Scene of Temptation in Paradise Lost
In Paradise Lost book.IX, there is a
temptation scene. In it, Satan tempted Eve, the mother of mankind to eat the
fruit of that forbidden tree, the tree of knowledge. This scene projects the
main theme of this epic: the theme of disobedience of man.
“Of
Man s’ first disobedience, and the fruit
Of
that forbidden tree, whose mortal taste
Brought
death into the world, and all our woe
With
loss of Eden….”
It
means before this violation, Adam and Eve were leading a life full of heavenly
joys and pleasures and they were immortal. If they did not violate the
restriction of God, they lived happily in the Heaven forever. But there was a
trial for our grand ancestors. They were tempted by serpent and violated the command
of their creator and thus lost Heaven.
The
structure of the whole poem culminates at the fall of Eve and Adam. Main source
of the temptation was taken from the Bible. But Milton fills it with his
dramatic artistic skills as per the requirement of an epic poem. The following lines
reflect this cosmic tragedy.
“So saying,
her rash hand in evil hour forth reaching to
The
fruit she plucked, she eats it, Earth felt the wound
And
nature from her seat sighing through all her works
Gave
signs of woe, that all was lost…..”
Adam
and eve, the humans’ grand parents were living happily in Eden, the state of nature.
There they were passing a simple life and were busy in their day to day life.
They went about the garden of Eden tending flowers, preparing beds for sowing
seeds, weeding the plants and looking after the branches of plants and trees.
They
loved each other and their love was full of purity, not physically one. They
had no grief, no woe and were immortal. In Eden, they were allowed to enjoy all
things except one restriction and that was not to eat the fruit of that
forbidden tree. Satan called it the tree of knowledge. Critics and analysts say
that the mentioned tree was devoid of such qualities but it was to examine the
obedience of Adam and Eve.
Satan
filled with revenge, guised into a serpent and tempted the mother of mankind.
He found this chance, when Eve, all alone was busy in looking after the plants.
Satan approaches Eve and flattered her and started praising her beauty. Eve was
amazed to find serpent speaking. Serpent tells her that it was the effect of
eating the fruit of that tree of knowledge. Eve, after tempted fully eats the
fruit of that forbidden tree. Later she tempted Adam to eat that fruit. Both
transgressed the will of God and thus they lost Heaven.
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