character of Eve ,Adam and Satan

1. Name : Divya d Vaghela
Course : M. A (sem – 1)
Batch : 2018-20
Roll no : 08
Enrollment no : 2069108420190044
Email ID : vaghela.divya230@gmail.com
Paper no : 1 The Renaissance Literature
Topic :character of Eve, Adam and Satan
Submitted to : MKBU Department of English
Introduction Of Paradise lost :
Paradise lost is an epic poem in blank verse by the 17th century English poet John Milton. The first
version published in 1667,consisted of ten books with over ten thousand lines of verse. A second edition
followed in 1674,arranged into twelve books with minor revisions throughout and a note on the
versification. Many scholars consider paradise lost to be one of the greatest poems in the English
language. It tells the biblical story of the fall of Man. In paradise lost we find something different than
biblical story.
Paradise lost is about Adam and Eve-how they came to be created and how they came to lose their
place in the Garden of Eden. Paradise lost : Book 1 :by John Milton of Man’s first Disobedience, and the
fruit of that forbidden Tree. Book 9 is the climax of the story of paradise lost.
Milton's purpose stated in book 1 is :
" To tell about the fall of Man and justify God's way to Man "
Now let’s talk about characters :

2.  Major characters of paradise lost
 God
 Eve
 Adam
 Satan
 Son of God
Now here I am discuss about three
major characters in this epic poem.
[1] Character of Eve :
Eve is the first woman created by God. Milton has presented character of Eve in a somedifferent
way than Bible. Eve is physically more attractive than Adam. Hence, Satan overcome by her beauty but
she is not as strong physically or intectually as Adam and she seduced by Satan and eats the fruit of the
tree of knowledge.
“But if this tree we may not taste nor touch, God so commanded, and left that command sole
daughter of his voice: the rest, we live law to ourselves; our reason is our law”?
Eve is the most important character first she wants to become more knowledgeable than Adam
so she decides that not to tell about this fruit to Adam but, after she become afraid that if God will angry
about her this act and curse her for her disobedience then Adam will remain and she decides to tell
about it to Adam and temps him also but when Adam makes some argument about this forbidden fruit
at that time she says;
“This tree is not, as we are told, a tree if danger tasted, not to evil unknown opening the way, but
if Devine effect to open eyes, and make them Gods Wh
o taste; And hath been tasted such”.
She deserves all praise for beauty and she is beloved of Adam. Milton has portrayed weakness of
women through the character of Eve. Milton has portrayed Eve weaker than Adam. She easily tempted
by Satan. She is superior than Adam only in her beauty. Eve is certainly not a feminist heroine. Eve, the
mother of mankind is portrayed by Milton as of a typical womanish nature..... The character of Eve is
symbolical on several layers of meaning. At first she is a woman created inferior to her male partner.In

3. paradise lost Eve is quite different then the Eve of Bible.Milton's Eve was rebellious ,intellect and also
speak with arguments. We finds Eve's argument are more stronger and also shows her intellect ;
" How are we happy, still in fear of harm?
But harm precedes not sin: only our Foe
Tempting affronts us with his foul esteem "
Here we find that when Adam says be careful God has said that Satan will come to harm us as well as
she also talking about happiness so Eve argues against Adam .
[2] Character of Adam
Adam is the name used in the opening chapters of the book of genesis and in the Quran for the first man
created by God, but it is also used in a collective sense as "mankind " and individually as a human. Adam
is a strong, intelligent and rational character possessed of a remarkable relationship with God. Intact,
before the fall, he is as perfect as a human being can be. He has an enormous capacity for reason, and
can understand the most sophisticated ideas instantly. Adam does not want to hurt Eve's feeling.Always
Adam shows the proper respect and relationship in graceful speech and manners. After when Eve comes
to Adam and force him to eat fruit at that time also Adam makes argument with Eve and feels grief for
their separation.
“ she gave him of that fair enticing fruit
With liberal hand. He scrupled not to eat,
Against his better knowledge not deceived.”
But then Adam becomes emotional with her charm and eats the fruit of the tree of knowledge because
he bear to be without Eve. He understands Eve's sin in eating the apple, but he ignores his love and
desire for Eve. When Adam tells Raphael that Eve's beauty affects him so much.
“ That what she wills to do or say,
Seems wisest, virtuosest, discreetest, best;”
But Raphael warns Adam that this attitude toward Eve is not proper and that Satan could use it to tempt
the humans. At the end Adam's attitude toward Eve leads directly to his fall. If I want to say that instead
of being emotional with Eve's argument and it is not necessary for him to eat a fruit. Due to his this
mistake his falls happens. We find Adam's argument with Eve ;

4. “best are all things as the will of God ordained them; his creating hand nothing imperfect or deficient
left of all that he created much less man, or aught that might his happy state secure, secure from
outward force, within himself the danger lies yet lies within his power; against his will he can receive
no harm.But God left free the will; for what obeys reason is free; and reason he made right?”
There is one more argument do Adam with Eve,
"However, I with thee have fixed my lot,Certain to undergo like doom. If death Consort with thee,
death is to me as life;So forcible within my heart I feel The bond of Nature draw me to my own—My
own is thee; for what thou art is mine.Our state cannot be severed; we are one,One flesh; to lose thee
were to lose myself."?
Before the fall, Adam is as nearly perfect a human being as can be imagined. He is physically attractive,
meutally adept and spiritually profound. He stands out in Eden as the apex of the hierarchical pyramid.
Only Eve can compare to him, and she only in physical beauty. The conversation between Adam and Eve
before book x are modes of civilized discourse. These conversations are difficult to imagine as real, but
they reflect the nature of two humans.Adam's and humanity's values are reflected in his attitude which
is revealed through his speech-to Eve, to Raphael and to God. In each instance when Adam speaks, he
shows the proper relationship to the being with whom he converses. While he is superior to Everything
and inferior to Raphael and God, there is still no hint of haughtiness in his discussion with Eve or of
subservience in his talks with the Angel and God. Always Adam shows the proper respect and
relationship in graceful speech and manners.
[3] Character of Satan :
Probably the most famous quote about paradise lost is William Blake's statement that Milton was "of
the Devil's party without knowing it ". While Blake may have meant something other than what is
generally understood from this quotation, the idea that Satan is the hero, or at least a type of hero, in
paradise lost is widespread. However, the progression, or, more precisely, regression, of Satan's
character from book I through book xII gives a much different and much clearer picture of Milton's
attitude toward Satan. Writers and critics of the Romantic era advanced the notion that Satan was a
promethean hero, putting himself against an unjust God. Most of these writers based their ideas on the
picture of Satan in the first two books of paradise lost. In those books, Satan rises off the lake of fire and
delivers his heroic speech still challenging God. Satan tells the other rebels that they can make " A
Heav'n of Hell, a Hell of Heav'n " (I, 255) and adds, " Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heav'n(I, 263)
Satan also calls for and leads the grand council. Finally, he goes forth on his own to cross chaos and find
Earth. Without question this picture of Satan makes him heroic in his initial introduction to the reader.
In essence then, Milton's grand poetic style sets Satan up as heroic in Books I and II. The presentation of
Satan makes him seen greater than he actually is and initially draws the reader to Satan's viewpoint.

5. Further, because all of the other characters in the poem - Adam, Eve, God, the son, the angels - are
essentially types rather than characters. Milton spends more artistic energy on the development of
Satan so that throughout the poem, Satan's character maintains the Reader's interest and perhaps,
sympathy at least to an extent.
No matter how brilliantly Milton created the character of Satan, the chief demon cannot be the hero of
the poem. For Milton, Satan is the enemy who chooses to commit an act that goes against the basic laws
of God, that challenges the very nature of the universe. Satan attempts to destroy the hierarchy or
Heaven through his rebellion. Satan commits this act not because he wants what he wants rather than
what God wants. Satan is an egoist. His interests always turn on his personal desires. Unlike Adam, who
discusses a multiplicity of subjects with Raphael. Rarely mentioning his own desires, Satan sees
everything in terms of what will happen to him. A true Promethean / romantic hero has to rebel against
an unjust tyranny in an attempt to right a wrong or help someone less fortunate. If satan had been
Prometheus. He would have stolen fire to warn himself, not to help mankind.
Here is dialogue which was spoken by Satan;
"But what will not ambition and revenge Descend to? Who aspires must down as low As high he
soared, obnoxious, first or last,To basest things. Revenge, at first though sweet,Bitter ere long back on
itself recoils.Let it; I reck not, so it light well aimed,Since higher I fall short, on him who next Provokes
my envy, this new favourite Of Heaven, this Man of Clay, son of despite,Whom, us the more to spite,
his Maker raised From dust: spite then with spite is best repaid."
One more argument which Satan is doing with Eve ;
"Queen of this Universe! do not believe Those rigid threats of death. Ye shall not die.How should ye?
By the Fruit? it gives you life To knowledge. By the Threatener? look on me,Me who have touched and
tasted, yet both live,And life more perfect have attained than Fate Meant me, by venturing higher
than my lot."?
Satan, also known as the Devil, is an entity in the Abrahamic religions that seduces human into sin or
falsehood. Though Satan is described by some as the hero of paradise lost, two things argue against
Satan as hero, though Milton does make him sympathetic by endowing him with feelings of
remorsefulness with pity and compassion for his rebel angels. Satan head of the rebellious angels who
have just fallen from Heaven. As the poem's antagonist, Satan is the originator of sin - the first to be
ungrateful for God the father's blessings. He embarks on a mission to Earth that eventually leads to the
fall of Adam and Eve, but also worsens his eternal punishment. His character changes throughout the
poem. Satan often appears to speak rationally and persuasively, but later in the poem we see the
inconsistency and irrationally of his thoughts. He can assume any form, adopting both glorious and

6. humble shapes. Satan's status as a protagonist in the epic poem is debated. Milton characterizes him as
such, but Satan lacks several key traits that would otherwise make him the definitive protagonist in the
work.
Thank you.................

7. humble shapes. Satan's status as a protagonist in the epic poem is debated. Milton characterizes him as
such, but Satan lacks several key traits that would otherwise make him the definitive protagonist in the
work.
Thank you.................