexion, delicate physical features, and auburn hair.

Areopagitica

A celebrated prose tract by John Milton that serves as a passionate defense of the freedom of speech and expression against licensing and censorship.

Agonistes

A term derived from the Greek agōn (signifying struggle, contest, or conflict), translating in Milton's title to "Samson the Struggler" or "Samson the champion."

Closet Drama

A drama intended primarily to be read privately rather than staged, featuring philosophical dialogue, no stage directions, and classical conventions; historically associated with early modern women writers like Mary Sidney, Margaret Cavendish, and Elizabeth Cary.

In Medias Res

A Latin narrative technique meaning entering directly into the middle of the action without exposition; Milton uses this by opening Samson Agonistes with Samson already blind and imprisoned in Gaza.

Classical Unities

The dramatic rules of Time, Place, and Action derived from classical Greek tragedy, strictly adhered to by Milton in composing Samson Agonistes.

Catharsis

An emotional release or cleansing of pity and fear experienced by the audience as a consequence of witnessing a tragic hero's downfall.

Dramatic Irony

A literary device characteristic of Greek tragedy in which the audience possesses crucial knowledge or understanding that the characters within the play do not.

Chorus (in Samson Agonistes)

A group of Samson's Israeli brethren that acts like a Greek tragedy narrator, offering exposition, framing moral perspectives, and cultivating sympathy for Samson.

Strenuous Liberty

Milton's philosophical concept that true freedom requires constant labor and civic effort, whereas obedience to monarchical absolutism represents an easier form of servitude.

Nazirite

An Israelite bound by sacred vows of dedication to God, including refraining from cutting his hair, which served as the physical source of Samson's miraculous strength.

Harapha

A Philistine giant who comes to Gaza prison to boast of his own strength and mock Samson, but cowardly declines when the blind Samson challenges him to single combat.

Manoa

Samson’s loyal father who visits him in prison, offers to bankrupt himself paying ransom to free his son, and ultimately celebrates Samson's death as a martyrdom for Israel and God.

Dagon

The false deity of the Philistines worshipped in the Gaza amphitheater where Samson is brought as entertainment before destroying the building.