Renaissance literature:character of Eve, Adam and Satan

 Character of Adam, Eve, and Satan

NAME                :      GOHIL HETALBA I.

ROLL NO.         :      12

PAPER              :      THE RENAISSANCE                                              LITERTURE

M.A.                   :      SEM – I

TOPIC               :      Character of Adam Eve and Satan

SUBMIT TO      :      Department of English

                                  Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji                               Bhavnagar University

YEAR                :      2012 – 2013

               Character Study of Adam Eve & Satan

          Adam, Eve and Satan are the characters of an epic called paradise Lost written by John Milton. John Milton was born in London in Bread street. Cheapside on the 9th December 1608. In 1625, Milton matriculated at Christ's college, Cambridge. He obtained B.A. Degree in 1629 and his M.A. in 1632 at the same university. He was born in the period of religious and political strite.  There was a blow of literature in his time. He got blind in his later days. He died on 8th November, 1674 a month short of his sixty-sixth birthday.

          Milton's important works are :

Ø    On, the moarning of christ's nativity (1629).

Ø    L' Allegro (1631).

Ø    II penseroso (1631)

Ø    Arcades (1633 or 1634)

Ø    Lycidas (1637)

Ø    Comus A mask (1634)

Ø    Paradise Lost (1658-1665)

Ø    Paradise Regained (1666)

Ø    Samson Agonistes (1667)

          Paradise Lost was first published in 1667 and the second edition was published in 1674. The use of blank verse instead of rhyme for paradise lost and epic poem, was a blod innovation.

          Milton was a Christian poet and got Christian theme in paradise lost. This epic shows him as a Christian Humanist using all the resources of the European literary tradition that had come down to him – biblical, medieval, classical renaissances pagan, Jewish & Christian.

          Paradise lost deals with the rebellion of the angels, the creation, the temptation of the poem is taken party from books of the old testament of the Bible. The table of this epic poem, as Milton tells it, may roughly be divided into three parts ! the rebellion of the angel and their material strife with God (Books I, II, III and the greater part of V and VI), the creation of mankind the intercession of messiah and the condition of Messiah and the condition of Man's existence (touched on in Books I, IV and Part of V, VII and VIII); and the wiles of satan against man, the tranggless of eve and Adam and their expulsion from paradise (Book IX – XII).

          Paradise Lost is the product of a puritan's prolonged meditations on the Bible. He allows himself complete liberty in interpreting it. He retells is as one who bears all the burden of contempovlary in interpreting it. He knowledge whose personality is inense and self centered and who has little dramatic sence. He projects himself, his feelings, knowledge and as piration into the characters of his epic, both primitive human creatures the super and the human beings whether they belong to heaven or hell. Milton was capable of vast conceptions. He could present the universe with a sense of its immensity which leaves for behind and the curous, grotesque and complicated conceptions of Dante in 'The Divine Comedy'.

          Paradise lost is colossal epic, not of man or a hero, but of the whole race of man. Milton's characters are such as no human hand could adequctely portray. But the scenes, the splendours of Heaven, the horrors of Hell, the serene beauty of paradise, the sun and planets suspended between celestial light and gross darkness are pictured with an imagination that is almost superhuman. Let's see these through the portrayal of Adam, Eve and Satan.

               Adam :

          Adam is the first man on earth. He is the symbol of strength. He is very strong. He is intelligent. He lives in the Garden of Eden which is paradise. He was little inferior to God. He was little inferior to god. He always obeyed God, the most superior one of all the creation. He is the father of mankind and the ruler of paradise lost. He is a strong willed man with extra ordinary wit.

          Before the fall, he was a perfect man. The best human being one can imagine. He is very attractive in look. He is mentally sound. His spirituality is also profound. He possesses all in the qualities of a perfect person epic. He is the most ancient man who is the head of mankind. He lived a peaceful and happy life at Eden. Eve was produced to give him company. They lived happily in the Garden of Eden sharing their work with each other. Their companionship could be role model for mankind. Unfortunately things went wrong in heaven Satan and his companions rebelled against god. They were thrown to Hell for ever Satan decided to ruin God's creation thus giving a below to God.

          Saten started search for God's new creation. He found the victim in the form of eve. He tempted Eve to eat the forbidden fruit. Eve ate the fruit. Adam's and Eve's doom changed. Adam also ate the fruit and came the problems in their life with life.

          Before the fall, Adam had enormous capacity of logical reasoning. He could understand the most problematic idea quickly. We can find his capacity when he talks to Rephael who is God's angle. We can see through witty debates that he in nearly equal to Raphael. He could easily understand the interesting tales told by Raphel.

          But when he talks to Michael his visions is significantly selfish and onesided. His personality is changed as he tasted the fruit of the Tree of knowledge. One could easily mark the difference between his conversation with Rapheal and Michael. His self awareness and fury after fall represents his new ability to involve himself in rash and irrational attitudes. Because of the disobedience of God's command, he loses his purity of reasoning and intellectual abilities.

          Adam's weakness is his love for Eve. 'From his experience in life, Milton had come to the conclusion that the danger to a man's soul lay in woman, a danger which was great in proportion of his capacity for love. To him woman was man's inferior, an imperfect creature, dangerous, it she were not kept in cheak.' Adam starts loving her as soon as he sees her. He is blinded by her beauty. He confesses his over whelming affection for her to Raphael also. It was deep affection that tempted him to disobey God and be with Eve.

          He did not want to loose her. Eve has become his companion for life and thus is not ready to depart from her.

               Eve :

          Eve is created with a purpose. She is to accompany Adam as he was alone 'Milton's eve is charming and capricious, coquettish and way- ward incapable of sound reasoning and an easy prey to sophistry. Eve is little inferior to Adam she surpasses Adam only in her beauty. It seems Adam only in her beauty. It seems here as it Milton is unjust to woman as he though them to be inferior to man. She loves her-self very much. When she sees her own image in water she falls in love with her own image. Her beauty creates  trouble for her in future. Her most important device produces her most serious weakness and vanity in her self.

          Satan was in search of weakness in man. He got an opportunity to invade on God's creation. Satan comes to her and compliments her on her glorious beauty and godiness. He easily persuades her to eat the Tree of knowledge. Contrasting this literature Indian literature has created many strong female character.

          A part beauty. She was intelligent.  She was spiritually pure. She had little weaker will she could be tempted easily. She is not ambitious to learn from Raphael or Michael. She was to be guided by somebody. God wanted Adam to guide her but she seemed less interested in getting knowledge. She does not become more intelligent or learned as the story develops. Yet, we can see her attaining the starting point of wisdom by the end of the epic. She never accompanied Adam when he conversed with the Angels like Raphael and Michael. The reason behind her lack of wisdom may be due to this. She tells Adam to trust her.  She is eager to be a woman of free will. She wants to break the bondages. She dominates Adam, while eating the fruit of knowledge. Also she wants to do her Job alone and doesn't want to share. She is eager to be on her own.

          Eve's strengths are her ability for love, feeling and forebearnes. She is able to convince Adam to stay with her after fall also. She is stopped committing suicide by Adam. Sometimes she corrects Adam. Also, she becomes his strength. She corrects his weakness. Milton here upgrade female Adam and Eve together makes society Eve with positive attitude can make illustrative society. They are the representatives of a good society and civilized people. Both are supplement to each other.

               Satan :

          One of the most significant traits of satan's character is that he is identified with Milton. William Blake said : 'Milton was of the Devils (satan) Party without knowing it'. Satan is energetic like Milton. Satans pride too comes from Milton. Milton has pairs his own fellings and emotions into satan. Satans views about (Belial are identity with Miltons) The reign of Charles II satan is considered just only as a part of Milton's character but also a part his mind. The first two books of paradise lost describes the grandeur of satan.

          Satan possesses many qualities of head and heart. His portrayal is heroic figure. His physical dimensions and strong weapons tempt many critics to call him the hero of the epic. His personality is dominant. He remains one of the greatest creation in English literature. The figure of satan has been magnificently conceit. He can be compared with Ravan, the villain of Ramayan by Valmiki. Along with the Physical strength Milton has bestowed satan with intelligence and will Power. He is courageous both physically and spiritually. He says 'The mind is its own place and in its can make a Heaven of Hell, a Hell Heaven. He loved liberty and is embroidery of freedom. He rebels God's authority for the sake of liberty. He can need more tolerate dictatorship. Shelley a Byron call him the champion of libber. He had qualities of leadership. He is the recognized leader of the rebellious angels. He says 'Better to reign in ideal, than server in Heaven'. He was a skillful orator. There are contradict and absurdities in the speech of political and leaders in military to way the large audiences. He surpasses the military commanders like Alexander the Great, Napolean and Hitler. Inspire of his gigantic personality. He is no devoid of emotions.

          Satan is ambitious. His speech against God. Shows his wisdom. He is the embodiment of evil. He is flatter and selfish. His character has merits and demerits. He can be called a tragic figure. Shakespeare's tragic hero, Macbeth can be compared with him. Satan is evils personification Satan is clever. He is eager to revenge God. He comes to earth and tempts Eve to eat the fruit of Tree of knowledge. Which is forbidden by God. He convinces Eve to do so. It can be said that Milton's hero Satan, was born to rule and not to be ruled.

          Milton has been successful in depicting the fable in the way he wanted Many Indian epics posses episodic tragic heroes like satan of Milton. They used to get energy through boons and penance. Most of them had supernatural power.