Many readers’ introduction to the work of Feisal G. Mohamed came through his article in PMLA, “Confronting Religious Violence: Milton's Samson Agonistes” (2005), an incisive response to Milton scholars’ unease with the possibility that a major English poet endorsed suicide terrorism. A revised version of this article (chapter 4), together with two other previously published works (chapters 3 and 5), forms the core of this provocative and engaging book. Broadening the scope of the original thesis, Mohamed argues for the particular importance of Milton's works to our understanding of current global issues as secular, Western nations confront both the external and domestic reemergence of the claims of faith. As Mohamed explains, “Perhaps more than any other poet, John Milton makes us keenly aware of the limits of an emphasis on ambiguity, for his writings continually subsume contrary energies to a truth presenting itself phenomenologically through the workings of an enlightened soul. . . . Milton makes us equally aware of the limits of a view of human liberty growing out of an adherence to truth, a view that does not fully accept the principles of equality” (2–3). Mohamed offers his study as “a mutually critiquing dialogue between Milton's pre-secular thought and current post-secular formulations”(7), such as those offered by Alain Badiou, John Millbank, and Jürgen Habermas. What emerges is a strong case for reexamining the central tenets of liberal thought as well as a sound position from which to examine the political implications of religious belief.

The first chapter examines Milton's use of the plain style as a means of articulating truth. Simple and declarative, rather than argumentative, it is the style Milton employs to represent the speech of God and Abdiel in Paradise Lost, Jesus in Paradise Regained, and, occasionally, the Lady in Comus. Chapters 2 and 3 offer readings of Milton's early and late prose that illustrate a shift in Milton's thought, from a vision of self-enlightenment as a means to national enlightenment and reformation to a more personal defense of the rights of the religious elite. Mohamed examines Areopagitica, Of Reformation, A Treatise of Civil Power, and other polemics in the context of Victoria Kahn's distinction between “liberalism of faith” and “liberalism of speech” (68), recognizing that those who argue from religious belief often exclude those outside the faith from sharing in the liberty they advocate for themselves, while faith may provide a moral dimension to current issues that secular, rational liberalism frequently ignores.

The most energetic analyses appear in the two final chapters that examine Samson Agonistes. Chapter 4 argues that, to Milton, Samson was indeed a “hero of faith” who exemplifies the idea that God's justice may manifest itself in violence, often at considerable human cost. Chapter 5 recasts the argument in terms of postcolonial theory. From this perspective, Mohamed sees Samson as an embodiment of Milton's own “ipseity” as the poet envisions the biblical character as an embodiment of his own political and religious concerns by silencing Samson's final prayer (thereby eliminating the motive of personal revenge) and thus making Samson fully an “instrument of divine will” (114).

Even for those who have read the previously published materials, this is a valuable book. It offers readings of the prose that, while not radically different from those of previous studies, provides admirable cautions against overemphasis on historical contexts, practices that threaten to disconnect early modern writing from the modern reader. The argument concerning Samson's heroism is compelling, if not entirely persuasive: Mohamed makes no mention of the fact that the drama is only one of Milton's major works that presents no unmistakable sign of divine confirmation, for example. And the theoretical language may present a barrier to non-academic readers who could benefit from Mohamed's insights and arguments. Nevertheless, this book provides a significant contribution to Milton studies by entering into a clear and thoughtful dialogue with some of today's most prominent scholars. As such, this book should prove valuable not only to Milton scholars but also to historians, philosophers, and scholars of religion, as it makes a strong case for the timeliness and relevance of our work.