古希腊悲剧
Milton defined his views of Greek tragedy in the preface to "Samson Agonistes". His understanding of what would make an appropriate Christian tragedy combines aspects of Greek tragedy with Hebrew scripture, which alters both forms. Here again he was not an innovator, following for example the "Adamus Exul" (1601) of Hugo Grotius, and the "Adamo" (1615) of Giovanni Battista Andreini.