Milton's 'Paradise Lost': A Study Guide on Books IX-XII, Lecture notes of Art

Download Milton's 'Paradise Lost': A Study Guide on Books IX-XII and more Lecture notes Art in PDF only on Docsity! Milton in the Garden of Eden: Books IX-XII Module Ib Lecture Guide Dr. Martha J. Bianco Winter 2006 1 Summary (New Arts Library) Milton’s Original (Hale) Book IX Satan returns to earth, where he chooses the serpent as his best disguise. Next morning, when Adam and Eve go forth to their gardening tasks, Eve suggests they go in separate directions. With great reservation, Adam finally consents. The serpent finds Eve alone and approaches her. She is surprised to find the creature can speak, and is soon induced by him to eat the fruit of the forbidden tree. Adam is horrified when he finds what she has done, but at length resigns himself to share her fate rather than be left without her, and eats the fruit also. After eating, they are aroused with lust and lay together, then fall to restless sleep. They waken to awareness of their nakedness and shame, and cover themselves with leaves. In their emotional distress, they fall into mutual accusations and blame. Narrator Satan considered every creature, which Most opportune to serve his wiles, and found The serpent subtlest beast of all the field. Beyond his hope Eve separate he spies. Satan [to Eve] Empress of this fair world, resplendent Eve, I was at first as other beasts that graze Till, on a day roving the field, I chanced A goodly tree far distant to behold. About the mossy trunk I wound me soon. Amid the tree now got, where plenty hung Tempting so nigh, to pluck and eat my fill I spared not, for such pleasure till this hour At feed or fountain I had never found. Sated at length, ere long I might perceive Strange alteration in me, to degree Of reason in my inward powers, and speech Wanted not long, though to this shape retained. Thenceforth to speculations high or deep I turned my thoughts. . . Eve [to Tree, not to Satan] Great are thy virtues, doubtless, best of fruits, Though kept from man, and worthy to be admired: Here grows the cure of all, this fruit divine, Fair to the eye, inviting to the taste, Of virtue to make wise: what hinders then To reach, and feed at once both body and mind? Narrator So saying, her rash hand in evil hour Forth reaching to the fruit, she plucked, she ate: Earth felt the wound, and nature from her seat Sighing through all her works gave signs of woe, That all was lost. Eve [still to Tree] O sovereign, virtuous, precious of all trees, I grow mature in knowledge, as the gods: And I, perhaps, am secret: heaven is high, High and remote to see from thence distinct Each thing on earth; and other care perhaps May have diverted from continual watch Our great Forbidder, safe with all his spies About him. But to Adam in what sort Shall I appear? Shall I to him make known As yet my change, and give him to partake Full happiness with me? or rather not, But keep the odds of knowledge in my power? But what if God have seen, and Death ensue? Then I shall be no more: And Adam wedded to another Eve Shall live with her enjoying, I extinct . . . Adam shall share with me, in bliss or woe Narrator Adam’s slack hand the garland wreathed for Eve Down dropped, and all the faded roses shed: Adam O fairest of creation, last and best Of all God’s works, creature in whom excelled Whatever can to sight or thought be formed Holy, divine, good, amiable or sweet! How art thou lost, how on a sudden lost, Defaced, deflowered, and now to death devote? Rather how hast thou yielded to transgress The strict forbiddance, how to violate The sacred fruit forbidden! Some cursed fraud Of enemy hath beguiled thee, yet unknown, And me with thee hath ruined, for with thee Certain my resolution is to die: How can I live without thee, how forego Thy sweet converse and love so dearly joined, To live again in these wild woods forlorn? Narrator She gave him of that fair enticing fruit With liberal hand: he scrupled not to eat Against his better knowledge, not deceived, But fondly overcome with female charm. Limerick (Wyville) To the serpent's wiles Eve did succumb. She ate, and she gave Adam some. His head said, 'You'll rue it,' His heart urged him, 'Do it.' He ate. Satan's mission was done. Milton in the Garden of Eden: Books IX-XII Module Ib Lecture Guide Dr. Martha J. Bianco Winter 2006 2 Summary (New Arts Library) Milton’s Original (Hale) Limerick (Wyville) Book X The guardian angels return to heaven, sad for man's failure, and the Son of God descends to earth to judge the sinners. Mercifully, he delays their sentence of death many days, during which they may work to regain God's favor. Then, in pity, he clothes them both. At the gates of hell, Sin and Death sense the success of Satan in this new world. They set out to build a highway over chaos to make future passage to earth easier. Satan meets them on his return voyage to hell, and marvels at the great structure. Upon his arrival in Pandemonium, Satan boasts of his success to the assembly. Instead of applauding him, they can only hiss, for they and he have all been turned into snakes, their punishment from above. God instructs his angels what changed conditions must prevail in the world, now in fallen state, while on earth, Adam bemoans his miserable condition and the fate of the human race. He harshly rejects Eve's attempt to console him, but she persists and wins his forgiveness. She proposes they commit suicide, but Adam reminds her of God's promise that her seed should wreak vengeance upon the serpent. Moreover, they must seek to make peace with their offended Lord. Narrator God through his Son sent judgment to the earth; First on the snake he thus his curse let fall: Son Because thou hast done this, thou art accursed Above all cattle, each beast of the field; Upon thy belly groveling thou shalt go, And dust shalt eat all the days of thy life. Narrator Next to the woman thus his sentence turned: Son Thy sorrow I will greatly multiply By thy conception; children shalt thou bring In sorrow forth, and to thy husband’s will Thine shall submit, he over thee shall rule. Narrator On Adam last thus judgment he pronounced: Son Because thou hast hearkened to the voice of thy wife, And eaten of the tree concerning which I charged thee saying, ‘Thou shalt not eat thereof’, Cursed is the ground for thy sake, thou in sorrow Shalt eat thereof all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles it shall bring thee forth Unbid, and thou shalt eat th’ Herb of the field, In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread Till thou return unto the ground, for thou Out of the ground wast taken. Know thy birth, For dust thou art, and shalt to dust return. The couple were covered with shame. They fought about who was to blame. By love still beguiled They were soon reconciled. But they'd fallen from grace, all the same.