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Eve, Scripture and Poetry
Reading Paradise Lost brings up the immediate question—how much of it is reasonably scriptural, and how much is poetic license? For Latter-day Saints, we are impressed at Milton’s illustrious war in heaven, Satan’s journey and eventual persuasion, and the love scenes between Adam and Eve. But as a woman, going back and reading Genesis 1-3 reveals quite a lot of poetic license with regards to Eve. The scriptural Eve is created Adam’s equal, at least until God’s curse for Adam to rule over her; we know nothing of her beauty, charms, or submission—and for a modern woman reader, she even seems like she takes charge better than Adam does. I argue that in basis of fact, Eve in Paradise Lost is not scriptural Eve.
The major verse condemning Milton’s Eve is Genesis 1:27, “In the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” This verse overturns Milton’s assumption that Adam was created directly in the image of God, and Eve derived from the secondary source—Genesis tells us that Adam and Eve were both (and subsequently all human beings thereafter) created in the image of God. Milton argues that Adam was made in God’s image, and that Eve was subsequently made from and for Adam (4.442, paraphrased: the only reason Eve exists is to alleviate Adam’s loneliness, and line 448 says she is his inferior); therefore, Adam can approach the throne of God, and Eve is somewhat distanced—only able to access God through her husband (see 8.54-56). This idea is also refuted in scripture, when God addresses Eve directly, giving the pair of them instructions to tend the garden and multiply, as well as asking her why she partook of the fruit. But Milton’s poetic license, since Eve is assumed to be a “helper” only, and not an equal, creates a couple that are not equal.
This idea extends to Eve’s physical being and actions, both of which serve his vision of a perfect woman being both beautiful and entirely submissive. Eve is more beautiful than all of God’s creations (something not found in scripture, but implied in art and literature throughout history). But Line 4.468 is an ambiguous line: “What there thou seest fair Creature is thy self”, which leads the readers to believe that Eve’s self, as apart from Adam, is no deeper than her appearance. In 8.568, Raphael describes Eve’s beauty, calling it “an outside”. On line 4.498, Eve’s charms include not only beauty, but submission, which, if one existed and the other did not, would not delight Adam (man) so much. This is not found anywhere in Genesis that Eve is submissive or lovely; in fact, it is she, perhaps with Adam standing by, who argues with the serpent, she who partakes, and she who gives the fruit to willing Adam. Whether Eve was beautiful or not makes no difference to Adam—there is no other woman to compare her to. And her actions in the garden suggest her a headstrong, even intelligent and clever woman who does not submit to whatever Adam’s will was (he seems not to have had one in scripture), and one who takes the responsibility for the Fall, something Milton really fails to develop.
Being a Latter-day Saint makes reading Eve in any literature a chore. But Milton’s ideas about women and divorce in Paradise Lost vocalize an estrangement from scripture altogether. Eve, in his eyes, was the perfect woman until she began to have ideas and choose independent of her husband. This idea of inferiority and objectification has resulted in struggles for women throughout the history of Christianity, Islam, and Judaism; the idea that women are weak, susceptible to evil spirits, even devilish and carnal themselves, has inspired witch hunts, separating men and women, and incredible oppression. It is disturbing that such a masterpiece as Paradise Lost alludes to the author’s own opinions before the book of scripture itself—whether he is to blame for perpetuating these ideas or simply the result of them, remains to be seen.
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