Thinking Activity : Paradise Lost

Here my answer on thinking activity about Paradise Lost task given by Dr. Dilip Barad sir head of English Department MKB University. Click here to view about this task.


Paradise Lost : John Milton

"Paradise Lost" is a long epic poem written by John Milton. Paradise Lost is about Adam and Eve how they came to be lose their place in the Garden of Eden, also called Paradise. It's the same story we find in the first pages of Genesis, expanded by Milton into a very long, detailed, narrative poem. It also includes the story of the origin of Satan. Originally, he was called Lucifer, an angel in heaven who led his followers in a war against God, and was ultimately sent with them to hell. Thirst for revenge led him to cause man's downfall by turning into a serpent and tempting Eve to eat the forbidden fruit. 

Q ; 1 :- What is your understanding of human perspective and Divine perspective ? 

Milton's Paradise Lost is differ than  the Bible story of Paradise Lost. In the Bible story, God is the centre while human is centre in Milton's Paradise Lost. The Bible which were said from the Divine perspective were Milton presented the story in human perspective. 

• God perspective :

In Bible 'fall' of human is narrated from God's perspective. We can say that Eve and Adam is the puppet hand of god. They fallow all rules and regulation given by god. When they broken the rules they have punished by god. Eve and Adam broken rules and they have punished by god. They do not have emotion or feeling or they don't rise their voice against gods. We know that Satan is responsible for that he tempted Eve, Eve tempted Adam and fall happened but why god punished Adam and Eve instead Satan? If Satan used serpent's body to harm Adam, Eve and Eden, why should it be punished instead of Satan.

                               "  Because you have done this , cursed are you above all cattle,

                                and above all wild animals upon your belly you shall go,

                                and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. I will put
                                 enmity between you and the women, and between your seed
                                 and her seed;he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise
                                 his hell."(God in Genesis)"

Eve broken rules and she also punished for her 'disobedience', but why should her children also be cursed. there are many question rise against god's justice. The whole story of Genesis is narrated from Divine perspective.

• Human perspective :

In the story of Genesis we can see that god is centre . Milton is a poet. The poet also stands in favor of humans rather than god. Milton's Paradise lost is long narrative poem told from human perspective  because it includes some of the common human qualities like,  lust for more knowledge, temptations  ,arguments. First Eve is responsible for disobedience,  by eating the fruit for received a more knowledge to be equal to Adam. She is human being and thus, acts like human being. Secondly, the Adam and Satan also driven by human emotion. So we can say that Milton's Paradise lost told about human perspective rather than god.

Q : 2 :- How do you read character of Eve as transgressor and yet defendable?

In Milton's Paradise lost we can see that Eve presented as strong and rebellious.Satan tempts Eve to eat the fruit of the tree of Knowledge. We can say that she don't doing anything wrong because the fruit gives her knowledge. When Eve eats the fruit, one of her thoughts is that the fruit " may be render me more equal"(IX, 823) to which she quickly adds, "for inferior who is free?'(IX,826).Her reasoning, from Milton point of view, is incorrect. Freedom comes precisely from recognizing one's place in the scheme and obeying the dictates of that position. By disobeying God, Eve has gained neither equality nor freedom ; she is instead lost paradise.
                
 we can read character of Eve as defendable . Eve's argument present with intelligent.

                                     " How are we happy , still in fear of harm?

                                       But harm precedes not sin ; only our foe

                                       Tempting affronts us with his foul esteem."


Thank you ..................