John Milton’s theological poem Paradise Lost, which was first published in 1667, explores the relationship between God and mankind. The poem tells the story of Adam and Eve, their creation, and how they happened to lose their position in the Garden of Eden, also known as Paradise. It resembles the Bible’s book of Genesis in many ways, but John Milton enlarged it into a lengthy, intricate epic poem with a new take on Satan. Although Satan starts a war against God, is condemned to hell, and pursues retribution throughout the poem, he still emerges as the protagonist. In the face of Satan, who entirely overpowers the imagination, Milton constructs the primary protagonist. He is perhaps the most fascinating and even appealing character in the entire narrative. Conversely, in Paradise Lost, Eve is shallow, rebellious, and clearly unequal to Adam. She is portrayed by Milton as being feeble, yet she is also compared to Satan since she rejects authority.
Satan, as portrayed by Milton, is frequently regarded as one of the most nuanced and intricate representations of “evil.” He is more engaging as a person than the holy and faultless God and Jesus in certain respects, captivating and appealing. Milton was a devout Christian; thus, it seems doubtful that he was attempting to establish the case that Satan is superior to or more precious than God. A triad of gods and a personal devil are both refuted by Milton’s theological dissertation De Doctrina Christiana “I am the Lord, and there is none else; I produce the light, I create darkness…” (Isaiah 45:6,7). It follows that no one can compare to him because it is both unbearable and unbelievable for a bad force to be more powerful than a good one. Satan’s charm is seen to be persuasive and overpowering when he first persuades the fallen angels to carry out his scheme and then seduces Adam and Eve. However, it is rather a representation of the temptation to sin since doing harm and acting immorally can be enticing rather than clearly wicked and repulsive.
Just a few Old Testament verses, such as those describing the creation of woman from a man’s rib and the tempting of Eve by the “subtil” serpent, are expanded upon in Paradise Lost. Instead of being innocent and submissive, Milton portrays Eve as a defiant and selfish figure. The ‘Mother of Mankind,’ who is intended to be obedient, just like Satan, rebels against the system. She rebelled by leaving Adam to labor alone in Eden, consuming the fruit, and sharing it with Adam. Each time, she acts out of a desire to do things her way rather than submit to God’s or Adam’s will. She is intuitive, talented, and stunning, but her only real advantage over Adam is her appearance. Her inferiority and inequality were revealed right away: “Not equal, as their sex not equal seem’d”. Eve has been associated with the imperfection of vanity since the moment of her creation, when she stares at the water and is captivated with her own reflection, implying her narcissistic nature. It was Milton who gave her character particular complexity, including contradictory force and great sorrow, all while highlighting her particular responsibility.
Readers have admired John Milton’s epic poem “Paradise Lost” because of the several perspectives he uses to describe Satan and the multifaceted portrayal of Eve. Satan is typically viewed as the evil spirit who resists God and defiles humanity, but Milton provided everyone with a fresh lens through which to view Satan. Satan demonstrates potential as a protagonist, but at the same time, people still view him as the personification of evil and temptation. Milton’s portrayal of Eve, which also highlights her rebellious and unscrupulous tendencies, is not surprising since the assumption that women are inferior to men has been cemented over history.
Work Cited
Holy Bible. American Standard Version, Bible Domain Publishing, 2013.