Page 195 - DENG405_BRITISH_POETRY

British Poetry

Notes Adam who seeks knowledge and an agreeable Raphael who disposes his knowledge in human
terms. Their evolving interaction in this book differs from their interaction in earlier books, as Adam
becomes more aggressive in his attempts to gain wisdom from Raphael. Throughout their
conversation, the desire for knowledge is expressed through metaphors of hunger, eating, and
digestion.

Adam’s craving for knowledge begins to surface in this book and foreshadows
his potential temptation to eat from the Tree of Knowledge.

The Son is given a more significant role in Book VII than he has in previous books, illustrating that
he is the instrument through which God acts. Milton actually departs from the Bible in having the
Son create the world, as Genesis says nothing about the Son. But according to Christian teaching,
God and the Son are manifestations of the same entity. Milton begins with the orthodox Christian
premise of a three-part God and then elaborates on the relationship between God the Father and
God the Son. By having God send the Son to defeat Satan and create the universe, Milton shows
how God and the Son can work separately yet still work as one God. Even though they appear as
separate characters, Milton believed that the Son represents the living, active, almost human likeness
of God.

21.4 Book–VIII

21.4.1 Summary: Prologue and Invocation
After Raphael finishes the story of creation, Adam asks him about the motions of the stars, sun, and
planets. Eve decides to leave them alone to converse, not because she is bored or unable to grasp the
discussion, but because she prefers to hear about the conversation afterward from Adam. Adam
assumes from his observations that the other planets orbit the earth, but Raphael explains how it is
possible (though not certain) that it only appears this way because of the turning of the Earth on its
axis. Raphael mentions to Adam that it does not matter whether the Earth moves or the universe
moves around the Earth. Such broad questions often have no possible answers, he explains, because
God does not intend human beings to comprehend everything about his creation. Furthermore,
Raphael warns Adam that he should be satisfied with the knowledge that God has made available
and to resist the urge to gain further understanding outside of the limits he has set.
After listening to Raphael, Adam tells him what he knows about his own creation. He remembers
first awakening to consciousness, wondering who and where he was. He quickly realized that he
could walk, run, jump, and even speak. Then God came to him and explained how and why he was
created, giving him dominion over all the rest of creation, and asking in return only that he not eat
from the Tree of Knowledge. Adam surveyed his environment and met the animals of Earth in
pairs of two. He had never seen these creatures before, but when God asked him to name the animals,
he realized that he already knew each of their names, as God had given him this knowledge
beforehand. Adam explains that he soon longed for a companion more equal to himself than the
animals, a person with whom he could share his thoughts. To fulfill Adam’s desire, God created
Eve from a rib in Adam’s side while he slept.

Adam remembers this fact because God allowed his mind to remain aware of what
was happening even while he slept. Upon seeing Eve, Adam fell instantly in love.

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