The First Housewife
John Milton's Paradise Lost describes his rendition of the biblical beginning of earthly creation. God, Satan, the angels, and Adam and Eve, all have major roles in Milton's portrayal. Paradise Lost was written in 1665 in a world prejudice to race, religion, and gender. Milton characterizes Eve using the typical views of women during the 17th century. These female stereotypes encourage the idea that Eve is fallen before she actually falls. Not only gossiping, vanity, and humility, but also a desire to please her husband, manipulation, and a longing for higher knowledge, assists Eve to fall. During Milton's time, a person's soul was viewed as female because of its marriage to the Lamb of God. Also, femininity is associated with purity therefore the soul has a potential cleanliness. In Paradise Lost, Eve breaks through this idea of purity because of the actions and thoughts Milton writes for her. Eve begins a series of events initiating her fall once she makes the mistake of revealing the single rule of paradise to Satan in Book IV. She discloses the information by stating, From us no other service than to keepThis one, this easy charge, of all the TreesIn Paradise that bear delicious fruit
Against her enjoyment of having Adam by her side, but possibly in response to the pre-fall, Eve requests for the two to work separately. "Best Image of myself and dearer half,The trouble of thy thoughts this night in sleepAffects me equally. "He sought them both, but wish'd his hap might findEve separate, he wish'd, but not with hopeOf what so seldom chanc'd, when to his wish,Beyond his hope, Eve separate he spies" (Book IX 421-424). Satan fed to this desire by tempting her in the dream. The idea of gaining knowledge was put in Eve's head, but with it, the feeling of inferiority to something greater came as well. "Perceiving where she sat retir'd in sight,With lowliness Majestic from her seat,And Grace that won who saw to wish her stay,Rose, and went forth among her Fruits and Flow'rs" (41-44) Eve left the men to their political affairs and went off to tend the feminine fruits and flowers. "Ye eat thereof, your Eyes that seem so clear,Yet are but dim, shall perfectly be thenOp'n'd and clear'd, and ye shall be as Gods,Knowing both Good and Evil as they know" (Book IX 706-709). The idea of becoming a goddess appealed to Eve's vanity, and gaining knowledge appealed to her desire to please and impress Adam. A trait many women have in relationships. nothing lovelier can be found/ In Woman, than to study household good/And good works in her Husband to promote/ (Book IX 232-234). Adam's reasoning and knowledge is something Eve enjoys greatly, and in Book VIII she shows her humility alongside her vanity. Satan tempted Eve in a dream, deceived her by speaking as a heavenly angel and Adam, and showed her how to worship the tree, because she was considered the weakest of the pair.
Common topics in this essay:
Book IX,
Book Satan,
Paradise Lost,
Due Eve's,
Eve Adam's,
Book VIII,
Book IV,
Eve Eve's,
Death Life,
Lost Eve,
paradise lost,
book ix,
17th century,
roles 17th century,
book viii,
longing knowledge,
gaining knowledge,
paradise satan,
impress adam,
roles 17th,
vanity humility,
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Acceptance Essays
