Page 203 - DENG405_BRITISH_POETRY

British Poetry

Notes Analysis

The ease with which Satan persuades Eve to sin paints an unflattering portrayal of woman, one that
accords with Milton’s portrayal throughout the poem of women as the weaker sex. Eve allows the
serpent’s compliments to win her over, demonstrating that she cares more about superficial things
such as beauty than profound things such as God’s grace. Furthermore, that Eve gives in to the
serpent after only a few deceptive arguments reveals her inability to reason soundly. Not only is
she herself corruptible, however, but she also seeks to corrupt others: her immediate reaction upon
discovering her sin is to lure Adam into her fate. Rather than repent and take full responsibility for
her actions, she moves instinctively to drag Adam down with her to make him share her suffering.
Eve thus comes across as an immoral and harmful being, one whose values are skewed and who
has a bad influence on others.
Satan’s argument that knowledge is good because knowing what is good and evil makes it easier to
do what is good wrongfully assumes that knowledge is always good. This flaw in his argument is
the theological thrust of this book: though the intellect is powerful and god-like, obeying God is a
higher priority than feeding the intellect. Milton believes that one cannot first obey reason and then
obey God; rather one must trust God and then trust reason. Raphael’s wise argument from Book
VIII about the limitations of human knowledge and the need to feel comfortable with this limited
knowledge, is blatantly neglected or forgotten. If Eve had stayed to listen to Raphael and Adam’s
discussion and had recognized the dangers of working separately, then she could have been safer
from Satan’s temptation. Or if Adam had relayed Raphael’s warning message to Eve more thoroughly
and persuasively, and if he had denied Eve’s suggestion that they work separately, then the fall
might have been avoidable. Eve overestimates the powers of her ability to protect herself and to
resist temptation, and Adam underestimates the need to protect Eve and share his knowledge with
her. Both must suffer from each other’s shortfalls.
Adam sins not out of a desire to gain the knowledge from eating the fruit, but out of recognition
that Eve has left him with little or no alternative. Adam needs even less persuading than Eve to eat
the apple, and does so knowing that he is disobeying God. He knows that he could not be happy if
Eve were banished, and his desire to stay with Eve overwhelms his desire to obey God. Adam’s sin
of temptation is choosing Eve over God, letting physical and emotional impulses overtake reason.
The wreath of flowers he makes for Eve symbolizes his love for her. When he sees that she has eaten
from the Tree of Knowledge, he drops the wreath, symbolizing her fallen state. The dropping of the
wreath may also hint at Adam’s disappointment in Eve as a spiritual lover and companion, and
even his falling out of pure love with her. After Adam eats the apple, his attraction to Eve changes
subtly, and he looks at her more like a connoisseur, eager to indulge. The sexuality the two displays
are now perverted, their love in the dark forest more lustful and animal-like than their earlier love
in the lush, bright bower. Their arguing and blaming of each other demonstrate their lack of unity
and peace, and demonstrate, as does the Earth’s sighing, their fallen state.

22.3 Book – X

22.3.1 Summary: Prologue and Invocation

The scene returns to Heaven, where God knows immediately that Adam and Eve have eaten from
the Tree of Knowledge. Gabriel and the other angels guarding Paradise also know, and they fly
back up to Heaven. They report that they did all they could to prevent Satan from re-entering the
Garden. God tells them that he allowed it himself without condoning it, and acquits his angels of
any guilt. He then sends his Son down to Earth to pass judgment on the couple.
In Paradise, the Son calls to Adam, who comes forth shamefacedly along with Eve. They are
embarrassed by their nakedness. Asked if they have eaten from the tree, Adam admits that Eve
gave the fruit to him to eat, and Eve blames the serpent for persuading her to take it. The Son first
condemns the serpent, whose body Satan possessed to tempt Eve. He ordains that all snakes now

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