John Milton wrote Paradise Lost to emote his beliefs about what role man and woman played in the creation of humanity. His beliefs are not unique, as his argument has played out for thousands of years. In Book IV, the reader begins to experience the true nature of the gender wars that plays out throughout his Epic. Milton places a twist on the story of Eve so that the reader will be swayed to follow his beliefs. He wants to the reader to investigate the true intention of God and that because of her sin the Fall was inevitable. In this passage of Book IV, there is an initial analysis of what led to the fall of Eve.
The premise for the beginning of Book IV is a dialogue that takes place between a married couple. The couple is Adam and Eve. Eve …show more content…
This conversation is overheard by Satan and here begins the framework for the Fall to begin. The emergence of Eve from Adam reflects the story of Narcissus. Narcissus is a mythological boy who fell in love with his own image. His love for himself was so intense that he drowned in his own image in the pool of water. (Ovid) Eve became so consumed with her own image that God led her away to keep her pure in self.
Eve is discussing with Adam her origins in Paradise and how she was created from him and thus a lesser being than him. Milton sets up an iambic pentameter narrative that will continue to oppress Eve. She is delegated to be beneath Adam and easily controlled. When Eve speaks of being woken she is speaking in third person, “I first awaked and found myself reposed” (450). The “I” is not the stressed word in this line, but “first” is making the story about her creation and not her as an individual. Milton’s entire narrative is about God and not humanity. The next line breaks his iambic verse in “Under a shade on flowers, much wond’ring where” (451) but continues to place emphasis on God by emphasizing the missing “it.” Eve was not born of the light thus she is distant from God. Eve is below man, but still …show more content…
God is her master, but Adam is her commander. This power Adam has over Eve is reflected in his direction towards her in lines 471 through 475. The context “inseperably thine” implies that they are a couple who share all the benefits of their union. Adam implies that the children they will produce together “to him shalt bear multitudes like thyself” (473-4) are her to gift to him. Not only does Adam own the rights of Eve, but also claims he is entitled to her producing offspring in the union. Neither Adam nor Eve asked to be created; however, since Eve was created second by his demand upon God, it can be construed that she never asked for him. It is claimed that Adam is entitled to every part of her physical body “of him (Adam) thou art, His flesh, his bone; to give thee being I lent Out of my side to thee” (482-4). At this point, Milton is establishing an order that reflects the Divinity and those created by God. Adam is second to God and Eve is second to Adam which means she is now being placed farther away from acknowledgment as an important part of
The premise for the beginning of Book IV is a dialogue that takes place between a married couple. The couple is Adam and Eve. Eve …show more content…
This conversation is overheard by Satan and here begins the framework for the Fall to begin. The emergence of Eve from Adam reflects the story of Narcissus. Narcissus is a mythological boy who fell in love with his own image. His love for himself was so intense that he drowned in his own image in the pool of water. (Ovid) Eve became so consumed with her own image that God led her away to keep her pure in self.
Eve is discussing with Adam her origins in Paradise and how she was created from him and thus a lesser being than him. Milton sets up an iambic pentameter narrative that will continue to oppress Eve. She is delegated to be beneath Adam and easily controlled. When Eve speaks of being woken she is speaking in third person, “I first awaked and found myself reposed” (450). The “I” is not the stressed word in this line, but “first” is making the story about her creation and not her as an individual. Milton’s entire narrative is about God and not humanity. The next line breaks his iambic verse in “Under a shade on flowers, much wond’ring where” (451) but continues to place emphasis on God by emphasizing the missing “it.” Eve was not born of the light thus she is distant from God. Eve is below man, but still …show more content…
God is her master, but Adam is her commander. This power Adam has over Eve is reflected in his direction towards her in lines 471 through 475. The context “inseperably thine” implies that they are a couple who share all the benefits of their union. Adam implies that the children they will produce together “to him shalt bear multitudes like thyself” (473-4) are her to gift to him. Not only does Adam own the rights of Eve, but also claims he is entitled to her producing offspring in the union. Neither Adam nor Eve asked to be created; however, since Eve was created second by his demand upon God, it can be construed that she never asked for him. It is claimed that Adam is entitled to every part of her physical body “of him (Adam) thou art, His flesh, his bone; to give thee being I lent Out of my side to thee” (482-4). At this point, Milton is establishing an order that reflects the Divinity and those created by God. Adam is second to God and Eve is second to Adam which means she is now being placed farther away from acknowledgment as an important part of