Feminist Perspectives in Paradise Lost

As one of the most revered epic poems throughout history, John Milton's Paradise Lost depicts the events surrounding the Christian creationism story, told through several of the following, presumably male and female voices: God, Jesus, Satan, Eve, Adam, Sin, and various angels and muses. Neither the work's title nor the biblical subject matter has offered an immediate allure of feminism to readers past. Yet some modern Milton scholars opine that Milton actually presented several pro-woman scenes beyond several now-stereotypical Puritan, chauvinist underpinnings. Although occasionally subtle, a few main characters offer pro-feminist thoughts and opinions–the question is whose voice was offering these thoughts and opinions, a character's or Milton's? Some say both. Regardless, the women –and sometimes male entities in Paradise Lost were not merely helpless creatures subject only to their feminine wiles, saved only by strong men or God, punished for their inferiority to roam the Earth as little more than pain enduring, child-bearing slaves, as some Miltonists would have readers believe. The following investigation supports Milton's specific “anti-anti-feminist” notions throughout Paradise Lost. That is, this analysis does not prove that Milton was exclusively a feminist, but rather not an anti-feminist since so many of his carefully chosen words, which reportedly took ten years to choose, indicate that Eve grew beyond her original position in the Bible to one of an independent free-thinking human-equal (or possibly human-superior) in God's Earth.

First, a summary of Paradise Lost's twelve books will lay the proper foundation to scrutinize the work. Next, Milton's intentions as a storyteller will be addressed. These invocations highlight feminist undertones in Milton's epic as he calls out to muses for guidance. Then, I will analyze applicable characters and their feminine attributes which contribute to the pro-feminist argument and detailed arguments in support of the male-centric side of the debate will be challenged as necessary. A final review of Paradise Lost's lasting effects on decades of interpretation regarding Eve's place in Eden will conclude this overall analysis.

A Summation of Feminine-ness Undertones in Paradise Lost

Originally compiled within ten books in 1667, and soon after expanded into twelve books in 1674, Milton's Paradise Lost is a winding trip of predominantly male characters that surround the occasional feminine figure centered on the creationism story. Initially, Milton opens the story while introducing us to his anti-hero, Satan, God's chosen angel who betrayed Him. Satan awakes in Hell alongside a plethora of demons who await direction (Milton 1.50-83). Satan is hurt and angry and his hubris refuses to allow his damnation by God to dissuade him from finding his own form of happiness within evil; Satan immediately begins equating both regret and good (or at least the opposite of bad) with weakness, a theme used to describe Eve and her female ancestors later in the poem (1.156-190).

During the second book, it is important to note here that Satan's daughter Sin appears who “seemed woman to the waist, and fair” with a serpent's body (2.648-53). As a helpless victim of sexual abuse from Satan's incestuous relations and their son, Death's, rape of her, Sin appears as a helpless creature that embodies the serpent that will eventually trick womankind; she had no choice but to follow her father's orders and open the gate of Hell for him (2.746-850). Shortly after, Satan heard from several of the angels during a call-to-arms meeting; he then follows the angel Beelzebub's (Satan's second-in-command) recommendation to explore Earth so that Satan may take revenge on God's new favorites (2.299-303; 2.927-42).

Before long, Milton reviews Satan's journey and recollects the story of man's fall; His Son responds and the Father proclaims how to save mankind, as the Son offers His services to help (Milton 3.56-273). The patriarchy is clearly in control of Earth and the only one who can save the planet's inevitable destruction is another man. The Son is something beyond man though, something superhuman, since man, and therefore woman, cannot save themselves alone. No sooner do the angels sing than Satan arrives, traversing the universe, and accosting the angel Uriel while disguised; since Uriel is completely fooled, he tells Satan where to find Adam (3.343-430; 636-742). Uriel appears as one of the more sensitive angels or cherubs, a feminine quality in itself, while accompanied by the feminine characteristic of naiveté and genuine sweetness.

Satan then visits Eden where he discovers Adam and Eve (Milton 4.288-357). Upon first sight, he is overcome with the human emotion, jealousy, which is often viewed as a petty feeling felt by women. Satan decides to overtake various animal forms in order to eavesdrop on the couple (4.358-501). He then decides to take a more active approach to create chaos in the Garden of Eden and enters into Eve's dream, and the angel Raphael's attempt to warn the couple of Satan, this foreshadowing event will be discussed in greater detail later. After Milton depicts the biblical creationism stories about the world and the first couple, which, he believes, provides more insight than the biblical version of Genesis, he provides insight to the fall of man, followed by God's judgment of the couple and the serpent that Satan possessed to trick Eve. After the couple reconciles at the end of the tenth book, they pray to God for forgiveness and Jesus intercedes (Milton 11.20-44). God also sends the Archangel Michael to Earth to tell the couple of future events including their expulsion from the garden and the “great flood” (11.99-208; 11.712-901). Finally, Michael offers future instructions and eventually, Adam and Eve are ejected from the Garden of Eden to serve as the first parents to all mortals (12.624-29). At that instant, Eve's uphill, never-ending battle to prove that she is self-sacrificing, strong, intelligent and capable ensues.

Milton’s Intentions within Invocations

At the beginning of the first, third, seventh and ninth books, Milton articulates his intentions, or invocations, to readers. The author beautifully foretells of first mortal coils. Although blind from literal vision, he presents himself not only as part narrator but mostly an instrument for the muse(s). Milton informs us that a muse for this epic is the Holy Spirit. Yet muses “are also believed to be virgins, as most writers of myths say” who “enjoy the greatest reputation,” as well as mystical entities who aid in various forms of artistic endeavors, as C.H. Oldfather, interpreter of several ancient works including the Library of History by Diodorus Siculus, a Greek historian during 1 B.C., reiterated (4.7.1-3). Milton could have very well relied on the female muses' perspectives and advice early on, so as to ensure authenticity (Oldfather, 4.7.3). Siculus also asserted, “the authority of the most distinguished men, such as Homer and Hesiod and others like them” knew the muses and called them by name (4.7.2.). Since Milton is often associated with epic poets Homer and Hesiod (e.g. Milton compares himself to blind epic-writers in the third book), perhaps by specifically including the term “muse” in his invocations, the author intentionally uses a pure feminine slant, which therefore lacks any tinges of anti-feminist beliefs (Milton 3.35-36).

The First Invocation. Here, Milton introduces the reader to “man's first disobedience,” which of course really began with the woman as some would argue (Milton 1.1). Though English professor and linguist, Dr. Abdullah F. Al-Badarneh, explains in the International Journal of Applied Linguistics and English Literature excerpt, “Milton's Pro-Feminist Presentation of Eve in Paradise Lost,” that Milton's use of “'man' refers to humanity, constituting both male and female” entities, thereby distributing equal blame to Adam and Eve (108).

Milton invokes these muses to aid in telling the story of immense woes, of what was once given to “man” in the form of Eden and how with one “mortal taste,” “man” brought death to the world (1.2-3). By following God's oracle and prophesies, Milton wants the first muse to help him tell the story accurately “and justify the ways of God to men,” an all-important task (1.26). Milton himself asks for understanding so that he can effectively explain why Satan and the first humans fell with so much at stake. Thereafter, he transitions into Satan's war and damnation and “who durst defy the Omnipotent to arms” (1.49).

The Second Invocation. Two books later during the second invocation, Milton begins by acknowledging Heaven's light and “ofspring of Heav'n first-born,” Adam and Eve (Milton 3.2). Milton asks the muses to assist once again (along with God this time) in transitioning the scene from hell into heaven; heaven's light is so blinding as Milton writes, but he can still write for the greater good (or perhaps greater fame?) like his blind poet heroes Thamyris and Maeonides (3.19-36). By asking God to shine His light upon Milton, he asks to see within his soul so that he can continue to write for readers, “of things invisible to mortal sight” to make them understand about “Natures works” since they would not be able to figure it out themselves (3.50-55). Here at least, Milton seemingly treats men and women equally ignorant, because neither realizes these events the way that God's Celestial light can help Milton understand.

The Third Invocation. Milton uses the muse Urania (a predecessor to the original nine muses) to help him sing about Heaven while returning to Earth in the third invocation (Milton 7.1-16). The poet seems to use this particular muse to show that her age and wisdom surpasses those of other pagan muses such as the wife of Bath. Milton also asks for the muse's protection from “the barbarous dissonance of Bacchus and his Revellers, the Race of that wilde Rout that tore the Thracian Bard” (7.32-34). Urania is heavenly herself and Milton's bequest of her gives a little nod to the power and appeal of the female form once again (7.39).

The Fourth Invocation. During the shortest and final invocation, Milton warns the reader of the upcoming tragedy, sadder than stories of horrible battles of heroic knights (Milton 9.30-41). The narrator indicates the importance of this theme that was sung to him at night while sleeping (9.23; 9.47). He feels that this inspiration is pure, as Milton asks the muse one last time to inspire him in telling the most important story told (9.25-29). Again, no apparent anti-feminist perspective exists in this invocation.

Why did Milton use Muses? Muses were an important facet within storytelling. Milton used them sparingly to transition the story as needed. Yet by invoking muses more often than God or the angels, Milton offers an ephemeral nod to the possibility that the creationism story, as told up to that point in the mid-seventeenth century, could have been mythical. Fables often use both humans and animals in supernatural ways to implore readers to follow a moral code, after all. Perhaps Milton was telling the real version now or at least a more poetic one. In doing so, he continues the trajectory of acknowledging the importance of women throughout Paradise Lost, who are beautiful, strong muse-like protectors throughout several books.

Books that Include Positive Feminist Characters and Traits

Although Eve is the first and most instrumental female character in the story of Paradise Lost, she is definitely not the only feminine or feminist element, as previously explained. Satan had his own bought with stereotypical (although not always correct) female feelings and Milton summoned the muses, always depicted as female. Angels are typically thought of as feminine as well, although this is not always the case, especially regarding those angels in Hell. Even Jesus shows compassion on a level that a caregiver would give in unison with His protector role towards Adam and Eve (and eventually mankind in general). The personification of Sin also casts a feminist quality.

As author Jonathan “Leviathan” Whitfield writes in his Oshkosh Scholar article, “The Invisible Woman: Eve's Self Image in Paradise Lost,” while Milton's Eve story was “written from a male's point of view in a patriarchal mythological narrative that favors men,” the female sexual opposition that appeared throughout the work deserves scrutiny (61). Five books either mention Eve or include a feminist viewpoint, garnering the most attention within this anti-feminist/feminist opposition and debate. Each of these third, fourth, fifth, eighth and ninth books will be addressed respectively.

Book Three: “Man” as Male and Female. As mentioned in the analysis of Milton's opening invocation, the term “man” is an all-encompassing term used to describe the human race. This use occurs again in the third book where “Man will heark'n to his [Satan's] glozing lies” (Al-Badarneh 108; 3.93). Although Eve first eats the fruit, “the word used here is 'Man' that describes the pair, thus, involving both of them in the responsibility of the Fall, and clearing Eve of the charges held against her as the sole person responsible for the Fall” (Al-Badarneh 108). Al-Badarneh cites to Revard who also argued that God used Adam and Eve collectively as the first parents of the human race and assigned them guilt equally as first “Man” who initiated “Original Sin” (108). (As an aside, technically Satan actually created Sin in the second book years before Eve's existence.) By using the gender-neutral term “Man,” Milton avoids placing Eve as solely responsible for the destruction of God's creation, a role that she has been tied to for centuries.

Book Four: The Introduction of Eve the Inferior. During Eve's introduction within the fourth book, the reader first reads about Eve in her original light, probably as most Christians have envisioned her. She is the perfect companion for God's human creation. Sure, Eve is her own creation as well, but she was just an afterthought-an animal to provide Adam so that he would not get bored and could eventually mate. As Satan first looks onto Eve in the garden, Milton describes the new creature in lengthy detail as a desired, sexual being with little more to offer. Admittedly, the description could harbor anti-feminist sentiment, but Milton does not always describe Eve in this light.

Physically, she is as one would expect the epitome of femininity with long, flowing hyacinthine locks, wanton ringlets and vine curls (Milton 4.299-305). She is there, standing like a soldier at loving, unquestionable attention alongside Adam in the middle of God's creation, as she yields with “coy submission, modest pride, and sweet, reluctant, amorous delay” to her mate; yet she is not wholly subservient as a slave would appear in its truest form (4.307-09). She appears to be standing next to Adam, neither kneeling below nor bowing to him as some kind of master. Eve does not yet understand her role, as she has only just been born.

As Whitfield insists, Eve was first created as Adam's helper and “unequal companion” who only formed her initial ideas as echoes to Adams thoughts (60). The inferior status appears here, “My Author and Disposer, what thou bidst unargu'd I obey; so God ordains, God is thy Law, though mine” (Milton 4.636-38). Certainly, this verbiage really shows allegiance to God through her mate, at least initially before she began to think for herself. Whitfield continues to explain that Eve does want to venture higher than her lot at first, to which Satan insinuates (60). As Jennifer McCafferty of DePaul University writes in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences Theses and Dissertations paper, “Eve Disordered: The Relationship of Feminine Happiness and Hierarchy in Paradise Lost,” she reminds readers that “Milton is concerned with the ordering of the universe under God, the natural hierarchy of creation, of which gender is certainly a part but not the ultimate focus” (emphasis added 1). As critical readers of Paradise Lost, we must, therefore, recognize Eve as her own unique entity, not as an afterthought in creationism's chronology.

Book Five: The Tree of Knowledge. When Eve dreams about her inevitable demise, she awakes and Adam is at her side to console her (Milton 5.17). When Eve describes the frightening events of an angel who asks Eve to eat of the forbidden fruit, Adam insists that she has the opportunity to control her future actions, “which Reason, joining or disjoining, frames all what we affirm or what deny, and call our knowledge or opinion; then retires” indicating that at least Adam believed (through Milton's eyes) that Eve could think and act independently (5.99-104). McCafferty uses Bowers' argument to point out that “even though Eve does not immediately seek to bring to life the events of her dream . . . it is only a matter of time before she falls” (45). Therefore, Eve was damned either way. McCafferty notes that Bowers and others identify the dream “as the point at which Eve is given over the power of evil, albeit while sleeping” (45). Though this may be true, at least Milton offered faith in Eve through Adam, proving that she was not inherently helpless.

Book Eight: The Rib and the Sexes. The creationism story of Adam and Eve in the eighth book seems to provide much chauvinistic fodder for those Miltonists who insist that both the Bible and Paradise Lost accurately depict a woman's true place in the world. Adam's rib offers so much imagery and symbolism that scholars still continue to write about Milton's true intent (and perhaps God's true intent) behind that little piece of bone that built humanity's mother (see generally McCafferty). Eve's sexual prowess and nudity have been referred to as weapons, shooting “Darts of desire” through Adam and quite possibly some readers (Al-Badarneh 59; Milton 8.563).

First, the transference of Adam's left rib (the left side used to equate to the “bad” side) signifies several negatives. Primarily, Eve was created second, so she must be second-place in life, a second-place citizen or servant. Yet one has to wonder if God really made a mistake–had He been paying attention, He would have realized that Adam would be lonely and need to procreate much sooner; perhaps He could have made Eve simultaneously. Also, if Adam was already perfectly made in God's image, there should be no need to remove one rib. Perhaps Adam was imperfect and Eve actually the perfect human specimen with the correct number of ribs. If readers are to experience a suspension of disbelief at the possibility of a woman magically growing from a rib, are they to ignore the “science” behind Eve's creation, which indicates that she is the sister of Adam by DNA and not his wife? The fact that so many focus on God's pecking order and Eve's arrival instead of the events leading up to her arrival maintain the presumably anti-feminist agenda.

That one little rib caused huge controversy over the past centuries beginning in the fourth century B.C. within Aristotle's Generations of Animals that stated “'a female was by nature a defective male . . . [even in procreation] the male contributed motion and form to the embryo, and the female only matter'” (cited by McCafferty 4). Beyond woman's procreative faults, there was no possibility that she could even hold a conversation with Adam or exist as a worthwhile companion since only men could communicate effectively as companions with other men (4). This belief likely arises from the prime example in the eighth book when the angel Raphael and Adam have a lengthy discussion over the creation story (Milton 8.1-38).

While Adam and Raphael spoke, Eve retired from the garden. “With goddess-like demeanor forth she went, not unattended; for on her, as queen, a pomp of winning graces waited still, and from about her shot darts of desire into all eyes, to wish her still in sight” (Milton 8.59-63). Most scholars and readers would argue that Eve could not comprehend what the “men” discussed so she simply went away without contributing or asking any questions (Milton 8.39-63). However, Milton seemed to indicate that Eve was likely acting of her own volition and simply did not want to hear the story again. She was her own independent person and could have been more interested in living in the present instead of the past. The text suggests that her presence was likely missed as well (“to wish her still in sight”), indicating that neither Raphael nor Adam harbored any ill thoughts of Eve's intelligence or comprehension skills (8.63).

Milton later interjects a few lovely lines that hint to the equality of men and women in the eighth book. He describes suns and moons around other planets “communicating male and female light; which two great sexes animate the world, stored in each orb perhaps with some that live” (Milton 8.150-52). This passage alludes to the thought that men and women are both equal sexes, communicating equally throughout the world. If God created the entire world and not just Earth, then God created this equality as well.

Whitfield reminds Milton's audience, however, that woman (Eve) first appeared as only being a kind of trophy for man (Adam) with her naked, “delectable fruits” showing while she “frolics, innocently, in her own nakedness”; demonstrating just how incredibly dangerous a beautiful naked woman can be in Paradise (Whitfield 59). Of course, Adam did not help by describing her beautiful Nature yet “her th'inferiour, in the mind and inward Faculties, which most excel” left something to be desired since her mind was not in the direct image of God's like his was (Whitfield citing to Milton 8:541-42 59). Interestingly, Whitfield informs the reader that Adam was neither this vocal nor chauvinistic in the biblical text (59). This fact presents the idea that Milton wanted to take what so many biblical scholars were thinking and pontificating and then admonished them later. (Milton writes that God admonishes Adam in the tenth book both for speaking so ill of Eve and concentrating so much on his own masculinity.) Clearly, Milton wanted to express that Adam was in the wrong for thinking poorly of Eve in almost correcting Genesis (60).

Book Nine: But for Eve, We Would Not Experience Free Will. The all-symbolic apple, the fruit of the poisonous tree, demonstrates the peak of Eve's weakness and stupidity to some and independence and bravery to others. But before the apple brushes against Eve's perfect lips, Milton offers his readers a glimpse into her independent nature. Eve sought wisdom far before Adam; had she not done so, perhaps free will would not exist (Whitfield 61). Whitfield states that without Eve, God's plan would not have occurred at all–it was good that she wanted to know what knowing was actually like (61).

Granted, Eve wanted to be either “more equal” or “superior” to Adam, which as Al-Badarneh explains, “connects inferiority with the lack of freedom” (citing to Milton 9.823; 9.825 108). She even makes her own decision to allow Adam to eat from the tree as well to experience her experiences, to seal their fate equally (108). Al-Badarneh also notes that Eve does not bark orders or demonstrate bossiness; instead, she suggests ideas to Adam (108). For Eve, suggestive choice is freedom. Freedom is independence. Independence is power.

For instance, while in the garden, Eve frequently works on her own performing manual labor and suggests to Adam that they “both divide their labors” (Milton 9.214). Yet Eve was the one who actually took the initiative in beginning the work first (without being told) (Al-Badarneh 108). Here, Milton reversed the typical gender roles, especially those viewed in the seventeenth century (108). Al-Badarneh uses Martin to defend his assertion, as “she alludes to Eve's individuality pointing out that 'Eve is literally Adam's flesh and bone, she too was never meant to be a “lifeless rib” with no independent volition'” (108). Eventually, Adam admits his part in the “fall” of humanity, admitting “I with thee have fixt my Lot” and sharing the liability equally with Eve in what was to come for their future generations on Earth (Al-Badarneh 109; Milton 9.952).

Undoubtedly, future Miltonists will hold similar conversations regarding the feminist/anti-feminist philosophical underpinnings throughout Paradise Lost. As many male-positive references appear throughout the epic work, so do enough pro-feminist ideas to maintain that position. Regarding the first feminist, Eve, no matter the side future readers take as to Eve's position according to God, modern women can relate to her inward struggle to be a good wife, daughter, and person of good moral character. Eve is woman. As Al-Badarneh concluded, “it is time that all critics realize Milton's goodness to women and to the feminist movement . . . since Eve is the first woman on Earth and the mother of all human beings” (109).

Works Cited

Al-Badarneh, Abdullah F. “Milton’s Pro-Feminist Presentation of Eve in Paradise Lost.” International Journal of Applied Linguistics & English Literature 3.4 (2014): 105-09. IJALEL. Web. 22 July 2015.

McCafferty, Jennifer. “Eve Disordered: The Relationship of Feminine Happiness and Hierarchy in Paradise Lost.” College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences Theses and Dissertations. MA thesis. DePaul University, 1 Nov. 2011. Chicago: Paper 103, 2011. Web. 22 July 2015.

Milton, John. “Paradise Lost: The Poem.” Paradise Lost Study Guide: A Simple Guide to John Milton's Complicated Masterpiece. New Arts Library, 1999. Web. 22 July 2015.

Oldfather, C. H. “The Muses.” Diodorus Siculus IV.1-18. Vols. 303 & 340. London: Harvard UP, 1935. Web. 23 July 2015.

Whitfield, Jonathan “Leviathan.” “The Invisible Woman: Eve's Self Image in Paradise Lost.” Oshkosh Scholar 2 (2007): 57-61. Print.