Beyond the Vow

Samson needs no introduction. Few characters have been portrayed in such a wealth of diverse and often conflicting ways in literary and artistic works as the eponymous man from Dan. Is he a religious or a historical character, or both? Is he the figment of a bigoted imagination, created to instruct us on the militant world view of a segregated minority? Is the image of his supernatural strength, married to his questionable moral code, a warning to us of the dangers inherent in a life of profligacy? Is he a timeless hero whose impressive feats resonate in the minds of those forgiving souls who see themselves reflected in his inner turmoil and the conflict between duty and passion? Regardless of your opinion of him, Samson intrigues.

In tackling the challenge of adding my own portrayal to the countless others, I have tried not to lose sight of the Bible's objective presentation of a flawed man whose real strength lay in his relationship with an almighty God. Samson is not a man whose true nature needs to be discovered; rather, he's a man whose personality needs to be understood in the context of his era and the constraints he was governed by.

'Freedom fighter' is a term I find myself thinking of each time I consider Samson, because among the marginalised there will always be someone willing to sacrifice their anonymity and personal security to challenge oppression. If you live under tyranny, you will always appreciate a person like Samson, male or female, whose stance on any issue becomes a rallying cry for action. That's why superhero movies and comics are so popular. We lap up the carnage and applaud the heroics. Emotion rarely comes into it.

My approach to Samson is simple. I have written the bulk of the story in the first person - my preferred literary style for Biblical characters, because it allows me to explore them from the inside out. I have taken no literary licence with the Bible's account, but merely navigated my way around it. There is, however, a content warning. As a Christian, I have been primarily guided by the book of Judges, chapters 13-16. These chapters provide insight into the type of man God chooses to partner with. But it is worth noting that nowhere in the Bible is Samson's physical appearance described in sufficient detail. This fuels the rationale for my portrayal which stays true to my convictions. As you meet my Samson, it is important for you to remember that God's strength is made perfect in human weakness.