This has serious implications since it nailed in the forced union of the couple. He fears that Satan might attack so asked Eve not to leave his side, since he shaded and protected her. Unpraised: for nothing lovelier can be found/ In woman, than to study household good,Īnd good works in her husband to promote.Īdam made it clear that Eve might befall any harm if she got separated from him. For him, a woman studying household goods is an efficient domestic lady. It is surprising that Eve affirmed the gender boundaries which she would soon break.Īdam’s mild response is possessive, harping on the domestic stereotype and trying to rein in Eve. The clasping ivy where to climb, while I/ In younder spring of roses intermixed Leads thee or where most needs, whether to wind/ The woodbine round this arbour, or direct But, more importantly, her reasoning included a gendering of nature and work. It is to be hypothesized whether her desire is to be in solitude for some time, supported by her own thoughts and herself. She then shared that idea with Adam, reached in a rational discourse. Eve desired to work alone as she thought that in working together, there was possibility of wasting time. The construction of Eve throughout the previous books (Book I- Book VIII) culminates in Book IX, the primary focus of this essay. Besides, it will try to find out the evolving ambiguities from within and analyze whether Eve’s becoming a woman is overtly a proto feminist representation or not. This paper will attempt to portray Eve’s style of dealing with the existing masculine power structures while actively engaging with the notions of ‘Choice’, ‘Responsibility’ and ‘Control’. Milton’s Eve is quite different from her Bible counterpart as her character is allowed much ocular and rambling space, with focusing on her evolving sexuality and the resulting effects in the poem. Questions about her autonomy as a ‘reasoning’ self constantly under the ‘gaze’ in a masculine ethos are caught out in the epic, with the ambiguities being highlighted in Book 9. Milton’s portrayal of Eve has been touted both anti and proto-feminist, often got from her interactions with Adam and later, Satan. Milton’s construction of Eve in Paradise Lost is covered with oscillating ambiguity, with her identity being defined and redefined within. articles and blogs from the internet were used to prepare this. In most cases, the secondary data had been used i. This paper is done based on textual analysis and the explorative study of different articles on the epic Paradise Lost. These virtues should never be gender-based. Adam should learn the so-called feminine virtues such as modesty and subordination from Eve just as Eve should learn the so-called masculine virtues such as wisdom. However, there is no means of dividing their virtues into feminine ones and masculine ones. Some critics like Shullenberger distinguish Eve’s virtues from Adam’s, and regard hers as feminine and maternal virtues. Although they are different, it does not mean a superior-inferior relationship. Both McColley and Joseph Wittreich say this perception of inequality of prelapsarian Adam and Eve is the satanic view, because, for unfallen Adam and Eve, whether they are equal or not is not the question as long as both of them are equally free. Matthew Jordan (2001) joins those critics who defend Milton’s idea of woman as he says: “Eve is in significant respect an equal, a companion for Adam with considerable powers of reasoning and, while a beautiful, sexual being, is by no means the hollow temptress whose presence in earlier accounts of the Fall renders them so inconsistent”. Milton’s works are staunchly antifeminist” or “consistently masculinist”. Sandra Gilbert and Susan Gubar have reached a “conclusion that his i.e. In that case, there can remain some gap also. But to contextualize, other books might be used. As the whole poem is vast and there is certain page limit for preparing this paper, only book IX is analyzed. Most of the critics explained the feministic part from one side which can be considered as research gap. Analyzing different opinions of critics and considering many factors, this paper is a small attempt to conclude that this epic is neither misogynistic nor Eve is Satanic in nature rather a proto feministic venture. Apart from religious point of view, many critics declared it as a misogynist text or represented Even as a female version of Satan etc. John Milton’s Paradise Lost is one of the most controversial and discussed epic which has only one female character who is Eve.
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