It s always Adam and Eve; why is Eve always second to Adam? Taking the blame for man s first

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1 Porter 1 Walter Porter K. Cleland ENGL April, 2013 Eve: A Desirable Hero in Paradise Lost It s always Adam and Eve; why is Eve always second to Adam? Taking the blame for man s first transgression against God is unbelievably burdening, yet Milton s Eve soon assumes full responsibility. This act of heroism serves to define Eve as more than a failed subject of God and sole benefactor of all man s sins a reoccurring scapegoat throughout the ages. Eve s supposedly superior counterpart, Adam, has long been suggested as the true hero of Paradise Lost; however, Milton provides ample evidence throughout the poem that not only refute this claim, but aid in projecting Eve as the true Christian hero. Whether intentional or not, Milton characterizes Eve with a plethora of notions and actions both in the prelapsarian and postlapsarian world that suggest her role as the defining tragic hero of his epic. Take a hike Satan and Adam; this is Eve s time to shine. Eve has been the subject of many misogynistic notions that attribute to a stigmatic belief that she was nothing short of an insolent, ignorant, and inferior creature to Adam. In Paradise Lost, the prelapsarian Eve is showered with numerous characteristics that praise her femininity and capability as a human being. She is attributed with temperance, reason, and rather intelligent demeanor. Adam calls her Daughter of God and Man, accomplished Eve (Book IV, 660). It is unlikely that she would be addressed in such a manner if Milton intended for her to be a character of lowly status. While some scenarios involving Eve may highlight one of her characteristics more than others, they are all justified by other notions. This paper will outline numerous instances which serve to justify Eve s motives and reactions in the poem to prove worth to her exceptionality. There exists an argument that proposes that the Fall of man was partly initiated by Eve s vain desires, albeit there s evidence worthy of discrediting this notion. Eve isn t obsessed with herself, only

2 Porter 2 knowledgeable of that which is beautiful and good in the world. She describes to Adam a time in solitude when she first saw her reflection in a still pool of water and pined for vain desire (Book IV, 466). Her curiosity was piqued by the beauty of the image, but she was soon enlightened by a voice supposedly that of God to what she saw: herself. She immediately rejects vanity to join her reliable counterpart and learns How beauty is excelled by manly grace / And wisdom, which alone is truly fair (Book IV, ). This revelation of knowledge suggests one of Eve s strengthening qualities: the ability to exercise reason through free will. This quality is undeniably Miltonic and aligns with Milton s Armenian theology of grace. Eve s promotion of reason exists in other forms throughout the poem. It isn t fair to make the assessment that this instance justifies Eve s obsession with herself. She isn t as tempted as she is merely catering her eyes to a pleasing image as any image of God should. Satan and Adam are both enamored by Eve s beauty. Eve is seemingly aware of her splendor, yet in a near heroic manner, never abuses the power that comes with it. Although there is suggestion that Adam is conceivably superior to Eve, Milton never suggests a limited intelligence. In fact, Eve is attributed with an insatiable desire for discovery which, despite leading to her tragic downfall, mirrors a scholar-like mentality to seek knowledge and understanding. She is always questionable of Adam s guidance and even the word of God, but she isn t intentionally disobedient. Instead, Eve reflects the rather admirable trait of curiosity an inherently human attribute. Her sense of reason is made thoroughly concrete by trial, ergo nothing becomes absolute truth to Eve until she s experienced something firsthand and had the time to weight the repercussions and benefits. She desires practicality and physicality to back her acknowledgement of reason. While this inevitably conflicts with God s truth, it is quite sensible. Eve s process of discovering truth is elaborated by her experience with her reflection as well as the eating of the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge. Eve is convicted with the notion that eating the forbidden fruit immediately results in death and only partakes after realizing that the serpent hadn t perished after doing so. She is uneducated in the true meaning of

3 Porter 3 death which God meant to imply. Adam on the other hand takes the fruit to join his partner in whatever divine punishment that awaits which, although admirable, likewise rejects the one rule that God asked them to maintain. Unlike Eve s temptation which was enacted by the master of deception, Satan, Adam faces his temptation by Eve alone. This disrupts the typical marital hierarchy and proves that Eve truly holds some form of authority over Adam. Eve possesses the human aspiration for absolute freedom and frequently exercises her free will. The scene in which she prepares a meal for Adam and Raphael could be interpreted as Milton s patriarchal view of a woman s role as a housewife, but it stands to exhibit her freedom of choice and her skills that accompany her reason. She obeys Adam s command to provide a feast, but in good faith of her abilities. Adam frantically demands that Eve go with speed, / And what stores contain, bring fourth and pour / Abundance, fit to honour and receive / Our heavenly stranger (Book V, ). Eve reminds Adam that their provisions are abundant and any will be fit for Raphael. She then skillfully determines What choice to choose for delicacy best (Book V, 333) and then prepares it in its best manner. Eve reflects a virtue of obedience while also applying her choice in the matter. It is implied that Eve s domestic expertise, including her exercise of choice or right reason in her selection and arrangements in preparing the meal, puts into practice Raphael s teaching about transubstantiation, both physical and intellectual (Knoppers, ). This may bring to question that if Eve is so skilled in what fruits to rightly choose for satisfying consumption, why is she unable to discern against the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge? This goes back to Eve s acceptance of reason by cause and effect: she eats this fruit and discovers that it s tart and doesn t go well with this other fruit which she s discovered is too sweet; she eats the Tree of Knowledge s fruit and discovers that it initiates the Fall of man. Eve further exercises her ability to choose when she advises that she and Adam depart from each other to complete their horticultural exploits more efficiently, saying Let us divide our labors, thou were choice / Leads thee, or

4 Porter 4 where most needs (Book IX, ). Although some of Eve s choices yield her downfall, it is Adam s lack of fulfillment in his obligation to her and God that brings about the ultimate Fall of all mankind. Adam reflects many tendencies that led to the downfall of man. Adam s source of reason differs greatly from Eve s. While Eve merely takes into consideration the advice of others, Adam derives all of his knowledge from the office of God and immediately accepts it as truth. Adam was bestowed with the gift of knowing God s absolute truth directly. Eve is not so fortunate to be in the same position as Adam; as discussed earlier, her reason is purely derived from her personal experiences. Adam is tasked with not only maintaining the integrity of the Garden with Eve, but to also protect Eve from succumbing to the lure of evil. Adam fails in his role numerous times. Eve, quick to recognize something worthy of deliberation, wakes from an unsettling dream that foreshadowed her temptation to eat the fruit. She seeks council with Adam, who she hopes will provide her with an answer. She says that she dreamt of offense and trouble which my mind / Knew never till this irksome night (Book V, 34-35). At the time, Adam is incapable of providing her with an absolute answer and merely dismisses the dream, saying That what in sleep thou didst abhor to dream, / Waking thou never wilt consent to do (Book V, ). He suggests that Eve s self-conscious thinking means nothing in reality. Adam s assumption is completely wrong. He ignores what was an obvious warning sign, dismissing the validity of Eve s thoughts and holding precedence to his own. Furthermore, Adam never considers brining this dream to the attention of the archangel Raphael. He is too transfixed by the presence of his divine visitor to truly inquire the necessities to enduring in the Garden of Eden. Adam holds precedence to the truth he s acquired from God, but he doesn t rightly exercise his beliefs of truth and reason. Raphael tells Adam explicitly of the humble authority he holds over Eve, yet he doesn t prevent Eve from leaving his side in such perilous times. He grants her freedom to do as she pleases, but in doing so, fails to oblige the fatherly duty he was ordained. God created Eve to satiate Adam s desire for companionship, to which Adam reflects upon his first response to her: here passion first I felt, / Commotion strange, in all

5 Porter 5 enjoyments else / Superior and unmoved, here only weak / Against the charm of beauty s powerful glance (Book VIII, ). Adam hereby admits that his weakness lies in Eve s charm. In the postlapsarian Eden, tension arises between Adam and Eve. Accusations fly between the two as they attempt to make sense of their immediately regrettable choice. Amidst the confusion, Eve shines as the hero of the situation. Adam is quick to direct his accusatory finger anywhere but towards himself; when the Son descends to Eden, Adam says that Eve convicted him to eat the fruit and that she was to blame. The Son sharply resents Adam s indictment: Was she thy God, that her thou didst obey Before his voice, or was she made thy guide, Superior, or but equal, that to her Thou didst resign thy manhood... (Book X, ) The attention of the Son doesn t serve to quell Adam s discontent. In his bewildered state, he pushes Eve away and calls her a Serpent. Eve spills the contents of her broken heart before Adam, expressing the unfathomable guilt she feels. Her words dripping with shame, she acknowledges that although both of them committed vile acts, Adam transgressed Against God only, I against God and thee (Book X, 930). To make final account for their heinous deed, Eve accepts the totality of blame and all the subsequent punishments, no matter how dire. She martyrizes herself and makes what is arguably the most selfless act in the whole poem, saying to Adam that she will go before God to beg The sentence from thy head removed may light / On me, sole cause to thee of all this woe, / Me me only just object of his ire (Book X, ). This action takes Eve below Adam s status, but her heroism brings her to a similar sacrificial level as the Son s inevitable martyrdom. Laura Beth Flaspohler, who defends Eve s position as Milton s tragic hero, says in summation, Eve s ending misery as a submissive woman confirms her status as a tragic hero... Beginning the poem as an exceptional woman and queen of

6 Porter 6 Paradise, Eve begins in a state of happiness. Through the human appetite of ambition, which provides a point where the audience can connect to her as the hero, Eve makes an error of judgment, eats the fruit, and gives some to Adam (67). In the end, Eve submits to whatever punishment awaits her transgression, therefore submitting herself to God. Eve s overall functionality in the story of Paradise Lost is open to interpretation. She s a strongwilled woman, a source of temptation for Adam, and a willing martyr for man. Did God create Eve to convenience Adam, or does she go beyond his comprehension and control? Eve begins as a naïve counterpart to Adam, but soon seeks greater endeavors that, unbeknownst to her, initiate the downfall of man. Like a vine, she grows in the garden and eventually becomes unruly and unmanageable, but in sight of actions, she s quick to seek redemption in light of those she d immortally wronged. Eve is by no means the grand Christian hero that Moses or Enoch is, but she is indeed a hero of tragic proportions.

7 Porter 7 Works Cited Flaspohler, Laura Beth. A Superior Inferior: Eve as John Milton s Tragic Hero in Paradise Lost. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses. Dec PDF. Knoppers, Laura Lunger. Politicizing Domesticity from Henrietta Maria to Milton s Eve. Cambridge University Press, Print. Milton, John. Paradise Lost. John Milton The Major Works. Ed. Goldberg, Jonathan and Orgel, Stephen. New York: Oxford University Press Inc., Print.