Unfallen Marriage and the Unfallen Marriage and the Fallen Imagination in Fallen Imagination in

Paradise LostParadise Lost

Michelle AnstettMichelle Anstett

Anderson’s thesisAnderson’s thesis

• ““But the full nature of the bond between But the full nature of the bond between Adam and Eve only emerges when we Adam and Eve only emerges when we place their relationship in the context of place their relationship in the context of the poem’s rich sense of place. Unfallen the poem’s rich sense of place. Unfallen marriage is shaped by Milton’s decision marriage is shaped by Milton’s decision concerning the relative status of the three concerning the relative status of the three ‘geographical’ settings of the poem – Hell, ‘geographical’ settings of the poem – Hell, Heaven, and Paradise – and by Milton’s Heaven, and Paradise – and by Milton’s sense of the extent to which each of these sense of the extent to which each of these settings requires a special metaphorical settings requires a special metaphorical machinery to make it accessible to his machinery to make it accessible to his reader’s understanding” (126-7)reader’s understanding” (126-7)

How Milton’s poetic world is How Milton’s poetic world is organizedorganized

• Hell – most literalHell – most literal

• Heaven – more figurative than Hell Heaven – more figurative than Hell but less complex than Paradisebut less complex than Paradise

• Paradise – lacks both physical Paradise – lacks both physical groundedness of Hell and the groundedness of Hell and the organization of Heaven organization of Heaven

Milton’s HellMilton’s Hell

• Physicality of Hell is “simply reported Physicality of Hell is “simply reported on rather than imitated or represented on rather than imitated or represented by images that accommodate it to us” by images that accommodate it to us” (128)(128)

• Just get “thrown in”Just get “thrown in”• Landscape solidly rooted in the Landscape solidly rooted in the

physicality of Earthphysicality of Earth• Offers all things of Earth which seem Offers all things of Earth which seem

good, but have become corruptedgood, but have become corrupted

Milton’s HeavenMilton’s Heaven

• Still contains some physical Still contains some physical description, but unable to discern the description, but unable to discern the boundariesboundaries

• Contains a strict, military hierarchy – Contains a strict, military hierarchy – God God Son Son Archangels Archangels Other Other angelsangels

Milton’s ParadiseMilton’s Paradise

• Takes up the smallest amount of Takes up the smallest amount of spacespace

• Represents the pre-fall state of man Represents the pre-fall state of man in a physical form, as it shows the in a physical form, as it shows the union of man with Godunion of man with God

• Descriptions are physical, but so Descriptions are physical, but so deeply rooted in spirituality that they deeply rooted in spirituality that they are made more etherealare made more ethereal

Defense of ParadiseDefense of Paradise

• Paradise is surrounded by high, Paradise is surrounded by high, seemingly impenetrable walls and seemingly impenetrable walls and guarded by angels, but to no avail.guarded by angels, but to no avail.

• Shows that the military organization Shows that the military organization of Heaven does not work in Paradise.of Heaven does not work in Paradise.

• Satan doesn’t realize the walls of Satan doesn’t realize the walls of Paradise were created to be easy for Paradise were created to be easy for him to penetrate.him to penetrate.

Relationships in Paradise, Relationships in Paradise, before the fallbefore the fall

• God and AdamGod and Adam– God assumes the role of both father and God assumes the role of both father and

mother in the creation of Adammother in the creation of Adam– Conversations between Adam and God Conversations between Adam and God

mirror the “meet and happy mirror the “meet and happy conversation” necessary in a happy conversation” necessary in a happy marriage in marriage in DDDDDD

– God becomes the midwife to Adam’s God becomes the midwife to Adam’s parent in the birth of Eveparent in the birth of Eve

Relationships in Paradise, Relationships in Paradise, before the fall, contd.before the fall, contd.

• Adam and EveAdam and Eve– More figurative than the union of Satan More figurative than the union of Satan

and Sin, but more literal than that of and Sin, but more literal than that of God and the SonGod and the Son

– Anderson sees a lack of sexual hierarchy Anderson sees a lack of sexual hierarchy in prelapsarian Paradise, much like in prelapsarian Paradise, much like there is no hierarchy of powerthere is no hierarchy of power•Adam and Eve share duties and are on a Adam and Eve share duties and are on a

relatively even sexual footingrelatively even sexual footing

Relationships in Paradise, after Relationships in Paradise, after the fallthe fall

• God and manGod and man– Adam immediately blames Eve for the Adam immediately blames Eve for the

fall, putting him in the role of childfall, putting him in the role of child– Eve allies herself more closely with the Eve allies herself more closely with the

tempter, taking on a more adult, mature tempter, taking on a more adult, mature rolerole

– God takes on more of the role of stern God takes on more of the role of stern parent after the fallparent after the fall

Relationships in Paradise, after Relationships in Paradise, after the fall, contd.the fall, contd.

• Adam and EveAdam and Eve– Become sexually exploitative in the face Become sexually exploitative in the face

of a created sexual hierarchyof a created sexual hierarchy– Paradise takes on the ability of Paradise takes on the ability of

maintaining hierarchies found in both maintaining hierarchies found in both Heaven and HellHeaven and Hell

SummarySummary

• Paradise is obviously the desirable Paradise is obviously the desirable place to be, but it is only desirable place to be, but it is only desirable prior to the fall.prior to the fall.

• Hell is the easiest to understand Hell is the easiest to understand because it is most literal.because it is most literal.

• Heaven can still be understood, but Heaven can still be understood, but there are still some figurative there are still some figurative representations in its description.representations in its description.

Work CitedWork Cited

• Anderson, Douglas. “Unfallen Anderson, Douglas. “Unfallen Marriage and the Fallen Imagination Marriage and the Fallen Imagination in in Paradise LostParadise Lost.” .” Studies in English Studies in English Literature, 1500-1900Literature, 1500-1900 26.1 (Winter 26.1 (Winter 1986): 125-144. 1986): 125-144. JSTORJSTOR. Monmouth . Monmouth College Lib., Monmouth. 2 April 2007 College Lib., Monmouth. 2 April 2007 <http://links.jstor.org>.<http://links.jstor.org>.