Paradise Lost - Thinking Activity

1. Paradise lost is one of the greatest epic in Blank verse written during Puritan age. It is published into two edition first in 1667 divided into 10 books and in 1674 expanded into 12 books. Original Story taken from holy book Bible, portrays the "Man's first disobedience and fall of man from Heaven to Earth." Here we are only concerned with 9th book which highlights the temptation scene. How Eve is tempted to eat fruit of Knowledge by Satan and Adam is tempted by Eve.

1) What is your understanding of human perspective and Divine perspective and give illustrations to support your answer.

Divine Perspective

When we look at anything from Divinity than we can see God is at the center of any thinking. There is blind faith on God and God is superior and what is said by God is always right and unquestionable. Religion can be considered as God centric world. There is no space to ask questions and think rationally.

Human Perspective

Humanity is at the centre. Humans can be considered as the center of the universe. Humans feelings, thoughts and emotions matters a lot when we look subject with human perspective. Intellectual people always put more focus on think rationally rather than emotionally and human is at the center in their views.

During Renaissance period we can find one subtle change in society is Human at the center. Turn of society from God Centric world to Human centric world. In Genesis and in book 9 in Paradise Lost he try to make "Argument and Justify the ways of God to Man" and furthermore he gives Human's ways in this world. 

When we look story from Holy Bible than there is no freedom to men, they are only puppets and follower. They have not his own choice, God is the supreme power and man is like their servant. God is the only decision maker and his words are the last words.  No one can make change in it. Man have to remain unquestionable and silent in front of God. There are so many unjustice given by God to man. Like….

• If Satan used body of serpent for his own benefit to take revenge than why Serpent is punished rather than Satan. Because God is Supreme he knows everything. So he also known about that satan used serpent body for his own sake.
•  Eve is punished for her disobedience to eat fruit against God's wish, so she should be punished but Why all her children are punished. And her punishment is very very tough and painful.
• Adam is also punished because of his guilt but his punishment is very little in comparison of Eve. Why God is biased in giving punishment to Adam. If Eve eat fruit parallel Adam also taste the fruit and it is his wish to live with Eve that's why he eat fruit. 

So.when we look Genesis there we find God Centric world. Everything happened by the influence of God. There is no value of Adam, Eve and the Serpent point of view. But when we step down to Paradise lost, the same story is retelling of Bible but the perspective is different. It is from the Human point of view.Empson make one argument that…

"Milton deserves credit for making God wicked, since the God of Chriatianity is a wicked God."

• When we look at Paradise Lost there we find what Eve does is her own wish. She wants to become knowledgeable and want to stand on the side of Adam that's what she is driven to eat fruit. It is her own desire to eat fruit and and to become knowledgeable and superior which is the ultimate goal of every human being. Eve is free to do whatever she wants to do.
• Adam is also eat fruit only because of his humanistic emotion. His deep love for Eve driven him to eat that fruit. After his soliloquy he decides to live with Eve rather than God.So there nothing like force and supreme power over him.
• We can also see third and last character Satan is also influenced by Human emotions like revenge, ambitiousness. He wants to be free from any divine power. When he was driven out of heaven. He said

"It is better to suffer in hell instead of living under God's command."

Satan is also became emotional and fall on the beauty of Eve. This all are the human emotions.

So this is how one story looked from Divine Perspective and the same story changed when it looked from Human Perspective

2) How do you read the character of eve as transgresser and yet defendable?

Eve is saluted as…

"Daughter of God and Man…

                         Immortal Eve..."

In Paradise Lost we can find character of Eve is very strong and rebellious. She is curious to know what is Good and Bad, and has her own will power to identify logic and reasons.She is independent and free from everything and that's why she also raised questions regarding Maker Wise. 

Milton wants to blame Eve by making her more free, that in freedom women try to cross the Lakshman Rekha, and do something wrong and because of her fall of man happens. But in the present Era it is interpreted in a different way that Voice of Eve is the rebellious voice and she make questions against pre-establishment.

When we try to look Eve from faminist approach we can find Eve as a "Victim of Patriarchal Mindset." Satan grasp the opportunity when he saw Eve alone like "Easy to convince women" in comparison of man. During guest scene we can not find any kind of conversation between Eve and Angels. She said…

        "As in a shady nook 

                   I stand behind."

Women is also considered only for the household work and throughout whole life she paid service to her husband. This idea can be seen in the following lines….

    "In women than to study   

                household good,

    And good works in her

                husband to promote."

So we can find of character of Eve as rebellious as well as free from supreme power. She raises questions about the supreme God and make arguments and give reasons for her point.

Thank you….