Examine the Passages in Which Milton Discusses the Nature of Women As Compared to Men

Claire Bouvier

100072247

Professor Cunningham

April 5, 2006

John Milton’s Paradise Lost is recognized as one of the greatest poems of the English language. Paradise Lost, largely considered to beMilton’s best work, is generally regarded as the greatest epic poem in the English language (Britannica).This work is not only a valuable interpretation of the Puritan Revolutionbut it also provides an abundance of history’s political and religious thought (Britannica). More importantly, this piece of work focuses on many recurrent themes of the seventeenth century. A prevailing subject during this time was the position of the woman, or more accurately, women’s lack of position.The debate over women became a main focus for many writers of this period. In accordance with the patriarchal society of the seventieth century, this debate effectively motivates the entirety of the action in John Milton’s Paradise Lost. This is primarily due to Milton’s puritan beliefs and the male-dominant society in which he lived, which influenced his creation of an epic that favors the nature of men over women. John Milton’s Paradise Lost is not simply a representation of its time – it is a misogynous text, manifesting Milton’s view of men as superior in his depiction of Adam and Eve.

Milton’s misogynistic attitude in Paradise Lost is illustrated though Eve’s“soft” and “sweet” features (IV 295-298), which, according to Miltonsuggest her inferiority to man. Adam’s stalwart and manly features, on the other hand, portray him as superior. In Book IV of Paradise Lost, the first time that Adam and Eve first look at one another Eve feels submissive and meek in Adam’s authoritative presence. “Whence true authority in men; though both/Not equal, as their sex not equal seemed;/ For contemplation he and valour formed,/ For softness she and sweet attractive grace” (IV.295-298). This passage explicitly confirms that Eve’s “softness” and “sweetness”render her inferior to Adam, while he is regarded as a valorous, heroic, and therefore superior creature: “His fair large front and eye sublime declared/ Absolute rule” (IV. 300-301). BecauseMilton characterizes Adamas a more forceful character, his power provides an explanation of man’s pre-eminence. In this passage,Milton alludes to the fact that physical strength is what dictates the status of a human being. With respect to Eve’s sensuality,she assumes a submissive role because of her meek “softness” and “sweetness”, whereas Adam has “absolute rule” because of his “fair large front and eye” (IV. 300). As a result, Milton exploits the extreme differences between these two in order to highlight the inequalities between woman and man, thus contributing to the misogynistic quality of Paradise Lost.

Milton’s misogynistic portrayal of Eve is not only demonstrated through the differences in Adam and Eve’s physical features, but also through Milton’s exposé of Eve’s weakness and Adam’s dominant strength.At the beginning of Book IX, Raphael is warning Adam that Eve’s weakness may make her vulnerable to the deceptions of Satan, which could lead to the fall of humanity: “But listen not to his temptations warn/Thy weaker; let it profit thee to have heard/ By terrible example the reward” (VII.908-910). Eve, for no explicit reason, is labeled as weak, whichplaces Adam in a position of power when juxtaposed with her. AsMilton’s Paradise Lost develops, even Eve starts to view herself as weak, convinced by the overwhelming views of those around her: “The willinger I go; nor much expect/A foe so proud will first the weaker seek” (IX. 382-383). Milton’s Eve is not only labeled weak by others, but also accepts herself as weak, thus stressing Adam’s strength. Interestingly, Miltonshows Adam’s superiority and strength by dwelling on the weakness of Eve, establishing Paradise Lost as a misogynous text.

In Book IV, Miltonillustrates the misogynistic nature ofParadise Lost by demonstrating Eve’s lack of intellectual capacity in comparison to Adam’s.Milton does this using the sharp-sighted angel (Satan) to portray Eve’s susceptibility to deception and temptation(Shullenberger 886).Milton’s epic persistently blames the fall on Eve’s continuous weak character, with her lack of intellectual capabilities being of primary blame. This is spoken through the words of Satan, in Book IX, when he gleefully finds Eve alone in the Garden of Eden. He believes that, since Eve is physically and intellectually weak, he can persuade her to eat from the forbidden tree. Satan utters the words, “The woman, opportune to all attempts,/ Her husband, for I view far round, not nigh, / Whose higher intellectual more I shun,” (IV. 481-483). Fundamentally, Satan employs Eve as his bait because he believes that she lacks Adam’s “higher intellectual”and “strength, of courage haughty, and of limb/Heroic built…” (IV. 484-485)which apparently gives him a higher intellectual ability over Eve. The misogyny of Milton’s Paradise Lost is blatantly revealed through Satan’s temptation of the intellectually powerless Eve, in contrast to the “higher intellectual” Adam.

The underlying misogynistic tone of Paradise Lost also manifests itself in Eve’s imperfect creation. Michael suggests that Adam is responsible for the great Fall because hewas created with a greater intelligence and therefore has developed superiorly to Eve. With respect to this, Michael articulates that, “Wherein God set thee above her made of thee,/And for thee, whose perfection far excelled/ Hers in all real dignity” (X.149-151). God did not create Eve to “guide” or be a “superior” in humankind because, God’s sole intention in creating Eve was to have her serve Adam: “He for God only, she for God in him” (IV. 299). Eve’s imperfect nature is what demonstrates that she is simply a “subject” (X. 154) of Adam. As a result, her imperfect nature is what essentially excuses her of total blame for the Fall. Adam even assumes Eve’s weak character, which he demonstrates during his reconciliation with her, having lectured her for eating the forbidden fruit. He does not entirely blame Eve because she was ignorant of her actions in the Garden of Eden. Adam expresses to Eve that she cannot be held accountable for her actions (X. 134), and: “Whose failing, while her faith to me remains,/ I should conceal, and not expose to blame” (X. 129-130). Book X contains an excessive amount of misogynistic passages that primarily focus on the portrayal of Eve’s imperfect and frail character, which excuse her from blame, but ultimately exemplify her inferiority to Adam.

The misogynistic nature of Milton’s epic is primarily illustrated through Adam and Eve’s relationship. Milton’s epic is a presumption to “reconstruct Ur-text from which Genesis is faultily derived in order to excise, with brilliant poetic economy, all remnants of biblical misogyny” (McColley 435). In Paradise Lost, Eve is depicted as a weak and submissive creature, particularly in comparison to her “superior” and “higher intellectual” Adam. The misogyny of Milton’s epic is developed through the illustration of Eve’s meek sensuality, weak physical strength, lack of intellectual capacity and ultimately her imperfect creation. The poet’s representation of Eve is characteristic of the patriarchal society during the time period of the seventieth century. Milton“advocates the subjection of woman and sets out with Abdelian zeal to divest both Bible and the Judaeo-Christian tradition of virtually even vestige of antifeminism” (Brink 94)As a result, Milton manifests this interpretation of Eve throughout Paradise Lost. Considering the misogynistic elements of the poem, the suggestion that it represents a commentary on Eve as the epitome of female inferiority is legitimate. Adam is portrayed as superior because of his dominating intellectual and physical qualities. Milton creates an intentionally misogynistic epic, revealing Eve’s distinctive differences from Adam, in order to demonstrate and justify the foundations of the patriarchal society in which Milton lived.

Works Cited

Diane McColley, “Milton, the Bible, and Misogyny” by by Philip J. Gallagher; Eugene R. Cunnar; Gail L. Mortimer, Modern Philogy, Vol. 90, No.3 (Feb., 1993): pp. 433 439. Available from: 8232%28199302%2990%3A3%3C433%3AMTBAM%3E2.0.CO%3B2X

GET PARADISE LOST BOOK

Encyclopedia Britannica Online., s.v. “Milton, John,” (accessed 3 Apr. 2006)

Jean R. Brink, “Milton, the Bible, and Misogyny” by by Philip J. Gallagher; Eugene R. Cunnar; Gail L. Mortimer Rocky Mountain Review of Language and Literature, Vol. 45, No. ½ (1991): pp. 94-95. Available from: 1299%281991%2945%3A1%2F2%3C94%3AMTBAM%3E2.0.CO%3B2J

William Shullenberger, “Milton, The Bible, and Misogyny” Renaissance Quarterly, Vol. 45, No. 4. (1992): pp. 888-887. Available from: 4338%28199224%2945%3A4%3C884%3AMTBAM%3E2.0.CO%3B2C