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Milton's eve and Ovid's metamorphoses Green, Amanda Lynn
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Milton's eve and Ovid's metamorphoses,
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ABSTRACT M i l t o n ' s e a r l y p a r t i a l i t y f o r Ovid once n o t e d , i t i s customary t o assume t h a t h i s f o r m a l a p p r e n t i c e s h i p t o t h e L a t i n poet concluded w i t h E l e a i a Septima, a f t e r which, i t i s argued, he l e f t t h e s e r v i c e h i s f i r s t master t o f o l l o w t h e more c o n g e n i a l example o f V i r g i l . That t h i s i s an o v e r - s i m p l i f i e d account o f t h e development o f M i l t o n ' s l i t e r a r y t a s t e s i s c o n f i r m e d by t h e number o f O v i d i a n reminscences i n t h e t e x t o f P a r a d i s e L o s t , and a l s o by evidence o f a d i f f e r e n t k i n d . We have t h e t e s t i m o n y o f M i l t o n ' s d a u g h t e r , Deborah, t h a t Ovid's e p i c , t h e Metamorphoses, r e t a i n e d i t s h o l d on M i l t o n ' s i m a g i n a t i o n and remained one o f t h e t h r e e f a v o u r i t e works she was most o f t e n c a l l e d upon t o read t o her f a t h e r . So e n i g m a t i c and p r o t e a n a c h a r a c t e r as M i l t o n ' s Satan has u n d e r s t a n d a b l y d i v e r t e d a g r e a t d e a l o f c r i t i c a l a t t e n t i o n away from h i s p o r t r a y a l o f Adam and Eve. However, M i l t o n ' s c h a r a c t e r i z a t i o n o f Eve, p a r t i c u l a r l y , repays t h e c l o s e s t c r i t i c a l a t t e n t i o n . I n my t h e s i s , I have c o n c e n t r a t e d upon t h e p r e s e n t a t i o n o f Eve, where l i n e s t h a t b r e a t h e f o r t h an u n m i s t a k a b l y O v i d i a n r e d o l e n c e t e n d t o g a t h e r . When p a i n t i n g h i s p o r t r a i t o f Eve, M i l t o n employs a s p e c i a l t e c h n i q u e . She i s n o t p r e s e n t e d t o us d i r e c t l y , b u t o b l i q u e l y , t h r o u g h t h e medium o f a c o n t r o l l e d and i n s p i r e d e v o c a t i o n o f f i g u r e s f r o m t h e Metamorphoses. These a s s o c i a t i v e l i n k s do n o t s i m p l y p r o v i d e i m a g i n a t i v e c o l o u r i n g , t h e y become i n a d d i t i o n t h e means whereby we apprehend her n a t u r e and r o l e i n t h e e p i c . They become expanding images o f s u r p r i s i n g potency, r e l a t i n g p o i n t e d l y t o t h e p r e s e n t and f u t u r e p a r t s she i s t o p l a y . Indeed, t h i s s t r a t e g y o f d e l i b e r a t e a l l u s i o n t o O v i d i a n mythology p e r f o r m s s e v e r a l , d i f f e r e n t f u n c t i o n s s i m u l t a n e o u s l y . By a s s o c i a t i n g Eve w i t h t h e b r i g h t , v e r n a l beauty o f Ovid's m y t h i c a l s e t t i n g s , M i l t o n e s t a b l i s h e s h i s u n f a l l e n Eve as b e l o n g i n g t o a remote y e t f a m i l i a r w o r l d . She i s glimpsed as P r o s e r p i n a , N a r c i s s u s and Daphne i n q u i c k s u c c e s s i o n , and t h e n as Ovid's Mater F l o r a i n a p a t t e r n o f u n f o l d i n g s i g n i f i c a n c e , which p r o v i d e s t h e means whereby M i l t o n can a r t i c u l a t e and expand t h e B i b l i c a l account o f Eve's p r e - l a p s a r i a n e x p e r i e n c e . P r e v i o u s c r i t i c s have tended t o c o n c e n t r a t e o n t h e way i n which M i l t o n uses c e r t a i n k i n d s o f imagery t o p r e p a r e f o r t h e F a l l . Searching o u t p o t e n t i a l f l a w s and l a t e n t weaknesses, t h e y a l e r t t h e reader w i t h a knowing wink when a s i m i l e or i n c i d e n t warns us o f t h e i n e x o r a b l e sequel. I t i s a d m i t t e d l y t e m p t i n g t o s e i z e upon one o r two memorable s t r a n d s o f m y t h o l o g i c a l i d e n t i f i c a t i o n - whether o f Eve as N a r c i s s u s o r C i r c e - t o t h e e x c l u s i o n o f o t h e r s , and t o f i n d i n them t h e f o r m a t i v e m o t i f s f o r her p o r t r a y a l . However, t h i s approach does n o t do j u s t i c e t o t h e c o m p l e x i t y o f M i l t o n ' s usage; these f i g u r a t i v e l i n k s d e f i n e t h e p o s i t i v e , as w e l l as h i n t a t t h e n e g a t i v e , aspects o f Eve, and seem o f t e n t o be used w i t h c a l c u l a t e d a m b i g u i t y by t h e p o e t . A g a i n , some o f the most s u b t l e and i n t e r e s t i n g examples o f t h i s n a r r a t i v e t e c h n i q u e are those where M i l t o n p r o v i d e s o n l y t h e f i r s t l i n k i n a c h a i n o f a s s o c i a t e d i d e a s , where t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p i s merely suggested o r h i n t e d , r a t h e r than e x p l i c i t l y s t a t e d . Eve i s t h e n p r e s e n t e d i n such a way t h a t t h e reader e n j o y s t h e p l e a s u r e o f making p r e v i o u s l y unapprehended c o n n e c t i o n s and e x p l o r i n g f o r h i m s e l f t h e i m p l i c a t i o n s o f such a correspondence. I n these cases, t h e r e m i n i s c e n c e i s s u f f i c i e n t l y d i s t i n c t t o a l e r t the informed reader while preserving something o f t h e q u a l i t y o f t h i n g s l e f t u n s a i d which c h a r a c t e r i z e s Milton's greatest poetic effects. o
f
Keenly aware o f t h e i m a g i n a t i v e v a l u e o f pagan myth, M i l t o n c o u l d t a p and e x p l o i t i t s p o e t i c power, w h i l s t a t t h e same t i m e e s t a b l i s h i n g Eve as the summa o f a l l o t h e r p a r t i a l embodiments t h a t appear i n f r a c t u r e d v e r s i o n s o f t h e t r u e and complete account t o which he had access i n t h e S c r i p t u r e s . S h i n i n g t h r o u g h her l o c a l m a n i f e s t a t i o n s as N a r c i s s u s , Daphne, Pomona, Venus and F l o r a , Eve subsumes and t h u s transcends her m y t h i c a l e c t y p e s , w h i c h become r e f l e c t i o n s o r 'shadowy t y p e s ' o f Eve h e r s e l f .
MILTON'S EVE AND OVID'S METAMORPHOSES
by
Amanda Lynn Green
Submitted i n f u l f i l m e n t o f t h e r e q u i r e m e n t s f o r t h e degree o f Doctor o f P h i l o s o p h y , i n t h e Department o f E n g l i s h S t u d i e s . Durham U n i v e r s i t y 1985
The
copyright of this thesis rests with the author.
No quotation from it should be published without his prior written consent and information derived from it should be acknowledged.
9 ^.m. 1986
T h i s t h e s i s i s t h e r e s u l t o f my own work and i n c l u d e s no m a t e r i a l p r e v i o u s l y s u b m i t t e d f o r a degree i n t h i s o r o t h e r u n i v e r s i t y o r which i s t h e r e s u l t o f j o i n t
research.
The c o p y r i g h t o f t h i s t h e s i s r e s t s w i t h t h e a u t h o r . No q u o t a t i o n f r o m i t should be p u b l i s h e d w i t h o u t her p r i o r w r i t t e n consent and i n f o r m a t i o n d e r i v e d from i t s h o u l d be acknowledged.
any
tl
i
PREFACE
My thanks t o P r o f e s s o r study
G.B. Townend f o r p r o v i d i n g me w i t h a
i n t h e C l a s s i c s Department d u r i n g my p e r i o d o f r e s e a r c h
i n Durham; t o t h e s e c r e t a r y and t o t h e c o f f e e - l a d y t h e r e , I s o b e l W i l l i a m s and Gladys H a l l , f o r many p l e a s a n t
c o f f e e - b r e a k s spent
i n t h e i r company; and most e s p e c i a l l y t o my s u p e r v i s o r
David
Crane f o r h i s encouragement and u n d e r s t a n d i n g and t o C o l i n my husband f o r h i s u n f a i l i n g good humour and p a t i e n c e .
v
ABBREVIATIONS
i
Abbreviated T i t l e s :
M i l t o n ' s Works
El.
Elegia
Com us
A Masque Presented a t Ludlow C a s t l e
PL
Paradise L o s t
PR
Paradise Regained
SA
Samson A g o n i s t e s
An Apology f o r Smectymnuus
Animadversions upon t h e Remonstrants Defence a g a i n s t Smectymnuus
Areopagitica
A r e o p a g i t i c a ; f o r the L i b e r t y o f U n l i c e n c ' d Printing
A r t i s Logicae
A f u l l e r i n s t i t u t i o n o f the A r t o f Logic arranged a f t e r t h e method o f P e t e r Ramus
D e f e n s i o Secunda
Pro Populo A n g l i c a n o D e f e n s i o Secunda
De Poet.
De D o c t r i n a C h r i s t i a n a
Of R e f o r m a t i o n i n England
Of R e f o r m a t i o n Touching C h u r c h - D i s c i p l i n e i n England
Reason o f Church Government
The Reason o f Church-government urq'd a g a i n s t Prelaty
Col.
The Columbia e d i t i o n o f The Works o f John M i l t o n , gen. ed. Frank A. P a t t e r s o n (New York, 1931-38).
Bentley
M i l t o n ' s Paradise L o s t : A new e d i t i o n , by R i c h a r d B e n t l e y , D.D. (1732)
Bush
M i l t o n : P o e t i c a l Works, ed. Douglas Bush (1969)
Carey
John M i l t o n : Complete S h o r t e r Poems, ed. John Carey (1968; r e p r . 1978)
Fowler
John M i l t o n : 'Paradise L o s t ' , ed. A l a s t a i r Fowler (1978; r e p r . 1979)
Hume
The P o e t i c a l Works o f John M i l t o n ... Together w i t h e x p l a n a t o r y n o t e s on each book o f t h e Paradise L o s t by P. H. P a t r i c k Hume (1965).
Newton
Paradise L o s t ... The second e d i t i o n w i t h notes o f v a r i o u s a u t h o r s , by Thomas Newton, DD. (17 49; 2nd ed., 1750).
M i l t o n ' s Paradise L o s t ... w i t h n o t e s , e t y m o l o g i c a l , c r i t i c a l , c l a s s i c a l and e x p l a n a t o r y . C o l l e c t e d from ... Dr. Pearce . .. and o t h e r a u t h o r s , by J . Marchant (1751) The P o e t i c a l Works o f John M i l t o n w i t h Notes o f V a r i o u s A u t h o r s , ed. Edward Hawkins ( O x f o r d , 1824).
ii
Abbreviated T i t l e s :
By Author
Adams
Robert M. Adams, I k o n : John M i l t o n and t h e Modern C r i t i c s ( I t h a c a , N.Y., 1955).
Collett
Jonathan H. C o l l e t t , ' M i l t o n ' s Use o f C l a s s i c a l Mythology i n Paradise L o s t ' PMLA LXXXV (1970), pp. 88-96.
Du Bartas
Du B a r t a s h i s Devine Weekes and Workes, t r a n s l a t e d by Joshua S y l v e s t e r from The Complete Works o f J.S., ed. by A. B. G r o s a r t (Blackburn? 1876).
Evans
John M. Evans, 'Paradise L o s t ' and t h e Genesis T r a d i t i o n (Oxford,1968)
Fletcher
M i l t o n ' s R a b b i n i c a l Readings (Urbana,
Nicholson
M a r j o r i e Hope N i c h o l s o n , John M i l t o n : A Reader's Guide t o h i s P o e t r y (1964) .
Sandys
George Sandys, Ovid's Metamorphosis: E n g l i s h e d , M y t h o l o g i z ' d and Represented i n F i g u r e s , ed. by K. K. H u l l e y and S. T. V a n d e r s a l l ( o r i g i n a l l y p u b l i s h e d 1632; r e p r . i n t h i s ed. 1970, L i n c o l n , Nebraska).
Sinfield
A l a n S i n f i e l d , L i t e r a t u r e i n P r o t e s t a n t England: 1560-1660 (1983).
Wind
Edgar Wind, Pagan M y s t e r i e s i n t h e Renaissance
1930).
(1958),
iii
A b b r e v i a t e d T i t l e s : Books
L
A L a t i n D i c t i o n a r y , ed. C h a r l t o n T.
Lewis.
L&S
A Greek-English L e x i c o n , ed., Henry G. L i d d e l l and Scott.
OED
Oxford E n g l i s h D i c t i o n a r y
Robert
iv
A b b r e v i a t e d T i t l e s : J o u r n a l s and P e r i o d i c a l s
AJP
American J o u r n a l o f P h i l o l o g y
CB
Classical Bulletin
CE
College
CJ
Classical Journal
CL
Comparative L i t e r a t u r e
CR
C l a s s i c a l Review
EC
Essays i n C r i t i c i s m
ELH
A Journal of English L i t e r a r y History
ELN
E n g l i s h Language Notes
ES
English
E&S
Essays and S t u d i e s
JEGP
J o u r n a l o f E n g l i s h and Germanic P h i l o l o g y
MLN
Modern Language Notes
MLQ
Modern Language Q u a r t e r l y
MLR
Modern Language Review
MP
Modern P h i l o l o g y
MQ
Milton Quarterly
MS
M i l t o n Studies
N&Q
Notes and Queries
PMLA
P u b l i c a t i o n s o f t h e Modern Language A s s o c i a t i o n o f America.
PQ
Philological Quarterly
SEL
Studies i n English L i t e r a t u r e
SP
Studies i n Philology
TAPA
Transactions
English
Studies
o f t h e American P h i l o l o g i c a l A s s o c i a t i o n
The above a b b r e v i a t i o n s w i l l be found, i n a d d i t i o n t o c e r t a i n a b b r e v i a t i o n s f o r books o f t h e B i b l e and c l a s s i c a l works.
standard
CONTENTS
Page PREFACE
iv
ABBREVIATIONS: i ii iii iv
M i l t o n ' s Works By A u t h o r Books J o u r n a l s and P e r i o d i c a l s
CHAPTER I i ii iii iv v
M i l t o n ' s Ovid
"Ovid t h e good n a t u r e d l i b e r t i n e " and " f a v o u r i t e p o e t o f our g r e a t P u r i t a n " Ovid and t h e Young M i l t o n O v i d and P a r a d i s e L o s t : The P o s i t i o n t o Date O v i d i n P a r a d i s e L o s t : The S u b s t a n t i a l Presence Ovid i n P a r a d i s e L o s t : The G h o s t l y Presence Notes t o Chapter I
CHAPTER I I
The Many Faces o f Eve
Notes t o Chapter I I CHAPTER I I I By Types and Shadows: M i l t o n , Myth and Metaphor i ii
v v i i viii ix
Ut Umbra Corpore: Shadowy Types o f Eve The F u n c t i o n o f M i l t o n ' s M y t h o l o g i c a l S i m i l e s Notes t o Chapter I I I
1 5 10 14 21 25 33 44 49 59 69 79
CHAPTER I V V i r g i n , B r i d e and Mother i ii iii iv v vi vii
A l o c a l H a b i t a t i o n and a Name The Myror o f V i r g i n i t i e S t e r i l i s Amor The B r i d e Mater Florum Mother o f A l l Things L i v i n g The Source o f L i f e Notes t o Chapter I V
CHAPTER V i ii iii iv v vi
89 91 109 113 122 127 132 147
Venus-Virgo
C e l e s t i a l Beauty The F a i r e r Image The V i r g i n Majesty o f Eve Species Secunda V i r g i n i t a t i s The T r i a l o f V i r t u e No e v i l t h i n g ... Hath h u r t f u l power o'er t r u e v i r g i n i t y Notes t o Chapter V
160 170 179 183 190 206 213
225
CHAPTER V I F r u i t f u l Flowers i ii iii
Raptus V i r g i n i s F o r f e i t t o Death Flowers and t h e i r F r u i t s Notes t o Chapter V I
.
2
228 248 260 7 5
CHAPTER V I I The Vine and Her Elm: M i l t o n ' s Eve and t h e T r a n s f o r m a t i o n o f an O v i d i a n M o t i f Notes t o Chapter V I I
284 315
CHAPTER V I I I The Metamorphosis o f Ovid Notes t o Chapter V I I I
327 361
APPENDIX I The Sun and t h e Moon Notes t o Appendix I
376
APPENDIX I I
385
B o t t i c e l l i , M i l t o n and O v i d and Three Scenes o f E t e r n a l S p r i n g Notes t o Appendix I I
393
APPENDIX I I I The F r u i t l e s s Hours Notes t o Appendix I I I
395 407
BIBLIOGRAPHY I
II
P r i m a r y Sources i Texts o f M i l t o n ii Texts o f Ovid Secondary Sources
,
411 412 413
1
CHAPTER I M i l t o n ' s Ovid
I
"Ovid, t h e good n a t u r e d l i b e r t i n e " and " f a v o u r i t e p o e t o f o u r g r e a t Puritan"''"
The c a s u a l reader may w e l l f e e l j u s t i f i e d i n showing c o n s t e r n a t i o n , embarrassment o r d i s b e l i e f a t t h i s u n n a t u r a l c o u p l i n g o f names, and such a response would be e n t i r e l y i n k e e p i n g w i t h t h e t y p e - c a s t image o f an u n r e m i t t i n g l y playfellow
s t e r n , a u s t e r e and grave M i l t o n , a most u n l i k e l y
o f Ovid.
Indeed, something o f t h e apparent i n c o n g r u i t y o f
the l i n k a g e i s e v i d e n t i n t h e a n t i t h e t i c a l terms ' l i b e r t i n e ' and 'puritan'.
We n a t u r a l l y t a k e t h e s i m p l e and easy s t e p o f e q u a t i n g 2
'puritan' with
'puritanical';
we a r e more r e a d i l y p r e p a r e d t o see
a f f i n i t i e s between M i l t o n and V i r g i l t h a n w i t h Ovid,the most mischievous o f t h e L a t i n p o e t s . Those c r i t i c s who have r e c o g n i s e d some form o f r e l a t i o n s h i p between M i l t o n and Ovid have tended t o d i s m i s s i t as an u n f o r t u n a t e 3 b o y i s h excess, f o r t u n a t e l y o f s h o r t d u r a t i o n .
Brydges, f o r i n s t a n c e ,
shows a marked d i s i n c l i n a t i o n t o admit even t o M i l t o n ' s a t t r a c t i o n t o t h e Roman p o e t .
youthful
Ovid, he m a i n t a i n s
... was a poet o f a more w h i m s i c a l and u n d i g n i f i e d k i n d , o f whom i t was s t r a n g e t h a t [ M i l t o n ] s h o u l d have been f o n d , b u t whom h i s L a t i n v e r s e s almost everywhere show t o have been a g r e a t f a v o u r i t e w i t h him.4
1
M-
And
l a t e r h i s bewilderment and d i s a p p o i n t m e n t break t h r o u g h more
stridently
still:
I t seems e x t r a o r d i n a r y t h a t M i l t o n s h o u l d have t a k e n Ovid f o r h i s model. I agree w i t h Warton, t h a t i t would have been more p r o b a b l e t h a t he would have taken L u c r e t i u s and V i r g i l as more c o n g e n i a l t o him.5 Those who have d i s c e r n e d a more p o s i t i v e and l a s t i n g bond between the
two p o e t s have s t i l l tended t o e x p l a i n i t as an a t t r a c t i o n o f
opposites.
E. K. Rand, f o r example, h e l d t h a t t h e i n f l u e n c e o f Ovid
served t o mellow M i l t o n ' s own n a t u r a l , p u r i t a n a s c e t i c i s m . He p u t s the
case t h u s :
M i l t o n ' s mind was n a t u r a l l y s t e r n , s i m p l e , i n t e n s e , t e n a c i o u s o f purpose, contemptuous o f show. Oh happy t h e day when he became a p p r e n t i c e t o t h e gayest o f [the] a n c i e n t poets ... On M i l t o n ' s temperament Ovid had undoubtedly a l i m b e r i n g e f f e c t ... Vho would n o t shudder t o t h i n k what t h e w o r l d might have l o s t had n o t Ovid tempered h i s youth.. .6
I t seems a l l t o o easy t o emphasize one aspect o f a complex c h a r a c t e r , d i s r e g a r d i n g o t h e r f e a t u r e s , n o t q u i t e so p r o m i n e n t a t f i r s t glance
perhaps, b u t e q u a l l y s i g n i f i c a n t , u n t i l we have r e f i n e d
away a l l i n c o n s i s t e n c i e s t o produce a c l e a r - c u t f o r m u l a , f r e e z i n g the
c o m p l e x i t i e s o f human p e r s o n a l i t y , i n t o n e a t , narrow,
rigid
7 patterns.
However v a l i d Rand's c r i t i c a l judgement
t h a t M i l t o n was Q
"a t y p i c a l p u r i t a n " w i t h
a l l the worst features t h a t implies , i t
l o s e s something o f i t s cogency w i t h each s i m i l a r r e i t e r a t i o n , and by t h e t i m e i t has become a t r u i s m , i t has l i t t l e t r u t h l e f t i n i t .
A c l o s e r e a d i n g of M i l t o n ' s L a t i n e l e g i e s , scope
of t h i s s t u d y , would be r e v e a l i n g i n d i s c l o s i n g o t h e r a s p e c t s
o f M i l t o n ' s complex p o e t i c p e r s o n a upon.
though beyond t h e
than those p o p u l a r l y f o c u s s e d
T h e s e e a r l y poems, i t i s g e n e r a l l y a g r e e d ,
glimpses
g i v e us more i n t i m a t e
i n t o M i l t o n ' s i n t e r e s t s t h a n a n y t h i n g he w r o t e i n E n g l i s h 9
at
that period.
I t seems s i g n i f i c a n t t h a t i n E l e g i a S e x t a
a u t h o r o f L ' A l l e g r o and 'gay
e l e g y ' and
I I Penseroso
sublime poetry",^"
0
the
" a r g u e [ s J e l o q u e n t l y f o r both
w h i l e i n the f i f t h
elegy
Milton
c e l e b r a t e s t h e coming o f s p r i n g a s a t i m e o f s e x u a l a r o u s a l and the seventh recounts h i s f i r s t Elegiarum Liber Milton f i r s t
b r u s h w i t h t h e God
I n the
d i s c l o s e s the " l i f e l o n g c a p a c i t y f o r
b e i n g k i n d l e d by f e m i n i n e b e a u t y from E l f e g i a J
of Love.
in
which i s manifested
1 t o Samson A g o n i s t e s . A s
W.
in his writing
R. P a r k e r
wryly
observes, Milton's
" c a p a c i t y f o r d e l i g h t i s g r e a t e r one s u s p e c t s 12 t h a n many o f h i s b i o g r a p h e r s , " and c r i t i c s , one might want t o add. I n d e e d , when i n t h e Apology f o r Smectymnuus M i l t o n
reflected
upon h i s e a r l y p r e f e r e n c e s i n l i t e r a t u r e , he c a n d i d l y c o n f e s s e d he
13 f e l l under t h e s p e l l o f " t h e smooth E l e g i a c k P o e t s " - and
how
Ovid
14 was
the foremost
s u b j e c t matter his
among them
- a t t r a c t e d a t l e a s t a s much by
a s by t h e i r a r t .
y o u t h f u l enthusiasm
I n t h i s r e v e a l i n g passage
he
f o r t h e Roman l o v e p o e t s :
Whom b o t h f o r t h e p l e a s i n g sound o f t h e i r numerous w r i t i n g , w h i c h i n i m i t a t i o n I found most e a s i e ; and most a g r e e a b l e t o n a t u r e s p a r t i n me, and f o r t h e i r m a t t e r w h i c h what i t i s , t h e r e be few who know n o t , I was so a l l u r ' d t o r e a d , t h a t no r e c r e a t i o n came t o me b e t t e r welcome.15
their recalls
4
We must n o t f o r g e t t h a t M i l t o n , as w e l l as b e i n g a P u r i t a n , was a man o f t h e Renaissance, and t h e Renaissance was p r i m a r i l y , as Rand h i m s e l f has observed elsewhere, an aetas O v i d i a n a . ^
5
II
Ovid and t h e young M i l t o n
Ovid's i n f l u e n c e on t h e young M i l t o n i s undeniable e d i t o r s have l o n g recognised shaping h i s e a r l y works.
17
and M i l t o n ' s
t h e i m p o r t a n t r o l e p l a y e d by Ovid i n The young p o e t ' s " l a r g e debt"
18
to his
Roman predecessor a t t h i s p e r i o d has, as we have seen, r e c e i v e d much a t t e n t i o n , and s c h o l a r s have g e n e r a l l y concurred
w i t h Warton's
assessment t h a t " I n t h e E l e g i e s , Ovid was p r o f e s s e d l y M i l t o n ' s model 19 f o r language and v e r s i f i c a t i o n . "
To a p p r e c i a t e how Ovid's p o e t r y
c o u l d have e x e r t e d such a p r o f o u n d and f o r m a t i v e i n f l u e n c e on M i l t o n ' s e a r l y works, we need o n l y r e f l e c t f o r a moment on t h e c u r r i c u l u m , t e a c h i n g methods and aims o f t h e Renaissance grammar s c h o o l where t h e w r i t e r s o f c l a s s i c a l a n t i q u i t y f u r n i s h e d t h e models f o r good w r i t i n g and t h e p a t h t o e x c e l l e n c e l a y i n an a c c u r a t e r e n d e r i n g o f t h e s t y l e o f key a u t h o r s . ^
0
Davis P. Harding's u s e f u l r e s e a r c h i n
t h i s area has demonstrated t h e c e n t r a l p o s i t i o n enjoyed
by Ovid i n
t h e e d u c a t i o n a l system than c u r r e n t and has emphasized t h e i n s t r u m e n t a l p a r t t h a t must have been p l a y e d by S t . Paul's School i n c u l t i v a t i n g 21 M i l t o n ' s t a s t e f o r Ovid. The d e v o t i o n w i t h which t h e young M i l t o n a p p l i e d h i m s e l f t o t h e s t u d y o f t h e whole O v i d i a n canon/and n o t s i m p l y t o t h e p r e s c r i b e d s c h o o l t e x t s , I s everywhere apparent i n t h e e l e g i e s and has prompted Rand t o e x c l a i m :
To w r i t e them he must have known h i s O v i d v i r t u a l l y by h e a r t , n o t m e r e l y t h e Metamorphoses ... b u t a l l t h e poems o f O v i d , F a s t i and I b i s as w e l l a s t h e poor v e r s e s o f l a m e n t a t i o n p o u r e d f o r t h on t h e s h o r e s o f t h e B l a c k S e a , and o f c o u r s e , a s M i l t o n i s w r i t i n g e l e g y , t h e l o v e poems, Amores w i t h H e r o i d e s and t h e A r t o f Love.22
It
seems l i k e l y t h e n , t h a t w i t h a d d i t i o n a l encouragement
p r o v i d e d by Thomas Young, who
became h i s p r i v a t e t u t o r i n 1620
t h e r e a b o u t s , M i l t o n had u n d e r t a k e n on h i s own
perhaps or
to r e a d the r e s t of Ovid's
works
i n i t i a t i v e e i t h e r f o r ' r e c r e a t i o n ' or as p a r t of a
self-
23 imposed scheme o f s t u d y .
F o r we
h a v e i t on t h e a u t h o r i t y o f
Milton
h i m s e l f t h a t : " u t ab anno a e t a t i s duodecimo v i x umquam a n t e mediam noctem a l u c u b r a t i o n i b u s cubitum d i s c e d e r e m " , and we o f h i s nephew and b i o g r a p h e r , Edward P h i l l i p s ,
have t h e
evidence
t h a t t h i s time
s p e n t " a s w e l l i n v o l u n t a r y Improvements o f h i s own 25 e x a c t p e r f e c t i n g of h i s School E x e r c i s e s . "
was
c h o i c e , as the
E v e n i n t h e s e e a r l y works, M i l t o n ' s m a n i p u l a t i o n
of
Ovidian
26 m o t i f s i s o f t e n s u b t l e , complex and
interesting.
As H a n f o r d
has
p o i n t e d o u t , M i l t o n ' s L a t i n e l e g i e s c a n n o t be d i s c o u n t e d a s "mere 27 p o e t i c e x e r c i s e s or p r e s c r i p t i v e t a s k s " servile
imitations.
Milton handled
i n d e p e n d e n c e a s Warton n o t e d :
manner and
u p h e l d more r e c e n t l y by
h i s model w i t h
"With O v i d 28
c h a r a c t e r of h i s own."
nor s i m p l y d i s m i s s e d a s characteristic
i n v i e w he h a s an
Warton's judgement h a s
s c h o l a r s such a s Bradner
who
original
been
stressed
29 s t i c o fi nM it lh t f." Mc ih la tr oa nc 't se r i"poems e o nO v ih di im asne l manner are extremely personal
that and
F o r c o r r o b o r a t i o n of t h i s view, Milton's f i r s t elegy, a verse e p i s t l e Diodati,
recording h i s 'exile'
p u r s u i t s a t home i n London. evidence
we
need look no f u r t h e r
than
to h i s great f r i e n d , C h a r l e s
from Cambridge and d e s c r i b i n g h i s
E l e g i a Prima f u r n i s h e s e x c e l l e n t
o f M i l t o n ' s a d m i r a t i o n f o r O v i d and
of the c r e a t i v e
of O v i d i a n m o t i f s t h a t d i s t i n g u i s h e s even h i s e a r l y v e r s e s . m a i n t a i n s t h a t the i m p e l l i n g f o r c e which g i v e s " a r t i s t i c
imitation Hanford
direction"
t o t h i s poem i s " t h e t y p i c a l R e n a i s s a n c e a m b i t i o n t o 'overgo' some reputed and
c l a s s i c name i n h i s own
tongue and upon a k i n d r e d theme,
l i n e s s u c h a s " C e d i t e laud&fcae t o t i e s H e r o i d e s
olim"
(1.63)
and
"Nec Pompeianas T a r p e i a Musa c o l u m n a s / l a c t e t , e t A u s o n i i s p l e n a theatra s t o l i s "
(11.69-70) c e r t a i n l y
s u g g e s t t h a t t h e poem was
l e a s t p a r t l y i n s p i r e d by a c o m p e t i t i v e s p i r i t o f f r i e n d l y The
at
rivalry.
s a t u r a t i o n of R e n a i s s a n c e c u l t u r e i n t h a t of c l a s s i c a l Greece
Rome r e s u l t e d
i n t h e works o f L a t i n a u t h o r s i n p a r t i c u l a r
enjoying
s o m e t h i n g o f the s t r e n g t h and v i t a l i t y o f a n a t i v e t r a d i t i o n . literary
standards Milton adhered
and he was lapse of
t o were t h o s e o f c l a s s i c a l
The antiquity
a b l e t o meet O v i d w i t h c o m p l e t e i n t i m a c y i n s p i t e o f
centuries.
I n E l e g i a P r i m a he p a y s t h i s a r d e n t t r i b u t e t o
Ovid:
0 u t i n a m v a t e s numquam g r a v i o r a t u l i s s e t I l l e Tomitano f l e b i l i s e x u l a g r o , Non t u n c I o n i o quicquam c e s s i s s e t Homero Neve f o r e t v i c t o l a u s t i b i p r i m a , Maro. (11.21-24)
and
the
8
As H a n f o r d
puts i t ,
"There
i s o b v i o u s l y something h e r e w h i c h
beyond o r d i n a r y R e n a i s s a n c e p r a c t i c e s o f c l a s s i c a l
goes
illustration"
and he goes on t o s k e t c h o u t t h e background t o t h e r e s t
o f t h e poem
thus:
M i l t o n h a s been m e d i t a t i n g on t h e a n a l o g y between h i s own l i t t l e e x i l e and t h e f a t e o f O v i d u n t i l he h a s made a k i n d o f i m a g i n a t i v e i d e n t i f i c a t i o n o f h i m s e l f w i t h h i s Roman p r e d e c e s s o r . 3 1
32 Moreover, i n a s h o r t b u t s u g g e s t i v e a r t i c l e , argued
R. W. Condee
has
c o n v i n c i n g l y t h a t a r e a d e r f a m i l i a r w i t h t h e T r i s t i a and
E p i s t u l a e E x Ponto - and M i l t o n ' s c o n t e m p o r a r i e s
would be t h o r o u g h l y
c o n v e r s a n t w i t h t h e s e works - would r e c o g n i s e how t h e c r o s s - c o m p a r i s o n between O v i d ' s and M i l t o n ' s own e x i l e o p e r a t e s a s a s u b t l y o r g a n i s i n g p r i n c i p l e throughout
effective
t h e poem:
t h e u n c i v i l i z e d p l a c e O v i d was b a n i s h e d t o i s a s h o s t i l e t o p o e t r y and b e a u t y a s t h e p l a c e (a u n i v e r s i t y ! ) M i l t o n was b a n i s h e d from, w h i l e London t h e s c e n e o f M i l t o n ' s e x i l e , i s l i k e t h e c u l t u r e d Rome t h a t O v i d had t o l e a v e and s u p p l i e s what Cambridge l a c k s , p l a y s and l o v e l y g i r l s [ t o g e t h e r w i t h t h e umbras m o l l e s and o t i a g r a t a s o n e c e s s a r y f o r p o e t i c c o m p o s i t i o n ]. 33
34 With t h e c o m p l e t i o n o f t h e E l e g i a r u m L i b e r P r i m u s ,
Milton
p u t a s i d e t h e e l e g a i c p o e t r y o f O v i d a s a f o r m a l model f o r h i s own work.
Though couched i n s t r o n g l y contemptuous l a n g u a g e ,
Milton's
f a r e w e l l t o e l e g y appended t o E l e g i a S e p t i m a , t h e l a s t poem i n t h e series,
f o l l o w s t h e O v i d i a n t r a d i t i o n and i s r e m i n i s c e n t o f O v i d ' s
own l e a v e - t a k i n g i n t h e A m o r e s . ^ B o t h p o e t s abandon l i g h t e l e g y i n f a v o u r o f more e x a l t e d f o r m s a c c o r d i n g t o t h e w e l l - d e f i n e d h i e r a r c h y o f genres.
"By t h e s p r i n g o f 1630 M i l t o n ' s a p p r e n t i c e s h i p
t o O v i d t h e p o e t o f l o v e was O v i d t h e e p i c p o e t was
just
a t an end" beginning.
, but h i s a p p r e n t i c e s h i p
10
III
O v i d and
P a r a d i s e L o s t : The
P o s i t i o n t o Date
C r i t i c s h a v e t e n d e d t o assume t h a t t h e c o n c l u s i o n t o e l e g i e s marks t h e end
o f O v i d ' s a s c e n d a n c y and
t h e r e a f t e r e c l i p s e d by t h a t o f V i r g i l . process
i s typical:
maintains,
"we
Milton's
that his influence i s
E . K. Rand's a c c o u n t
of
this
"Even w i t h i n t h e l i m i t s o f t h i s e a r l y p e r i o d " ,
he
c a n n o t e t h a t O v i d s i n k s more and more i n t o t h e background and 37
t h a t V i r g i l comes t o t h e f r o n t " f i e l d of l i t e r a r y
, and
elsewhere
he
states,
i n the
i n f l u e n c e , "Ovid l e a d s a t the s t a r t , but
Virgil
38 wins."
Y e t a s P a r k e r h a s o b s e r v e d , "Ovid c a p t u r e d [ M i l t o n ' s J 39 i m a g i n a t i o n e a r l y and h e l d i t l o n g " and c e r t a i n l y t h e r e i s no
evidence
The
o f a s l a c k e n i n g o f h i s h o l d d u r i n g the c o m p o s i t i o n
e d i t o r i a l annotations
to Milton's
i m p r e s s i o n t h a t t h e Metamorphoses was
one
life
h i s diction, h i s very
...
w h i c h shaped h i s v o c a b u l a r y ,
of
e p i c f u l l y bear
of P a r a d i s e L o s t .
o u t Adams'
"the b i g books i n
Milton's
thought
40 r e p e a t e d l y , throughout h i s p o e t i c c a r e e r . "
Moreover, we
o f a d i f f e r e n t k i n d t h a t t h e Metamorphoses r e m a i n e d one f a v o u r i t e books w h i l e he was
of
have
Milton's
composing t h e poem, t h e t e s t i m o n y
h i s y o u n g e s t d a u g h t e r , Deborah.
She was
h e r f a t h e r when he became b l i n d , and
evidence
of
o f t e n c a l l e d upon t o r e a d
recounted
t o Dr. Ward t h a t :
I s a i a h , Homer, and O v i d ' s Metamorphoses were books w h i c h t h e y were o f t e n c a l l e d t o r e a d t o t h e i r f a t h e r ; and a t my [ D r . Ward's] d e s i r e she r e p e a t e d a c o n s i d e r a b l e number o f v e r s e s from t h e b e g i n n i n g o f b o t h t h e s e p o e t s w i t h great readiness.41
to
The
statement
picture;
o f John P h i l l i p s makes a s i g n i f i c a n t a d d i t i o n t o t h e
he r e c o r d s t h a t t h e t i m e
"spent i n r e a d i n g " such
P o e t s " was n o t o n l y "by way o f r e f r e s h m e n t
"choice
a f t e r the days t o y l " but 42
also
"to s t o r e h i s Fancy
a g a i n s t Morning."
A b r i e f s u r v e y o f p r e v i o u s r e s e a r c h tha.c
has d i s c u s s e d the
p o s s i b i l i t y o f O v i d i a n i n f l u e n c e s upon P a r a d i s e L o s t w i l l
help to
s u b s t a n t i a t e t h e v i e w t h a t O v i d r e m a i n e d d e e p l y embedded i n M i l t o n ' s p o e t i c c o n s c i o u s n e s s and w i l l h e l p t o s u g g e s t how my s t u d y from,and c o i n c i d e s w i t h , t h e c o n c e r n s d i r e c t indebtedness
t o Ovid's
of other scholars.
differs Milton's
t h o u g h t and e x p r e s s i o n i n P a r a d i s e L o s t
h a s been, o f c o u r s e , most c l e a r l y e s t a b l i s h e d by a s u c c e s s i o n o f a b l e e d i t o r s from P a t r i c k Hume t o A l a s t a i r F o w l e r , escaped
their vigilance.
h a v e y e t t o be t h o r o u g h l y
and few e c h o e s
c a n have
However, t h e i m p l i c a t i o n s o f t h e i r f i n d i n g s a s s e s s e d and e x p l o r e d .
Apart
from a h a n d f u l
43 of a r t i c l e s
and a few s t r a y r e m a r k s i n s t u d i e s f u n d a m e n t a l l y
w i t h o t h e r i s s u e s , work i n t h i s f i e l d h a s been, u n t i l v e r y
concerned
recently,
c o n f i n e d t o two r e s e a r c h p r o j e c t s . In her doctoral t h e s i s , assembled
1
' M i l t o n and O v i d , Mary C. B r i l l
usefully
a l l t h e r e c o g n i s e d p a r a l l e l s between t h e w r i t i n g s o f t h e
two p o e t s , b u t a s she h e r s e l f
admitted:
My i n v e s t i g a t i o n a s i t i s r e c o r d e d i n t h i s d i s s e r t a t i o n may be r e g a r d e d a s m e r e l y t h e m a t e r i a l f o r a s t u d y o f t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p o f O v i d and M i l t o n . 4 4
Ten
years l a t e r ,
D. P. H a r d i n g ,
f o l l o w i n g Douglas Bush's
initiative,
p o i n t e d t o t h e i m p o r t a n t p a r t p l a y e d by R e n a i s s a n c e e d i t i o n s and 45 commentaries i n shaping Milton's use of O v i d i a n m a t e r i a l .
However,
12
Harding
argued
t h a t t h e u s e M i l t o n c o u l d make o f t h e Metamorphoses
i n P a r a d i s e L o s t was c u r t a i l e d by h i s o v e r r i d i n g c o n c e r n g r e a t R e n a i s s a n c e p r i n c i p l e o f decorum.,"that g r a n d
f o r the
masterpiece to
46 observe"
and t h a t t h i s d i c t a t e d t h a t he c o u l d o n l y draw on t h o s e
myths where h i s b o r r o w i n g 47 authority."
biblical debt
t o Ovid
would be s a n c t i o n e d by " a t l e a s t a q u a s i -
Consequently,
Harding
d i s c o v e r s "Milton's
g r e a t e s t i n j u s t t h o s e p a r t s o f t h e poem where we
should
e x p e c t t o f i n d i t s o , i n t h e a c c o u n t s o f C r e a t i o n , P a r a d i s e and t h e 48 Flood."
W h i l e i t h a s been w i d e l y acknowledged, t h e n , t h a t M i l t o n deeply
remained
indebted to the R e n a i s s a n c e a s w e l l a s the c l a s s i c a l Ovid f o r 49
many m y t h o l o g i c a l d e t a i l s and a l l u s i o n s ,
t h e n a t u r e and e x t e n t o f
M i l t o n ' s a d a p t a t i o n o f d i s t i n c t i v e l y O v i d i a n modes o f n a r r a t i o n and c o n s t r u c t i o n h a s n o t , u n t i l v e r y r e c e n t l y , r e c e i v e d any c r i t i c a l attention. Wilson,^ of Ovid'
0
However, a r e c e n t a r t i c l e by Edward M i l o w i c k i and Rawdon and t h e more l e n g t h y c o n s i d e r a t i o n g i v e n t o ' F i g u r a t i o n s
i n P a r a d i s e L o s t by L o u i s M a r t z " ^ p a r t i c u l a r l y , h a v e now
p o i n t e d t o some o f t h e ways i n w h i c h t h e n a r r a t i v e
strategies
a d o p t e d by O v i d i n t h e Metamorphoses c a n be s e e n t o have e x e r t e d a more r a d i c a l and complex i n f l u e n c e on t h e form o f M i l t o n ' s e p i c t h a n p r e v i o u s s c h o l a r s h a d r e c o g n i s e d , even t h o s e committed t o a n a l y s i n g O v i d i a n elements
i n t h e poem.
S i n c e t o t r a c e M i l t o n ' s c o n s t a n t p l a y upon O v i d ' s forms an i m p o r t a n t
aim o f t h i s
study,
i t will
Metamorphoses
be u s e f u l t o c l a r i f y
M i l t o n ' s p o s i t i o n i n t h e O v i d i a n t r a d i t i o n and t h u s p r o v i d e and more s e c u r e b a s e
a broader
f o r the p a r t i c u l a r concerns of t h i s t h e s i s .
A
thorough e x p l o r a t i o n
of Milton's incorporation
from t h e Metamorphoses would be a v e r y chapter there
i s only occasion
l a r g e i n q u i r y and i n t h i s
and W i l s o n ' s f i n d i n g s
i n order to
some o f t h e ways i n w h i c h M i l t o n h a s a s s i m i l a t e d
from t h e O v i d i a n t r a d i t i o n i n w h i c h he was w o r k i n g . t o t h e e p i c t r a d i t i o n o f Homer, V i r g i l became i t s m a s t e r .
devices
t o draw o u t some o f t h e more i m p o r t a n t
i m p l i c a t i o n s of Martz, M i l o w i c k i illustrate
of narrative
and O v i d .
elements
M i l t o n was h e i r
L i k e them, he a l s o
14
IV
Ovid
i n Paradise Lost:
As Martz p u t s i t , t h a t we
The
Substantial
Presence
w h i l e "Ovid's v o i c e i s o n l y one
hear w i t h i n Milton's
'various s t y l e '
r e c o g n i s e d as e q u a l i n importance
...
o f many v o i c e s
i t deserves to
be
t o any o t h e r v o i c e from Greek o r
52 Roman p o e t r y . "
The g r e a t model f o r t h e r e i n c a r n a t i o n o f t h e g r e a t
e p i c s o f Homer, V i r g i l and O v i d strange re-enactment Aeneid.
o f Homer's
i n P a r a d i s e L o s t , was,
q u a l i t y of
it
Milton's
i n P a r a d i s e L o s t i s not t h a t i t i s an i m i t a t i o n
c l a s s i c a l e p i c b u t t h a t i t i s an o r i g i n a l and own
r i g h t , a s i n t r i n s i c a l l y C h r i s t i a n and i s o s t e n s i b l y c l a s s i c a l and
s u c c e s s simply a matter even g i v i n g new
c o n t e m p o r a r y i n meaning a s
content
Nor
was
this
i n t o o l d forms o r
meaning t o t h e forms he i n h e r i t e d . further.
of
successful epic in i t s
t r a d i t i o n a l i n form.
o f i n f u s i n g new
t h e e p i c form e v o l v e d s t i l l
the
I l i a d and O d y s s e y w i t h i n V i r g i l ' s
T h i s s a i d , t h e unique and e n d u r i n g
achievement
of c o u r s e ,
Like V i r g i l
I n Milton's
hands
and O v i d b e f o r e
him,
M i l t o n pushed e p i c beyond i t s p r e v i o u s n a t u r a l bounds. L i k e o t h e r g r e a t w r i t e r s , M i l t o n worked from w i t h i n t o t r a d i t i o n a l forms. of f e l l o w humanists,
Accepting e n t h u s i a s t i c a l l y
t h e a i m s and
extend ideals
M i l t o n i n h e r i t e d t h e Roman r e v e r a n c e f o r t h e
a u c t o r i t a s o f t h e Greek g e n r e s .
From t h i s p e r s p e c t i v e i t was
only
p o s s i b l e t o C o n s t r u c t a work worthy o f i m m o r t a l i t y by b u i l d i n g upon the s t r o n g foundations
l a i d by o t h e r s .
I n a famous p a s s a g e
Reason o f C h u r c h Government, M i l t o n r e v e a l e d h i s a m b i t i o n
from t h e
to "leave
s o m e t h i n g so w r i t t e n t o a f t e r t i m e s , a s t h e y s h o u l d n o t w i l l i n g l y
l e t i t die J"
and
later
- i n keeping with t h e p r e v a i l i n g
the A r i s t o t e l i a n dictum
judgement t h a t r e v e r s e d
to rank e p i c r a t h e r than tragedy as the
h i g h e s t k i n d o f p o e t r y and t h e e p i c poem " t h e g r e a t e s t work human 54 nature i s capable o f "
- Milton expressed a preference f o r "the
E p i c k f o r m w h e r e o f t h e two poems o f Homer,and t h o s e o f V i r g i l and T a s s o a r e a d i f f u s e , t h e book o f J o b , a b r i e f model And
indeed,
"On t h e c l a s s i c a l
s i d e " i t h a s been g e n e r a l l y h e l d
t h a t M i l t o n f o l l o w e d t h e example s e t by Homer, and, more e s p e c i a l l y , by V i r g i l , t h a t Ovid's
" t h e supreme model o f e p i c decorum."^^
The p o s s i b i l i t y
own carmen perpetuum, t h e Metamorphoses, m i g h t a l s o h a v e
p r o v i d e d a model f o r M i l t o n ' s g r e a t n a r r a t i v e h a s been l a r g e l y looked.
over-
T h i s seems a t l e a s t p a r t l y due t o a s t r o n g t e n d e n c y t o
d i s a s s o c i a t e t h e Metamorphoses from t h e e p i c genre while s t i l l
i n t h e shadow o f V i r g i l ,
g r e a t d e a l i n t h e p a s t twenty
altogether.
However,
Ovid's r e p u t a t i o n has r i s e n a
y e a r s o r so and a s M a r t z h a s r e m a r k e d :
... c l a s s i c a l s c h o l a r s h a v e g r a d u a l l y r e c o v e r e d t h e v i e w o f O v i d ' s Metamorphoses w h i c h Q u i n t i l i a n seems t o have t a k e n a s g e n e r a l l y u n d e r s t o o d i n the g e n e r a t i o n f o l l o w i n g Ovid's death: t h a t h i s l o n g poem b e l o n g s t o t h e e p i c g e n r e ? 7
O v i d , o f c o u r s e , w r o t e h i s own p e c u l i a r b r a n d p r o t e a n Metamorphoses d e f i e s any a t t e m p t categorisation.
o f e p i c , and t h e
a t t o o s i m p l e and p r e c i s e
The Metamorphoses c o u l d n e v e r be d e f i n e d a s h e r o i c
e p i c i n t h e Homeric o r V i r g i l i a n mould b u t n o r , f i n a l l y , Lost to every reader's e n t i r e remains
to r e s i s t
him u n e a s y .
satisfaction.
can paradise
Some o b d u r a t e
quality
t h i s d e f i n i t i o n , t o u n s e t t l e t h e r e a d e r and make
John Steadman h e l p e d t o i s o l a t e t h e c a u s e o f t h i s
16
d i s t u r b a n c e when he m a i n t a i n e d
that"undermining
e p i c t r a d i t i o n by d e s t r o y i n g i t s e t h i c a l is
a t once e p i c and
counter-epic.
the
established.
foundations,
Paradise Lost
I f i t i m i t a t e s the e s t a b l i s h e d 58
models o f h e r o i c p o e t r y
Milton's
account
i t a l s o r e f u t e s them."
o f t h e war
i n h e a v e n i s t h e most o b v i o u s
i n s t a n c e o f t h e d i f f i c u l t y t h a t t r o u b l e s some r e a d e r s . been f e l t
that Milton
I t has
often
i s s i n g u l a r l y u n s u c c e s s f u l i n h i s b i d to emulate
t h e g r e a t b a t t l e s c e n e s of t h e I l i a d
and
A e n e i d , and
various
explanations
59 have been a d v a n c e d t o a c c o u n t some c r i t i c s
have s u g g e s t e d
o f Homer and
Virgil
f o r t h i s apparent
own
i n Book V I I have m i s d i r e c t e d r e a d e r s and
treatment
h i s handling
parodic.^°
about t h e a r t i s t i c
of h e r o i c warfare
been p o s t u l a t e d t h a t M i l t o n v i e w s and
More r e c e n t l y ,
t h a t perhaps Milton's manifest i m i t a t i o n s
them from a s k i n g t h e r i g h t q u e s t i o n s Milton's
lapse.
prevented
purpose behind
i n Paradise Lost.
I t has
t h e b a t t l e from an i r o n i c p e r s p e c t i v e ,
o f t h e a c t i o n i s now
often regarded
Moreover, Martz h a s c a s t f u r t h e r l i g h t on
p r e s e n t a t i o n o f the e p i c c o n f l i c t by p o i n t i n g o u t
as d e l i b e r a t e l y Milton's
t h a t i n t h e Metamorphoses
Milton
would have found " c o n s i d e r a b l e p r e c e d e n t f o r [ t h e J p a r o d i c 61 treatment of warfare," and i n d e e d , "both p o e t s , " a s M a r t z goes on t o e x p l a i n , show " t h e i r s k i l l i n i m i t a t i n g Homer w h i l e a t t h e same t i m e 62 suggesting
the u l t i m a t e f u t i l i t y
There are other perplexed
of such h e r o i c
f e a t u r e s of M i l t o n ' s
or troubled c r i t i c s
w h i c h may
exploits."
e p i c t h a t have p r e v i o u s l y
be more r e a d i l y
understood
when v i e w e d i n c o n j u n c t i o n w i t h O v i d ' s p r a c t i c e i n t h e Metamorphoses. Let
us
look,
f o r i n s t a n c e , a t how
f a i l u r e to take account
of
the
example s e t by O v i d i n t h e Metamorphoses h a s e n c o u r a g e d F r a n c i s B l e s s i n g t o n
t o make some m i s l e a d i n g voice
i n Paradise
claims
Lost.
about t h e o r i g i n a l i t y o f t h e n a r r a t i v e
In h i srecent
study o f 'Paradise
the C l a s s i c a l E p i c , B l e s s i n g t o n urges t h a t : t h e most d r a m a t i c o f M i l t o n ' s a d a p t a t i o n s
L o s t ' and
"The e p i c v o i c e
and b r e a k s w i t h
... i s
the epic
63 tradition,
a l t h o u g h i t h a s gone u n n o t i c e d . "
from t h e t r a d i t i o n p u z z l i n g
He f i n d s t h i s
b e c a u s e "There was l i t t l e
reason
departure ... t o
change t h e i m p e r s o n a l b a r d o f t h e c l a s s i c a l e p i c i n t o t h e p e r s o n a l narrator
for theological consistency."
Furthermore, Blessington
" I n h i s P o e t i c s , A r i s t o t l e p r a i s e s Homer f o r h i s r e t i c e n c e , " goes on t o e m p h a s i z e how " F o l l o w i n g
notes,
and he
h i s mentor, V i r g i l k e e p s h i s own „64
voice
low and t h u s s e t s t h e p r e c e d e n t f o r t h e r e s t o f t h e t r a d i t i o n . However, a s M a r t z h a s r e m a r k e d , i t i s i n O v i d once more t h a t
M i l t o n would have found "ample p r e c e d e n t f o r e n f o l d i n g
h i s own s t o r y 65
within
the consciousness
spite of V i r g i l ' s
o f h i s own f i c t i v e p r e s e n c e . "
For i n
s u b j e c t i v e s t y l e and e m p a t h e t i c p e n e t r a t i o n
c h a r a c t e r s , Ovid's p e r s o n a l i t y - h i s consciousness h i s characters, of himself
as narrator 66
V i r g i l ' s p o e t i c persona i s not.
of h i s
of h i sreader, of
- i s o m n i p r e s e n t i n a way t h a t
"Ovid's i n t e r v e n t i o n s a r e u s u a l l y
q u i t e b r i e f , b u t t h e y a r e , " Martz o b s e r v e s ,
" p e r s i s t e n t and p e r v a s i v e
i n a way t h a t may remind u s o f t h e c o n s t a n t p r e s e n c e o f t h e n a r r a t i v e 67 voice i n Paradise Lost." A g a i n , d i s r e g a r d i n g t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f O v i d ' s i n f l u e n c e on Paradise
Lost has l e d Blessington
t o contend t h a t " t h e account o f 68
c r e a t i o n i s t h e most d r a s t i c t h i s e p i s o d e he m a i n t a i n s , of the Aeneid, I o p a s
1
change from t h e c l a s s i c a l e p i c . "
" M i l t o n expands one o f t h e s m a l l e s t
song o f c r e a t i o n
(1,740-6),
In details
into the fourth
69 major s t r u c t u r a l u n i t o f P a r a d i s e L o s t . " I t seems r a t h e r p e r v e r s e t o d i s c o u n t t h e i n f l u e n c e o f t h e Metamorphoses h e r e . Ovid's d e s c r i p t i o n o f t h e p r o c e s s o f c r e a t i o n forms t h e f i r s t and g r e a t e s t metamorphosis o f t h e poem and h i s example seems p a r t i c u l a r l y s i g n i f i c a n t when we r e c a l l t h a t t h e r e a r e o t h e r s c e n e s o f metamorphosis interwoven i n M i l t o n ' s e p i c w h i c h a p p e a r d e l i b e r a t e l y r e m i n i s c e n t o f Ovid.^° Among t h e most n o t a b l e i s S i n ' s a c c o u n t o f h e r own h i d e o u s change w h i c h she r e l a t e s i n Book I I ( 1 1 . 7 4 6 - 8 1 4 ) . Here t h e a b r u p t s h i f t i n t h e n a r r a t i v e mode i s s t r o n g l y s u g g e s t i v e o f O v i d ' s Metamorphoses i n
71 which s e v e r a l c h a r a c t e r s
r e c o u n t t h e t a l e o f t h e i r own
transformation.
Indeed, t h e i n f l u e n c e o f Ovidian techniques o f c h a r a c t e r i s a t i o n i s e s p e c i a l l y evident
i n Paradise
' c o m p l a i n t ' " i n Book X, l i k e o f Book IV'/ i s " a s e t p i e c e
Lost.
Martz h a s noted
Satan's e a r l i e r
that"Adam's
s o l i l o q u y a t the beginning
i n the t r a d i t i o n of Ovid's Heroides or 72
the
t o r m e n t e d s o l i l o q u i e s i n t h e Metamorphoses."
for
our purpose, Milowicki
More
and W i l s o n have m a i n t a i n e d
significantly
that"the
O v i d i a n c o n v e n t i o n s t h a t shape t h e c h a r a c t e r i s a t i o n o f E v e a r e v e r y 73 much a p p a r e n t "
and t h e y have d e m o n s t r a t e d how i n h e r p o r t r a y a l
M i l t o n d e v e l o p s one o f O v i d ' s s t r a t e g i e s f o r c h a r a c t e r they term In
'split
portrayal
awareness.'
t h e i r a n a l y s i s o f t h i s t e c h n i q u e t h e y e x p l a i n how:
R e p e a t e d l y i n t h e Metamorphoses, O v i d ' s h e r o i n e s a r e t o r n between d u t y and d e s i r e , and s e e k t o j u s t i f y to themselves the p u r s u i t of t h e i r passion t h r o u g h r e a s o n i n g , a form o f s e l f - p e r s u a s i o n t h a t has i t s b a s i s i n t h e r h e t o r i c a l s u a s o r i a t h a t were s t u d i e d i n t h e s c h o o l s , b u t w h i c h O v i d a d a p t s to d e p i c t p s y c h i c d i v i s i o n . 7 4
which
From t h i s p e r s p e c t i v e ,
"The i n i t i a l
a l l u s i o n t o t h e myth o f N a r c i s s u s " 1
s e r v e s t o i n d i c a t e "the p s y c h i c d i v i s i o n i n [ Eve s J n a t u r e Satan
which
w i l l m a n i p u l a t e i n Book I X " s o t h a t " C h o i c e f o r E v e w i l l l i e ,
as i t has f o r Satan,
between a g r e a t e r and l e s s e r a l t e r n a t i v e , an 75
upward and a downward way." interest
Their conclusion
f o r u s and i s w o r t h r e c o r d i n g :
e x c e e d s i n c o m p l e x i t y and d u r a t i o n ,
too has s p e c i a l
"Although Eve's
the simpler
character
f i g u r e s of the
Metamorphoses i n whom s p l i t a w a r e n e s s i s n o t s u s t a i n e d a t l e n g t h , V6 i t i s , " they a f f i r m , " e s s e n t i a l l y Ovidian." C r i t i c s have commented on t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f t h e e p i c r o l e accorded t o Eve i n Milton's
epic.
Paradise
e p i c i n which t h e a c t i v e h e r o i c r o l e i s
L o s t as "the
first
J o a n M a l o r y Webber h a s a c c l a i m e d
77 shared "Beside
e q u a l l y by t h e s e x e s , " Eve,
while
Blessington
P e n e l o p e and Dido, moving a s t h e y
concedes t h a t
a r e , a r e minor
78 characters."
He c o n c l u d e s :
" I t r e m a i n s one o f M i l t o n ' s
major
c o n t r i b u t i o n s t o t h e e p i c t r a d i t i o n t h a t he made E v e p a r t o f t h e e! 79 c e n t r a l a c t i o n a n d changes t h e r o l e o f women i n e p i c p o e t r y . " In 80 many ways, P a r a d i s e The
L o s t , l i k e t h e Metamorphoses, i s a n e p i c o f l o v e .
g r e a t e r prominence g i v e n
t o love as a motive f o r c e ensured, a s 81
a n a t u r a l c o r o l l a r y , g r e a t e r e m p h a s i s on t h e f e m a l e r o l e .
I t seems
o f more t h a n p a s s i n g
gives
extensive
i n t e r e s t t h a t i n t h e Metamorphoses O v i d
and s i g n i f i c a n t a t t e n t i o n t o h i s f e m a l e c h a r a c t e r s , who e n j o y
l e a s t an e q u a l
share
i n t h e n a r r a t i v e a s t h e i r male
But w h i l e O v i d p r o v i d e s in
Milton
counterparts.
us w i t h a g a l l e r y o f i n d i v i d u a l p o r t r a i t s ,
the ' i n f i n i t e v a r i e t y
1
o f woman h a s one f a c e ,
Eve's.
By p r o v i d i n g so many s i g n p o s t s t h a t l e a d back t o t h e Metamorphoses, Milton d i r e c t s tradition.
the reader to h i s indebtedness to the Ovidian n a r r a t i v e
And i n t h i s way, M i l t o n f o r m a l l y a c k n o w l e d g e s O v i d ' s
i m p o r t a n c e a s one o f h i s p r e d e c e s s o r s i n t h e e p i c g e n r e and i n d i c a t e s t h a t h i s own e p i c s h o u l d be j u d g e d a g a i n s t O v i d ' s a c h i e v e m e n t
i n the
Metamorphoses.
H a v i n g n o t e d some o f t h e f o r m a l e l e m e n t s o f O v i d ' s p r e s e n c e i n P a r a d i s e L o s t , we may now c o n s i d e r some o f t h e l e s s t a n g i b l e , b u t no less significant,
a s p e c t s o f O v i d i a n i n f l u e n c e on t h e poem.
21
Ovid
i n P a r a d i s e L o s t : The
Ghostly
Presence
... i n o r d e r t o w r i t e one must f i r s t be c o n v i n c e d t h a t e v e r y book e v e r w r i t t e n was made f o r one to borrow from. The a r t i s i n p a y i n g back t h e s e loans with i n t e r e s t . And t h a t i s h a r d e r t h a n i t sounds.^
" A l l u s i v e n e s s " h a s been a c c l a i m e d a s "one dimensions
rt
of Paradise L o s t .
83
of the c h i e f
aesthetic
M i l t o n ' s a r t h a s been r e c o g n i s e d a s 84
b e i n g " p r i n c i p a l l y an e v o c a t i v e a r t "
and h i s words a s "words o f
enchantment": No s o o n e r a r e t h e y p r o n o u n c e d , t h a n t h e p a s t i s p r e s e n t , and t h e d i s t a n t n e a r . New forms o f b e a u t y s t a r t a t once i n t o e x i s t e n c e , and a l l t h e b u r i a l - p l a c e s o f t h e memory g i v e up t h e i r dead. 8 5
The
t r u l y e f f e c t i v e echo i s a l s o a new
s i g n i f i c a n c e upon t h e p a s s a g e a whole new
range
coinage.
i n which
o f a c t i v e meaning.
I t b e s t o w s added
i t o c c u r s , but i t a l s o
enjoys
T h u s t h e anonymous a u t h o r
of
an E s s a y Upon M i l t o n ' s I m i t a t i o n s o f t h e A n c i e n t s recommends t h a t
... t h e r e ought g e n e r a l l y t o be o b s e r v e d a Medium b e t w i x t a l i t e r a l T r a n s l a t i o n and a d i s t a n t A l l u s i o n ; as the f i r s t d e s t r o y s the P l e a s u r e we have from what i s new, and t h e l a t t e r e n c r o a c h e s on t h a t we r e c e i v e from I m i t a t i o n s . 8 6
T h i s t e n s i o n between t h e o l d and new the p l e a s u r e , excitement artistic
technique.
and
c o n t e x t a c c o u n t s f o r some o f
i l l u m i n a t i o n t h a t we
Such b a l d t e r m s
h a r d l y adequate to cover the f u l l
as
range
g e t from s u c h
'borrowing'
or
'debt'
of poetic e f f e c t s that
an
are may
be achieved, nor do they suggest t h e c o n s t a n t p l a y on t h e r e a d e r ' s responses and e x p e c t a t i o n s which c o n s t i t u t e s one o f t h e main e f f e c t s t o be secured by such an a l l u s i v e a r t .
As M i l t o n r e c o g n i s e d ,
p o e t r y o p e r a t e s t h r o u g h and upon t h e
emotions, o f t e n a t a subterranean l e v e l .
Milton's Ovidian a l l u s i o n s
add an e m o t i o n a l charge or accent t o a passage.
Such a l l u s i o n s
never
e x e r c i s e a merely d e c o r a t i v e o r p i c t o r i a l f u n c t i o n ; t h e y are employed r a t h e r t o convey an i d e a o r evoke an e m o t i o n a l response which c o u l d n o t be secured i n any o t h e r way w i t h o u t l o s s o f meaning o r immediacy. M i l t o n uses t h e medium o f m y t h o l o g i c a l s h o r t h a n d t o a r t i c u l a t e a compl o f f e e l i n g s and t h o u g h t s beyond d i s c o u r s e and as a way o f d i r e c t i n g and f o c u s s i n g e m o t i o n a l and i n t e l l e c t u a l
attention.
I t i s d i f f i c u l t t o d i s t i l what one p o e t g e t s from another p u r e l y i n d i s c u r s i v e terms f o r , as Mark P a t t i s o n has m a i n t a i n e d i n terms t h a t seem s u g g e s t i v e here:
Words, over and above t h e i r d i c t i o n a r y s i g n i f i c a t i o n , connote a l l t h e f e e l i n g which has g a t h e r e d round them by reason o f t h e i r employment t h r o u g h a hundred g e n e r a t i o n s o f song. I n t h e words o f Mr. Myers, " w i t h o u t ceasing t o be a l o g i c a l s t e p i n t h e argument, a phrase becomes a c e n t r e o f e m o t i o n a l f o r c e . The complex a s s o c i a t i o n s which i t evokes modify t h e a s s o c i a t i o n s evoked by o t h e r words i n the same passage, i n a way d i s t i n c t from l o g i c a l c o n n e c t i o n . " The p o e t suggests much more than he says, or as M i l t o n has phrased i t , "more i s meant than meets t h e e a r . " ^
1
M i l t o n ' s a l l u s i o n s t o Ovid appear i n a v a r i e t y o f forms
from
t h e o v e r t l y borrowed episode, q u o t a t i o n o r s i m i l e t o t h e o b l i q u e l y 89 s u g g e s t i v e p a r a l l e l or q u a s i - i d e n t i f i c a t i o n .
W i t h some a l l u s i o n s
a d i r e c t l i n e o f descent can be c o n f i d e n t l y a f f i r m e d , a t t e s t e d
by
a c l o s e p a r a l l e l i n t h o u g h t and e x p r e s s i o n , w i t h o t h e r s , o f t e n
the
more s u b t l e , complex and
i n t e r e s t i n g , Ovid's i n f l u e n c e can be
r a t h e r t h a n c l e a r l y demonstrated, and to other
t h e n we have t o be
detected
responsive
l i n k s beside s t r i c t v e r b a l p a r a l l e l i s m , though a t times a
name or r e v e a l i n g phrase w i l l i m p a r t a d i s t i n c t l y O v i d i a n f l a v o u r to
the v e r s e .
As Bush and
o t h e r c r i t i c s have remarked: "This v e i l e d k i n d
of
90 b o r r o w i n g i s perhaps the most i n t e r e s t i n g o f a l l , "
and
indeed,
we
s h a l l f i n d t h a t t h e o b l i q u e a l l u s i o n s are a t l e a s t as s i g n i f i c a n t as the d i r e c t echoes o f Ovid.
By e s t a b l i s h i n g t h e r e l e v a n c e o f a
t a l e from t h e Metamorphoses i n t h e background o f h i s own
scene, M i l t o n 91
t r a n s l a t e s , " i f o n l y m o m e n t a r i l y and by s l y i n d i r e c t i o n , " characters
i n t o t h e terms o f t h e o r i g i n a l c o n t e x t .
By
his
own
calling
a t t e n t i o n t o s i m i l a r i t i e s o t h e r than t h e immediate p o i n t o f comparison, 92 M i l t o n r e l e a s e s t h e "deeper meaning" o f t h i s l i n k a g e . As Jonathan Richardson w i s e l y urged, "whoever w i l l Possess His Ideas must Dig 93 f o r them, and O f t e n t i m e s , p r e t t y f a r below t h e 5 u r f a c e . " W i t h such an a l l u s i v e s t y l e , comparison - though o n l y the step i n attempting
t o grasp t h e f u l l i m p l i c a t i o n s o f an a l l u s i o n -
becomes the p i v o t o f c r i t i c i s m . valuable
first
T h i s approach seems p a r t i c u l a r l y
today when the L a t i n language i s becoming i n c r e a s i n g l y
inaccessible
t o t h e modern reader who,
unlike Milton's
" f i t audience"
(VII.31)/whose i n t e n s i v e t r a i n i n g i n L a t i n l i t e r a t u r e had them t o a p p r e c i a t e
M i l t o n ' s s u b t l e and
l i t e r a t u r e , i s not, generally
v a r i e d use
fitted
of c l a s s i c a l
speaking, so w e l l equipped t o
appreciate
p o e t r y which r e l i e s f o r i t s f u l l e f f e c t i v e n e s s and power on t h e pleasure o f recognising the suggestive classical
and o r i g i n a l t r e a t m e n t o f
motifs.
Obviously,
t h e p o t e n t i a l i t y o f any a l l u s i o n
be f u l l y r e a l i s e d when t h e reader r e c o g n i s e s that
i f these " i n t e n s i f y i n g
o r echo can o n l y
i t . While Bush concedes
o r c o m p l i c a t i n g effects£s a r e ] missed ...
t h e main d r i f t [ r e m a i n s ] c l e a r " , t h e l o s s o f such moments o f heightened 94 awareness, though " n o t f a t a l "
i s v e r y r e a l i n d e e d , as I hope t o
demonstrate d u r i n g t h e course o f t h i s t h e s i s by a n a l y s i n g i n d e t a i l M i l t o n ' s p o r t r a i t o f Eve, where l i n e s which seem t o breathe an unmistakably
O v i d i a n redolence
forth
tend t o gather. 95
"No o t h e r poem i s so f u l l o f g h o s t i n f l u e n c e s " Lost.
as Paradise
Y e t , when we have t r a c e d as many echoes as p o s s i b l e back a l o n g
the g h o s t l y l i n e s o f t r a n s m i s s i o n t o t h e i r sources, M i l t o n ' s poem remains one o f t h e most o r i g i n a l works i n t h e language and h i s c r e a t i o n o f Eve, a m a r v e l l o u s
new b i r t h .
25
Notes
1.
L e i g h Hunt, London J o u r n a l 1(1834), p.81.
2.
c f . Edward Le Comte, M i l t o n and Sex (1978), pp.3-4.
3.
See E. M. W. T i l l y a r d M i l t o n (New York, 1930), p.20 and Egerton Brydges The P o e t i c a l Works o f John M i l t o n w i t h a L i f e o f t h e Author (1835), p.30.
4.
i b i d . , p.18.
5.
i b i d . , p.29.
6.
E. K. Rand, ' M i l t o n i n R u s t i c a t i o n ' , SP XIX (1922) ,pp.132-33; 132.
7.
More r e c e n t l y , c r i t i c s have been wary o f t h i s tendency towards o v e r - s i m p l i f i c a t i o n . See, f o r example, Adams, pp.206-8; Douglas Bush, 'Paradise L o s t ' i n Our Time ( I t h a c a , New York; 1945); J. W. Saunders, ' M i l t o n , Diomede and A m a r y l l i s ' , ELH X X I I (1955) , pp.254-86; David Aers and Bob Hodge, ' " R a t i o n a l B u r n i n g " : M i l t o n on Sex and Marriage', MS_ X I I I (1979), p.4.
8.
E. K. Rand, ' M i l t o n i n R u s t i c a t i o n ' ,
9.
David Daiches, M i l t o n
10.
W i l l i a m R i l e y P a r k e r , M i l t o n : A Biography I ( O x f o r d , 1968), p.70. For a summary o f t h e main r e a d i n g s o f t h i s poem see Douglas Bush, The L a t i n and Greek Poems, pp.112-14 i n A V a r i o r u m Commentary on t h e Poem o f John M i l t o n , gen. ed. M e r r i t t Y. Hughes (1970).
11.
Bush, The L a t i n and Greek Poems, p.130.
12.
W. R. Parker, M i l t o n : A Biography I , p.70.
13.
An Apology f o r Smectymnuus ( C o l . I I I . i , p.302)
p.132.
(1957), pp.20-21.
14.cFRemedia Amoris 11.395-96.
26
15.
An Apology f o r Smectymnuus ( C o l . I I I . i , p.302).
16.
E. K. Rand, Ovid and His I n f l u e n c e
17.
See f o r i n s t a n c e , Poems upon S e v e r a l Occasions, ed. Thomas Warton (1785); P o e t i c a l Works o f John M i l t o n : W i t h Notes o f V a r i o u s A u t h o r s , ed. Henry J. Todd (2nd ed. 1809); The Poems o f John M i l t o n e d . Thomas K e i g h t l e y (1859); The L a t i n Poems o f John M i l t o n , e d . and t r a n s l a t e d by Walker M a c k e l l a r (New Haven, 1930) and The L a t i n and Greek Poems,ed. Douglas Bush, esp. pp.6, 12, 16-17 and 47 o f t h e ' I n t r o d u c t i o n ' .
(New York, 1928) p.150.
/
18.
Douglas Bush, Mythology and t h e Renaissance T r a d i t i o n i n E n g l i s h P o e t r y ( M i n n e a p o l i s , 1932) p.252.
19.
Poems,ed. Warton, p . x i v .
20.
See John B r i n s l e y , Ludus L i t e r a r i u s (1612); C h a r l e s Hoole, A New D i s c o v e r y o f t h e Old A r t o f Teaching Schoole (1660) and Davis P. H a r d i n g , The Club o f H e r c u l e s ; S t u d i e s i n t h e C l a s s i c a l Background o f 'Paradise L o s t ' , I l l i n o i s S t u d i e s i n Language and L i t e r a t u r e L (Urbana, 1962), pp.3-8.
21.
See David P. Harding M i l t o n and t h e Renaissance O v i d , I l l i n o i s S t u d i e s i n Language and LiteratureXWUUrbana, 1946). See a l s o Donald L. C l a r k , John M i l t o n a t S t . Paul's School (New York, 1948) and H a r r i s F. F l e t c h e r , The I n t e l l e c t u a l Development o f John M i l t o n I (Urbana, 1956).
22.
E. K. Rand, ' M i l t o n i n R u s t i c a t i o n ' , p.111. Rand f i n d s f u r t h e r evidence f o r M i l t o n ' s "fondness f o r Ovid" (Ovid and H i s I n f l u e n c e , p.165) i n Hugh C. Candy's p u t a t i v e d i s c o v e r y o f Some Newly Discovered Stanzas W r i t t e n by John M i l t o n on Engraved Scenes I l l u s t r a t i n g Ovid's 'Metamorphoses' (1924). However, Candy's case remains unproven. (See Bush, Pagan Mythology and t h e Renaissance T r a d i t i o n , pp. 252-53.)
23.
See D. P. Harding, M i l t o n and t h e Renaissance O v i d , p.40.
24.
Defensio Secunda ( C o l . V I I I , p.119).
25.
Edward P h i l l i p s , 'The L i f e o f Mr. John M i l t o n ' f r o m The E a r l y L i v e s o f M i l t o n , e d . by Helen D a r b i s h i r e (1932), p.54.
26.
See D. P. Harding, The Club o f H e r c u l e s , p.17 and Le Comte, M i l t o n and Sex, pp.9-10. See t o o Le Comte, 'Sly M i l t o n : The Meaning L u r k i n g i n the Contexts o f h i s Q u o t a t i o n s ' i n E n g l i s h S t u d i e s C o l l e c t i o n s (1976).
27.
James H o l l y Hanford, 'The Youth o f M i l t o n ' i n S t u d i e s i n M i l t o n , Shakespeare and Donne / (New York, 1925) by 0. J. Campbell and, e t _ a l . pp. iCq-Id.. Bush t o o r e c o g n i s e s t h a t " M i l t o n ' s L a t i n v e r s e is a f a r mere c e n t r a l p a r t o f t h e canon t h a n t h e L a t i n v e r s e o f such contemporaries as George H e r b e r t o r Crasha* o r M a r v e l l Cnot t o mention Phineas F l e t c h e r and Cowley and o t h e r s ) " ( ' I n t r o d u c t i o n ' t o The L a t i n and Greek Poems, p . 3 ) .
28.
Warton, Poems, p . x i v .
29.
L e i c e s t e r Bradner, Musae A n g l i c a n a e : A H i s t o r y o f A n g l o - L a t i n P o e t r y 1500-1925 (New York , 1940), p . l .
30.
H a n f o r d , 'Youth o f M i l t o n ' , pp.I0Q- 14-
31.
ibid.
32.
Ralph W. Condee, 'Ovid's E x i l e and M i l t o n ' s R u s t i c a t i o n ' , X X X V I I . i v (1958), pp.498-502.
PQ
33.
Bush, The L a t i n and Greek Poems, p.47.
34.
c f . C o l . I . i . , p.168. I t i s i n t e r e s t i n g t o note t h a t t h e t i t l e g i v e n t o M i l t o n ' s book o f e l e g i e s i n d i c a t e s t h a t he had more t h a n one volume planned.
35.
Amores I I I . x v . For a d i f f e r e n t view see E. H. R i l e y , T r i b u t e t o V i r g i l ' , SP_ XXVI (1929), p. 157.
36.
D. P. H a r d i n g , M i l t o n and t h e Renaissance O v i d , p.57. But see too John M. Major, 'Ovid's Amores I l l . i x : A Source f o r L y c i d a s ' , MQ V I (1972), p . l , where he aruges " t h a t L y c i d a s , composed s e v e r a l -years a f t e r M i l t o n has presumably abandoned t h e 'gay e l e g y ' o f Ovid and t h e o t h e r s , r e c a l l s i n theme and tone and form Ovid's Amores I I I : i x , the b e a u t i f u l lament f o r T i b u l l u s . "
37.
E. K. Rand, ' M i l t o n i n R u s t i c a t i o n ' , p.124.
'Milton's
28
38.
E. K. Rand, Ovid and His i n f l u e n c e ' , p.165.
39.
W. R. P a r k e r , M i l t o n : A Biography I , p.31.
40.
Adams, p.133. We w i l l have o c c a s i o n t o r e f e r t o o t h e r works which " M i l t o n knew w e l l and used f r e e l y " such as "The h i s t o r [ y ] o f ... R a l e i g h ... Goodman's p o p u l a r F a l l o f Man, ... Augustine's C i t y of God, C a l v i n ' s I n s t i t u t e s ... t h e B i b l e i t s e l f , Homer, V i r g i l ... and Spenser" (Adams, p . 1 6 4 ) .
41.
Dr. Johnson, L i v e s o f t h e E n g l i s h PoetsI,ed. George B i r k b e c k H i l l ( O x f o r d , 1905), Appendix 0 , p.199.
42.
John P h i l l i p s , 'The L i f e o f Mr. John M i l t o n ' , from The E a r l y L i v e s of M i l t o n , ed. H. D a r b i s h i r e , p.33.
43.
P r e v i o u s w r i t i n g which d i s c u s s e s some aspect o f O v i d i a n i n f l u e n c e on P a r a d i s e L o s t i n c l u d e s : John M. Steadman, '"Sin" and t h e Serpent o f Genesis 3, P a r a d i s e L o s t , I I , 650-53', MP LIV (1957), pp.217-20; K. W. Gransden, 'Paradise L o s t and t h e Aeneid', EC X V I I (1967), pp.281-87; L e s l i e Brisman, 'Serpent E r r o r : P a r a d i s e L o s t X, 216-18' MS I I ( 1 9 7 0 ) , pp.27-36; K a t h l e e n M. Swaim, 'The A r t o f t h e Maze i n Book IX o f P a r a d i s e L o s t ' , SEL X I I (1972), p.130; A l b e r t C. L a b r i o l a , 'The T i t a n s and t h e G i a n t s : Paradise L o s t and the T r a d i t i o n o f t h e Renaissance O v i d ' , MQ X I I (1978), pp.9-16; Noam F l i n K e r , 'Cinyras, Myrrha and Adonis: Father-Daughter I n c e s t f r o m Ovid t o M i l t o n ' , MS XIV (1980), pp.59-74. See L. P. W i l k i n s o n , Ovid R e c a l l e d (Cambridge, 1955), pp.430-37. Other works o f i n t e r e s t are i n t r o d u c e d where a p p r o p r i a t e . /
44.
Mary C. B r i l l , ' M i l t o n and Ovid' C o r n e l l U n i v e r s i t y , 1935).
(Unpublished Ph.D.
dissertation;
45.
D. P. H a r d i n g , ' M i l t o n and Ovid: A Study o f t h e I n f l u e n c e o f Ovid and His Renaissance E d i t o r s and Commentators on M i l t o n ' s P o e t r y ' (Ph.D. d i s s e r t a t i o n , I l l i n o i s U n i v e r s i t y , 1943; r e v i s e d and p u b l i s h e d as M i l t o n and t h e Renaissance Ovid).
46.
Of E d u c a t i o n (Col.IV, p.286).
47.
D. P. H a r d i n g , The Club o f H e r c u l e s , p.111.
29
48.
D. P. H a r d i n g , M i l t o n and t h e Renaissance O v i d , p.57. More r e c e n t l y A. C. L a b r i o l a has argued t h a t M i l t o n drew on t h e r i c h l a y e r o f a l l e g o r i c a l i n t e r p r e t a t i o n t h a t surrounded t h e Metamorphoses more e x t e n s i v e l y t h a n Harding's c o n c l u s i o n would seem t o suggest ('The T i t a n s and t h e G i a n t s : P a r a d i s e L o s t and t h e Renaissance Ovid', pp.9-16 and see pp-59-60) .
49.
See C h a r l e s G. Osgood, The C l a s s i c a l Mythology o f M i l t o n ' s E n g l i s h Poems, Yale S t u d i e s i n E n g l i s h V I I I (New York 1900; 1964), p p . x l i i - x l v .
repr.
50.
Edward M i l o w i c k i and Rawdon W i l s o n , '"Character" i n Paradise L o s t : M i l t o n ' s L i t e r a r y Formalism', MS XIV (1980), pp.75-94.
51.
L o u i s L. Martz, Poet o f E x i l e : A Study o f M i l t o n ' s P o e t r y (1980), pp.203-44.
52.
M a r t z , Poet o f E x i l e , p.216. And c f . Brooks O t i s ' comment on Ovid's carmen perpetuum : "Whatever t h e nuances and v a r i a t i o n s o f Ovid's s t y l e i n t h e Metamorphoses, i t i s s t i l l e s s e n t i a l l y one s t y l e . The Metamorphoses, i n o t h e r words, I s n o t a composite o f l i t t l e e p i c s o r e p y l l i a b u t a s t y l i s t i c a l l y u n i f i e d whole" (Ovid as an Epic Poet [Cambridge, 1 9 6 6 ] , p . 4 9 ) .
53.
Reason o f Church Government I I ( C o l . I l l . i , p.236).
54.
Alexander Pope, 'A R e c e i p t t o Make an E p i c Poem' from The A r t o f S i n k i n g i n P o e t r y (1728) as quoted i n N e o - C l a s s i c a l C r i t i c i s m 1660-1800, ed. I r e n e Simon (1971), p.159. c f . A r i s t o t l e , P o e t i c s XXVI.
55.
Reason o f Church Government I I ( C o l . I I I . i , p.237).
56.
Douglas Bush, E n g l i s h L i t e r a t u r e i n t h e E a r l i e r Century : 1600-1660 ( O x f o r d , 1945), p.384.
57.
M a r t z , Poet o f E x i l e , p.204 and Brooks O t i s , Ovid as an Epic Poet, esp. pp.23-25 and 49-59.
Seventeenth
30
58.
John M. Steadman, M i l t o n and t h e Renaissance Hero ( O x f o r d , 1967), p. xx.
59.
See, f o r i n s t a n c e , Dr. Johnson, L i v e s o f t h e E n g l i s h Poets I , p.185 and N i c h o l s o n , pp.255-57.
60.
See A r n o l d S t e i n , 'The War i n Heaven' i n Answerable S t y l e : Essays on 'Paradise L o s t ' ( M i n n e a p o l i s , 1953), pp.17-37; John B. Broadbent, ' S a t i r e o r S e l f - P a r o d y ' i n Some Graver S u b j e c t : An Essay on 'Paradise L o s t ' (1960), pp.218-28; S t e l l a P. Revard, ' M i l t o n ' s C r i t i q u e o f Heroic Warfare i n P a r a d i s e L o s t V and V I ' SEL V I I (1967), pp.19-39.
61.
M a r t z , Poet o f E x i l e , pp.209-10.
62.
i b i d . , p.210.
63.
F r a n c i s B l e s s i n g t o n , 'Paradise L o s t ' and t h e C l a s s i c a l E p i c , (1979), p.90.
64.
ibid.
65.
M a r t z , Poet o f E x i l e , p.235.
66.
An a d a p t a t i o n o f Brooks O t i s ' comparison o f t h e n a r r a t i v e s t y l e s of Ovid and Callimachus ( c f . Ovid as an Epic Poet, p.318).
67.
M a r t z , Poet o f E x i l e , p.232.
68.
B l e s s i n g t o n , 'Paradise L o s t ' and t h e C l a s s i c a l E p i c , p.78.
69.
i b i d . , p.76.
70.
Among t h e most n o t a b l e examples a r e : I . 777-92, where as Martz p o i n t s o u t , " t h e change o f t h e g i a n t angels i n t o l e s s than t h e s m a l l e s t dwarves ... may suggest a metamorphosis o f an O v i d i a n kind"; the reminiscence o f Ovid's s t o r y o f N a r c i s s u s a t IV.449-75 the passage " i s a l l t h e more O v i d i a n because M i l t o n s e t s [ t h e s t o r y o f Eve's f i r s t awakening] i n t h e k i n d o f l o c u s amoenus t h a t Ovid so o f t e n p r e s e n t s as t h e scene o f a metamorphosis" (Martz, p.219); IX.494-522 and X.504-45. Consider a l s o Satan's o t h e r t r a n s f o r m a t i o n s a t IV.402-8 and IV.800.
31
71.
See M a r t z , Poet o f E x i l e , pp.215-16.
72.
i b i d . , p.152.
73.
M i l o w i c k i and W i l s o n , '"Character" i n P a r a d i s e L o s t ' , p.80.
74.
i b i d . , p.78.
75.
i b i d . , p.81;p.80
76.
i b i d . , p.81.
77.
Joan Malory Webber, 'The P o l i t i c s o f P o e t r y : Feminism and Paradise L o s t ' , MS_ XIV (1980), p. 12.
78.
B l e s s i n g t o n , 'Paradise L o s t ' and t h e C l a s s i c a l E p i c ' , p.77.
79.
i b i d . , p.78.
80.
c f . Brooks O t i s , M i l t o n as an Epic Poet, p.345.
81.
See Steadman, 'The C r i t i q u e o f Amor Hero, pp.108-36.
82.
Lawrence D u r r e l l , The Black Book ( F i r s t p u b l i s h e d 1938;repr. i n t h i s ed. 1977), p. 121-22.
83.
Jackson I . Cope, The Metaphoric S t r u c t u r e o f 'Paradise L o s t ' ( B a l t i m o r e , 1962), p.78.
84.
D. P. H a r d i n g , The Club o f H e r c u l e s , p . l . Throughout t h i s work H a r d i n g g i v e s v a l u a b l e guidance on t h e l e s s t a n g i b l e aspects o f c l a s s i c a l i n f l u e n c e on Paradise L o s t .
85.
Lord Macaulay, An Essay on t h e L i f e and Works o f John M i l t o n (1868), p.17.
86.
An Essay Upon M i l t o n ' s I m i t a t i o n s o f t h e A n c i e n t s i n h i s 'Paradise L o s t ' , W i t h Some O b s e r v a t i o n s on t h e 'Paradise Regained' (1741), p.5.
1
i n M i l t o n and t h e Renaissance
32
87.
Of E d u c a t i o n (Col.IV, p.286) where M i l t o n opposes L o g i c and P o e t r y , t h e l a t t e r b e i n g "more s i m p l e , sensuous and p a s s i o n a t e . "
88.
Mark P a t t i s o n , M i l t o n ,
89.
See Osgood, The C l a s s i c a l Mythology o f M i l t o n ' s E n g l i s h Poems, pp. x i i i - x x x .
90.
Bush, Mythology and t h e Renaissance T r a d i t i o n , p.281.
91.
c f . D. P. H a r d i n g , The Club o f H e r c u l e s , p.61 and A. B a r t l e t t G i a m a t t i , The E a r t h l y P a r a d i s e and t h e Renaissance Epic ( P r i n c e t o n , 1966), pp.298-99.
92.
See T i l l y a r d , M i l t o n , p.237.
93.
As c i t e d by C h r i s t o p h e r R i c k s , M i l t o n ' s Grand S t y l e ( O x f o r d , 1963), p.69.
94.
Douglas Bush, ' I r o n i c and Ambiguous A l l u s i o n i n P a r a d i s e L o s t ' , JEGP LX (1961), pp.632.
95.
D.P. H a r d i n g , The C l u b o f H e r c u l e s , p.90.
( F i r s t p u b l i s h e d 1879, r e p r . 1909), pp.207-8.
CHAPTER I I The
So e n i g m a t i c
Many Faces o f Eve
and p r o t e a n
a character
as M i l t o n ' s Satan has
u n d e r s t a n d a b l y d i v e r t e d a g r e a t d e a l o f c r i t i c a l a t t e n t i o n away from his
p o r t r a y a l o f t h e human c o u p l e .
However, i n t h e l a s t
y e a r s o r so t h e r e has been c o n s i d e r a b l e
fifteen
interest i n the relationship
o f Adam and Eve, l a r g e l y as evidence o f M i l t o n ' s a t t i t u d e t o women.''" D i s t o r t i n g p r e c o n c e p t i o n s about M i l t o n t h e P u r i t a n coupled w i t h misl e a d i n g n o t i o n s about M i l t o n t h e Man - stemming from t h e d i f f i c u l t i e s o f h i s f i r s t m a r r i a g e , h i s advocacy o f d i v o r c e and h i s a l l e g e d 2 " h o r r o r o f sex and women"
- have encouraged some c r i t i c s
t o condemn
3
him as a p a t r i a r c h a l and m i s o g y n i s t i c p o e t .
I n t h e most v i r u l e n t
a t t a c k s he i s accused o f s u b j u g a t i n g Eve i n a l o w l y and i n f e r i o r p o s i t i o n as Adam's domestic drudge o r , a t l e a s t , o f c o n f i n i n g h e r w i t h i n a p r i m a r i l y domestic r o l e . 4 close s c r u t i n y o f the t e x t . Once we c o n s i d e r
Such charges do n o t w i t h s t a n d a
Milton's conception
o f Eve's r o l e w i t h i n i t s
c u l t u r a l and h i s t o r i c a l c o n t e x t and i n r e l a t i o n t o t h e l i m i t e d range 5 o f r o l e s g e n e r a l l y accorded women w i t h i n t h e e p i c t r a d i t i o n ,
it
becomes r e a d i l y apparent t h a t Eve p l a y s a r e m a r k a b l y v a r i e d and a c t i v e p a r t i n t h e n a r r a t i v e and e n j o y s a s u r p r i s i n g degree o f independent power. by c r i t i c s .
Yet Eve h e r s e l f has been s t r a n g e l y
neglected
L i k e h i s p o r t r a y a l o f Satan, M i l t o n ' s study o f Eve
repays t h e c l o s e s t a t t e n t i o n , and i t seems s i g n i f i c a n t t h a t t h e i r p o r t r a i t s d i s p l a y c e r t a i n notable
s t y l i s t i c f e a t u r e s i n common.
34
One
o f t h e reasons why
Satan seems t o f i g u r e so l a r g e l y i n
our i m a g i n a t i v e r e c o l l e c t i o n o f t h e poem must s u r e l y l i e i n t h e dense l a y e r o f imagery - i n c l u d i n g a number o f f i n e and h a u n t i n g l y e v o c a t i v e s i m i l e s - s u r r o u n d i n g him.
I n a comparable way,
a t t r a c t s many m y t h o l o g i c a l a l l u s i o n s and s i m i l e s . his
too
Indeed, when p a i n t i n g
p o r t r a i t o f Eve, M i l t o n employs a t e c h n i q u e p e c u l i a r t o her i n t h e
poem: the
Eve
her c h a r a c t e r i s n o t p r e s e n t e d d i r e c t l y b u t o b l i q u e l y t h r o u g h
medium o f a c o n t r o l l e d and i n s p i r e d e v o c a t i o n o f f i g u r e s p r i m a r i l y
f r o m O v i d i a n myth.
T h i s should n o t be t o o s u r p r i s i n g s i n c e t h e
l a t t e r ' s Metamorphoses i n which he gave a n c i e n t myth i t s " u n e x c e l l e d , 7 f i n a l , comprehensive e x p r e s s i o n , "
i n f u s i n g i t w i t h the
freshness
and v i t a l i t y o f a w o r l d newly b o r n , helped n u r t u r e M i l t o n ' s a p p r e c i a t i o n of
t h e dangerous beauty o f t h i s remote m y t h o l o g i c a l w o r l d . The B i b l i c a l Eve
i s , a t t i m e s , almost concealed
under t h i s
dense, s u g g e s t i v e l a y e r o f m y t h o l o g i c a l imagery as w i t h
striking
f r e s h n e s s and a u d a c i t y M i l t o n b o t h s t a t e s and h i n t s a t Eve's subs t a n t i a l relationship to certain mythological figures.
The
explicitly
n o t e d p o i n t o f d e p a r t u r e i n t h e f o r m a l s i m i l e - whatever o s t e n s i b l y occasioned
t h e comparison - accounts
f o r only p a r t of the t o t a l
e f f e c t and i s o f t e n merely t h e most o v e r t means by w h i c h enables Eve
t o s t r a d d l e t h e pagan and C h r i s t i a n w o r l d .
Milton Literal
b e l i e f i n such f i g u r e s i s o b v i o u s l y n o t a p r e - r e q u i s i t e f o r e x p l o i t i n g t h e i r symbolic power, u n d i m i n i s h e d by a t r a n s f o r m e d w o r l d - p i c t u r e , and t h e i r beauty,,untarnished by the lapse o f c e n t u r i e s .
When t h e y
are evoked, we pass t o areas o f f e e l i n g and r e l e v a n c e b o t h complex and s u g g e s t i v e where o n l y i m a g i n a t i v e t r u t h i s r e q u i r e d .
35
As Macaulay once observed, "charmed names.
t h e f i g u r e s M i l t o n c o n j u r e s up have
Everyone o f them i s t h e f i r s t l i n k i n a l o n g c h a i n 8
of associated ideas";
t h e i m a g i n a t i o n cannot r e s t b u t
meanings w i t h i n meanings.
glimpses
Such names c l i n g t o t h e mind l o n g a f t e r
t h e immediate b a s i s f o r t h e i r i n t r o d u c t i o n i s f o r g o t t e n .
They are
never i n t r o d u c e d c a s u a l l y ; t h e y always c o n t r i b u t e s u b s t a n t i a l l y t o Eve's c h a r a c t e r i s a t i o n , g u i d i n g our i n t e r p r e t a t i o n and p r o v i d i n g i m p o r t a n t i n s i g h t s i n t o what she t h i n k s , says and does. t h e y may
appear o n l y once, t h e i r presence may
Although
be c o n t i n u o u s l y f e l t
t h r o u g h t h e s i l e n t a p p r o p r i a t i o n o f images and concepts
associated
w i t h them. Eve
taps these sources o f energy, s h i n i n g t h r o u g h her
local
m a n i f e s t a t i o n s whether as N a r c i s s u s , Daphne, C h l o r i s - F l o r a and Diana o r as P r o s e r p i n a , Ceres, Pomona and Venus.
She
subsumes and
thus
transcends these m y t h o l o g i c a l p a r a l l e l s so t h a t we respond t o these l i t e r a r y models as p a r t i a l e x p r e s s i o n s o f her own nature.
Moreover, we do n o t f e e l t h a t Eve
coherence.
comprehensive
thereby loses inner
Eve's i n d i v i d u a l i t y i s never e n g u l f e d and her c h a r a c t e r
does n o t appear t o degenerate i n t o a s u c c e s s i o n o f u n r e l a t e d and t r a n s i t o r y moods, a tendency which Waldock d i s c e r n e d and
deplored
9 i n M i l t o n ' s t r e a t m e n t o f Satan.
The c u m u l a t i v e e f f e c t o f these
m y t h o l o g i c a l i d e n t i f i c a t i o n s i s r a t h e r t o i n t e n s i f y than d i s s i p a t e o u r sense o f Eve's i n t e g r i t y s i n c e , w i t h e x q u i s i t e a r t i s t i c M i l t o n ensures t h a t t h e y cohere i n an i n t e l l e c t u a l l y and s a t i s f y i n g manner.
control,
aesthetically
36
P a r a d o x i c a l l y , Eve i s never more p o w e r f u l l y h e r s e l f t h a n when M i l t o n g l i m p s e s her i n m y t h o l o g i c a l g u i s e : f i r s t as t h e c o l d . v i r g i n a l N a r c i s s u s or Daphne, t h e n as the s o f t l y sensuous F l o r a or Venus; now as t h e f r a i l and v u l n e r a b l e P r o s e r p i n a , now as the a l l - p o w e r f u l mothergoddess. For Eve r e t a i n s w i t h i n h e r s e l f an i n h e r e n t c o m p l e x i t y , e n a b l i n g her t o h o l d i n s o l u t i o n c o n t r a d i c t o r y a t t r i b u t e s . These a p p a r e n t c o n t r a d i c t i o n s are r e s o l v e d a t a much deeper l e v e l and are f u s e d t o g e t h e r i n t o a p a t t e r n o f symbolic meaning, a p a t t e r n o f e x c e p t i o n a l grace and i n t e n s i t y . We are not c o n f r o n t e d w i t h an a r b i t r a r y o r i n d i s c r i m i n a t e use o f m y t h o l o g i c a l symbolism, b u t , as I hope t o suggest d u r i n g t h e course o f t h i s c h a p t e r , genuine a m b i g u i t i e s i n M i l t o n ' s c h a r a c t e r i s a t i o n o f Eve.
By p r e s e n t i n g M i l t o n extends and
her t h r o u g h t h i s s t r a t e g y o f d e l i b e r a t e e n r i c h e s h i s p o r t r a y a l o f Eve,
a m y t h i c dimension t h a t Adam l a c k s .
allusion,
endowing her
with
Duncan i n d i c a t e s t h i s when he
o b s e r v e s , "the a l l u s i o n s p o i n t toward t h e s u p e r l a t i v e q u a l i t i e s o f Eve,
who
c o n t r i b u t e s much more t o t h e mood and
garden t h a n does Adam." and
complicating
10
effects
1 1
seems, a t t i m e s , wooden and
atmosphere o f
M i l t o n generally avoids these i n h i s p o r t r a i t o f Adam, who
the
intensifying consequently
one-dimensional i n comparison.
I n d e e d , w h i l e c r i t i c s have f r e q u e n t l y f e l t t h e f a s c i n a t i o n o f 12 Eve,
Adam has
been d i s m i s s e d by s c h o l a r s 1
s i n g u l a r l y u n s a t i s f a c t o r y c h a r a c t e r " " * and
such as
Bouchard
by Broadbent, who
as
"a
declares
t h a t : "Adam, w a i t i n g f o r t h e F a l l , i s a v e h i c l e r a t h e r t h a n a character,
t h e p e r f e c t form o f manhood w a i t i n g f o r t h e
introjection
14 of personality."
M i l t o n ' s t r e a t m e n t o f Adam does n o t d i s p l a y
the
same i m a g i n a t i v e freedom as h i s c h a r a c t e r i s a t i o n o f Satan and Eve; l i k e t h e F a t h e r and Son, u n f a l i e n Adam c a r r i e s so much o f t h e w e i g h t of
theological doctrine that
of
individual
he never achieves
the f u l l
complexity
identity.
Many o f those c r i t i c a l s t u d i e s which have been concerned w i t h M i l t o n ' s p o r t r a y a l o f Eve t e n d t o c o n c e n t r a t e almost e x c l u s i v e l y upon the
way i n which M i l t o n p r e p a r e s
t h e reader f o r h e r F a l l .
Empson,
H a r d i n g , Bush, G i a m a t t i and Demetrakopoulos''"^ a r e amongst those who have a l e r t e d t h e r e a d e r when a s i m i l e , borrowed episode o r o b l i q u e a l l u s i o n seems t o draw Eve i n t o a web o f i m p l i c a t i o n and t o warn us of
t h e i n e x o r a b l e sequel.
Empson e x p l a i n s how t h e m y t h o l o g i c a l
s i m i l e s a r e used " f o r t h e v i l i f i c a t i o n o f E v e " , ^ and from
this
p e r s p e c t i v e i t i s t e m p t i n g t o s e i z e upon one o r two m y t h o l o g i c a l correspondences - as between Eve and Pandora, N a r c i s s u s o r C i r c e and f i n d i n them t h e f o r m a t i v e m o t i f s f o r h e r c h a r a c t e r .
After
u n r a v e l l i n g a couple o f d a r k l y s i n i s t e r s k e i n s from t h e mass o f i n t e r connecting threads i n t h i s a l l u s i v e t a n g l e , i t i s p o s s i b l e t o overlook 17 others t h a t lead i n a d i f f e r e n t d i r e c t i o n
o r , more i n t e r e s t i n g l y ,
are p l a c e d under c o n s i d e r a b l e t e n s i o n . On t h e o t h e r hand, some c r i t i c s have a t t e m p t e d t o f r e e Eve f r o m any such compromising i n s i n u a t i o n s b e f o r e t h e F a l l by a p p e a l i n g to the
t h e r e a d e r ' s t a c t and d i s c r i m i n a t i o n , c h a r g i n g him n o t t o u n r a v e l f u l l c o n t e n t o f an a l l u s i o n and t h e r e b y c a u t e r i z e i t o f any 18
unwelcome i m p l i c a t i o n s . that:
I n t h e same v e i n , Diane McColley i n s i s t s
38
... a s l o n g a s she r e m a i n s u n f a l l e n E v e redeems the beauty, the r i c h n e s s of sensory e x p e r i e n c e , and t h e e r o t i c d e l i g h t t h a t t h e pagan i m p e r s o n a t i o n s d e p i c t i n t h e i r f a l l e n and d e s t r u c t i v e f o r m s . 1 9
W h i l e t h i s i s t r u e , s o m e t h i n g more must be appearances
before the F a l l .
s a i d about Eve's
From t h e o u t s e t , M i l t o n u s e s
imagery t o convey v e r y complex i d e a s about E v e . b o t h ways s i m u l t a n e o u s l y and
mythological mythological
Such a l l u s i o n s
a r e t h e means by w h i c h M i l t o n e n a b l e s
r e a d e r t o h o l d i n e q u i l i b r i u m more t h a n one p o i n t o f
c a l c u l a t e d ambiguity,
where a p o s i t i v e ,
d i s s o l v e s i n t o a m b i g u i t i e s b e f o r e our e y e s . l i n e s 492-502 i n Book I V b e c a u s e , back t o Ovid,
i t i s , t o my
have r e c e i v e d e x t e n d e d
although
2 0
clear-cut
I have c h o s e n t h e image c a n n o t
of
image t o examine be t r a c e d
knowledge, t h e o n l y example o f i t s k i n d t o
c r i t i c a l attention.
Osgood, though he r e c o g n i s e s some e c h o e s of Z e u s , "
the
view.
To c l a r i f y t h i s p o i n t , l e t us l o o k b r i e f l y a t a p a s s a g e seemingly
cut
g i v e s the obvious
of "Hera's b e g u i l i n g
innocent i n t e r p r e t a t i o n :
the
and m y t h o l o g i c a l s i m i l e a r e i n c l u d e d t o e s t a b l i s h Adam and
description Eve's
s t a t u s a s u n i v e r s a l p a r e n t s , and he p r o m p t l y r e f e r s u s t o t h e c o m p a r a b l e fertility
image i n V i r g i l ' s h e r a l d i n g o f t h e a d v e n t
of s p r i n g i n the
Georgics:
turn p a t e r omnipotens f e c u n d i s i m b r i b u s c o n i u g i s i n gremium l a e t a e d e s c e n d i t .
Aether
(II.325-6;
John is
K n o t t too m a i n t a i n s
t h a t the p a s s a g e i n P a r a d i s e L o s t
a s t r a i g h t f o r w a r d c e l e b r a t i o n o f "the m a j e s t y o f o u r
'grand p a r e n t s
21 and
their
l o r d s h i p over n a t u r e . "
I t s a p p l i c a t i o n to'Eve i s e n t i r e l y
i n n o c e n t and unambiguous: "Here Juno i s i n d i r e c t l y a s s o c i a t e d w i t h t h e g e n e r a t i v e f o r c e o f n a t u r e " and Eve t h e r e b y embodies " t h e
spirit
22 of surging l i f e "
a t work i n t h e u n i v e r s e .
s a i d and m a i n l y t r u e , i t i s not a l l t h a t may Knott proceeds to a s s e r t f o r c e f u l l y :
While t h i s be
i s finely
s a i d about the
I n v e n t u r i n g such a comparison M i l t o n c o u l d t r u s t the r e a d e r to s c r e e n out i n a p p r o p r i a t e t h o u g h t s o f O l y m p i a n q u a r r e l s and i n f i d e l i t i e s
passage
^3 ...
And
y e t h i s r e a s o n i n g h e r e seems t o c o n t a i n a s l i g h t
his
v e r y d i s c l a i m e r s u g g e s t s t h a t t h e s e v e r y awkward and d i s c o n c e r t i n g
thoughts
have i n t r u d e d upon
The
logical
flaw;
him.
allusion i s certainly puzzling.
As H a r d i n g
demands: "Why...
t h i s e a r l y i n t h e poem does M i l t o n r i s k a c o m p a r i s o n w i t h and J u n o whose m a r i t a l r e l a t i o n s h i p was
Jupiter
s c a r c e l y i d e a l even
by
24 Olympian s t a n d a r d s ? "
He g o e s on,
t a c i t l y c o u n t e r i n g Osgood
and
Knott: I t does l i t t l e good t o s a y t h a t M i l t o n had a n a t u r a l i s t i c J u p i t e r and Juno i n mind; no amount of e x p l i c i t n e s s could wholly p r o t e c t the passage from t h e s u r r e p t i t i o u s i n t r u s i o n o f t h e l e s s f l a t t e r i n g a s s o c i a t i o n s w h i c h had grown up a b o u t t h e i r names.25
Once M i l t o n had
r e l e a s e d such powerful
l i t e r a r y memories, he
could
n o t have e l i m i n a t e d t h e damaging a s s o c i a t i o n s from h i s c o m p a r i s o n . Indeed,
i t seems c l e a r t h a t he had
no d e s i r e t o do
so.
40
Whaler i s n o t t h e o n l y to Juno-Hera's s e d u c t i o n
critic
who h a s found h e r e an a l l u s i o n
of Jupiter-Zeus
i n the I l i a d .
As he p u t s i t :
I n t h e midst o f h i s p r e l a p s a r i a n idyll...[Milton ] c o u l d n o t more d e l i c a t e l y - o r more i m p r e s s i v e l y s u g g e s t by h i s r e f e r e n c e t o t h e f i n e o l d Homeric myth t h a t n e i t h e r Olympus n o r Eden c a n e s c a p e connubial deceit.^6
This i n t e r p r e t a t i o n i s given between t h e p r e s e n t
additional confirmation
by t h e l i n k
p a s s a g e and t h e s c e n e a f t e r t h e F a l l when Adam
" gan E v e t o d a l l i a n c e
move" ( I X . 1 0 1 6 ) .
R e l y i n g upon t h e t e l l i n g
use
of cross-reference, Milton
h a s c o n s c i o u s l y a d a p t e d e l e m e n t s from
the
infamous e n c o u n t e r between Zeus and H e r a on Mount I d a on b o t h 27
occasions.
What a r e we t o c o n c l u d e ?
H a r d i n g u r g e s t h a t t h e a l l u s i o n i n Book I V "must t h e r e f o r e be part of the elaborate
and l a r g e l y s e c r e t m a c h i n e r y t o p r e p a r e o u r minds
28 for
the F a l l "
and t h a t "The c l a n d e s t i n e d i s c r e d i t i n g o f Adam and
Eve
... b e g i n s a l m o s t w i t h t h e f i r s t
l i n e s which d e s c r i b e d
them t o
29 us."
Any l i n g e r i n g d o u b t s t h a t we may be e x t r a c t i n g a
reading
from t h e p a s s a g e , one w h i c h M i l t o n
contain,
never intended
spurious i t to
a r e i n a d v e r t e n t l y q u a s h e d by Gary M. McCown.
"Adam does n o t m e r e l y s m i l e , " McCown o b s e r v e s ,
"he s m i l e s
J u p i t e r , an e p i d e i t i c c o m p a r i s o n w h i c h j u s t i f i e s M i l t o n ' s o f him a s a s o v e r e i g n .
Milton's
t h e n , " he e x p l a i n s , " t h e y "In presenting
estimation
e p i c s i m i l e s do n o t m e r e l y
compliment and e v a l u a t e , "
Adam and E v e t o u s , M i l t o n
describe,
and he c o n c l u d e s
succeeds i n h e r o i c i z i n g
them i n t o e p i c e x e m p l a r s o f m a r i t a l v i r t u e .
like
T h i s seems a most u n f o r t u n a t e way s e t t i n g up J u p i t e r and Juno a s c l e a r l y an u n t e n a b l e
of p u t t i n g the matter;
'exemplars o f m a r i t a l v i r t u e '
by
-
p o s i t i o n - t h e f a l s e n o t e becomes d i s t i n c t l y
a u d i b l e , e s p e c i a l l y s i n c e t h i s p o i n t i s t o be t a k e n i n c o n j u n c t i o n w i t h J u p i t e r as 'sovereign'.
F o r t h e n we may
a s o b e r i n g r e f l e c t i o n of Ovid's J u p i t e r ' s amorous e s c a p a d e s ,
non
n o t be a b l e t o a v o i d
who^commenting on t h e e f f e c t
of
dryly observes:
bene c o n v e n i u n t
nec i n una
amor c t mai'est-QS.
sede
moratur
(Met. I I . 8 4 6 ~ 8 0
S u c h l a r g e r p a s s a g e s h a v e , t o adapt
an e x p r e s s i o n o f John
P e t e r ' s , t h e "same k i n d o f v i t a l i t y on a d i f f u s e s c a l e t h a t an oxymoron has s u c c i n c t l y . " ^
On one
l e v e l , t h e s e a l l u s i o n s work
t o g e t h e r t o p r o d u c e an image o f Eve o n l y s l i g h t l y yet
we
may
l e s s than
have r e s e r v a t i o n s , and M i l t o n h a s c a r e f u l l y
divine,
intimated
what t h e y s h o u l d be by t h i s t e l l i n g u s e o f c o v e r t a l l u s i o n . a s we
do n o t a l l o w p r e c o n c e i v e d
judgements o f E v e , b a s e d
As
long
upon n o t i o n s
o f M i l t o n ' s supposed misogyny, t o i n t e r f e r e w i t h o u r r e a d i n g o f t h e poem, b u t g i v e a b a l a n c e d c o n s i d e r a t i o n t o b o t h s e t s o f d e r i v e d m e a n i n g s , p o s i t i v e a s w e l l a s n e g a t i v e , i m p l i c i t i n any one
image,
it
assume
i s o n l y i n r e t r o s p e c t t h a t our
t h e i r undeniable undermine our
importance.
first
second
thoughts
about Eve
E v e n t h e n , t h e y need n o t
seriously
impressions but simply complicate or
qualify
them.
The
f i g u r e o f Eve r e m a i n s
u n b l u r r e d i n i t s main o u t l i n e s ,
l i k e a p h o t o g r a p h i n w h i c h t h e s u b j e c t has moved s l i g h t l y , one in
main image and a n o t h e r t h i s c a s e t h e second
we
l i k e n e s s j u s t i n evidence behind,
l i k e n e s s r e v e r s e s the f i r s t ,
but,
have though
o r r a t h e r , shows
42
the s u b j e c t i n a d i f f e r e n t
light.
"Milton
...
surrounds
Eve w i t h
As Demetrakopoulos h a s
images and
typology
observed,
t h a t c a n become
evil
32 through
the s l i g h t e s t
s h i f t of s e n s i b i l i t y , "
h e r g r e a t n e s s a t t h e same time p r o v i d e a c h a r a c t e r and
t h e images t h a t m a g n i f y
t h e grounds f o r impugning h e r
as
a symbol.
Seaman h a s l i k e n e d E v e ' s d u a l a s p e c t t o " t h e d o u b l e image o f 33 m a r t i a l heroism,"
where C h r i s t i s t h e t r u e image o f h e r o i c v i r t u e and 34 Satan the f a l s e e i d o l o n . What c o n t r i b u t e s so p o w e r f u l l y t o t h e complex35 l t y of Milton's p r e s e n t a t i o n of the
"double image o f woman"
l . o s t i s n o t o n l y t h a t b o t h image and
i n Paradise
eidolon are incorporated i n
one
c h a r a c t e r , b u t a l s o t h a t t h i s t e n s i o n h a s so many d i f f e r e n t m a n i f e s t a t i o n s i n the course of the n a r r a t i v e .
Those c r i t i c s
t h a t have commented on
E v e ' s d o u b l e image have i n v a r i a b l y s e e n i t a s something t o be c o n s e c u t i v e l y r a t h e r t h a n s i m u l t a n e o u s l y a p p r e h e n d e d and have c o n f i n e d t h e i r a t t e n t i o n almost
e x c l u s i v e l y t o E v e ' s r o l e a s t e m p t r e s s and
t h e n redeemer. Seaman's
comment i s t y p i c a l o f many: " M i l t o n ' s E v e h a s been s t u d i e d a s and
a l s o as redemptrix, but, i n f a c t ,
temptress
after
she a p p e a r s
temptress
i n both r o l e s - a
she h a s succumbed t o S a t a n , a r e d e m p t i v e
figure
after
36 the
Fall." However, a s we
shall
see, a comprehensive balance of opposing
f o r c e s i s fundamental to M i l t o n ' s c o n c e p t i o n of Eve. web,
Like a spider's
where t h e i n t r i c a c y o f t h e t o t a l d e s i g n emerges o n l y when a l l t h e
t h r e a d s a r e r a d i a t i n g from t h e c e n t r e under c o n s t a n t , e v e n t e n s i o n , Eve emerges a s a t r a n s c e n d a n t u n i o n
of c o n t r a r i e s , a powerful
s y n t h e s i s of
o p p o s i n g p r i n c i p l e s , once a l l t h e m y t h o l o g i c a l a l l u s i o n s a r e w i t h i n t h e f a b r i c o f t h e poem. ' s e l f - b a l a n c e d on
So
too, l i k e
the e a r t h
i t s centre,' there i s nothing
static
interlaced
itself, about
Eve's innocence.
I t i s an a c t i v e l y
attained
s t a t e , even
h a s n e v e r been o u t o f b a l a n c e , an e q u i l i b r i u m i n w h i c h f o r c e s and e n e r g i e s s t r i v e always
expression.
t r e m b l e s on t h e b r i n k o f d i s s o l u t i o n
p e r f e c t balance w i l l innocence will
for f u l l
Thus
i n one who
a l l manner o f innocence
f o r nothing
s h o r t of
serve to maintain i t , while the eagerness of
t o embrace a l l t h a t may be e n j o y e d e n s u r e s t h a t t h e means
be found f o r i t s d e s t r u c t i o n .
44
Notes
1.
P r e v i o u s w r i t i n g on t h i s s u b j e c t i n c l u d e s : D a v i d A e r s and Bob Hodge, ' " R a t i o n a l B u r n i n g " : M i l t o n on S e x and M a r r i a g e ' , MS X I I I , pp.3-34; John S. D i e k h o f f , ' E v e ' s Dream and t h e P a r a d o x o f F a l l i b l e P e r f e c t i o n ' , MQ I V ( 1 9 7 0 ) , pp.5-7; M a r i l y n R. F a r r e l l , 'Eve, t h e S e p a r a t i o n S c e n e , a n d t h e R e n a i s s a n c e I d e a o f A n d r o g y n y , MS_ XVI ( 1 9 8 2 ) , pp.3-20; D i a n e Hume George, "The M i l t o n i c I d e a l : A P a r a d i g m f o r t h e S t r u c t u r e o f R e l a t i o n s Between Men and Women i n Academia \ CE XL ( 1 9 7 9 ) , pp.864-73; S a n d r a M. G i l b e r t , ' P a t r i a r c h a l P o e t r y and Women R e a d e r s : R e f l e c t i o n s on M i l t o n ' s Bogey', PMLA X G l l l ( 1 9 7 8 ) , pp.368-82; M a r c i a Landy, ' K i n s h i p and t h e R o l e o f Women i n P a r a d i s e L o s t ' , rTSlVQcn^PP- 3-18; Barbara K i e f e r L e w a l s k i , ' M i l t o n on Women - Y e t Once More', MS_VI ( 1 9 7 4 ) , pp.3-20; D i a n e K e l s e y M c C o l l e y , ' F r e e W i l l and O b e d i e n c e i n t h e S e p a r a t i o n Scene o f P a r a d i s e L o s t ' , S E L X I I ( 1 9 1 2 ) , pp.103-20, '"Daughter o f God and Man": T h e S u b o r d i n a t i o n o f M i l t o n ' s E v e ' i n F a m i l i a r C o l l o q u y : E s s a y s P r e s e n t e d t o A r t h u r Edward B a r k e r , ed. P a t r i c i a Bruckmann (Ottawa, 1 9 7 8 ) , pp.196-205 and '"Summon A l l " : The S e p a r a t i o n C o l l o q u y ' i n M i l t o n ' s E v e (Urbana, 1 9 8 3 ) ; V i r g i n i a R. M o l l e n k o t t , ' M i l t o n and Women's L i b e r a t i o n : A Note on T e a c h i n g Method' MQ V I I ( 1 9 7 3 ) , pp.99-103; Don P a r r y N o r f o r d , '"My O t h e r H a l f " : T h e C o i n c i d e n c e o f O p p o s i t e s i n P a r a d i s e L o s t ' , MLQ XXXVI ( 1 9 7 5 ) , pp.21-53 a n d 'The S e p a r a t i o n o f t h e World P a r e n t s i n P a r a d i s e L o s t ' , PMLA L X X X V I I I ( 1 9 7 3 ) , pp.69-78; E l a i n e B. S a f e r , ' " S u f f i c i e n t t o Have S t o o d " : E v e ' s R e s p o n s i b i l i t y i n Book I X ' , MQ_ V I ( 1 9 7 2 ) , pp.lO-14; K a t h l e e n M. Swaim, '"Hee f o r God o n l y , She f o r God i n Him": S t r u c t u r a l P a r a l l e l i s m i n P a r a d i s e L o s t ' , MS I X ( 1 9 7 6 ) , pp.121-49; John C. U l r e i c h , ' " S u f f i c i e n t t o Have S t o o d " : Adam's R e s p o n s i b i l i t y i n Book I X ' , M £ V ( 1 9 7 1 ) , pp.38-42; J o a n M a l o r y Webber, 'The P o l i t i c s o f P o e t r y : F e m i n i s m and P a r a d i s e L o s t ' , MS X I V ( 1 9 8 0 ) , pp.3-24. 1
2.
J . R. Hays, 'The Bosom Snake' i n The Dangerous Sex : The Myth o f F e m i n i n e E v i l (New Y o r k , 1 9 6 4 ) , p . 1 7 3 .
3.
i b i d . , p.167. And s e e , f o r i n s t a n c e , H. J . C. G r i e r s o n , C r o s s c u r r e n t s i n E n g l i s h L i t e r a t u r e o f t h e X V I I t h C e n t u r y (1929) , p.iS5; p.161; M a r c i a Landy, ' K i n s h i p and t h e R o l e o f Women i n P a r a d i s e L o s t ' , pp.3-18; S. M. G i l b e r t , ' P a t r i a r c h a l P o e t r y and Women R e a d e r s ' , pp.368-82; J a c k i e D i S a l v o , ' B l a k e E n c o u n t e r i n g Milton: P o l i t i c s and t h e F a m i l y i n P a r a d i s e L o s t and T h e F o u r Z o a s ' , p.169 i n M i l t o n and t h e L i n e o f V i s i o n (Madison, 1 9 7 5 ) , e d . J . A. W i t t r e i c h J r . F o r t h e p a t r i a r c h a l e m p h a s i s o f P r o t e s t a n t i s m s e e C h r i s t o p h e r H i l l , S o c i e t y and P u r i t a n i s m i n P r e - R e v o l u t i o n a r y E n g l a n d ( 1 9 6 4 ) , pp.450-51 and S i n f i e l d , p.16.
See B. K. L e w a l s k i , ' M i l t o n on Women - Y e t Once More', pp.3-20; D o r o t h y Durkee M i l l e r , 'Eve', JEGP L X I ( 1 9 6 2 ) , pp.542-47; M. R. F a r r e l l , 'The R e n a i s s a n c e I d e a o f Androgyny', pp.16-17; Webber, "The P o l i t i c s o f P o e t r y : F e m i n i s m and P a r a d i s e L o s t ' , pp.3-24.
c f . Webber, 'The P o l i t i c s o f P o e t r y : F e m i n i s m and P a r a d i s e L o s t , ' pp.10-12; B l e s s i n g t o n , ' P a r a d i s e L o s t ' a n d t h e C l a s s i c a l E p i c , pp.53-54.
S p e c i a l s t u d i e s o f E v e made i n t h e l a s t t w e n t y y e a r s o r s o i n c l u d e t h e f o l l o w i n g e s s a y s , a r t i c l e s and d i s s e r t a t i o n s : Don Cameron A l l e n , ' M i l t o n and t h e Name o f E v e ' , MLN LXXXIV ( 1 9 5 9 ) , pp.681-83; S h a h l a Anand, 'Eve, t h e P i c t o r i a l S n a r e ' i n "Of C o s t l i e s t Emblem": ' P a r a d i s e L o s t ' and t h e Emblem T r a d i t i o n (Washington D.C., 1 9 7 8 ) ; S. A. D e m e t r a k o p o u l o s , 'Eve a s a C i r c e a n a n d C o u r t l y F a t a l Woman', MQ I X ( 1 9 7 5 ) , pp.99-106; W i l l i a m Empson, 'Eve' i n M i l t o n ' s God ( 1 9 6 1 ) , pp.147-81; Roy C a t e s b y F l a n n a g a n J r . , ' M i l t o n ' s E v e ' (Ph.D. D i s s e r t a t i o n ; U n i v e r s i t y o f V i r g i n i a , 1 9 6 6 ) ; S t e p h a n i e Ann F i s h e r , ' C i r c e a n F a t a l Women i n M i l t o n ' s P o e t r y : M i l t o n ' s C o n c e p t o f t h e R e n a i s s a n c e Woman' (Ph.D. D i s s e r t a t i o n ; M i n n e a p o l i s , 1 9 7 1 ) ; C h e r y l Hope F r e s c h , ' M i l t o n ' s E v e a n d t h e T h e o l o g i c a l T r a d i t i o n ' (Ph.D. D i s s e r t a t i o n ; C o r n e l l U n i v e r s i t y , 1976) and 'The H e b r a i c I n f l u e n c e Upon t h e C r e a t i o n o f E v e i n P a r a d i s e Los£', MS X I I I ( 1 9 7 9 ) , pp.181-99; N o r t h r o p F r y e 'The R e v e l a t i o n t o E v e ' i n Paradise L o s t : A Tercentenary T r i b u t e , ed. Balachandra Rajan ( T o r o n t o , 1 9 6 9 ) , pp.18-47; D. R. H u t c h e r s o n , ' M i l t o n ' s E p i t h e t s f o r E v e ' , U n i v e r s i t y o f V i r g i n i a S t u d i e s N.S. I V ( 1 9 5 1 ) , p p . 2 5 3 60 and ' M i l t o n ' s E v e and t h e O t h e r E v e s ' , U n i v e r s i t y o f M i s s i s s i p p i S t u d i e s i n E n g l i s h I ( 1 9 6 0 ) , pp.12-31; John R. K n o t t J r . , ' F a i r e s t o f C r e a t i o n ' i n M i l t o n ' s P a s t o r a l V i s i o n : An A p p r o a c h t o ' P a r a d i s e L o s t ' ( C h i c a g o , 1 9 7 1 ) , pp.209-26; B e l l e M i l l e r McMaster, "'Accomp l i s h ' t E v e " : The I n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f C h a r a c t e r , T r a d i t i o n a n d S t r u c t u r e i n P a r a d i s e L o s t ' (Ph.D. D i s s e r t a t i o n ; U n i v e r s i t y o f L o u i s v i l l e , 1 9 7 4 ) ; D. D. M i l l e r , 'Eve\- J . Max P a t r i c k , 'A R e c o n s i d e r a t i o n o f the F a t e o f Eve', Etudes A n g l a i s e s X X V I I I ( 1 9 7 5 ) , pp.15-21; Mother Mary C h r i s t o p h e r P e c h e u x , 'The C o n c e p t o f t h e Second E v e i n P a r a d i s e L o s t ' , PMLA LXXV ( 1 9 6 0 ) , pp.359-66; D. F . R a u b e r , 'The Metamorphoses o f E v e ' , Lock Haven R e v i e w X I I ( 1 9 7 1 ) , pp.54-10; E l i z a b e t h J a n e V e s s e l s , 'A M y t h i c L i g h t on Eve : The F u n c t i o n o f M y t h o l o g i c a l A l l u s i o n i n D e f i n i n g H e r C h a r a c t e r a n d R o l e i n t h e E p i c A c t i o n o f P a r a d i s e L o s t ' (Ph.D. D i s s e r t a t i o n ; Fordham U n i v e r s i t y , 1 9 7 2 ) ; Mary S t a n l e y W e i n h a u f , 'The Two F a c e s o f E v e : The I d e a l a n d B a d R e n a i s s a n c e W i f e i n P a r a d i s e L o s t ' (Ph.D. D i s s e r t a t i o n ; U n i v e r s i t y ,of T e n n e s s e e , •
1966); the only f u l l length McColley, Milton's Eve.
to Uo p u b l i J & d ,
s t u d y o f E v e , i s by D i a n e ^
Kelsey
46
7.
Hermann F r a n k e l , Ovid, A P o e t 1 9 4 5 ) , p.65.
8.
M a c a u l a y , An E s s a y on ... M i l t o n , p.17.
9.
S e e A r t h u r J . A. Waldock, ' S a t a n and t h e T e c h n i q u e o f D e g r a d a t i o n ' i n ' P a r a d i s e L o s t ' and I t s C r i t i c s (Cambridge, 1947; r e p r . 1 9 6 1 ) , pp.65-96. However, D. R. H u t c h e r s o n h a s p o i n t e d o u t t h e sudden change o f p e r s p e c t i v e whereby M i l t o n ' s " p e r f e c t and m a j e s t i c c r e a t u r e " becomes m e r e l y " a weak and e r r i n g i n d i v i d u a l who i s a l s o t h e symbol o f h e r f r a i l s e x " . As he o b s e r v e s : "One may w e l l p a u s e t o q u e s t i o n what h a s become o f t h e g r e a t E v e , t h e m a j e s t i c E v e " ( ' M i l t o n ' s E p i t h e t s f o r Eve', pp.258-59; p. 2 5 6 ) .
10.
J o s e p h E . Duncan, M i l t o n ' s E a r t h l y P a r a d i s e : A H i s t o r i c a l o f Eden ( M i n n e a p o l i s , 1972) , p . 3 1 .
11.
c f . D. F . Rauber,
12.
Between Two Worlds ( B e r k e l e y ,
Study
'The Metamorphoses o f E v e ' , p.54 and pp.60-61.
S e e , f o r example, t h e comments o f D. R. H u t c h e r s o n , 'Milton's E p i t h e t s f o r E v e , p.253; S h a h l a Anand, "Of C o s t l i e s t Emblem": ' P a r a d i s e L o s t ' a n d t h e Emblem T r a d i t i o n ' , p.188; K n o t t , M i l t o n ' s P a s t o r a l V i s i o n , p.209; W i l l i a m Empson, M i l t o n ' s God , p.163 and B r i j r a j S i n g h , M i l t o n : An I n t r o d u c t i o n ( D e l h i , 1 9 7 7 ) , p . 5 2 . 1
13.
Donald F . Bouchard, M i l t o n
: A S t r u c t u r a l Reading
( 1 9 7 4 ) , p.55.
14,
J . B. B r o a d b e n t , Some G r a v e r
15.
W i l l i a m Empson, Some V e r s i o n s o f P a s t o r a l ( 1 9 3 5 ) , pp.172-79; D. P. H a r d i n g , The C l u b o f H e r c u l e s , pp.67-85; Bush, ' I r o n i c and Ambiguous A l l u s i o n i n P a r a d i s e L o s t ' , pp.631-40; G i a m a t t i , The E a r t h l y P a r a d i s e and t h e R e n a i s s a n c e E p i c , pp.295-355; S. A. Demetrakopoulos, 'Eve a s a C o u r t l y and C i r c e a n F a t a l Woman'. E m p h a s i s i s a l s o p l a c e d upon E v e ' s C i r c e a n r o l e by Steadman, 'The C r i t i q u e o f Amor' i n M i l t o n and t h e R e n a i s s a n c e Hero, pp.108-36; John E . Seaman, The M o r a l P a r a d o x o f ' P a r a d i s e L o s t ' (The Hague and P a r i s : Mouton, 1 9 7 1 ) , pp.102-3 and by L e o n o r a L e e t Brodwin, ' M i l t o n and t h e R e n a i s s a n c e C i r c e ' , MS_ V I ( 1 9 7 4 ) , pp.58-61.
16.
Empson, Some V e r s i o n s o f P a s t o r a l ,
S u b j e c t , p.192.
p.172.
«
47
17.
S e e , f o r example, K n o t t ' s c o n t e n t i o n t h a t "The p a s t o r a l s t r a i n i n Eve's l i t e r a r y ancestry i s a t l e a s t as important as her k i n s h i p w i t h t h e s e d u c t i v e women o f p r e v i o u s e p i c s " ( M i l t o n ' s P a s t o r a l V i s i o n , p.111).
18.
See, f o r i n s t a n c e , Knott, Milton's P a s t o r a l V i s i o n ,
19.
McColley,
20.
Osgood, The C l a s s i c a l Mythology o f M i l t o n ' s E n g l i s h Poems, p . 4 9 .
21.
Knott, Milton's P a s t o r a l V i s i o n ,
22.
ibid.
23.
ibid.
p.117.
M i l t o n ' s E v e , p.67.
p.117.
24.
D. P. H a r d i n g ,
The C l u b o f H e r c u l e s , pp.77-78.
25.
ibid.
26.
James W h a l e r , 'The M i l t o n i c S i m i l e ' , PMLA X L V I ( 1 9 3 1 ) , p.1051. Here, Whaler d i r e c t s u s " e s p e c i a l l y t o t h e t e r m i n a t i o n o f t h e s t o r y o f J u n o ' s b e g u i l i n g o f J u p i t e r ( I l i a d XIV, 3 4 6 - 5 5 1 ) . "
27.
For f u r t h e r evidence o f Milton's d e s i r e t o enforce t h i s p a r a l l e l , s e e H a r d i n g , The C l u b o f H e r c u l e s , pp.79-80; F r a n k Kermode, 'Adam U n p a r a d i s e d ' i n The L i v i n g M i l t o n , e d . F r a n k Kermode (1960; r e p r . 1 9 6 2 ) , p.112; Bush, ' P a r a d i s e L o s t ' i n Our Time, pp.105-6 and ' I r o n i c and Ambigous A l l u s i o n i n P a r a d i s e L o s t ' , p . 6 4 0 .
28.
D. P. H a r d i n g ,
29.
ibid.,
30.
Gary McCown, ' M i l t o n and t h e E p i c E p i t h a l a r n i u m , ' MS_ V ( 1 9 7 3 ) , p.52.
31.
John D. P e t e r , A C r i t i q u e o f ' P a r a d i s e L o s t ' (New Y o r k , p.39 ( a s q u o t e d i n R i c k s , M i l t o n ' s G r a n d S t y l e , p . 3 2 ) .
The C l u b o f H e r c u l e s , p.80.
p.81.
1960),
48
32.
S. A. D e m e t r a k o p o u l o s , Woman', p.105.
'Eve a s a C i r c e a n and C o u r t l y F a t a l
33.
Seaman, The M o r a l P a r a d o x o f ' P a r a d i s e L o s t ' , p.113.
34.
c f . Steadman, M i l t o n and t h e R e n a i s s a n c e Hero,
35.
Seaman, The M o r a l P a r a d o x o f
36.
i b i d . , p.114. E . J . V e s s e l s a l s o s t r e s s e s E v e ' s d u a l i n s t r u m e n t a l i t y and Kermode t o o h a s e m p h a s i z e d " t h e c e n t r a l i t y o f t h e p a r a d o x o f E v e a s d e s t r o y e r and g i v e r o f l i f e " ('Adam U n p a r a d i s e d ' , p.120).
pp.xviii-xix.
- P a r a d i s e L o s t ' , pp.113-14.
49
CHAPTER I I I By
T y p e s and
Shadows:
At t h i s p o i n t , I f e e l
Milton,
between Eve and v a r i o u s O v i d i a n
critical
c h a r a c t e r s by e x a m i n i n g h i s use
Having c o n s i d e r e d
have conformed w i t h , a n d p r a c t i c e , we
employment o f f i g u r a t i v e
a l l u s i o n a g a i n s t the b a c k c l o t h of
opinion.
will
Metaphor
i t would be v a l u a b l e t o r e f l e c t upon some
of the g e n e r a l i m p l i c a t i o n s of M i l t o n ' s
mythological
Myth and
in turn
links of
seventeenth-century
t h e ways i n w h i c h M i l t o n
seems t o
defied,contemporary theory
be b e t t e r e q u i p p e d t o a s s e s s and
and
appreciate
the
immense i m a g i n a t i v e use he made of t h e Metamorphoses, d r a w i n g upon i t as a f e r t i l e Eve
source
of i m a g e r y f o r h i s r i c h and
i n Paradise Lost.
But
f i r s t we must c a l l a t t e n t i o n t o t h e
i n which these a l l u s i o n s predominantly appear. mythological
The
similes.
t h e c o n t r i b u t i o n of c o v e r t O v i d i a n
A l t h o u g h we
be d i s c u s s i n g
the course of
this
i t seems s e n s i b l e t o b a s e t h e argument on f i r m ground, and
initially
in t h i s chapter,
I will
be c o n f i n i n g my
a c o n s i d e r a t i o n of the i m p l i c a t i o n s of M i l t o n ' s material.
But,
to Milton's
According current,
'delight'.
open u s e o f
of as
the
to
mythological
allusion.
' d r e s s of t h o u g h t ' and
then
f i g u r e s of
speech
'ornaments' o f l a n g u a g e i n c l u d e d a s c o n d u c i v e
Amongst t h e s e f i g u r e s t h e
so,
be r e l e v a n t
t o t h e most f u n d a m e n t a l f r a m e of r e f e r e n c e
language was
were c o n c e i v e d
comments m a i n l y
o f c o u r s e , much of what i s s a i d h e r e w i l l
deployment o f c a m o u f l a g e d
of
i s found i n a
will
a l l u s i o n during
guise
e s s e n t i a l core
m a t e r i a l , as c r i t i c s g e n e r a l l y observe,
s e r i e s of e l a b o r a t e formal
thesis,
complex p o r t r a y a l o f
s i m i l e was
particularly
to
favoured
a s a means of e m b e l l i s h i n g v e r s e t o e n h a n c e t h e r e a d e r ' s p l e a s u r e .
50
The
sensuous
and
emotional
d i s t i n c i t v e element
' p l e a s u r e ' t h u s d e r i v e d from p o e t r y was
that distinguished
m a t t e r s o f s e r i o u s i m p o r t or
i t as a v e h i c l e f o r
the
conveying
' t r u t h ' from t h e d i d a c t i c t r e a t i s e
which
would p r e s e n t i t s argument i n t e l l e c t u a l l y , a p p e a l i n g e x c l u s i v e l y t o t h e reader's
'reason'.
From t h i s a n g l e , p o e t r y was e f f e c t i v e means p r o p e r The
s e r i o u s poet,
regarded as p l e a s i n g only as the
1 t o i t o f f u r t h e r i n g i t s u l t i m a t e end o f t e a c h i n g .
t h e n , would combine " u t i l e d u l c i / l e c t o r e m
delectando
2
p a r i t e r q u e monendo."
The H o r a t i a n d i c t u m
hands o f P u r i t a n h u m a n i s t s it
was
proved
a handy t o o l i n t h e
i n t e n t on d e f e n d i n g s e c u l a r and pagan p o e t r y ;
u s e d i n s u p p o r t o f t h e i r c l a i m t h a t s u c h l i t e r a t u r e may
move
3
f a l l e n men
to v i r t u e .
S i r P h i l i p S i d n e y ' s An A p o l o g i e i n s t a n c e s of t h e l o g i c a l
format
for Poetrie affords fine
o f t h i s d e f e n s i v e argument.
He
affirms
t h a t t h e v e r y p l e a s u r e c o n f e r r e d on t h e r e a d e r by p o e t r y i s e s s e n t i a l to i t s o b j e c t i v e , s i n c e i t a l l u r e s
r e a d e r s " t o t a k e t h e goodnes i n 4
hande, w h i c h w i t h o u t d e l i g h t t h e y would f l y e a s from a s t r a n g e r . " Elsewhere i n h i s defence
Sidney e p i t o m i s e s t h i s twofold o p e r a t i o n of
t r u e p o e t r y " t o d e l i g h t and ;
Cherries."
t e a c h " i n h i s e x p r e s s i o n a "medicine
of
^
However, t h i s s u g g e s t i v e image o f t h e f r u i t f u l a l l i a n c e when t h e o p p o s i t i o n between
' p r o f i t ' and
'delight'
i s r e s o l v e d and
a c t i n u n i s o n , u l t i m a t e l y d e r i v e s from t h e Roman p o e t i n the f i r s t
attained
Lucretius
book o f h i s d i d a c t i c poem De Rerum N a t u r a , gave t h e
and most e l o q u e n t e x p r e s s i o n t o t h e i m p o r t a n t r o l e p o e t r y may
they
who, fullest
play i n
facilitating especially
the promulgation of
s i n c e i t appears
r e m a r k e d , upon M i l t o n ' s own
'truth'.
T h i s passage
deserves
t o have e x e r t e d an i n f l u e n c e , a s y e t conception of the v a l u e of
inclusion, un-
poetry:
d e i n d e quod o s c u r a de r e tarn l u c i d a pango c a r m i n a , musaeo c o n t i n g e n s c u n c t a l e p o r e , i d quoque enim non ab n u l l a r a t i o n e v i d e t u r ; s e d v e l u t i p u e r i s a b s i n t h i a t a e t r a medentes cum d a r e c o n a n t u r , p r i u s o r a s p o c u l a c i r c u m contingunt m e l l i s d u l c i flavoque l i q u o r e , u t puerorum a e t a s i m p r o v i d a l u d i f i c e t u r l a b r o r u m t e n u s , i n t e r e a p e r p o t e t amarum a b s i n t h i l a t i c e m d e c e p t a q u e non c a p i a t u r , sed p o t i u s t a l i pacto r e c r e a t a v a l e s c a t , s i c ego nunc, quoniam h a e c r a t i o plerumque v i d e t u r t r i s t i o r e s s e q u i b u s non e s t t r a c t a t a , r e t r o q u e v u l g u s a b h o r r e t ab h a c , v o l u i t i b i s u a v i l o q u e n t i carmine P i e r i o rationem exponere n o s t r a e t q u a s i musaeo d u l c i c o n t i n g e r e m e l l e s i t i b i f o r t e animum t a l i r a t i o n e t e n e r e v e r s i b u s i n n o s t r i s possem, dum p e r s p i c i s omnem n a t u r a m rerum qua c o n s t e t compta f i g u r a . ^
F o r i n an i n f o r m a t i v e d i g r e s s i o n on t h e r o l e o f t h e p o e t Reason o f C h u r c h Government, M i l t o n i n d i c a t e s h i s own
i n the
poetic ambitions,
e n t h u s i n g upon t h e power o f p o e t r y a s an a i d t o t h e advancement o f and
c l e a r l y s i g n a l l i n g h i s adherence
e a r n e s t l y advocates
t o t h e L u c r e t i a n model.
t h a t the t r u e poet
should
be:
T e a c h i n g o v e r t h e whole book o f s a n c t i t y and v e r t u t h r o u g h a l l t h e i n s t a n c e s o f example, w i t h s u c h d e l i g h t t o t h o s e e s p e c i a l l y of s o f t and d e l i c i o u s temper who w i l l n o t so much a s l o o k upon T r u t h h e r s e l f e u n l e s s e they see her e l e g a n t l y d r e s t , t h a t w h e r e a s t h e p a t h s o f h o n e s t y and good l i f e a p p e a r now r u g g e d and d i f f i c u l t , though t h e y be i n d e e d e a s y and p l e a s a n t , t h e y would t h e n a p p e a r t o a l l men b o t h e a s y and p l e a s a n t though t h e y were rugged and d i f f i c u l t i n d e e d . 7
truth
Here M i l t o n
Developing
L u c r e t i u s ' p o s i t i o n , M i l t o n goes on t o c o n t e n d t h a t ,
when t h e p o t e n c y t h a t r e s i d e s i n t h e d e l i g h t f u l n e s s o f p o e t r y
i s abused,
the r e a d e r
swallow'd
down.and He
"lap[s)
...
up v i t i o u s p r i n c i p l e s i n s w e e t p i l s
the t a s t
t h u s condemns t h o s e
their
o f v e r t u o u s documents " l i b i d i n o u s and
g s a c r e d o f f i c e by c a u s i n g
[ i s madej
ignorant
"our y o u t h and
t o be
h a r s h and
f b e t a s t e r s " who
sour." profane
g e n t r y " t o "suck
i n dayly"
9
" c o r r u p t i o n and
The the l i t e r a l itself
bane."
s i m i l e and o t h e r s u c h p o e t i c d e v i c e s employed t o e m b r o i d e r s e n s e were c o n s i d e r e d a s t h e means whereby t h e poem commended
and made i t s e l f
a c c e p t a b l e to the r e a d e r .
E v i d e n t l y , "That
book i
10 good i n v a i n w h i c h t h e r e a d e r t h r o w s away " and of t h i s pragmatic it
was
intended
requirement
to ensure
the
fulfilment
- t h a t a work s h o u l d p l e a s e t h o s e f o r whom
- i t would seem t h e n n o t o n l y t o j u s t i f y
departures
from t h e p l a i n , u n v a r n i s h e d
essential.
James B e a t t i e t a k e s t h i s
t r u t h but r e n d e r
such them
figurative virtually
l i n e of r e a s o n i n g t o i t s l o g i c a l
c o n c l u s i o n i n t h i s e x t r a c t from h i s E s s a y on P o e t r y and
Music:
I f i t a p p e a r , t h a t , by means of F i g u r e s , Language may be made more p l e a s i n g ... i t w i l l f o l l o w , t h a t t o P o e t i c Language, whose end i s t o p l e a s e ... F i g u r e s must be n o t o n l y o r n a m e n t a l , b u t n e c e s s a r y .
Moreover, t h e s i m i l e was the e p i c genre,
p r e s c r i b e d a s t h e most a p p r o p r i a t e ornament f o r
a s Pope's a d v i c e t o t h e poet w i t h p r e t e n s i o n s t o w r i t e 12
an e p i c poem t o "Season i t w e l l w i t h s i m i l e s "
wittily attests.
Indeed,
t h e s i m i l i t u d o p e r c o n l a t i o n e m , a s opposed t o t h e s i m p l e c o m p a r i s o n o r s i m i l i t u d o per
b r e v i t a t e m ,was r e g a r d e d
c h a r a c t e r i s t i c o f t h e e p i c g e n r e and
as a f e a t u r e p a r t i c u l a r l y
came t o be known a s t h e
'epic
simile
The
long, s u s t a i n e d s i m i l e
was/
t h e r e f o r e , necessary t o s a t i s f y
the 1 o
f o r m a l demands o f decorum, " t h a t g r a n d m a s t e r p i e c e the requirements
o f decorum were more complex:
to observe."
Yet
c o u l d pagan m a t t e r
be
i n c l u d e d w i t h p r o p r i e t y i n a poem w i t h a C h r i s t i a n theme? i n t r u s i o n o f pagan f i c t i o n
The
apparent
i n t o a poem o f s a c r e d t r u t h p r e s e n t e d
a
r a t h e r more v e x e d q u e s t i o n . Of c o u r s e , " C h r i s t i a n h o s t i l i t y t o pagan myth had
long
before
14 invaded
t h e p r o v i n c e o f p o e t r y " a s M.
H.
Abrams r e m i n d s u s ,
but
the
movement a c q u i r e d p a r t i c u l a r v i r u l e n c e w i t h t h e a d d i t i o n o f r a n k s vociferous Puritan divines.
E s p e c i a l l y n o t a b l e amongst t h o s e
of
strident
d e t r a c t o r s o f a n c i e n t myth were S t e p h e n Gosson and W i l l i a m P r y n n e , p u b l i s h e d works p a r t i c u l a r l y a n t a g o n i s t i c towards the i m m o r a l i t y sensuous
l e v i t y o f pagan f a b l e s .
However, a n c i e n t m y t h o l o g y
philosophy. tation,
e m p i r i c a l and
i t i n e v i t a b l y r e s u l t e d i n a concern
represent,
This
f u r t h e r compounded by t h e r a t i o n a l i s t i c b i a s o f t h e Essentially practical,
"the Worlds
true image",^
and
was
i n c r e a s i n g l y disparaged f o r i t s v i o l a t i o n of C h r i s t i a n t r u t h . p r o b l e m was
who
new
sceptical in orien-
t h a t the poet
a s r e v e a l e d by
should
"plain
reason's
17 light"
and v e r i f i e d by s c i e n t i f i c
experiment.
A number of s e v e n t e e n t h - c e n t u r y t h e o r i s t s a g r e e d
that t h i s
e n l i g h t e n e d p e r s p e c t i v e on n a t u r e must e f f e c t t h e e r a d i c a t i o n m y t h o l o g y from t h e p o e t ' s m a t e r i a l s , f o r i t was contrary to s c i e n t i f i c
truth.
now
of
demonstrably
Thomas S p r a t i n h i s H i s t o r y o f t h e
S o c i e t y put t h e i r p o s i t i o n p l a i n l y
thus:
new,
Royal
54
t h e Wit o f F a b l e s and R e l i g i o n s o f t h e A n c i e n t World ... have a l r e a d y s e r v ' d t h e P o e t s l o n g enough; and i t i s now h i g h time t o d i s m i s s them. T r u t h i s n e v e r s o w e l l e x p r e s s ' d o r a m p l i f y ' d a s by t h o s e Ornaments w h i c h a r e T r u and R e a l i n themselves.18
There
i s a l s o ample e v i d e n c e
were i n f l u e n c e d by t h i s a t t i t u d e .
to suggest
Cowley, h i m s e l f t h e a u t h o r
To t h e R o y a l S o c i e t y p r e f i x e d t o B i s h o p Society,
that practising
favour of those
o f an
S p r a t ' s H i s t o r y of the
e x e m p l i f i e s t h e movement away from m y t h o l o g i c a l C h r i s t i a n themes w h i c h e n j o y e d
poets ode
Royal
subjects in
"the double advantage of
19 being both marvellous
and
true."
I n h i s p r e f a c e o f 1646,
Cowley
d e c l a r e d t h a t , " a l l t h e Books o f t h e B i b l e a r e e i t h e r a l r e a d y most admirable, the world
and
e x a l t e d p i e c e s of P o e s i e or a r e the b e s t m a t e r i a l s i n
for i t . "
A c t i n g upon h i s b e l i e f t h a t "Too
l o n g t h e Muses
L a n d s have H e a t h e n b i n ; / T h e i r Gods t o o l o n g were D e v ' i l s , and Sin" to
i n D a v i d e i s , Cowley announces h i s s a c r e d c a l l i n g
"Apostle,
c o n v e r t t h a t World":
T ' u n b i n d t h e charms t h a t i n s l i g h t F a b l e s And t e a c h t h a t T r u t h i s t r u e s t P o e s i e . 20
Joseph paganism: his
a s an
Vertues
be,
Beaumont's P s y c h e a l s o i l l u s t r a t e s t h e t r e n d away from
i n a n o t e from
o b j e c t i v e , "That
'The
A u t h o r t o t h e R e a d e r ' , Beaumont r e c o r d s
t h i s Book may
prompt b e t t e r W i t s t o b e l i e v e , t h a t
a D i v i n e Theam i s a s c a p a b l e and happy a S u b j e c t o f P o e t i c a l 21 a s any
Pagan o r Humane D e v i c e
Whatsoever."
Ornament,
55
C o u p l e d w i t h s c r u p l e s and r e s e r v a t i o n s t h a t M i l t o n
naturally
a c q u i r e d from h i s P u r i t a n background, t h i s a n t i - p a g a n movement t h a t M i l t o n would not h a n d l e a n c i e n t myth d i r e c t l y
ensured
i n major works.
E l i m i n a t e d from t h e main t h r u s t o f t h e n a r r a t i v e , m y t h o l o g i c a l m a t e r i a l was
r e l e g a t e d to the f o r m a l l y i n f e r i o r p o s i t i o n of i l l u s t r a t i v e
On
t h e o t h e r hand, S y l v e s t e r , d e s p i t e h i s e a r n e s t p r a y e r f o r an
example. "un-
vulgar s t i l e " :
That From Were
I by t h i s may w a i n our wanton I L E O v i d s h e i r e s , and t h e i r u n - h a l l o w e d s p e l l — — — 22 charming s e n s e s , c h a i n i n g s o u l e s i n H e l l
o c c a s i o n a l l y peoples
h i s n a r r a t i v e w i t h O v i d i a n d e i t i e s who
a l b e i t d e c o r a t i v e , p a r t i n the a c t i o n as agents d e s c r i b e s how
God
chose
o f God.
take
an,
Sylvester
f o r Adam "a happy S e a t " :
which d a i n t y F l o r a paveth sumptously w i t h f l o w e r y VERS i n a m e l ' d t a p i s t r y , Pomona p r a n k s w i t h f r u i t s , whose t a s t e e x c e l s , and Zephyr f i l s w i t h Musk and Amber s m e l s ^ where God h i m s e l f ( a s G a r d n e r ) t r e a d s t h e a l l i e s .
T h i s passage
i n d i c a t e s by c o n t r a s t M i l t o n ' s own
e x q u i s i t e and
c o n t r o l of m y t h o l o g i c a l i l l u s t r a t i o n which i s always his
o v e r r i d i n g themes.
r e a s o n why
Moreover, i t
Milton avoided
perhaps
a d i r e c t treatment
subordinated
demonstrates of m y t h i c a l
p u t t i n g him
on a p a r w i t h minor r u r a l
deities.
to
another
figures:
t h e s e l i n e s from S y l v e s t e r seem t o d i m i n i s h i n a d v e r t e n t l y t h e of God,
inspired
majesty
However, M i l t o n seems t o have e n c o u n t e r e d such i n d i r e c t usage. and
o p p o s i t i o n to even
C. A. Moore b e l i e v e s t h e anonymous poem, O r d e r
D i s o r d e r or The World Made and
Undone t o be a v e i l e d a t t a c k on 24
Milton's Indeed, having any
' a d u l t e r a t i o n ' of t h e G e n e s i s s t o r y w i t h pagan i n t h e p r e f a c e , the a u t h o r
had
e x p l i c i t l y p r i d e s h i m s e l f on
" r e c o u r s e t o t h e f o u n t a i n of T r u t h [i.e.
of t h e p u d l e d
of a n c i e n t poets
w a t e r , my s h o u l d be
elements. only
G e n e s i s ] ...
lest
wanton y o u t h
drew from t h e prophane H e l i c o n 25 s p r i n k l e d about the w o r l d . "
Y e t , remembering t h a t M i l t o n ' s own seem t o a c c o r d w i t h s u c h a n t i p a t h y , we may
r e l i g i o u s p e r s u a s i o n would well feel
justified
in
e x p r e s s i n g s u r p r i s e t h a t m y t h o l o g i c a l m a t e r i a l s h o u l d be i n c l u d e d a t a l l i n a C h r i s t i a n e p i c - even i n t h e l e s s a s s u m i n g form o f example. As we and,
However, s u c h s u r p r i s e would be a h a s t y and
have s e e n , M i l t o n was a s s u c h , was
thoroughly
one
of the l a s t
like
uncritical
t r u e h e i r s of t h e
imbued w i t h t h e v a l u e s o f t h e
t r a d i t i o n , and much modern s c h o l a r s h i p h a s he was
illustrative
sought
reaction
Renaissance
humanistic
to demonstrate
that
"not a P u r i t a n i n t h e n a r r o w s e n s e , b u t a R e n a i s s a n c e P u r i t a n ,
Spenser,
p r e s e r v i n g w i t h i n h i s P u r i t a n i s m the Renaissance
traditions
L i k e o t h e r p o e t s o f t h a t p e r i o d , h i s mind o f t e n moved w i t h a g i l i t y t h e pagan t o t h e C h r i s t i a n w o r l d . o f mind e n a b l e d him and
Reformation
beauty
and
On
from
Moreover, M i l t o n ' s e x c e p t i o n a l b r e a d t h
to u n i t e the c o n f l i c t i n g
i d e a l s of the
Renaissance
t o a c h i e v e a p r e c a r i o u s b a l a n c e between t h e c l a i m s o f
t r u t h , s e n s e and
spirit.
t h e o t h e r hand, D o u g l a s B u s h p r e f e r s t o r e g a r d t h i s
i n t e r m s o f a d i c h o t o m y , where t h e two r a t h e r than complementary.
duality
sides are sharply a n t i t h e t i c a l
Bush draws our a t t e n t i o n t o " t h e
obvious
57
d e l i g h t w i t h which, l a v i s h e s beauty
i n a l l h i s c h i e f poems e x c e p t
o f d i c t i o n and
the l a s t ,
rhythm upon m y t h o l o g i c a l
w h i l s t a " s e r i e s of a s t r i n g e n t f o o t n o t e s " r e l e g a t e
[Milton]
allusions"
"myth t o t h e
level
o f pagan f i c t i o n not w i t h o u t g r a t u t i o u s c o l d n e s s o f manner a t b e s t
and
27 sometimes w i t h H e b r a i c warmth."
Bush c o n c l u d e s
that
" I t i s a case of
28 a c l e a r d i v o r c e between t h e a r t i s t
and
theologian"
e x p r e s s i o n o f t h e d i v i d e d a l l e g i a n c e t h a t was
i n Milton,
t h e h e r i t a g e of
an
the
29 P u r i t a n humanist.
He
r e t u r n s to t h i s apparent
e n l a r g i n g upon t h e way
"antimony"
elsewhere,
i n w h i c h t h e s i m i l e s a r e "opened and
h o s t i l e p h r a s e s " a s though M i l t o n
closed with
" f e e l s o b l i g e d i n a s a c r e d poem t o
l a b e l a s pagan f i c t i o n what h i s i m a g i n a t i o n c a n n o t
resist."^
0
So,
d e s p i t e l o u d p r o t e s t a t i o n s of s c e p t i c i s m , M i l t o n succumbs u n w i t t i n g l y to Ovid's
charm.
However v a l i d Bush's comments a r e a s g e n e r a l i s a t i o n s , t h e y
do
n o t a t t e n d t o c e r t a i n s p e c i f i c p a t t e r n s w h i c h seem t o emerge w i t h i n 31 M i l t o n ' s u s e o f m y t h o l o g i c a l imagery w i t h i n P a r a d i s e L o s t . significant
t h a t t h o s e a l l u s i o n s w h i c h c l u s t e r a r o u n d E v e , a s opposed
t o t h o s e t h a t c e n t r e upon S a t a n and
t h e f a l l e n a n g e l s , do not
t h e d i s m i s s i v e o r even q u a l i f y i n g comments t h a t we Bush's g e n e r a l i s a t i o n s . e x p r e s s i o n s such as expected
Of c o u r s e , we
'more' o r
find
c h a r a c t e r of
attract
might expect
i n s t a n c e s of
the
from
intensifying
'not s o ' , b u t t h e s e a r e o n l y t o
where M i l t o n i s i n t e n t upon e s t a b l i s h i n g
be
superlative
Eve.
E v e n t h e e v i d e n t e x c e p t i o n t o my Book V, where Eve a p p e a r s feigned/Of
I t seems
p r o p o s i t i o n t o be
"more l o v e l y f a i r "
than
found i n
"the f a i r e s t
t h r e e t h a t i n Mount I d a n a k e d s t r o v e " ( 3 8 0 - 8 2 ) may
goddess
not
prove
58
so c l e a r l y unambiguous when examined more c l o s e l y . apply?
is
i t an ' a s t r i n g e n t f o o t n o t e '
To what does
'feigned'
r e l e g a t i n g the t r i o of goddesses
f i r m l y t o t h e l e v e l o f pagan f i c t i o n a s Bush would have u s s u p p o s e ? i s a t l e a s t p o s s i b l e t o read
'feigned' with
a l l i t e r a t i o n i n the l i n e supports
'fairest';
such a view.
indeed, the
I f the e f f e c t of t h i s
a l l i t e r a t i o n i s t o t i e s u b t l y t o g e t h e r what i s n o t o p e n l y statement,
then
t h e l i n e s would s u g g e s t
I t
linked
i n direct
t h a t i f E v e had e n t e r e d t h e
d i v i n e b e a u t y c o n t e s t , P a r i s would have been o b l i g e d t o r e v i s e h i s judgement i n h e r f a v o u r . we
recall
T h i s i n t e r p r e t a t i o n seems more p l a u s i b l e when
t h a t t h i s myth had been r e c e n t l y r e v i v e d t o c o m p l i m e n t Queen
Elizabeth I .
She i s found t o u n i t e t h e g i f t s o f a l l t h r e e g o d d e s s e s 32
and
i s a c c o r d i n g l y awarded t h e p r i z e d a p p l e w i t h o u t
It
i s interesting
contention.
t o n o t e t h a t Dr. J o h n s o n , w h i l s t he d i d n o t
remark upon any d i s c e r n i b l e p a t t e r n o r common f a c t o r i n v o l v e d , c o m p l a i n e d t h a t M i l t o n ' s m y t h o l o g i c a l a l l u s i o n s were " n o t a l w a y s
used w i t h n o t i c e
33 of t h e i r v a n i t y . " Addison.
T h i s p o i n t had a l s o drawn c r i t i c a l
comment from
A f t e r c o n s i d e r i n g t h e d u b i o u s p r o p r i e t y o f s u c h a l l u s i o n , he
s i n g l e s out t h i s p r a c t i c e f o r p a r t i c u l a r
censure:
A n o t h e r B l e m i s h t h a t a p p e a r s i n some o f h i s T h o u g h t s , i s h i s frequent A l l u s i o n t o Heathen F a b l e s which a r e not c e r t a i n l y of a p i e c e with the Divine S u b j e c t , o f w h i c h he t r e a t s , I do n o t f i n d f a u l t w i t h t h e s e A l l u s i o n s , where t h e P o e t h i m s e l f r e p r e s e n t s them a s f a b u l o u s , a s he does i n some p l a c e s , b u t where he m e n t i o n s them a s T r u t h s a n d M a t t e r s o f F a c t . 3 4
Ut Umbra C o r p o r e
: Shadowy T y p e s o f
With Addison's querulous
Eve
comment i n mind, I now
propose to
examine M i l t o n ' s p r a c t i c e of l i n k i n g c e r t a i n O v i d i a n myths w i t h from s c r i p t u r a l h i s t o r y more n a r r o w l y perspective.
The
from t h e
s e v e n t e e n t h c e n t u r y was
" f o r no p e r i o d s o u n m i s t a k a b l y A na nd h a s o b s e r v e d ,
although
episodes
seventeenth-century
pre-eminently
l o o k e d b a c k w a r d and
t h e age o f
forward."
the e a r l y seventeenth century
3 6
Janus
As
Shahla
" f a c e s the 37
age
o f s c i e n c e and r e a s o n " , i t i s " s t i l l m e d i e v a l
i n much o f i t s o u t l o o k . "
I n t h i s , a s i n s o many o t h e r t h i n g s , M i l t o n p a r t a k e s o f t h e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s of t h e age
i n w h i c h he
lived.
W h i l e " t h e u l t i m a t e movement o f t h o u g h t i n t h e c e n t u r y was
away from a l l e g o r i c a l and
prevailing
seventeenth
s y m b o l i c modes o f t h o u g h t "
as
"a 38
new
s c h o o l o f r a t i o n a l i s m l o o k e d a t c l a s s i c a l myth w i t h u n b l u r r e d e y e s " ,
t h e s c i e n t i f i c movement, though i n e x o r a b l y u n d e r m i n i n g t h e
allegorical
39 t r a d i t i o n , was
s l o w t o o f f e r an e f f e c t i v e c h a l l e n g e t o t h e
power of a n c i e n t myth a s a means of s y m b o l i c e x p r e s s i o n . with t h i s ,
i t i s i n t e r e s t i n g t o note
of the f i r s t
to defend
i n passing that
De
imaginative I n connection
Q u i n c e y was
M i l t o n ' s i n c l u s i o n o f pagan i m a g e r y i n t h e
s p e c i f i c a l l y on t h e grounds o f t h e i r h a v i n g
one
similes
"something o f a l l e g o r i e i n 40
t h e i r c o n c e p t i o n s w h i c h i n a measure c o r r e c t s t h e p a g a n i s m o f t h e i d e a . " More r e c e n t l y , L a b r i o l a h a s a r g u e d
that
" t h e t r a d i t i o n of t h e
Renaissance
O v i d e x e r c i s e d a more s u b s t a n t i a l i n f l u e n c e on t h e c o m p o s i t i o n o f 41 P a r a d i s e L o s t t h a n s c h o l a r s have s u p p o s e d , " and h i s c o n t e n t i o n seems
60
worth e x p l o r i n g f u r t h e r . p e r v a s i v e i n f l u e n c e on
Indeed,
s i n c e t h i s t r a d i t i o n e x e r c i s e d such a
seventeenth-century
i n t e r p r e t a t i o n and
adaptation
o f c l a s s i c a l myth, a l i t t l e needs t o be s a i d a b o u t i t h e r e .
Something o f t h e s p i r i t of t h e m e d i e v a l on and
flourished
Ovide M o r a l i s e
i n the t r a d i t i o n of the Renaissance Ovid.
' lived
The
theory
t h a t O v i d i a n f a b l e s were s u s c e p t i b l e t o a l l e g o r i c a l e x p o s i t i o n had proved
a u s e f u l p r o t e c t i v e c a m o u f l a g e f o r t h e Metamorphoses and,
i n g l y , t h i s t h e o r y was
not w i t h o u t
Patristic
authority.
long
interest-
"The
Poets, 42
s a i t h L a c t a r i t i u s , d i d w r i t e t h e t r u t h , though t h e y w r i t Of c o u r s e , t h e c l o s e c o r r e s p o n d e n c e
i n s u b j e c t m a t t e r between t h e
book o f t h e Metamorphoses and G e n e s i s gave p a r t i c u l a r l y to
the n o t i o n t h a t Ovid
"had
strong
"What man
i s hee,"
o f t h i s booke/ The
from Moyses w r i t i n g s t o o k e . " ^
first
From h e r e i t was
Golding
receaved
demands,
"but
f o u n d a t i o n o f h i s worke an e a s y s t o p t o a r g u e
w i t h some c o n f i d e n c e t h a t t h e v a t e s o f t h e a n c i e n t w o r l d had v e i l e d the t r u t h i n t h e i r
first
support
e i t h e r s e e n e t h e Books o f Moses, o r 43
t h a t d o c t r i n e by T r a d i t i o n . " would suppose t h e a u t h o r
i t disguisedly."
deliberately
work:
As P e r s i a n k i n g s d i d n e v e r go a b r o a d w i t h open f a c e , But w i t h some ... s i l k e n s c a r f e , f o r r e v e r a n c e of t h e s t a t e : Even s o t h e s e f o l o w i n g i n t h e i r w o r k e s t h e s e l f same t r a d e and r a t e , Did u n d e r c o u e r t names and t e r m e s t h e i r d o c t r i n e s do e m p l i e , As t h a t i s r i g h t h a r d t h e i r meaning t o e s p i e . 45
A c c o r d i n g l y , s i n c e t h e p o e t s had t r u t h " i t behove t h e r e a d e r againe the darkened
truth to
" w i t h f a b l e s shadowed so/The
"to p l u c k t h o s e / T h e i r dooings, light."
46
and
certaine to bring
Others a t t r i b u t e d a s t i l l
more p o s i t i v e v a l u e t o pagan myth;
t h e anonymous a u t h o r o f An E s s a y on M i l t o n ' s I m i t a t i o n s had
of the
Ancients
argued
... i f we f i n d t h e O r i g i n a l s o f s e v e r a l P a r t s o f Mythology i n S c r i p t u r e , may not some o t h e r P a r t s of i t have been l i k e w i s e d e r i v e d from t h e T r a d i t i o n o f T r u t h not c o n t a i n e d i n t h e c o n c i s e Account o f T h i n g s S c r i p t u r e g i v e s . ^7
E l s e w h e r e , M i l t o n had h i m s e l f m a i n t a i n e d "sage p o e t s " were "not v a i n
t h a t t h e s t o r i e s t o l d by
or f a b u l o u s " but
" t a u g h t by t h e
the
heavenly
48 Muse"
and were s y m b o l i c e x p r e s s i o n s o f deep o r h i d d e n
truths.
o f c o u r s e , l o n g been r e c o g n i s e d t h a t a t " t h e c o r e o f Comus ...
I t has, i s the
49 o r t h o d o x a l l e g o r i c a l i n t e r p r e t a t i o n of t h e myth o f C i r c e . "
The
powerful
image of C i r c e and h e r cup p r o v i d e s an e x c e l l e n t i l u s t r a t i o n o f t h e in
which mythological n a r r a t i v e could c o n t r a c t
i n t o metaphor and
i n t o symbol, and v a r i o u s m a n i f e s t a t i o n s o f t h i s m y t h i c
traced
i n t h e m a j o r and m i n o r poems and
t h e same way, dimension
to Paradise Lost.
Indeed,
In
doing
observed
fertility and D.
"method of s e a r c h i n g f o r m e t a p h o r i c
that
of C.
Allen
support
so, M i l t o n seems t o have drawn upon t h e r i c h a l l e g o r i c a l
tradition that s t i l l that
In
metaphoric
R i c k s has p e r t i n e n t l y
s i m i l a r e f f e c t s by o t h e r means"
h a s commented on M i l t o n ' s 52 in heathen c u l t u r e . "
s y m b o l have been 50
an i m p o r t a n t
"Though M i l t o n c e r t a i n l y does not show S h a k e s p e a r i a n metaphor, he c r e a t e s
deepen
a l s o i n the p r o s e works.
t h e m y t h o l o g i c a l a l l u s i o n s add
way
surrounded
t h e Metamorphoses.
S a n d y s ' commentary, added a s l a t e a s 1632,
Harding
has
i s "a c o n v i n c i n g
remarked
62
i l l u s t r a t i o n o f how s h a r p l y m e d i e v a l t r a d i t i o n had e t c h e d i t s e l f
into
53 the
c o n s c i o u s n e s s o f t h e men o f t h e l a t e
notes that it
referred
D. C. A l l e n
i t "embraces a l l t h e known t y p e s o f r e a d i n g s "
a s "a g r e a t It
Renaissance."
variorum of adjusted
and a c c e p t a b l e
and d e s c r i b e s
s y m b o l i s m and a l l e g o r y . "
i s h i g h l y r e g a r d e d by Bush too, who b e l i e v e s M i l t o n t o have
to i t .
He c a l l s
i t the "greatest
repository
of allegorized
55 myth i n E n g l i s h " and
and e l s e w h e r e h a i l s
most r e a d a b l e o f i t s k i n d
f a m i l i a r with i t - a n d virtual
i n English." ^
fullest
Whether o r n o t M i l t o n was
i t seems l i k e l y t h a t he was - " 8 e c a u s e
i ti sa
s y n t h e s i s o f numerous e a r l i e r c o m m e n t a r i e s " i t i s p r o b a b l y , a s
Labriola claims,
allegorical often
i t a s "one o f t h e l a t e s t ,
" t h e s i n g l e most u s e f u l compendium o f t r a d i t i o n a l 57
i n t e r p r e t a t i o n s o f O v i d i a n mythology"
have o c c a s i o n
to refer to i t f o r the l i g h t
a n d , a s s u c h , we w i l l i t t h r o w s upon M i l t o n ' s
a d a p t a t i o n s o f t h e t r a d i t i o n a l a l l e g o r i c a l r e a d i n g s o f t h e myths w i t h w h i c h he e n r i c h e s h i s e p i c . A l s o n o t a b l e i n t h i s c o n n e c t i o n was t h e c o n t i n u i n g 58 appeal of the s y n c r e t i s t t r a d i t i o n
a u t h o r i t y and
1
which regarded t h e s i m i l a r i t i e s
between pagan myth and s c r i p t u r a l t r u t h from a s l i g h t l y d i f f e r e n t standpoint.
A d h e r e n t s l o o k e d upon G r e e k and Roman myth a s m i m e t i c , 59
" c r o o k e d images" t h a t d i m l y r e f l e c t Scriptures.
t h e "one t r u e h i s t o r y "
i n the
I n t h e F a l l o f Man, Goodman a r g u e d t h a t many o f t h e s e
fables
"had some r e f e r e n c e t o t h e t r u t h o f a h i s t o r i e i n S c r i p t u r e ; f o r as t r u t h i s most a n c i e n t , so f a l s e h o o d would seem t o bee t h e shadow o f t r u t h and t o accompanie h e r " , ^ l i k e w i s e R a l e g h a s s e r t e d t h a t pagan 61 mythology c o n t a i n s
"Reliques of Truth",
s c r i p t u r a l a c c o u n t , and he d i s c o v e r s
vestiges of the o r i g i n a l
" i n a l l the ancient
P o e t s and
54
63
Philosophers,
t h e Storie of t h e F i r s t Age,
with a l l the workes
and
62 m a r v a i l e s t h e r e o f , amply and
lively
exprest."
As
Isabel
MacCaffrey
explains:
F o r t h e R e n a i s s a n c e , a l l myths a r e r e f l e c t i o n s , d i s t o r t e d or m u t i l a t e d though t h e y be, o f t h e "one t r u e h i s t o r y , " w h i c h d i f f e r s from them o n t o logically. I t i s t h e s o u r c e , t h e one r o o t from w h i c h many t h e m a t i c b r a n c h e s have s p r u n g . ^
"By
breaking
i n t o p a r t s the S t o r i e o f t h e C r e a t i o n " t h e a n c i e n t s , R a l e g h 64
maintains, with the these
"sought t o o b s c u r e
the t r u t h t h e r e o f ; "
s y n c r e t i s t v i s i o n o f one
Milton,
in
t r u t h , endeavoured to b r i n g
accordance together
f r a g m e n t s of " t h e v i r g i n T r u t h " a s , t o use a m y t h o l o g i c a l
w h i c h he h i m s e l f had
employed i n t h e A r e o p a g i t i c a , I s i s had
the s c a t t e r e d p i e c e s of O s i r i s . mythological
similes
'love of c l a s s i c a l
" M i l t o n was
literature'"
v a r i e t y - i n - u n i t y , l e n d i n g new
As
I s a b e l MacCaffrey puts
not merely i n d u l g i n g ;
gathered i t , in his
irresponsibly a
"They a r e c e n t r a l t o h i s p u r p o s e
dimensions to h i s b a s i c a l l y
Moreover, t h i s p e r h a p s e x p l a i n s why
image
Milton
simple
themes."
" i s constantly disclaiming 67
t h e s e h e a t h e n f a n c i e s but a s c o n s t a n t l y p u t t i n g them i n . "
Bentley
d i s p a r a g i n g l y d i s m i s s e s the c e l e b r a t e d c o m p a r i s o n o f Eden w i t h d e l i g h t f u l gardens as ... s i l l i l y c o n d u c t e d i n i t s s e v e r a l p a r t s . Not E n n a , s a y s he, not Daphne, nor F o n s C a s t a l u s , nor Nysa, nor Mount Amara, c o u l d compare w i t h P a r a d i s e . Why, s i r , who would have s u s p e c t e d t h a t t h e y c o u l d ; though you had n e v e r t o l d us o f i t . 68
of
other
66
64
As B e n t l e y ' s c r i t i c i s m a d m i r a b l y do n o t
demonstrates,
such n e g a t i v e comparisons
f o l l o w the f a m i l i a r p a t t e r n of d i s c u r s i v e r e a s o n i n g ;
they
e x e m p l i f y t h e s y n t h e t i c r a t h e r t h a n a n a l y t i c power o f p o e t r y , Kermode p e r c e p t i v e l y n o t e s , e l a b o r a t e demonstration
f o r as
" i n p o e t r y a l l b u t s a r e p a r t l y ands and
an
o f t h e t o t a l d i f f e r e n c e between x^ and y_ i s u n d e r -
t a k e n o n l y i f t h e y a r e i n some o c c u l t manner v e r y
alike.
I r r e s p e c t i v e of w h e t h e r o r not M i l t o n h i m s e l f s e r i o u s l y
regarded
t h e a n c i e n t myths a s d i r e c t p e r v e r s i o n s o r d i s t o r t i o n s o f S c r i p t u r e , mere f a c t t h a t t h e p o e t s were
still
g e n e r a l l y a c c r e d i t e d as
the
having 70
taken
" t h e ground o f a l l t h e i r c h i e f e s t f a b l e s o u t / O f s c r i p t u r e "
would
have g i v e n a d d i t i o n a l p r o p r i e t y t o h i s c o m p a r i s o n s o f Eve w i t h mythological figures.
Indeed,
t h e anonymous a u t h o r o f An E s s a y upon M i l t o n ' s
I m i t a t i o n s o f t h e A n c i e n t s had d e f e n d e d M i l t o n ' s i n c l u s i o n o f m y t h o l o g i c a l material
thus:
M i l t o n might j u s t l y have i m a g i n e d t h a t any c i r c u m s t a n c e o f h i s Poem, i f i t was not r e p u g n a n t t o H o l y W r i t , a l t h o u g h i t was p r e t t y c l o s e l y borrowed from some P a r t o f t h e Heathen Mythology, might n o t o n l y p a s s , b u t t h a t t h e l a t t e r would be l o o k ' d on a s t h e Copy; and c o n s e q u e n t l y , would r a t h e r t e n d t o i n c r e a s e t h a n d i m i n i s h the p r o b a b i l i t y . 7 1
Again,
i t i s i n t e r e s t i n g t o note
t h a t i n h i s commentary on
the
Metamorphoses, i n t e n d e d a s a handbook f o r p r e a c h e r s , L a v i n i u s had i d e n t i f i e d the a l l e g o r i c a l r e a d i n g of p o e t i c f a b l e s w i t h i n t e r p r e t a t i o n of the B i b l e :
"Nempe quod t h e o l o g i ...
typological
figuram
vocavere.
72 poeta
f i c t i o n e m a u t fabulam n u n c u p a t . "
And
indeed, the
important
r h e t o r i c a l r o l e p l a y e d by a l l e g o r y , t y p o l o g i c a l f i g u r a e and l a n g u a g e i n g e n e r a l was 73 t h e o r y and p r a c t i c e .
figurative
commonly acknowledged i n P r o t e s t a n t h o m i l e ^ t i c
65
The myth and
c l o s e a s s o c i a t i o n between t h e m i m e t i c t h e o r y o f
typology i s r e f l e c t e d i n the
J u s t a s c l a s s i c a l myth was as the the
language used to d e s c r i b e
r e f e r r e d to as v e i l i n g
shadow t h a t accompanied i t , W i l l i a m
"full
l i g h t of t h e
G o s p e l " "God
classical
did
the
both.
l i g h t of t r u t h
Guild described
indeed v e i l His
how
before
saving
truths
or
74 in
shadowy t y p e s and
ceremonies"
ingly proportional
relationship:
t r u t h or a n t i t y p e ,
so i s t h e
I n each case, as the
there
type i s to the
shadow t o t h e
l i g h t or the
i s a correspondfully
revealed
body t h a t
casts
it. Moreover, H. t h e i r antipathy
R.
MacCallum has
to subtle e x e g e t i c a l
argued t h a t speculations
"the
Reformers,
were d e e p l y
despite
influenced
75 by
the t y p o l o g i c a l t r a d i t i o n . "
maintaining that
"Typological
W. G.
Madsen
concurs with t h i s
i n t e r p r e t a t i o n of the Old
view,
Testament
was 76
u n i v e r s a l l y p r a c t i s e d by b o t h P r o t e s t a n t s and C a t h o l i c s i n M i l t o n ' s d a y s , " w h i l e M a r e n - S o f i e Rstfstvig would go s t i l l f u r t h e r , a s s e r t i n g t h a t "The p r e v a l e n c e o f t y p o l o g y was
increased
r a t h e r t h a n d i m i n i s h e d by
the
77 Reformation." the d o c t r i n e periods
of
And
i n d e e d , Madsen's s t u d y has
o f t y p o l o g y [ w h i c h ] may r i «78 [Milton'sj l i f e .
Testament i n c l u d e s
found i n w r i t i n g s
"references
from a l l
I n t h i s p a s s a g e from De D o c t r i n a
C h r i s t i a n a , Milton argues t h a t the from t h e Old
be
drawn a t t e n t i o n t o
the
literal
sense of a s c r i p t u r a l
typological:
Sensus c u i u s q u e s c r i p t u r a u n i c u s e s t ; i n v e t e r e tamen t e s t a m e n t o s a e p e e s t ; c o m p o s i t o ex h i s t o r i a e t t y p o . 7 9
passage
to
66
R e c e n t l y c r i t i c s have d e t e c t e d t h e
influence
of
typological
patterning
80 ' i n c e r t a i n of M i l t o n ' s p o e t i c from
'shadowy t y p e s t o Strictly
and
events i n the
i n t e r p r e t a t i o n was
i n the
'by
t y p e s and
t h e o r y o f t y p o l o g y propounded
e p i s o d e s i n the
f i g u r a t i o n s o f C h r i s t and
for,
which proceed
shadows'
truth.'
speaking, the
certain characters
method o f
works
Old
Testament are
New
Testament.
extended to i n c l u d e
l i g h t o f A u g u s t i n e ' s argument
that
symbolic
pre-
However, t h i s
pagan h i s t o r y and
myth,
that:
Nam r e s i p s a quae nunc C h r i s t i a n a r e l i g i o nuncupatur ab i n i t i o g e n e r i s humani quo unde v e r a r e l i g i o quae iam e r a t c o e p i t a p p e l l a r i C h r i s t i a n i „ usque i p s e C h r i s t u s v e n i r e t i n c a r n e .
it
became e q u a l l y
by
the
Old
possible
to a t t r i b u t e the
Testament to other p r e - C h r i s t i a n
Such a r o l e was
evidently
mundi, h i s l a b o u r s were h e l d and
typological
ascribed
to represent
function
enjoyed
sources.
to Hercules. the
f o r c e s of
As
servator
light,
order
r e a s o n s u c c e s s f u l l y c o m b a t i n g t h e powers o f d a r k n e s s , c h a o s and
Moreover, h i s v i c t o r y o v e r d e a t h and
subsequent t r a n s l a t i o n i n t o
furor.
'Heaven' 82
made him Since
seem a p a r t i c u l a r l y a p t
i t o c c u r s i n an
and
a p p r o p r i a t e f i g u r a of
Christ.
o v e r t l y a n t i - p a g a n c o n t e x t , t h e most n o t a b l e
instance
of M i l t o n ' s acknowledgement o f H e r c u l e s a s a t y p e C h r i s t i s t o be found i n h i s e a r l y work, On t h e Morning o f C h r i s t ' s N a t i v i t y , where he a l l u d e s
to t h e
67
infant Hercules' f i r s t
e x p l o i t a g a i n s t the d e s t r u c t i v e
f o r c e s of
evil:
Our Babe, t o show h i s Godhead t r u e , Can i n h i s s w a d d l i n g bands c o n t r o l t h e damned crew. (227-28)
Significantly, artistic
s u c h a l i n k a g e i s not c o n f i n e d t o a c o m p o s i t i o n
immaturity.
classical
I n P a r a d i s e Regained
where, f o r t h e most p a r t ,
a l l u s i o n s a r e conspicuously absent, C h r i s t ' s conquest
S a t a n i s imaged t h r o u g h encounter
of h i s
a r e f e r e n c e to "Jove's A l c i d e s "
w i t h t h e " E a r t h ' s son A n t a e u s "
(P_R
over
triumphant
I V . 565; 5 6 3 ) .
More s i g n i f i c a n t l y f o r our p u r p o s e , i t i s i n t e r e s t i n g t o
note
t h a t u s i n g s u c h c o n v e n t i o n a l f i g u r a e , M i l t o n , a s Madsen o b s e r v e s , " c r e a t e s 83 his
own
way,
types",
though, of c o u r s e , u s e d a s a r h e t o r i c a l
t y p o l o g i c a l p a t t e r n i n g does not b e l o n g As C h r i s t i s p r e - e m i n e n t l y
to exegesis
device i n this
proper.
the a n t i t y p e throughout
the
T e s t a m e n t , so Eve becomes, i n P a r a d i s e L o s t , t h e a n t i t y p e who, for
a l l , r e v e a l s and
fulfils
a n c i e n t myth s h o u l d , however, be more p r o p e r l y t e r m e d
they enjoyed
no
seen, regarded
independent
once
and
t h e meaning l a t e n t i n t h o s e pagan myths
w h i c h were c o n c e i v e d t o be d i s t o r t e d a c c o u n t s o f t h e F a l l . in
Old
historical
Her
'types'
'ectypes'
e x i s t e n c e b u t w e r e , a s we
a s p a l e r e f l e c t i o n s o f Eve h e r s e l f .
since
have
Typology thus
forms
t h e most c o m p r e h e n s i v e and h i s t o r i c a l l y a p p r o p r i a t e , i n t e l l e c t u a l l y aesthetically pagan e l e m e n t s
s a t i s f y i n g , e x p l a n a t i o n of the admixture i n Milton's p o r t r a y a l of Eve.
of
unqualified
Milton presents i n a
c l e a r l y a p p r e h e n s i b l e p a t t e r n , an e x t e n s i v e s y s t e m
of
interrelated
and
68
images, e v e n t s and m y t h o l o g i c a l t y p e s w h i c h c a r r y t h e f u l l e s t r a n g e o f t y p o l o g i c a l correspondence, experience.
i l l u s t r a t i n g E v e ' s p a s s a g e from i n n o c e n c e t o
W h i l s t E v e h e r s e l f t r a n s c e n d s and subsumes a l l s u c h
partial
e x p r e s s i o n s o f h e r own c o m p r e h e n s i v e n a t u r e , a t t i m e s i t i s i n t i m a t e d that this
t y p o l o g i c a l p a t t e r n w i l l o n l y be f i n a l l y f u l f i l l e d by 'Mary, 84
Second E v e . '
Such t y p o l o g i c a l p a t t e r n i n g e n a b l e s M i l t o n t o e n r i c h h i s c e n t r a l myth w i t h a s u g g e s t i v e c o m p l e x i t y t h a t i s n o t t a n g e n t i a l b u t c e n t r i p e t a l . The
consummate, a r t i s t i c
myths, t h e s k i l l
c o n t r o l e x h i b i t e d i n Milton's handling of these
w i t h w h i c h he i n t e g r a t e s them i n t o t h e n a r r a t i v e a s
f i n e t h r e a d s a r e woven i n t o an i n t r i c a t e p a t t e r n , e n s u r e s t h a t t h e y a r e made t o m i n i s t e r t o t h e o v e r r i d i n g t r u t h o f h i s own work, a achievement.
Finally,
i t i s worth mentioning
remarkable
that the persistence of
t h i s v i e w - t h a t c l a s s i c a l myths were 'shadows o f t r u t h ' - i n d i r e c t l y f u r t h e r e d the competitive s p i r i t t h a t l a y behind
the i n f l u e n t i a l
R e n a i s s a n c e c o n c e p t s o f i m i t a t i o and a e m u l a t i o , d e r i v e d u l t i m a t e l y from 85 Qumtilian's
'De I m i t a t i o n e . '
Assured
o f t h e supreme a u t h e n t i c i t y o f
t h e Hebrew r e n d e r i n g , M i l t o n c o u l d i n d u l g e h i s m y t h o g r a p h i c a l a i m o f ousting while absorbing
the r i v a l v e r s i o n s .
K e e n l y aware o f t h e
i m a g i n a t i v e v a l u e o f a n c i e n t myth, M i l t o n was a b l e t o t a p and e x p l o i t i t s p o e t i c power w h i l s t a t t h e same t i m e e s t a b l i s h i n g h i s E v e a s t h e summa o f a l l o t h e r p a r t i a l embodiments o f t r u t h t h a t a p p e a r i n t h e f r a c t u r e d v e r s i o n s o f t h e one c o m p l e t e a c c o u n t in
t o w h i c h he had a c c e s s
s c r i p t u r e "and t o w h i c h he gave p o e t i c e x p r e s s i o n i n h i s e p i c .
The F u n c t i o n o f M i l t o n ' s M y t h o l o g i c a l
Determining
Similes
the f u n c t i o n of Milton's mythological a l l u s i o n s has,
of
c o u r s e , more c l o s e l y o c c u p i e d modern c r i t i c s ,
of
t h e p r o p r i e t y o f i n t r o d u c i n g m y t h o l o g i c a l m a t e r i a l i n t o an a c c o u n t
of
e v e n t s w h i c h h a v e t h e m s e l v e s come t o be r e g a r d e d a s s y m b o l i c
than l i t e r a l
truth.
u n t r o u b l e d by q u e s t i o n s
Moreover, t h e i n f l u e n c e o f t h e ' M i l t o n
rather
Controversy'
and
t h e 'New C r i t i c i s m ' have combined t o g e t h e r t o s h a r p e n a t t e n t i o n on
the
'minuter
threads of texture' i n Milton's v e r s e .
Rather than c o n f i n i n g c r i t i c i s m for
grand
to g e n e r a l , unfocussed
praise
e f f e c t s , b r o a d l y c o n c e i v e d and b o l d l y e x e c u t e d , a number o f
scholars i n the l a s t
t h i r y y e a r s o r so have d e m o n s t r a t e d
s m a l l u n i t s of M i l t o n ' s composition respond
that
relatively
w e l l t o c l o s e a n a l y s i s and
t h a t h i s 'Grand S t y l e ' d o e s n o t r e q u i r e him t o f o r f e i t
"the p o s s i b i l i t y
87 of
d e l i c a c y and s u b t l e t y " .
One i m p o r t a n t e f f e c t o f s u c h c l o s e
h a s been t o draw a t t e n t i o n t o t h e way i n w h i c h
Paradise Lost i s so
o r g a n i s e d t h a t i d e a s , e v e n t s and images echo i n c o r r e s p o n d e n c e a n t i t h e s i s from one p a r t t o a n o t h e r 88 and c r o s s - r e f e r e n c e . and
readings
and
i n a complete system of p a r a l l e l
Given t h i s " e x t r a o r d i n a r y network of p a r a l l e l s
c o n t r a s t s , e s p e c i a l l y t h e minute ones,
and ... many o t h e r
refinement
Bush l yo timagine t h a t rs eu c ha s tai nf ga b rand i c r'Rose an e x ch oa nl ca lt uidoens , t"we h a t c ia n t h d airdd n e n t a i l much e v i s i ol ni .k "e 89 1
70
Having suggested t h a t M i l t o n ' s m y t h o l o g i c a l s i m i l e s p l a y t h e i r p a r t i n enriching the narrative texture w i t h a layer o f complexity
that
i s n o t t a n g e n t i a l , I now propose t o i n t r o d u c e b r i e f l y some o f t h e d i f f e r e n t l e v e l s upon which t h e y operate and t o suggest what d i s t i n g u i s h e s M i l t o n ' s s i m i l e s from those o f h i s predecessors i n t h e e p i c genre. However, i t i s i n t e r e s t i n g t o note t h a t p r e v i o u s l y c r i t i c s as d i v e r s e as Addison and E l i o t s u b s c r i b e d t o t h e v i e w t h a t M i l t o n ' s s i m i l e s were o f t e n n o t h i n g more t h a n p l e a s i n g d i g r e s s i o n s t o e n t e r t a i n t h e r e a d e r .
Addison r e g a r d s
t h e main f u n c t i o n o f t h e s i m i l e i n an e p i c poem t o be " t o amuse and r e l a x t h e Mind o f t h e Reader, by f r e q u e n t l y d i s e n g a g i n g
him from t o o
p a i n f u l an A t t e n t i o n t o t h e p r i n c i p a l S u b j e c t , and by l e a d i n g him i n t o 90 o t h e r agreeable
Images."
T. S. E l i o t , ever a dangerous a l l y , commends
" M i l t o n ' s s k i l l i n e x t e n d i n g a p e r i o d by i n t r o d u c i n g imagery w h i c h
tends
t o d i s t r a c t us from t h e r e a l s u b j e c t " and, i n t h e same v e i n , p r a i s e s 91 h i s "happy i n t r o d u c t i o n o f so much extraneous m a t t e r . " S i m i l a r l y , Dr. Johnson remarks o n l y i n t h e i r f a v o u r t h a t
"they
c o n t r i b u t e v a r i e t y t o t h e n a r r a t i v e and produce an a l t e r n a t e e x e r c i s e 92 o f t h e memory and
fancy."
Johnson's comments t o o a r e e v i d e n t l y
founded upon t h e t r a d i t i o n a l j u s t i f i c a t i o n o f such f i g u r a t i v e t h a t t h e y p r o v i d e n a r r a t i v e ' r e l i e f , enhancing t h e r e a d e r ' s
departures, enjoyment
by t h e c o n t r a s t o f a b r i e f e x c u r s i o n i n t o a remote m y t h o l o g i c a l w o r l d , t h e realm o f fancy,
and t h u s a f f o r d i n g necessary
refreshment.
C e r t a i n l y , a t these moments o f i n t e r s e c t i o n i n M i l t o n ' s c o n t i n uous n a r r a t i v e , t h e t r a n s v e r s e a c t i o n o f t h e s i m i l e s a l l o w s us t o pause, b u t o n l y so as t o i n c r e a s e our awareness o f a sense o f g a t h e r i n g and converging
significance.
For i t has been remarked by Whaler t h a t
71
M i l t o n ' s s i m i l e s a r e more c l o s e l y i n t e g r a t e d i n t o t h e n a r r a t i v e t h a n those i n h i s e p i c models.
" M i l t o n ' s s i m i l e s , " Whaler a r g u e s , "are
o r g a n i c a l l y r e l a t e d t o a degree beyond those o f h i s e p i c p r e d e c e s s o r s . "
93
The Homeric s i m i l e e s p e c i a l l y , g e n e r a l l y f a s t e n s upon a broad resemblance and t h e n g r a d u a l l y d r i f t s away u n t i l t h e v e h i c l e has a r i c h and e x i s t e n c e , independent o f t h e t e n o r
full
i whereas "A t y p i c a l l y complex
M i l t o n i c s i m i l e , " Whaler o b s e r v e s , " d i r e c t s each d e t a i l t o some a p p l i c a t i o n i n the f a b l e ; i.e.
homologation r a t h e r t h a n h e t e r o g e n e i t y
94 between terms i s t h e r u l e . "
T h i s achievement i s even more i m p r e s s i v e
when we r e c a l l M i l t o n h i m s e l f i n h i s e a r l y work A r t i s L o g i c a e , d e f e r r i n g to
t h e wisdom o f t h e Schools:
n u l l u m s i m i l e e s t idem, s i m i l e non c u r r i t quatuor p e d i b u s omne s i m i l e c l a u d i c a t . 9 5
M i l t o n ' s s i m i l e s may appear d i g r e s s i v e a t f i r s t s i g h t because, s c h e m a t i c a l l y t i g h t though t h e y a r e , t h e s i m i l e s depend f o r t h e i r
full
e f f e c t as much on what i s c o v e r t l y suggested as on what i s e x p r e s s l y s a i d . Macaulay c o n s i d e r e d t h e m e r i t o f M i l t o n ' s p o e t i c s t y l e l a y " l e s s i n its
obvious meaning t h a n i n i t s
o c c u l t power", and, commenting upon
the
expansive q u a l i t y o f M i l t o n ' s verse i n g e n e r a l , w h i c h g i v e s
full
p l a y t o t h e r e a d e r ' s own c r e a t i v e i m a g i n a t i o n , he observes i n a passage of
fine
criticism:
The most s t r i k i n g c h a r a c t e r i s t i c o f t h e p o e t r y of M i l t o n i s t h e extreme remoteness o f t h e associ a t i o n s by means o f w h i c h i t a c t s on t h e r e a d e r . I t s e f f e c t i s produced, n o t so much by what i t expresses, as by what i t s u g g e s t s , n o t so much by t h e ideas which i t d i r e c t l y conveys, as by
72
o t h e r i d e a s which are connected w i t h them. He e l e c t r i f i e s t h e mind t h r o u g h c o n d u c t o r s . The most u n i m a g i n a t i v e man must u n d e r s t a n d t h e I l i a d . Homer g i v e s him no c h o i c e , and r e q u i r e s from him no e x e r t i o n ; b u t t a k e s t h e whole upon h i m s e l f , and s e t s h i s images i n so c l e a r a l i g h t t h a t i t i s i m p o s s i b l e t o be b l i n d t o them. The works o f M i l t o n cannot be comprehended o r enjoyed u n l e s s the mind o f t h e r e a d e r co-operates w i t h t h a t o f the w r i t e r . He does n o t p a i n t a f i n i s h e d p i c t u r e or p l a y f o r a more p a s s i v e l i s t e n e r . 96
Modern c r i t i c s have a l s o commented on M i l t o n ' s a b i l i t y t o address t h e r e a d e r t o a c o n s i d e r a t i o n o f something
other than the
immediate p o i n t o f comparison, even t o i n v o k e what i s d e l i b e r a t e l y excluded.
Indeed, C h r i s t o p h e r Ricks has c l a i m e d t h a t M i l t o n i s " a t h i s 97
b e s t when p r e v e n t e d f r o m w r i t i n g w i t h t o t a l d i r e c t n e s s . "
The
of Eden w i t h Enna i s most commonly c i t e d as an i n s t a n c e o f t h e 98 terranean v i r t u e "
"sub-
o f M i l t o n ' s s i m i l e s , where a f f e c t i v e energy
behind o r a l o n g s i d e what i s o s t e n s i b l y s a i d . perceptively
comparison
As C. S. Lewis has
lurks so
observed:
... t h e deeper v a l u e resemblance which i s resemblance a t a l l . p l a c e s t h e young and f l o w e r s was r a v i s h e d Underworld. 99
of the s i m i l e l i e s i n the n o t e x p l i c i t l y noted as a The f a c t t h a t i n b o t h these beautiful while gathering by a d a r k power from t h e
From t h i s p e r s p e c t i v e t o o , t h e n , t h e m y t h o l o g i c a l s i m i l e s t h a t l i n k Eve w i t h c e r t a i n O v i d i a n f i g u r e s do n o t appear t o be m e r e l y i n c i d e n t a l accompanying imagery, b u t t h e r e s u l t o f a more s i g n i f i c a n t level of association.
They i n t r o d u c e an element o f m e t a p h o r i c a l
73
i d e n t i f i c a t i o n and s i g n a l v i t a l i n f o r m a t i o n about Eve h e r s e l f .
The
i m a g i n a t i v e c o l o u r i n g t h u s becomes t h e v e r y means whereby t h e c h a r a c t e r of
Eve i s p r e s e n t e d , as i t were, 'athwart' h e r pagan r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s .
Moreover, because o f t h i s s u g g e s t i v e o b l i q u i t y , t h e s i m i l e s do not s t a n d o u t c o n s p i c u o u s l y
from t h e t e x t as c o n t r i v e d p i e c e s o f e n g i n e e r i n g
i n which t h e r i g i d c o n s t r a i n t s o f formal equation f o r e c l o s e f u r t h e r d i s c u s s i o n and t h o u g h t . to
M i l t o n does n o t a l l o w t h e e x a c t i o n s o f homology
s t i f l e t h e i r imaginative l i f e .
That M i l t o n ' s s i m i l e s should communicate t h e i r f u l l meaning o n l y v i a such d a r k i n t i m a t i o n s , y i e l d i n g t h e i r r e a l i m p o r t 0
"circuitously,
1
t h r o u g h a l o n g c h a i n o f a s s o c i a t e d ideas"''" ' " seems e s p e c i a l l y remarkable when we c o n s i d e r M i l t o n ' s own c a v e a t :
Monendum autem e r a t s i m i l i a s i v e c o n t r a c t a e formae s i v e e x p l i c a t a e urgenda non esse u l t r a earn q u a l i t a t e m quam i n u t r i s q u e eandem esse p r o p o s i t u m a s s i m i l a n t i e r a t ostendere: s i c magistratus a s s i m i l a t u r ^gj» s o l a nimuim f i d e l i t a t e a s s i m i l a t u r c u s t o d i a e ... c
A l t h o u g h t h e A r t i s Logicae cannot be regarded
as t h e p o e t i c s o f a
p r a c t i s i n g p o e t , i t i s i n t e r e s t i n g t o note t h a t even h e r e , where M i l t o n i s d i s c o u r a g i n g t h e search f o r s u b t l e r e l a t i o n s h i p s between t h i n g s compared, he s t r e s s e s n o t so much t h e need f o r t a c t and d i s c r i m i n a t i o n on t h e p a r t o f t h e reader t o p r e v e n t him from u n r a v e l l i n g t h e f u l l c o n t e n t o f t h e 'image, b u t r a t h e r draws a t t e n t i o n t o t h e importance o f d i s c o v e r i n g t h e w r i t e r ' s own i n t e n t i o n s when drawing
t h e comparison.
74
Milton's l e v e l and physical
s i m i l e s seldom work a t a p u r e l y e x t e r n a l , r e f l e c t i v e
are never, C o l l e t t a f f i r m s , " e x c l u s i v e l y used f o r v i s u a l , description."
1 0 3
So t o o , as Hartman has
r a r e l y d e a l i n s t r a i g h t analogy;
shown, M i l t o n ' s
similes
h i s f i n e s t comparisons y i e l d m a g n i f y i n g
104 or d i m i n i s h i n g
effects.
Thus, by comparing Eve
with
f i g u r e s t o her advantage, M i l t o n uses t h i s process o f
mythological 0
"aggrandizement"''' ^
t o suggest her superhuman e x c e l l e n c e , l i f t i n g her above t h e p l a i n o f common humanity.
As Bush e x p l a i n s ,
" I n M i l t o n , as i n o t h e r Renaissance
p o e t s , t h e a n c i e n t myths are g e n e r a l l y
symbols o f an i d e a l w o r l d o f
106 beauty,"
and
" t h e i r u s e f u l n e s s as a d e s c r i p t i v e t e c h n i q u e i n a
s i t u a t i o n f o r b i d d i n g d e s c r i p t i o n " has
been remarked upon by
MacCaffrey. Yet t h e r e s u l t o f these a s s o c i a t i o n s u n a m b i v a l e n t as t h i s would seem t o i m p l y . complex f e e l i n g s about Eve, response, r e l e a s i n g
Isabel
i s n o t as simple
and
M i l t o n succeeds i n evoking
q u a l i f y i n g as w e l l as i n t e n s i f y i n g our
i r o n i c as w e l l as enhancing s u g g e s t i v e n e s s .
s i m i l e , by r e f e r r i n g the r e a d e r o u t s i d e
the n a r r a t i v e proper
c a l l i n g a t t e n t i o n t o something o t h e r t h a n t h e immediate p o i n t
The
and of 108
comparison, may The
r e s u l t i n a c a l c u l a t e d l y ambiguous and
ironic effect.
s i m i l e s are t h u s c e n t r e s o f e m o t i o n a l f o r c e , e v o k i n g p o w e r f u l
l i t e r a r y memories and
drawing s t r e n g t h from t h e r e a d e r ' s r e c o l l e c t i o n s
w h i c h t h e n d i r e c t and
f o c u s h i s response.
As
I s a b e l MacCaffrey
p e r c e p t i v e l y noted: The words are t h e r e because o f t h e i r e m o t i o n a l , v a l u e - c o n f e r r i n g w e i g h t , and though n o t u s u a l l y exhaustively d e s c r i p t i v e of e x t e r n a l a t t r i b u t e s , t h e y do succeed i n s u g g e s t i n g t h e a t t i t u d e t h a t M i l t o n wishes us t o t a k e up.109
so
75
I n t h i s way, t h e s i m i l e can be employed as a means o f a r t i s t i c preparation
t o i n d i c a t e , o r even f u r t h e r , t h e m a t i c developments,
the use o f homology n a t u r a l l y f a c i l i t a t e s such e f f e c t s .
and
Whaler has
indeed argued t h a t M i l t o n was " t h e f i r s t e p i c poet t o add t o t h e s i m i l e the f u n c t i o n o f prolepsis";^®
M i l t o n does n o t a l l o w us t o f o r g e t
e n t i r e l y what we a l r e a d y know - t h a t Eve w i l l f a l l - and t h i s makes possible
r i c h p r o l e p t i c i r o n i e s i n which we r e c o g n i s e t a c i t
of her f a l l .
anticipations
I n t h i s way, as I s a b e l MacCaffrey p u t s i t , such p r o l e p t i c
imagery becomes "a k i n d o f s u b s t i t u t e i n r e v e r s e f o r suspense."''"^ Other c r i t i c s have taken Whaler's lead s t i l l f u r t h e r t o c l a i m t h a t t h e v e r y s t r u c t u r e and t e x t u r e o f t h e poem i s i n h e r e n t l y p r o l e p t i c . Ricks c o n c l u d e s , " P r o l e p s i s Lost, i n the fable i t s e l f , and w o r d - p l a y . " ^
As
i s s u r e l y t h e key f i g u r e t h r o u g h o u t P a r a d i s e i n a l l u s i o n , i n s i m i l e and even i n s y n t a x
2
Dr. Johnson was one o f t h e f i r s t c r i t i c s t o r e c o g n i s e t h a t one o f t h e major s t r e n g t h s
o f Paradise X o s t would be i n t h e d i v e r s i f i c a t i o n 113
o f t h e n a r r a t i v e by " r e t r o s p e c t i o n
and a n t i c i p a t i o n . "
Since suspense,
t h e most common d r i v i n g f o r c e o f n a r r a t i v e v e r s e was denied t o h i m , M i l t o n rejected a purely
l i n e a r n a r r a t i v e movement f o r what MacCaffrey 114
"the t a c i t comment o f i n t e r c o n n e c t i n g
... t h r e a d s . "
As
has c a l l e d
MacCaffrey
e x p l a i n s , such " n a r r a t i v e s l i g h t s c h r o n o l o g y i n f a v o r o f a f o l d e d s t r u c t u r e which c o n t i n u a l l y r e t u r n s upon i t s e l f " and l a t e r she adds: Every i n c i d e n t , every speech, almost e v e r y phrase o f Paradise Lost c a s t s l i g h t back and ahead t o i l l u m i n a t e p a s t and f u t u r e so t h a t we a r e made aware o f t h e e n t i r e myth a t once ... r e p e a t e d words and phrases ... g a t h e r s i g n i f i c a n c e as t h e y go a l o n g and r e i n f o r c e , even w h i l e t h e y borrow strength from, our f a m i l i a r i t y w i t h t h e story.H$
76
The
reverberations
c r e a t e d by M i l t o n ' s
s i g n i f i c a n t r e p e t i t i o n s and poem and
s k i l f u l deployment o f key
images,
v e r b a l echoes cover immense d i s t a n c e s i n the
r e l a t e i n a p r e m o n i t o r y way
i m p o r t a n t l a t e r developments.
M i l t o n t h u s t u r n s t o advantage the r e a d e r ' s f a m i l i a r i t y w i t h h i s t h e f u l l meaning o f any alone ; i t
use
s i m i l e i s not a c c e s s i b l e i n i t s immediate c o n t e x t
i s o n l y f u l l y i n t e r p r e t a b l e t h r o u g h a knowledge o f
completed f a b l e .
For
the
our response t o n a r r a t i v e i s u s u a l l y t w o - f o l d ,
two d i f f e r e n t modes o f p e r c e p t i o n :
r e t r o s p e c t i v e , when we
and
l o o k back from t h e vantage p o i n t o f t h e
the final
r e - a r r a n g e t h e l i n e a r p a t t e r n o f events a c c o r d i n g t o our
standing of t h e i r u l t i m a t e
Milton's
under-
significance.
practice offers further rich p o s s i b i l i t i e s ;
his
similes
are p o i n t s o f w i d e n i n g p e r s p e c t i v e a t w h i c h we become aware o f t h e and
we
t h e immediate, our response t o
t h e a c t i o n as i t develops f r o m l i n e t o l i n e , page t o page;
l i n e and
story;
i t s significance i n i t s entirety.
d i f f e r e n t meanings but r a t h e r
T h i s does not mean we
expanded meanings,
story
discover
as t h e events o f
the
116 p r e s e n t moment are glimpsed from t h e i r u l t i m a t e p e r s p e c t i v e . t h u s makes f u l l use
of the kaleidoscopic
f l e x i b i l i t y of the
mind t o h o l d i n r e a d i n e s s a l l these s h i f t i n g p a t t e r n s I n t h e n e x t s e c t i o n , I hope t o demonstrate how h i s p o r t r a y a l o f Eve
reader's
of relatedness. Milton articulates
around t h e t h r e e phases o f t h e u n f o l d i n g sequence:
v i r g i n , b r i d e , mother, enmeshing Eve's p a s t and
f u t u r e i n the
p r e s e n t and
t a k i n g the r e a d e r beyond t h e immediate t e m p o r a l
of events.
I n t h i s way,
narrative
significance
M i l t o n p r e s e r v e s t h e e t e r n a l p r e s e n t o f Eden
w h i l e , a t t h e same t i m e , s u g g e s t i n g t h a t u n f a l i e n Eve the t i m e l e s s
Milton
i s not f r o z e n
s t a s i s o f p e r f e c t i o n , b u t a t a l l times e n j o y s t h e
in
77
p o t e n t i a l i t y o f b o t h development and d e g e n e r a t i o n .
We s h a l l examine i n
some d e t a i l how M i l t o n f u r n i s h e s t h e o u t l i n e f o r t h i s i n i t i a l study o f Eve t h r o u g h a r a p i d s e r i e s o f m y t h o l o g i c a l i d e n t i f i c a t i o n s .
For t h e p o e t s o f t h e Renaissance, t h e "images and symbols drawn from c l a s s i c a l myth were, more than i n any p e r i o d b e f o r e o r s i n c e , an i n s t i n c t i v e , native
1
1
language"" '" '^ and M i l t o n was "born i n t i m e t o share 118
[ t h i s ] centuries-long habit of thinking i n figures."
Although M i l t o n ' s
open use o f m y t h o l o g i c a l m a t e r i a l i s i n v a r i a b l y i n t r o d u c e d i n t h e f o r m a l p a t t e r n o f t h e s i m i l e , i t i s o r g a n i c and m e t a p h o r i c a l i n e f f e c t . it
Indeed,
i s as though M i l t o n ' s "Heart Jfr I n t e l l e c t " were " i n t i m a t e l y combined u n i f i e d " w i t h them and "not merely h e l d i n
solution
••• i n t h e shape o f
119 formal Similes."
They seem r a t h e r t o be t h e " i n c a r n a t i o n o f t h o u g h t "
and n o t t h e mere " c l o t h i n g " f o r i t ,
the r e l a t i o n s h i p of the simile t o
t h e n a r r a t i v e b e i n g n o t so much as " t h e garb i s t o t h e body, b u t what t h e body i s t o t h e s o u l . " ^
0
They a r e t h u s f u s e d w i t h t h e n a r r a t i v e ,
b e i n g an e s s e n t i a l p a r t o f t h e meaning and n o t some k i n d o f separable 'ornament' o r ' d e c o r a t i o n ' i n c l u d e d as an e n t e r t a i n i n g d i v e r s i o n o r d i s t r a c t i o n f o r the reader.
Indeed, t h e r e a d e r ' s p l e a s u r e i s l i k e l y t o
be c o n s i d e r a b l y h e i g h t e n e d by a more conscious awareness o f some o f t h e more s i g n i f i c a n t a p p l i c a t i o n s o f t h e m y t h o l o g i c a l s i m i l e t h a t we have discussed i n t h i s chapter.
79
Notes
1.
c f . M. H. Abrams, 'Pragmatic T h e o r i e s ' i n The M i r r o r and t h e Lamp-. Romantic Theory and t h e C r i t i c a l T r a d i t i o n (1953, r e p r i n t e d 1971), pp.19-21. I am i n d e b t e d t o t h i s v a l u a b l e work on c r i t i c a l t h e o r y i n t h i s chapter.
2.
Horace, Ars P o e t i c a , 11.343-44 from Q. H o r a t i F l a c c i Opera, edited' Edward C. Wickham ( O x f o r d , 190O).
3.
I n h i s defence o f t h e c l a s s i c a l p o e t s , and Ovid i n p a r t i c u l a r , G o l d i n g adapted t h e H o r a t i a n f o r m u l a a r g u i n g t h a t " T h e i r purpose was t o p r o f i t e men and a l s o t o d e l i g h t " , The XV Bookes o f P. O u i d i u s Naso, E n t i t u l e d Metamorphoses, ... T r a n s l a t e d o u t o f L a t i n i n t o E n g l i s h Meeter by A r t h u r G o i d i n g (1584), p.2. But c f . PR IV. 343-47.
4.
S i r P h i l i p Sidney, An A p o l o g i e f o r P o e t r i e from The Prelude t o P o e t r y : The E n g l i s h Poets i n Defence and P r a i s e o f t h e i r own A r t ed. E r n e s t Rhys ( f i r s t p u b l i s h e d 1927; r e p r i n t e d 1970), p.17, emphasis added.
5.
i b i d . , p.30.
6.
L u c r e t i De Rerum Natura I . 933-50, ed. C y r i l B a i l e y (Oxford, second e d i t i o n 1922; r e p r i n t e d 1974).
7.
Reason o f Church Government I I (Col. I l l ,
8.
S i m i l a r l y , S i r P h i l i p Sidney drew an i m p o r t a n t d i s t i n c t i o n between "the f i r s t and noble s o r t e , [ t h a t ] ] may j u s t l y bee termed Vates," the t r u e p o e t s , and mere " v e r s i f y e r s " see An A p o l o g i e f o r P o e t r i e , pp.17-18.
9.
Reason o f Church Government I I ( C o l . I l l , p.239).
lO.
Johnson, L i v e s
11.
James B e a t t i e , p.234.
o
f
t
h
e
p.239).
E n g l i s h Poets i, .4-54-. p
Essays on P o e t r y and Music (1779, 3rd e d i t i o n ) ,
80
12.
Alexander Pope,'A R e c e i p t t o Make an Epic Poem'; t h i s c h a p t e r f r o m The A r t o f S i n k i n g i n P o e t r y (1728) f i r s t appeared i n The Guardian, no.78, 10 June 1713 and i s r e p r i n t e d i n N e o - C l a s s i c a l C r i t i c i s m 1660-1800„ed. I r e n e Simon (1971), pp.159-62.
13.
Of E d u c a t i o n ( C o l . I V , p.286).
14.
M. H. Abrams, The M i r r o r and t h e Lamp, p.266.
15.
See Bush ' A l l e g o r y and Anti-pagan Sentiment' i n Pagan Mythology and t h e Renaissance T r a d i t i o n , pp.240-47.
16.
W i l l i a m Davenant, 'Preface t o G o n d i b e r t ' , r e p r i n t e d i n C r i t i c a l Essays o f t h e Seventeenth Century,ed. J. E. Spingarn ( O x f o r d , 1957) I I , p.3.
17.
John S h e f f i e l d , E a r l o f Mulgrave,'On Mr Hobbs and h i s W r i t i n g s ' , The Works (1753) I , p.134.
18.
Thomas S p r a t , The H i s t o r y o f t h e Royal S o c i e t y o f London (1667), p.414. *
19.
Traced by M. H. Abrams i n 'Truth and t h e P o e t i c Marvelous', M i r r o r and t h e Lamp, p.267.
20.
D a v i d e i s I . 37-42 from Abraham Cowley: P o e t r y and Prose w i t h Thomas S p r a t ' s L i f e and O b s e r v a t i o n s by Dryden, Addison, Johnson and Others w i t h an I n t r o d u c t i o n and n o t e s by L. C. M a r t i n ( O x f o r d , 1949).
21.
Psyche, o r Love's Mystery i n XXIV Cantos: D i s p l a y i n g t h e I n t e r course B e t w i x t C h r i s t and t h e Soul from The Complete Poems o f Dr. Joseph Beaumont,ed. A. B. G r o s a r t ( E d i n b u r g h , 1880) I , p.5.
22.
S y l v e s t e r ' s Du B a r t a s
23.
ibid., I l . i . l .
Il.i.l.
76, 78-82.
40-43.
The
81
24.
But c f . Bush, ' i n t r o d u c t i o n ' t o The L a t i n and Greek Poems, where he observes t h a t : The a d a p t a t i o n o f s p e c i f i c a l l y pagan images and phrases t o C h r i s t i a n uses and c o n t e x t s had been one o f t h e conspicuous neo-pagan f e a t u r e s o f Renaissance C i c e r o n i a n i s m , b u t t h e p r a c t i c e was u n i v e r s a l and was c a r r i e d on i n e n t i r e l y good f a i t h among poets i n t h e v e r n a c u l a r s as w e l l as in Latin.
Cp-15) 25.
C. A. Moore, ' M i l t o n i a
(1679-1741) ', MP XXIV
(1926-27),
26.
Frances A. Yates, The O c c u l t P h i l o s o p h y (1979), p.79.
27.
Bush, Pagan Mythology and t h e Renaissance T r a d i t i o n , p.275.
28.
i b i d . , pp.273-75.
29.
i b i d . , p.275.
30.
i b i d . , p.273 and 'Paradise York, 1945), pp.lOO-2.
31.
For an i n v a l u a b l e study o f t h e s t r u c t u r a l p a t t e r n i n g o f M i l t o n ' s m y t h o l o g i c a l imagery i n Paradise L o s t , see Jonathan H. C o l l e t t , ' M i l t o n ' s Use o f C l a s s i c a l Mythology i n Paradise L o s t ' , PMLA, LXXV (1970), pp.88-96.
32.
See C. H. C o l l i n s Baker, Catalogues o f t h e P i c t u r e s a t Hampton Court (1929), p.47, no.635 ( I n v . 3 0 1 ) , R. C. S t r o n g , P o r t r a i t s o f Queen E l i z a b e t h I (1963), p.79, n o . 8 1 , c i t e d by Wind, p.83. See too t h e c o n c l u s i o n t o The Arraignment o f P a r i s ( V . i . ) where Venus, Juno and P a l l a s y i e l d t h e i r c l a i m t o t h e golden apple which i s awarded by Dian t o E l i z a b e t h i n " P r a i s e o f t h e wisdom, beauty and t h e s t a t e , / T h a t b e s t becomes t h y p e e r l e s s e x c e l l e n c y (The Works of George Peele: Now F i r s t C o l l e c t e d w i t h Some Account o f h i s W r i t i n g and Notes by Rev. Alexander Dyce C1828 ] , I ) .
i n t h e E l i z a b e t h a n Age
L o s t ' i n Our Time: Some Comments (New
1
33.
pp.321-22.
Johnson, L i v e s o f t h e E n g l i s h Poets I , pp.178-79.
82
1
34.
'Defects o f t h e Poem , S p e c t a t o r , No.297, Feb. 9, 1712, from Addison's C r i t i c i s m s on 'Paradise L o s t ' , ed. by A l b e r t S. Cook (Boston, 1 8 9 2 ) , p.39 and c f . Newton's r e p l y i n h i s n o t e t o I I . 8 .
36.
Grant McColley, 'Paradise L o s t ' : An Account o f I t s Growth and Major O r i g i n s , w i t h a D i s c u s s i o n o f M i l t o n ' s Use o f Sources and L i t e r a r y P a t t e r n s (Chicago, 1 9 4 0 ) , p . l .
37.
Shahla Anand, "Of C o s t l i e s t Emblem": 'Paradise L o s t ' and t h e Emblem T r a d i t i o n (Washington D.C., 1 9 7 8 ) , p . i i .
38.
From a review o f D. C. A l l e n ' s M y s t e r i o u s l y Meant: The Rediscovery o f Pagan Symbolism and A l l e g o r i c a l I n t e r p r e t a t i o n i n t h e Renaissance ( B a l t i m o r e , 1970) i n MQ V I I ( 1 9 7 3 ) , p.54. See t o o , H a r d i n g , M i l t o n and t h e Renaissance O v i d , p.93.
39.
See M. H. Abrams, The M i r r o r and t h e Lamp, pp.265-68.
40.
Thomas De Quincey, The C o l l e c t e d W r i t i n g s o f Thomas De Quincev: New and E n l a r g e d E d i t i o n i n 14 Volumes by David Masson (Edinburgh, 1 8 9 0 ) , x i , p.404
41.
A l b e r t C. L a b r i o l a , " T h e T i t a n s and t h e G i a n t s " : P a r a d i s e L o s t and t h e T r a d i t i o n o f t h e Renaissance O v i d ' , MQ X I I ( 1 9 7 8 ) , p.10.
42.
Sandys, p.60.
43.
ibid.
44.
G o l d i n g , The XV Bookes o f P. O u i d i u s p.Avi i .
45.
ibid., p.xi.
46.
ibid.
47.
An Essay Upon M i l t o n ' s I m i t a t i o n s o f t h e A n c i e n t s i n h i s 'Paradise L o s t ' . W i t h Some O b s e r v a t i o n s on t h e 'Paradise Regained' (1741) , p.16.
1
Naso E n t i t u l e d Metamorphoses
83
48.
Comus, 512; 514. See t o o Goodman's comments on t h e d i v i n i p o e t a e , The F a l l o f Man, p.398.
49.
Bush, Pagan Mythology and t h e Renaissance T r a d i t i o n , pp.264-65.
50.
See Leonora Leet Brodwin, ' M i l t o n and t h e Renaissance C i r c e ' , V I (1974), pp.21-84.
51.
R i c k s , M i l t o n ' s Grand S t y l e , p.47.
52.
D. C. A l l e n , The Harmonious V i s i o n : S t u d i e s i n M i l t o n ' s P o e t r y ( B a l t i m o r e , 1954), p.127.
53.
H a r d i n g , M i l t o n and t h e Renaissance O v i d , pp.24-25; see a l s o R i c h a r d F. H a r d i n , 'Ovid i n Seventeenth C e n t u r y England', CL XXIV (1977) pp.44-62, where he argues t h a t i n England as opposed t o I t a l y , Ovid c o n t i n u e d t o be read i n t h e m e d i e v a l t r a d i t i o n as a c o v e r t C h r i s t i a n who had w r i t t e n e r o t i c f a b l e s t o convey sacred d o c t r i n e and moral wisdom. See t o o Bush, Pagan Mythology and t h e Renaissance T r a d i t i o n , where he comments on t h e " c o n t i n u e d f l o u r i s h i n g o f a l l e g o r y i n t h e s e v e n t e e n t h , and even i n t h e e i g h t e e n t h c e n t u r y " ( p . 2 4 0 ) and c f . Jean Seznec, The S u r v i v a l o f t h e Pagan Gods, t r a n s . Barbara F. Sessions (New York, 1953), p.79. B u t , as Ann Moss has p o i n t e d o u t , as e a r l y as 1513, Erasmus had denounced t h e a l l e g o r i c a l t r a d i t i o n : " o p u s cuiusdam P r a e d i c a t o r i s i n s u l s i s s i m u m quod omnes O v i d i a n a s f a b u l a s ad C h r i s t u m accomodat, imo d e t o r q u e t " (Ovid i n Renaissance France: A Survey o f t h e L a t i n E d i t i o n s o f Ovid and Commentaries P r i n t e d i n France b e f o r e 1600, Warburg I n s t i t u t e Surveys V I I I [ 1 9 8 2 ] , p . 2 6 ) .
54.
D. C. A l l e n , M y s t e r i o u s l y Meant, p.163.
55.
Bush, Pagan Mythology and t h e Renaissance T r a d i t i o n , p.243.
56.
I n h i s f o r e w o r d t o Sandys, p . x i .
57.
L a b r i o l a , 'The T i t a n s and t h e G i a n t s : P a r a d i s e L o s t and t h e T r a d i t i o n o f t h e Renaissance O v i d ' , p.10.
58.
See Maren-Sofie R ^ s t v i g , 'Images o f P e r f e c t i o n ' , i n Seventeenthc e n t u r y Imagery: Essays on Uses o f F i g u r a t i v e Language from Donne t o Farquhar,ed. E a r l Miner (1971), pp.1-24.
MS
84
59.
S i r W a l t e r Ralegh, The H i s t o r y o f t h e World (1614) , The f i r s t Book o f t h e F i r s t P a r t , Chapter 6, p.91. See t o o , N o r t h r o p F r y e , A R e v e l a t i o n t o Eve' i n 'Paradise L o s t ' : A T e r c e n t e n a r y T r i b u t e / ed . B. Rajan ( T o r o n t o , 1969), pp.26-27. 1
60.
Goodman, F a l l o f Man, pp.398-99.
61.
Ralegh, The H i s t o r y o f t h e World, p.97.
62.
i b i d . , p.84.
63.
I s a b e l MacCaffrey, 'Paradise L o s t ' as 'Myth' 1959), p.14.
64.
Ralegh
65.
Areopagitica
66.
MacCaffrey, 'Paradise L o s t ' as 'Myth', p.121 and c f . Frank Kermode, 'Adam Unparadised' i n The L i v i n g M i l t o n , ed. Frank Kermode (1960), p.113.
67.
Kermode, 'Adam Unparadised', p.89. See t o o Joseph E. Duncan, M i l t o n ' s E a r t h l y P a r a d i s e : A H i s t o r i c a l Study o f Eden (Minnesota, 1972)/ pp.36-37.
68.
Bentley, note t o IV.268ff.
69.
Kermode, 'Adam Unparadised', p.89.
70.
G o l d i n g , The XV Bookes o f P. OuidiuS' Naso E n t i t u l e d Metamorphoses, p.xi and c f . Sandys, p.65. See t o o A r n o l d W i l l i a m s , The Common E x p o s i t o r : An Account o f t h e Commentaries on Genesis 1527-1633 (Chapel H i l l , N.C., 1 9 4 8 ) , pp.199-215.
71.
An Essay upon M i l t o n ' s I m i t a t i o n s o f t h e A n c i e n t s , p.16.
72.
As quoted by Ann Moss, Ovid i n Renaissance France, p.32.
t
(Cambridge, Mass.,
The H i s t o r y o f t h e World, p.84.
( C o l . I V , p.338).
85
73.
See H. R. MacCallum, ' M i l t o n and t h e F i g u r a t i v e I n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f t h e B i b l e ' , U n i v e r s i t y o f T o r o n t o Q u a r t e r l y XXXI (1962), pp.397-415.
74.
W i l l i a m G u i l d , E p i s t l e D e d i c a t o r i e t o MOSES UNVAILED (1620), as quoted by W i l l i a m G. Madsen, From Shadowy Types t o T r u t h : S t u d i e s i n M i l t o n ' s Symbolism (1968), pp.77-78.
75.
H. R. MacCallum, ' M i l t o n and t h e F i g u r a t i v e I n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f t h e B i b l e ' , p.404.
76.
W i l l i a m G. Madsen, From Shadowy Types t o T r u t h : S t u d i e s Symbolism (1968), p.3.
77.
Rcfstvig, 'Images o f P e r f e c t i o n ' , p.4.
78.
See Madsen, 'From Shadowy Types t o T r u t h ' i n M i l t o n Modern Judgements, p.2 2
79.
De Poet. I . x x x (Col. XVI, p.263).
80.
P r e v i o u s w r i t i n g on t h i s s u b j e c t i n c l u d e s : Madsen, From Shadowy Types t o T r u t h ; J . C. U l r e i c h , 'The T y p o l o g i c a l S t r u c t u r e o f M i l t o n ' s Imagery', MS_ V (1973), pp.67-86, and ' T y p o l o g i c a l Symbolism i n M i l t o n ' s Sonnet X X I I I ' , MQ V I I I (1979), pp.7-10; K u r t Heinzelman, '"Cold C o n s o l a t i o n " : The A r t o f M i l t o n ' s L a s t Sonnet', MS X (1977), pp.111-26; John Spencer H i l l , ' " A l c e s t i s from t h e Grave": Image and S t r u c t u r e i n Sonnet X X I I I ' , MS X (1977), pp.127-40.
81.
Duo L i b r i Retractationum.. B e a t i A u g u s t i n i R e l i q i o n e , L i b e r Unus, X I I .
82.
See D. C. A l l e n , The Harmonious V i s i o n , pp.127-31. B u t see a l s o L e s l i e Brisman,'Serpent E r r o r : P a r a d i s e L o s t X, 216-18', MS I I (1970), pp.27-36 f o r an i n t e r e s t i n g d i s c u s s i o n o f t h e i r o n i c complexity o f M i l t o n ' s a l l u s i o n t o t h e s p e c i f i c a l l y "Ovidian d e s c r i p t i o n o f t h e redemption o f t h e c l a s s i c a l h e r o " (pp.32-33).
83.
Madsen, From Shadowy Types t o T r u t h , p.82.
84.
See Mother Mary Pecheux, 'The Concept o f t h e Second Eve i n Paradise L o s t ' , PMLA LXXV (1960), pp.359-66; and Pp.203-4-;24G,but cP. n . o ^ .
i n Milton's
( M i l a n o , 1486) .
De Vera
86 5
85.
Q u i n t i l i a n i , I n s t i t u i o n i s O r a t o r i a e L i b e r X,ed. by W. (Oxford, 1921), i i . 1-28.
Peterson
86.
For a summary o f t h e main p o s i t i o n s i n t h e ' M i l t o n C o n t r o v e r s y see R i c k s , M i l t o n ' s Grand S t y l e , pp.1-21 and Bernard B e r g o n z i , ' C r i t i c i s m and t h e M i l t o n C o n t r o v e r s y ' i n The L i v i n g M i l t o n , ed. F. Kermode, pp.162-80.
87.
R i c k s , M i l t o n ' s Grand S t y l e , p.23.
88.
But note t h e caveats a g a i n s t ' o v e r r e a d i n g s ' o f M i l t o n ' s imagery g i v e n by Adams, p.33; Burton J. Webber, 'The N o n - N a r r a t i v e Approaches t o Paradise L o s t ' , MS IX (1976), pp.77-104 and Roserocnd Tuve, 'New Approaches on M i l t o n ' , from Essays by Rosamond Tuve: Spenser, H e r b e r t , M i l t o n ( P r i n c e t o n , New J e r s e y , 1970) , pp.255-61.
89.
Bush , John p.142.
90.
Here Addison i s q u o t i n g B o i l e a u ' s r e p l y t o P e r r a u l t ' s r i d i c u l e o f Homer's " l o n g - t a i l e d comparisons", 'Book I ' , S p e c t a t o r No.303, Feb. 16, 1712, p.80. See t o o Newton's note t o XI.8.
91.
Proceedings
92.
Johnson, L i v e s o f t h e E n g l i s h Poets i pp.178-79.
93.
James Whaler, 'The M i l t o n i c S i m i l e % PMLA LVI
94.
i b i d . , p.1034.
95.
A r t i s Logicae I . x x i
96.
Macaulay, An Essay ... on M i l t o n , p.16. Grand S t y l e , pp.147-48.
97.
R i c k s , M i l t o n ' s Grand S t y l e , pp.147-48.
98.
C. S. Lewis, A Preface t o 'Paradise L o s t ' ( O x f o r d , 1971), p.43.
1
Milton
:
A Sketch o f His L i f e and W r i t i n g s (1964),
o f t h e B r i t i s h Academy (1947), X X X I I I , pp.74-75.
(1931), p.1037.
( C o l . X I , pp.194-95).
1
See t o o R i c k s , M i l t o n s
i
87
99.
ibid.
101.
Macaulay, An
102.
A r t i s Logicae I . x x i
103.
Collett
104.
G e o f f r e y Hartman, ' M i l t o n ' s C o u n t e r p l o t " , ELN 1-12.
105.
Whaler,
106.
Bush,
107.
MacCaffrey,
108.
See D o u g l a s Bush, ' I r o n i c and Ambiguous A l l u s i o n i n P a r a d i s e L o s t ' , JEGP (1961) LX, pp.631-40. A. B a r t l e t t G i a m a t t i , The E a r t h l y P a r a d i s e and t h e R e n a i s s a n c e E p i c ( P r i n c e t o n , New J e r s e y , 1 9 6 6 ) , pp.295-355 and D. P. H a r d i n g , The C l u b o f H e r c u l e s , pp.67-85.
109.
MacCaffrey,
HO.
Whaler, 'The M i l t o n i c S i m i l e ' , p.1036. However, s u c h s i m i l e s a s A e n e i d X I I . 450-58, w h i c h c o n t a i n p r e c i s e h o m o l o g a t i o n between t e r m s and c l e a r l y e x e r c i s e a p r o l e p t i c f u n c t i o n o b v i o u s l y a n t i c i p a t e M i l t o n ' s usage.
111.
MacCaffrey,
112.
R i c k s , M i l t o n ' s Grand S t y l e , p.105.
113.
Johnson, L i v e s of the E n g l i s h P o e t s , I , p . 1 7 0 .
114.
MacCaffrey,
Essay
...
on M i l t o n , p.30.
(Col. XI.,pp.194-95).
, p.88.
XXV
(1958),
pp.
'The M i l t o n i c S i m i l e ' , pp.1035-36.
'Paradise
L o s t ' i n Our
'Paradise
'Paradise
'Paradise
'Paradise
Time, p.101.
L o s t ' as
L o s t ' as
Lost' as
L o s t ' as
'Myth', p.121.
'Myth', p.102.
'Myth', p.87.
'Myth', p . 4 5 .
88
115.
ibid.,
p.87.
116.
c f . M a c C a f f r e y , ' P a r a d i s e L o s t ' a s 'Myth', pp.81-91.
117.
D o u g l a s Bush, Pagan Myth and C h r i s t i a n T r a d i t i o n i n E n g l i s h P o e t r y , J a y n e L e c t u r e s f o r 1967, Memoirs f o r t h e A m e r i c a n P h i l o s o p h i c a l S o c i e t y , v o l . 7 2 ( P h i l a d e l p h i a , 1968), p.31.
118.
Rosemond Tuve, Images and Themes i n F i v e Poems by M i l t o n p.5.
119.
An e x p r e s s i o n borrowed from S. T. C o l d e r i d g e , 'To W i l l i a m S o t h e b y ' , F r i d a y September 1 0 t h 1802, from L e t t e r s o f Samuel T a y l o r C o l e r i d g e , ed. G r i g g s ( O x f o r d , 1956) V o l . 1 1 , p.459.
120.
W i l l i a m Wordsworth, 'Upon E p i t a p h s ' from Wordsworth's C r i t i c i s m , ed. N. C. S m i t h ( 1 9 0 5 ) , pp.126-29.
(1957),
Literary
89
CHAPTER I V V i r g i n , B r i d e and
Mother
1
I
A l o c a l H a b i t a t i o n and a Name
I n h i s commentary on the t e x t o f Genesis, Evans has s u g g e s t i v e l y a p p l i e d Auerbach's c h a r a c t e r i s a t i o n o f the s t y l e of the O l d Testament a u t h o r known as the E l o h i s t t o the J a h w f s t ' s account o f the c r e a t i o n and
F a l l o f man t o be found i n the second and t h i r d c h a p t e r s o f
Genesis
... the d e c i s i v e p o i n t s of the n a r r a t i v e a l o n e are emphasized, what l i e s between i s n o n - e x i s t e n t ; time and p l a c e are u n d e f i n e d and c a l l f o r i n t e r pretation; t h o u g h t s and f e e l i n g s r e m a i n unexpressed, [ a n d j are o n l y suggested by the s i l e n c e and t h e f r a g m e n t a r y speeches.
I n h i s l i t e r a r y e l a b o r a t i o n o f t h i s bare o u t l i n e o f e v e n t s M i l t o n s e t o u t t o s u p p l y n a r r a t i v e coherence, t o f i l l
these lacunae w i t h
context,
speech, c h a r a c t e r i s a t i o n and i n c i d e n t . Br.
Johnson has f i n e l y commented on the d i f f i c u l t i e s
involved
and M i l t o n ' s achievement:
Whoever c o n s i d e r s the few r a d i c a l p o s i t i o n s which the S c r i p t u r e s a f f o r d e d him, w i l l wonder by what e n e r g e t i c k o p e r a t i o n he expanded them t o such e x t e n t , and r a m i f i e d them t o so much v a r i e t y , r e s t r a i n e d as he was by r e l i g i o u s r e v e r e n c e from licentiousness of f i c t i o n .
As p a r t o f h i s task M i l t o n accepted the c h a l l e n g e
t o endow the
shadowy f i g u r e o f Eve i n Genesis w i t h substance and f o r m . L e t us f i r s t remind o u r s e l v e s o f the s c a n t y m a t e r i a l by the B i b l i c a l account c o n c e r n i n g Eve.
afforded
B e f o r e the t e m p t a t i o n and
F a l l , we are m e r e l y t o l d t h a t when " f o r Adam t h e r e was n o t f o u n d an h e l p meet f o r
him"
o .. t h e L o r d God caused a deep s l e e p t o f a l l upon Adam, and he s l e p t ; And he took one o f h i s r i b s , and c l o s e d up t h e Flesh instead thereof; And t h e r i b , which t h e L o r d God had t a k e n from man made he a woman, and b r o u g h t h e r u n t o the man. And Adam s a i d , T h i s i s now bone o f my bones and f l e s h o frayf l e s h ; she s h a l l be c a l l e d Woman, because she was t a k e n o u t o f Man. T h e r e f o r e s h a l l a man l e a v e h i s f a t h e r and h i s mother, and s h a l l c l e a v e u n t o h i s w i f e : a n l t h e y s h a l l be one f l e s h . (Gen.
11.20-24)
I n h i s i m a g i n a t i v e r e c o n s t r u c t i o n o f t h i s event, M i l t o n the
transformed
'Woman' i n t o one o f t h e most f a s c i n a t i n g and complex o f h i s
l i t e r a r y c r e a t i o n s , Eve. The S c r i p t u r a l account o f Eve's c r e a t i o n w i t h unasked and unanswered q u e s t i o n s . ^ which M i l t o n undertook
t o answer were:
immediately a f t e r her c r e a t i o n ; l e d h e r t o Adam;
bristles
Amongst those q u e s t i o n s where was Eve removed t o
what d i d she do b e f o r e h e r Maker
what was h e r response t o Adam's d e c l a r a t i o n ,
i s now bone o fraybones ..„"? room f o r i n t e r p r e t a t i o n original
positively
"This
This provided M i l t o n with considerable
and he f u r n i s h e d
i t r i c h l y w i t h h i s own
"invention".^
H a r d i n g has p o i n t e d o u t t h a t "Being a l i t e r a l i s t ,
that i s ,
b e l i e v i n g t h a t t h e t e x t o f S c r i p t u r e was i n f a l l i b l e , M i l t o n c o n s t r a i n e d t o observe
felt
t h e l i m i t a t i o n s imposed" by t h e l e t t e r o f t h e
7
Bible, was
b u t on those occasions when i t was vague o r u n s p e c i f i c
a t l i b e r t y t o eke o u t h i s meagre r e s o u r c e s w i t h m a t e r i a l
Milton
both
from C h r i s t i a n and R a b b i n i c a l commentaries and from hexaemeral and c l a s s i c a l l i t e r a t u r e p r o v i d e d t h a t i t i n no way countermined t h e s p i r i t of t h e B i b l i c a l account.
To a r t i c u l a t e and a m p l i f y t h e
d r a m a t i c r o l e o f Eve b e f o r e t h e F a l l , M i l t o n seems t o have t u r n e d c h i e f l y t o the l a t t e r .
M i l t o n e v i d e n t l y t u r n e d t o Ovid f o r i n s p i r a t i o n
when making one o f h i s moBt s i g n i f i c a n t and s u g g e s t i v e a d d i t i o n s t o t h e s t o r y as r e l a t e d i n Genesis.
With g r e a t c r e a t i v e i n s i g h t and
91
consummate a r t i s t r y for
9
H i l t o n drew upon two O v i d i a n a y t h e i n p a r t i c u l a r
h i s i m a g i n a t i v e r e c o n s t r u c t i o n of Eve's f i r s t moments of c o n s c i o u s -
n e s s and her i n i t i a l response to Adam ( l V 4 4 9 ~ 9 1 ) . e
With the c r e a t i o n
of Eve the p o e t i c n a r r a t i v e begins to break out of the framework of the B i b l i c a l
tezto
II
The Myror of V i r g i n ! t i e
The s t o r i e s of both N a r c i s s u s and Daphne a r e a d r o i t l y woven i n t o the p a t t e r n of Eve's experience. of N a r c i s s u s i n Ovid
M i l t o n ' s use of "the famous s t o r y
has been g e n e r a l l y remarked by commentators
from the e a r l i e s t e d i t i o n s onwards.
And,
since i t emphatically
i n t r o d u c e s the thematic motif of the v i r g i n a l Eve, i t thereby prepares us f o r the f l e e t i n g a l l u s i o n to Daphne a t t h i s p o i n t which,
being
l e s s o b t r u s i v e and l e s s f u l l y developed, has g e n e r a l l y passed u n n o t i c e d . M i l t o n ' s handling of the N a r c i s s u s myth forms an almost unique i n s t a n c e of i t s k i n d i n P a r a d i s e L o s t . borrowing
Evidence f o r the d i r e c t
of Ovidian m a t e r i a l i s h a r d l y ever so c o n c l u s i v e elsewhere.
We do not merely f i n d f a i n t , t a n t a l i s i n g echoes, a s i s the c a s e i n his
treatment of the myth of Daphne.
Although no e x p l i c i t comparison
i s drawn between the two, " I t i s " , as Osgood so c o n c i s e l y putB i t , "Ovid's s t o r y of N a r c i s s u s and h i s l o v e f o r the f a c e he saw
reflected 9
in
the water of a s p r i n g , except t h a t Eve i s put f o r N a r c i s s u s . " Newton's comments too suggeBt t h a t he f e l t M i l t o n was making
no attempt
to d i s g u i s e h i s borrowing.
M i l t o n , he a f f i r m s , " m a n i f e s t l y
took the h i n t " , and " e x p r e s s l y i m i t a t e d some p a s s a g e s " from fable.
1 0
Ovid's
Indeed, Milton openly f l a u n t s h i s usage of Ovidian m a t e r i a l and
even t a k e s the opportunity of c o r r e c t i n g the t r a n s l a t i o n of o t h e r s .
92
As Gransden has
pointed
out
o o o the phrase ' w i t h thee i t came and goes' i s p e d a n t i c a l l y a c c u r a t e about Ovid's t e n s e s : the metre shows t h a t ' v e n i t ' i n 'tecum v e n i t q u e manetque i s p a s t , n o t p r e s e n t , though George ^ Sandys, and most modern t r a n s l a t i o n s , r e a d 'comes'. 1
Since the g e n e r a l resemblance i n the b a s i c s t o r y l i n e and
setting
a r e r e i n f o r c e d by c e r t a i n s t r u c t u r a l , t h e m a t i c and
parallels,
it
seems e v i d e n t
t h a t i t was
p a r t of Milton's
verbal
conscious a r t i s t i c
purpose t h a t h i s r e a d e r s h o u l d r e c o g n i z e t h e i m p l i c i t a n a l o g y between Eve
and
Narcissus.,
Ovid's f a b l e was
most i n s t r u m e n t a l
i n h e l p i n g M i l t o n meet the
c h a l l e n g e o f c o n j u r i n g up e f f e c t i v e l y a u n i q u e e x p e r i e n c e i n human history.
C.S.Lewis hammers t h e p o i n t home when he
says Eve,
Adam, was
"never young, never immature o r undeveloped" b u t
like "created
12
f u l l - g r o w n and a mature and
perfect".
How
would i t f e e l t o come t o consciousness
f u l l y formed a d u l t , y e t w i t h no p r a c t i c a l knowledge or
g u i d a n c e t o e n c o u n t e r the w o r l d /
w i t h "unexperienced t h o u g h t " ( I V . 4 5 7 ) ?
I t would seem n a t u r a l t h a t such a b e i n g would be l i k e an c h i l d , e a s i l y d e c e i v e d by the d e l u s i v e the f e e l i n g s o f a n ' a d u l t . t o be
inexperienced
appearances o f t h i n g s y e t have
N a r c i s s u s ' e x p e r i e n c e by
the p o o l proved
the p e r f e c t f i g u r e t o c r y s t a l l i z e i n t h e r e a d e r ' s mind
this
p e c u l i a r s t a t e of nescience. By c o u c h i n g Eve's e x p e r i e n c e i n O v i d i a n terms M i l t o n f o l l o w s p r e c e p t s o f A r i s t o t l e and
Horace as i n t e r p r e t e d i n Renaissance
N e o - c l a s s i c a l t h e o r i e s o f p o e t i c s f o r decorous and M i l t o n maintains a pleasing
e q u i l i b r i u m between n o v e l t y and
the p r e r e q u i s i t e s f o r successful w i t h i t s f r e s h n e s s and been a p p l i e d and
credible
creation.
The
it.
and
invention. familiarity,
episode s t r i k e s us
n o v e l t y , s i n c e the N a r c i s s u s myth had
never
t o Eve's e x p e r i e n c e b e f o r e i n hexaemeral l i t e r a t u r e ,
w i t h f a m i l i a r i t y , since i t c a r r i e s the weight of Ovidian
behind
the
tradition
93
For t h i s r e a s o n M i l t o n ' s use o f t h e N a r c i s s u s myth was by e a r l y e d i t o r s and commentators. commended because i t was P a t r i c k Hume was
felt
acclaimed
Indeed, M i l t o n ' s treatment
was
t o improve upon i t s o r i g i n a l i n O v i d .
t h e f i r s t o f many t o defend M i l t o n ' s use o f the
O v i d i a n e p i s o d e , a r g u i n g t h a t , i t was
... much more p r o b a b l e t h a t a Person who had never seen any t h i n g l i k e h e r s e l f , s h o u l d be i n l o v e w i t h h e r own f a i n t r e f l e c t e d Resemblance, t h a n t h a t a Man a c q u a i n t e d w i t h t h e World and ^ h i m s e l f , s h o u l d be undone by so d u l l a d o t a g e .
Newton too adjudged i t "much more p r o b a b l e and n a t u r a l , as w e l l
as
more d e l i c a t e and b e a u t i f u l " t h a n Ovid's F a b l e , c o n c l u d i n g , "our a u t h o r ... has a v o i d e d a l l [ b v i d ' B ] p u e r i l i t i e s w i t h o u t l o s i n g 14 any o f h i s b e a u t i e s " .
I t i s i n t e r e s t i n g t o n o t e i n p a s s i n g Br.
Johnson's argument t h a t s i n c e "The man a r e i n a s t a t e w h i c h no o t h e r man
and woman who
a c t and
suffer,
and woman can ever know" i t f o l l o w s
that: The r e a d e r f i n d s no t r a n s a c t i o n i n which he can be engaged; beholds no c o n d i t i o n i n which he can by any e f f o r t o f i m a g i n a t i o n p l a c e h i m s e l f ; [ a n d ] he has, t h e r e f o r e , l i t t l e n a t u r a l c u r i o s i t y o r sympathy.
However, by p r e s e n t i n g Eve's e x p e r i e n c e o b l i q u e l y ,
athwart t h a t of
a f a m i l i a r m y t h i c a l f i g u r e , M i l t o n would seem t o have d i s p o s e d o f 16 " t h i s inconvenience". Yet r e a d e r s a r e now
so f a m i l i a r w i t h t h e p r o l e p t i c r e a d i n g o f
t h e e p i s o d e , i n w h i c h e i t h e r Eve's e r r o r "foreshadows
her l a t e r
1
c r e d u l i t y " ^ o r , more f r e q u e n t l y , h e r a d m i r a t i o n f o r h e r r e f l e c t i o n has a g r a v e r s i g n i f i c a n c e , b e t r a y i n g t o Satan a " f a i n t t r a c e o f l a t e n t v a n i t y and s e l f - c e n t r e d n e s s " which he w i l l
l a t e r p u t t o use,
t h e y e x c l u d e t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f o t h e r l a y e r s o f meaning and I t seems by no means i n c i d e n t a l t o M i l t o n ' s purpose passage h e l p s to e s t a b l i s h Eve's v i r g i n a l r o l e .
that significance.
that this
94
S t i l l as G i a o a t t i has
insisted
... i t would be a s t u b b o r n r e a d e r who would r e f u s e t o see the n a r c i s s i s m h e r e , as some have done, o r who would i n s i s t on c o m p l e t e l y u n d e r p l a y i n g i t s i m p l i c a t i o n s . 9 1
Eve caught i n the r e f l e c t i o n o f t h i s O v i d i a n myth makes an
indelible
i m p r e s s i o n on the r e a d e r , f o r m i n g t h e r e b y an i n s e p a r a b l e a s p e c t o f h i s response to her v i r g i n a l r o l e , and what f o l l o w s tends t o take some o f i t s s i g n i f i c a n c e f r o m t h i s , p r o j e c t i n g i t s own
l i g h t on the
s u c c e e d i n g r e p r e s e n t a t i o n of Eve as Daphne. Ovid's c o n t i n u i n g p o p u l a r i t y seems t o r e s i d e l a r g e l y i n h i s a r t as an image-maker. psychological
Time has n o t eroded
the m a g i c a l beauty
t r u t h of c e r t a i n o f h i s images, and
these i s to be found the f i g u r e o f N a r c i s s u s .
and
to the f o r e f r o n t of
Ever s i n c e Ovid's
t r e a t m e n t of the myth, the h a u n t i n g image o f N a r c i s s u s g a z i n g v a i n l y a t h i s r e f l e c t i o n i n a pool of water has a r r e s t e d a t t e n t i o n and
proved
an i n e x h a u s t i b l e source o f i n s p i r a t i o n f o r a r t i s t s as d i v e r s e as Edmund Spenser i n the s i x t e e n t h c e n t u r y and S a l v a d o r D a l i i n our
own:
Spenser's B r i t o m a r t , having f a l l e n i n l o v e w i t h the image o f A r t e g a l l t h a t appears as she gazes i n t o the m a g i c a l " l o o k i n g g l a s s e " o f lie K i n , l i k e n s her seemingly hopeless while Salvador
predicament t o t h a t o f N a r c i s s u s , 2 0
B a l i has captured
i n l u r i d c o l o u r s t h e s t a r k image o f 21
N a r c i s s u s ' b a r r e n and w a s t e f u l l o v e . handling
On the one hand M i l t o n ' s
of the motif i s l i k e Spenser's i n t h a t u l t i m a t e l y " t h e p o i n t
of Eve's n a r r a t i o n i s the c o n t r a s t r a t h e r than the comparison w i t h the o r i g i n a l N a r c i s s u s " , Eve w i l l f i n d Y u l f i l m e n t " and n o t p i n e w i t h on
"vain d e s i r e " ,
on the other hand we cannot a l t o g e t h e r purge t h e
image of i t s dark and
t h r e a t e n i n g f e a t u r e s as Milton's v i s i o n appears
s u r p r i s i n g l y oloae to B a l i ' s i n mood and
thematic image.
L i k e N a r c i s s u s , Eve i s "adorned" with such " p e r f e c t ( I V . 6 3 4 ) a s i s bound to i n s p i r e l o v e i n the beholder. too, she i s f a s c i n a t e d by her own l o v e l i n e s s :
beauty"
Like Narcissus
95
cunctaque m i r a t u r , q u i b u B est m i r a b i l i s i p s e : se c u p i t i n p r u d e n s e t , q u i p r o b a t , i p s e p r o b a t u r , dumque p e t i t , p e t i t u r , p a r i t e r q u e a c c e n d i t e t a r d e t . (Met.III.424-26)
Eve
proves u n a b l e t o d i s t i n g u i s h r e a l i t y from appearance, s u b s t a n c e "spem s i n e c o r p o r e amat, c o r p u s p u t a t esse, q u o d u m b r a
from
Bhadow;
est"
( M e t . I I I . 4 1 7 ) , and,
l i k e N a r c i s s u s , because o f h e r i g n o r a n c e
t r u e n a t u r e of her s i t u a t i o n "quid v i d e a t , n e s c i t ;
the
videt,uritur i l l o "
Bed
of
quod
(Met.III.430).
Commenting on t h i s scene, M a r j o r i e N i c h o l s o n has argued
that:
I t seems e n t i r e l y p o s s i b l e t o e x p l a i n Eve's supposed ' n a r c i s s i s m ' by s a y i n g t h a t Eve was s t i l l an i n f a n t and j u s t now c r e a t e d - and her e x p e r i e n c e was t h a t o f any c h i l d f o r t h e f i r s t time n o t i c i n g i t s r e f l e c t i o n i n the m i r r o r or water.
While t h i s i s a s u g g e s t i v e p o i n t , i t i s n o t s t r i c t l y a c c u r a t e .
It
d i s g u i s e s , by i t s emphasis on Eve's " c h i l d l i k e n e s s " , what M i l t o n i s at
pains
to stress.
I n keeping w i t h
the g e n e r a l consensus o f
opinion
24t h a t Eve
"was
c r e a t e d as a t t h e age
of twenty"
t h e emotions
e l i c i t e d b y t h e l o v e l y f i g u r e i n the w a t e r a r e c l e a r l y n o t i n f a n t i n e ; t h e y a r e , on t h e c o n t r a r y , those o f a woman, m a t u r e and r i p e f o r a husband.
I n accordance w i t h t h e purpose f o r w h i c h she has
c-ve r e v e a l 8 h e r n a t u r e t o g i v e 'sympathy' and
been c r e a t e d ,
' l o v e ' , b u t because
o f h e r r e m o v a l f r o m Adam's s i d e t h i s has been i r o n i c a l l y d e f l e c t e d f r o m i t s n a t u r a l and Narcissus
proper o b j e c t .
a p p e a l e d t o t h e t i m e l e s s s p e c t a t o r s , the t r e e s around
him:
"ecquem, cum v e s t r a e t o t a g a n t u r s a e c u l a v i t a e , q u i s i c t a b u e r i t , longo m e m i n i s t i s i n aevo?" (Met.III.444-45)
96
M i l t o n ' s r e a d e r c o u l d c i t e one c h a r a c t e r who had v e r y n e a r l y s u f f e r e d t h e same w a s t e f u l end. Eve r e c o g n i s e s what would have been h e r f a t e had n o t a w a r n i n g v o i c e i n t e r v e n e d
Mine eyes t i l l
o o o t h e r e I had f i x e d now, and p i n e d w i t h v a i n d e s i r e . (IVO465-66)
U n l i k e N a r c i s s u s , Eve i s drawn away from t h e p o o l by t h e m y s t e r i o u s voice.
I n Paradise
Lost i t i s the voice of the Lord;
Metamorphoses i t i s t h e v o i c e o f t h e poet himself„
i n the
Ovid
feels
i m p e l l e d t o i n t e r v e n e p e r s o n a l l y i n h i s own n a r r a t i v e i n a attempt t o a v e r t the f a t e of h i s character
futile
Narcissuss
c r e d u l e , q u i d f r u s t r a s i m u l a c r a f u g a c i a captas? quod p e t i s , e s t nusquam; quod amas, a v e r t e r e , p e r d e s j i s t a r e p e r c u s s a e , quam c e r n i s , i m a g i n i s umbra e s t : n i l habet i s t a s u i ; tecum v e n i t q u e manetque; tecum d i s c e d e t , s i t u d i s c e d e r e p o s s i s i (Met.III.452-36)
These l i n e s o b v i o u s l y f i n d t h e i r v e r b a l and s t r u c t u r a l c o u n t e r p a r t in Milton'8
lines
... What thou s e e s t , What t h e r e t h o u s e e s t f a i r c r e a t u r e i s t h y s e l f , With thee i t came and goes: b u t f o l l o w me, And I w i l l b r i n g thee where no shadow s t a y s Thy coming, and t h y s o f t embraces. (IV.467-71)
However, Eve's i n s t r u c t o r i s i n a more advantageous p o s i t i o n ,
having
e x p l a i n e d t h e d e l u s o r y n a t u r e o f h e r e x p e r i e n c e , he can o f f e r h e r an a l t e r n a t i v e t h a t N a r c i s s u s has a l r e a d y r e j e c t e d .
I n place of a
doomed and f r u s t r a t e l o v e , a l i f e o f b a r r e n s e l f a b s o r p t i o n , he promises one which w i l l
s a t i s f y h e r l o n g i n g s , and a more e x a l t e d r o l e
as "Mother o f f t h e ] human r a c e " .
I t i s as i f Eve were
responding
t o Ovid's s l y p a r t i n g i n j u n c t i o n , "tecum d i s c e d e t , s i t u d i s c e d e r e
97
p o s s i s l " ( M e t . I I I . 4 3 6 ) , w h e n she p o s e B the r h e t o r i c a l q u e s t i o n , "what c o u l d I do/But f o l l o w s t r a i g h t , i n v i s i b l y thus l e d ? " ( I V . 4 7 5 - 7 6 ) . Yet on e n c o u n t e r i n g Adam, Eve w i l f u l l y t u r n s back t o t h e i l l u s o r y s e l f - i m a g e , h e r r e f l e c t i o n i n t h e w a t e r , as N a r c i s s u s had done "ad faciara r e d i i t " ( M e t . I I I . 4 7 4 ) ? even a f t e r h i s c l i m a c t i c
s e n s i , nec me mea f a l l i t imago" ( M e t . I I I . 4 6 3 ) .
" i s t e ego sum: the i n i t i a l
realisation If
e f f e c t M i l t o n sought by l i n k i n g Eve w i t h N a r c i s s u s was
to render c o n v i n c i n g l y h e r unique s i t u a t i o n , h e r 'inexperienced t h o u g h t ' , t h e e x t e n s i o n o f t h e comparison encourages t h e r e a d e r t o i n c l u d e t h e a s s o c i a t i o n o f N a r c i s s u s as t h e a r c h symbol o f d e s t r u c t i v e 25 self-love his
who l i v e d a l i f e o f s t e r i l e waste and i n v o l v e d Echo i n
own r u i n .
M i l t o n has r e v e r s e d t h e sequence o f events i n Ovid:
Narcissus f i r s t justice;
spurns Echo and t h e n s u f f e r s h i s f a t e i n r e t r i b u t i v e
Eve l i k e w i s e r e j e c t s Adam, b u t a f t e r j u d g i n g him by h e r
i d e a l o f beauty,
herself.
One o f t h e most i m p r e s s i v e and i m m e d i a t e l y s t r i k i n g f e a t u r e s o f t h i s passage i n P a r a d i s e L o s t i s t h e u n f a m i l i a r and unusual i t g i v e s upon e v e n t s .
perspective
We l o o k a t what f o l l o w e d Eve's c r e a t i o n f r o m
t h e p o i n t o f v i e w o f Eve h e r s e l f .
We have o n l y t o c o n s i d e r t h e
a c c o u n t o f Eve's c r e a t i o n g i v e n i n t h e t h i r d person n a r r a t i v e o f 26 S y l v e s t e r ' s Du B a r t a s t o a p p r e c i a t e t h e n o v e l t y o f t h i s approach. I n Du B a r t a s as i n Genesis n o t a t h o u g h t i s g i v e n t o t h e Woman's f e e l i n g s and response;
a t t h i s p o i n t she i s s i m p l y a f i g u r e
classified
e n t i r e l y by gender, and t h e r e i s , o f c o u r s e , no q u e s t i o n as t o whether she w i l l a
be w i l l i n g t o f u l f i l
'help meet' f o r Adam.
t h e r o l e f o r which she has been c r e a t e d ,
I n P a r a d i s e L o s t , however, we do n o t f i n d
a g e n e r i c t y p e o f 'Woman' b u t , as t h e use o f h e r p e r s o n a l name 27 throughout i m p l i e s ,
an i n d i v i d u a l , Eve, whose assent
t o Adam's
s u i t cannot be s i m p l y assumed. For an i n s t a n t t h e f a m i l i a r f a b l e f o r c e s a r e v i s i o n i n o u r e x p e c t a t i o n s , and t r e m b l e s on t h e b r i n k o f t r a g e d y .
W i l l Adam s u f f e r
the same f a t e aB Echo, " f o r ever t o deplore/Her loBB,and other p l e a s u r e s a l l abjure" (VIII.479-80)?
fhe d i s l o c a t i o n i s momentary, however, ae
Adam s w i f t l y a s s e r t B h i m s e l f and overcomes t h e p a s s i v e r o l e of Echo t e m p o r a r i l y f o i s t e d upon him.
Adam i s not an 'echo' of Eve, on the
c o n t r a r y Eve i s the "image" of Adam a s Eve was h e r s e l f instructed (IV.471=72).
explicitly
So a t t h i s j u n c t u r e the r o l e s of NarciSBuE
and Echo no longer seem a p p r o p r i a t e and the t a b l e a u i s almost i m p e r c e p t i b l y transformed from one of N a r c i s s u s g a z i n g enamoured a t h i s own r e f l e c t i o n i n t o one of Phoebus' a r d e n t p u r s u i t of Daphne. K i l t o n e x h i b i t s h i s a s s i m i l a t i v e genius here t o advantage;
it is
d i s p l a y e d i n the way i n which he c o e r c e s these two episodes from Ovidian myth i n t o f r u i t f u l c o l l a b o r a t i o n . H i l t o n ' s c o v e r t a l l u s i o n to the s t o r y o f Daphne, and the i l l u m i n a t i n g l i g h t i t throws upon K i l t o n ' B n a r r a t i v e has been g e n e r a l l y overlooked. 28 Y e t , although the most e x p l i c i t r e f e r e n c e i B
only f l e e t i n g ,
once
r e c o g n i s e d , Daphne, l i k e N a r c i s s u s , l i n g e r s i n the memory a s a f i g u r e of p a r t i c u l a r symbolic s i g n i f i c a n c e .
Douglas Bush 1B the only c r i t i c ,
so f a r a s I can a s c e r t a i n , to have p r e v i o u s l y noted
t h i s a l l u s i o n , and
he merely r e c o r d s t h a t "Adam's wordB apparently echo those of the amorous A p o l l o to the f l e e i n g Daphne (Ovid, Ket.I.504f»)"«
in support
of M B argument t h a t here Milton i s h i n t i n g a t Adam's v u l n e r a b i l i t y 29
by s u g g e s t i n g "the germ of h i s e x c e s s i v e devotion" to Eve. However, Bush does not proceed c h a i n of a s s o c i a t e d i d e a s .
to c o n s i d e r the next l i n k i n t h i s
The n a t u r a l c o r o l l a r y of l i n k i n g Phoebus
and Adam i s , of c o u r s e , a p a i r i n g together of Eve and Daphne, e s p e c i a l l y s i n c e Adam i s never g i v e n a mythological r o l e independently of Eve. Again, the a s s o c i a t i o n i s prompted by the t a b l e a u K i l t o n us to v i s u a l i z e ;
encourages
from l i n e 461 onwards the scene suggested i s one of
99
p u r s u i t and p o t e n t i a l rape so g r a p h i c a l l y d e l i n e a t e d by Ovid i n t h e Metamorphoses. T h i s p r o v i d e s some j u s t i f i c a t i o n f o r s p e c u l a t i n g upon the s i g n i f i c a n c e o f a more complex s e r i e s o f correspondences and c e r t a i n i m p l i c i t p a r a l l e l s between t h e two c o u p l e s .
L i k e Daphne, Eve h e r s e l f i s n o t "uninformed/Of n u p t i a l
sanctity
and m a r r i a g e r i t e s " ( V I I I . 4 8 6 - 8 7 ) > b u t a l s o l i k e Daphne she t u r n s h e r back on a l l t h i s i m p l i e s " n e c ^ q u i d Amor, q u i d s i n t (Met.1.480).
conubia c u r a t "
I t i s as i f Eve t o o had been s t r u c k by Amor's l e a d e n
a r r o w "quod f u g a t (amoremj, obtusum e s t e t habet sub h a r u n d i n e plumbum" (Met.1.471)» f o r on e n c o u n t e r i n g Adam she f l i e s t h e v e r y name o f l o v e .
Adam g i v e s chase and h o t l y pursues h e r w i t h p l e a d i n g
words, w h i l e she, l i k e Daphne, we must imagine
... f u g i t o c i o r a u r a i l i a l e v i neque ad haec r e v o c a n t i s v e r b a r e s i s t i t . (Met.1.502-3)
For t h e f i r s t l i n e s o f Adam's speech (IV.481-82) w i t h t h e i r r e i t e r a t i o n o f " f l y ' s t " , "Return f a i r Eve,/Whom f l y ' s t thou?
emphatic Whom
t h o u f l y ' s t , o f h i m t h o u a r t " , c l e a r l y i n d i c a t e t h a t Eve i s i n f u l l f l i g h t and i s n o t i n c l i n e d t o r i s k s t o p p i n g and making a r e p l y .
Adam's
words a u d i b l y echo Phoebus' d e s p e r a t e appeal and f o l l o w h i s l i n e o f reasoning. not
Phoebus assumes t h a t Daphne shuns him because she does
know who he i s :
... n e s c i s , t e m e r a r i a , n e s c i s , quern f u g i a s , ideoque f u g i s ... (Met.I.514-15)
The s t r e s s e d r e p e t i t i o n o f f u g i r e i s n o t e w o r t h y , so t o o t h e emphatic reiteration
o f " n e s c i B " , which may have suggested t o M i l t o n a t h e m a t i c
m o t i f p e c u l i a r t o N a r c i s s u s , Daphne and Eve. The a r d e n t young gods o f O v i d i a n myth a r e never renowned f o r
100
t h e i r patience;
t h e y never woo w i t h g e n t l e p e r s u a s i v e speech f o r
long
... sed enim non s u s t i n e t u l t r a p e r d e r e b l a n d i t i a s i u v e n i s deus, u t q u e movebat i p s e Amor, admisso s e q u i t u r v e s t i g i a passu. (Met d o 5 3 0 - 3 2 )
The b r u t a l image o f a savage h u n t i n g dog c l o s i n g i n upon i t s d e f e n c e l e s s p r e y i m m e d i a t e l y f o l l o w s t o suggest t h e imminent rape o f Daphne by Phoebus%
u t c a n i s i n vacuo leporem cum G a l l i c u s a r v o v i d i t , e t h i e praedam p e d i b u s p e t i t , i l l e s a l u t e m ; a l t e r i n h a e s u r o s i m i l i s iam iamque t e n e r e sperat e t extento s t r i n g i t v e s t i g i a r o s t r o , a l t e r i n ambiguo e s t , a n s i t conprensus, e t i p s i s morsibus e r i p i t u r t a n g e n t i a q u e o r a r e l i n q u i t ; s i c deus e t v i r g o e s t h i e spe c e l e r , i l i a t i m o r e . (Met.I.533-39)
But what o f Adam and Eve?
When words p r o v e i n s u f f i c i e n t t o
sway h e r , i m p a t i e n t o f d e l a y and overcome by a r d e n t p a s s i o n , does Adam t o o p r e p a r e t o use v i o l e n c e ?
Surely not.
And y e t , i f we l o o k
c l o s e l y a t Eve's c l o s i n g words, " w i t h t h a t t h y g e n t l e
hand/Seized
mine, I y i e l d e d " ( I V . 4 8 8 - 8 9 ) » which d i s c r e e t l y draw a c u r t a i n over the
scene, such a q u e s t i o n may n o t seem q u i t e so outrageous o r
fanciful. Her words a r e o b v i o u s l y i n f l u e n c e d by h e r p r e s e n t happiness but
even so t h e m i l d e p i t h e t " g e n t l e " , which suggests t h a t Adam was
p r e p a r e d t o use c o n c i l i a t o r y measures, i s p l a c e d i n a p o s i t i o n o f a l m o s t u n b e a r a b l e t e n s i o n w i t h t h e a g g r e s s i v e v e r b " s e i z e d " which is
h e l d back t o open t h e n e x t l i n e and so g i v e s t h e r e a d e r a s l i g h t
jolt.
I t seems t o i m p l y t h a t Adam was u n w i l l i n g t o t o l e r a t e any
further delay.
F o r an o b l i q u e commentary on these l i n e s we may t u r n
t o t h e scene o f l o v e m a k i n g a f t e r t h e F a l l .
I n d e e d , Adam h i m s e l f
suggests such a comparison when he c o n f e s s e s t o Eve
101
... never d i d t h y beauty s i n c e t h e day I saw thee f i r s t ... ... so i n f l a m e my sense With ardour t o e n j o y thee... (IX.1029-32)
W'itK tV->«.t "Her hand he s e i z e d ' % b u t Eve was now " n o t h i n g l o t h " 10375 of
1039)°
(IX.
C r i t i c s have drawn a t t e n t i o n t o t h e d r a m a t i c shock
e n c o u n t e r i n g Adam's v o c a b u l a r y h e r e , p a r t i c u l a r l y t h e e x p r e s s i o n s
" p l a y " , " e n j o y t h e e " , " s e i z e d " (IX.1027, 1032, 1037), a f t e r t h e 30 r e v e r e n c e h i t h e r t o shown i n h i s speech t o Eve."^ of
B u t w h i l e t h e impact
these l i n e s f r o m l a t e r i n t h e poem i s e v i d e n t l y s t r o n g e r , t h e
effect i s similar. T h i s i n t e r p r e t a t i o n seems j u s t i f i e d i n p a r t by t h e u n e l a b o r a t e d choice o f verb,
'yielded*
t o denote Eve's compliance.
have been d e l i b e r a t e l y l e f t ambiguous:
T h i s seems t o
e i t h e r Eve complied
with
Adam's demands a f t e r coming t o r e c o g n i s e h i s due r i g h t s , o r i t may i m p l y t h a t Eve r e a l i s t i c a l l y , b u t b e g r u d g i n g l y , gave way t o t h e stronger physical f o r c e . I n c o n n e c t i o n w i t h t h i s a p p a r e n t a m b i g u i t y , l e t us c o n s i d e r t h e r e s p e c t i v e m a r i t a l f a t e s o f two O v i d i a n goddesses t o whom Eve i s more t h a n once compared by M i l t o n , F l o r a and Pomona.
F l o r a , l i k e Eve, r e l a t e s
h e r own s t o r y which proves t o be r e m a r k a b l y s i m i l a r t o Eve's i n s e v e r a l respects:^ v e r e r a t , errabamt Zephyrus c o n s p e x i t , abibam. insequitur, fugio: f o r t i o r i l l e f u i t ,
*.. vim tamen emendat dando m i h i nomina n u p t a e , i n q u e meo non e s t u l l a q u e r e l l a t o r o . (Fasti.V.201-2}
205-6)
Her w i l l was f o r c e d , i t must be conceded
at once, b u t a l l has t u r n e d
o u t f o r t h e b e s t , as she h e r s e l f hastens
t o assure u s , f o r she now
e n j o y s a happy m a r r i a g e and a more e x a l t e d p o s i t i o n .
She i s no l o n g e r
a mere "nymphe campi f e l i c i s " ( F a s t i V . 1 9 7 ) , b u t a goddess, "Mater ...
102
florum"
(F sti.V.183)o a
Pomona, l i k e Daphne, " V e n e r i s quoque n u l l a c u p i d o e s t " (Met.XIV. 634)
and had no d e s i r e t o m a r r y , b u t when Vertumnus, t i r i n g o f
p e r s u a s i o n , d e c i d e d t o r e s o r t t o f o r c e , she f o r t u n a t e l y f e l t t h e 'mutual wound' j u s t i n t i m e , and Ovid d e l i c a t e l y withdraws from t h e scenes
vimque p a r a t : sed v i non e s t opus, i n q u e f i g u r a c a p t a d e i nympha e s t e t mutua v u l n e r a s e n s i t . (Met.XIV.770-71)
Was Eve f o l l o w i n g t h e l i n e o f l e a s t r e s i s t a n c e when she ' y i e l d e d ' t o Adam, o r was
she t o o f i n a l l y p i e r c e d by Amor's g o l d e n a r r o w
1 . 4 7 0 ) as M i l t o n elsewhere i m p l i e s
(Met.
(IV.763)?
Adam's own r e c o l l e c t i o n and i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f t h e sequence o f events l e a d i n g f r o m Eve's c r e a t i o n t o t h e i r f i r s t encounter and e v e n t u a l u n i o n ( V I I I . 4 6 0 - 5 2 0 ) a l s o c a s t s an i l l u m i n a t i n g , r e t r o s p e c t i v e l i g h t upon t h e e a r l i e r a c c o u n t , w h i c h , as we have seen, i s g i v e n e n t i r e l y f r o m Eve's p o i n t o f v i e w .
However, t h e episode i s a g a i n
r e g a r d e d f r o m t h e p a r t i a l p e r s p e c t i v e o f a n i n d i v i d u a l who n e c e s s a r i l y enjoys o n l y a l i m i t e d i n s i g h t i n t o t h e o v e r a l l s i t u a t i o n .
And i n d e e d ,
Adam's d e s c r i p t i o n d i s p l a y s c e r t a i n s u b t l e and i n t e r e s t i n g d i f f e r e n c e s o f emphasis f r o m Eve's own a c c o u n t . Adam r e c a l l s h i s own f e e l i n g s and a s p i r a t i o n s as Eve approached, "Led by h e r h e a v e n l y maker" ( V I I I . 4 8 5 ) .
H i s experience i s the d i r e c t
r e v e r s e o f t h a t o f Eve and N a r c i s s u s , f o r Adam, as he w o n d e r i n g l y muses, f o u n d h i s own image embodied i n a d i s t i n c t and s e p a r a t e individual:
" I now see/... my s e l f / B e f o r e me" ( V I I I . 4 9 4 - 9 6 ) .
But f o r Eve must come t h e r e a l i s a t i o n t h a t she i s n o t t h e o n l y ' s u b j e c t ' ; o t h e r needs and d e s i r e s b e s i d e h e r own impinge upon h e r ; 52
those o f a n o t h e r f o r whom she h e r s e l f i s t h e ' o b j e c t ' .
She d i s c o v e r s
t h a t she was n o t made f o r h e r s e l f a l o n e b u t was i n t e n d e d f o r u n i o n
with another, f o r Adam goes on to exclaim w i t h i n her
hearing
... woman i s her name, of man E x t r a c t e d ; f o r t h i s cause he s h a l l forego Father and mother, and to h i s wife adhere; And they s h a l l be one f l e s h , one h e a r t , one s o u l , (VIII.496-99)
Her.separateness i s threatened
by i n v a s i o n from another;
f e e l s Adam's complete otherness a t t h i s p o i n t .
she
L i k e Daphne, she
r e c o i l s from admitting such claims upon her and holds aloof from contact.
I t i s not s u r p r i s i n g to- f ind
that Freudian
psychologists
have i n t e r p r e t e d Daphne's f l i g h t "aB
symbolizing a g i r l ' s i n s t i n c t i v e
horror of the sexual a c t " . ^
now
We may
more f u l l y appreciate
the
a r t i s t i c purpose behind Milton's replacement of N a r c i s s u s ' s e r o t i c ardour, h i s d e s i r e f o r sexual union with h i s image (Met.III.427-29; 450-53) with Eve's more r e s t r a i n e d and d i s t a n c i n g "looks/Of sympathy and love" (IV.464-65, emphasis added). This i s not an i s o l a t e d d i f f i c u l t y .
A similar,
unresolved
tension u n d e r l i e s our f i r s t i n t r o d u c t i o n to Adam and Eve. of c r i t i c s have commented on the way
A number
i n which the d e s c r i p t i o n of
Eve'B h a i r (IV.304-11) becomes symbolic, at
l e a s t on one l e v e l of 34
i n t e r p r e t a t i o n , of t h e i r sexual r e l a t i o n s h i p .
Indeed, on
the
strength of t h i s passage, L i e b has gone so f a r as to conclude that "Eve must be s e x u a l l y dominated by the s u p e r i o r f o r c e and thus y i e l d 35 h e r s e l f as the h a i r would y i e l d i t s e l f to higher r u l e " .
The
" d i s h e v e l l e d " (IV.306) s t a t e of Eve's t r e s s e s thus ... implied S u b j e c t i o n , but r e q u i r e d with gentle sway, And by her y i e l d e d , by him best r e c e i v e d , Yielded with coy submission, modest p r i d e , And sweet r e l u c t a n t amorous delay.
(iv.307-10) Most c r i t i c a l d i s c u s s i o n s of the passage have tended to focus upon the s i g n i f i c a n c e of the f i n a l l i n e .
While B.A.Wright was
not
the f i r s t to admire thiB l i n e ,
he seems to have been the f i r s t to
note t h a t i t was a " c l o s e t r a n s l a t i o n " of Ars Amatoria 11.718s
Grede mini, non e s t v e n e r i s properanda voluptas, Sed sensim t a r d a p r o l i c i e n d a mora, (Ars
Am 11.717-18) a
and to argue that
... t h i s quotation from Ovid i s meant to show unmistakably [Milton's] view that p h y s i c a l love i s an e s s e n t i a l and i n s e p a r a b l e part of human love a t i t s b e s t , as he had argued i n the Doctrine and D i s c i p l i n e of Divorce,
However, other readers have found the l i n e more t r o u b l i n g . Their unease seems to stem d i r e c t l y from Milton's use of " r e l u c t a n t " which, i t i s i n t e r e s t i n g to note, has no e q u i v a l e n t i n the Ovidian 39 original.
P a t r i c k Hume was the f i r s t commentator to d i r e c t
our
a t t e n t i o n to the d e r i v a t i o n of the word, "Reluctant, of Reluctans, Lat.
s t r u g g l i n g , of R e l u c t a r i , L a t . to s t r i v e " but made no f u r t h e r
c o m m e n t M o r e r e c e n t l y , Le Comte has made e x p l i c i t what Hume's note l e f t i m p l i c i t t Milton's " r e l u c t a n t " has the etymological i n d i c a t i o n of a c e r t a i n amount of s t r u g g l i n g , r e i n f o r c i n g . t h e gradualness of "Yielded with coy submission?.
As so often i n the poem, the etymological f o r c e of a word may
be f e l t
A0
to c o n t r i b u t e s t r o n g l y to a passage's p o s s i b l e s i g n i f i c a n c e .
Here
the l i t e r a l L a t i n meaning of r e l u c t a r i taken together with other f a i n t warning notes heard elsewhere, may b r i n g an otherwise submerged and i l l - d e f i n e d f e e l i n g of u n e a s i n e s s nearer the s u r f a c e . would not wish to o v e r s t a t e the c a s e .
But 1
Rather than encouraging
us
to c u l t i v a t e s t r o n g l y ambivalent f e e l i n g s towards sexual r e l a t i o n s , Milton seems more concerned with implanting a seed of u n c e r t a i n t y about s e x u a l i t y which w i l l only bear f r u i t i n Satan's temptation of
105 4
Eve. 5 As the p a t t e r n of emphasis and choice of conjunction i n these l i n e s s u b t l y r e v e a l , "and
though d i v i n e l y broughij/Yet ..." (VTII.500-1),
Adam too i s c l e a r l y uneasy and disturbed by h i s r e c o l l e c t i o n of Eve's i n i t i a l r e l u c t a n c e , and he makes s e v e r a l attempts to reach a s a t i s f a c t o r y explanation.
I n i t i a l l y he a t t r i b u t e s her d i s i n c l i n a t i o n
to c e r t a i n decorous and maidenly r e s e r v a t i o n s ! " v i r g i n modesty" and
"her innocence",
" v i r t u e " ( V I I I . 5 0 1 - 2 ) m i l i t a t e d a g a i n s t an
immediate and w i l l i n g compliance,,
Yet, he goes on to suggest, perhaps
i n an attempt to j u s t i f y to h i m s e l f h i s i n t r u s i o n upon her, that i t was a mere d i s p l a y of r e l u c t a n c e on her p a r t ; and not unsought be won"
(VIII.503).
she "would be wooed,
The deBire f o r union was mutual,
but so that he might p r i z e "her worth" ( V I I I . 5 0 2 ) and value
her
compliance more h i g h l y she " r e t i r e d , / T h e more d e s i r a b l e " (VIII.504=5). Adam i m p l i e s that c h a s t i t y , l i k e beauty, i s a weapon of Venus, but that p a r a d o x i c a l l y i t inflames the passion i t attempts to r e s t r a i n . I t a l s o seems s i g n i f i c a n t t h a t Adam g l o s s e s over h i s p u r s u i t of Eve i n tto© short c l a u s e s bare of a l l c i r c u m s t a n t i a l d e t a i l , me,
she t u r n e d ; / l followed h e r " ( V I I I . 5 0 7 - 8 ) .
"seeing
L i k e w i s e , the a c t u a l
moment of consent i s passed over unelaborated before the g e n e r a l i z e d distancing lines
... she w/ha.t w i s honour knew, And with obsequious majesty approved My pleaded reason. (VIII.508-10)
However, the r e f e r e n c e s to five's y i e l d i n g (IV.310; (IV.3105
498)
489)
taken together with her "meek surrender"
and submission (IV.494)»
an expression t h a t appears s i g n i f i c a n t l y i n the d e s c r i p t i o n which immediately f o l l o w s her account of Adam's p u r s u i t , must prompt the
44 question "what b a t t l e has she
lost?"
106 Again, C.S.Lewis has encouraged us to imagine bve
"blushing
l i k e the morn" as Adam led h e r '•ftjs the n u p t i a l bower" ( V I I I . 5 1 0 - 1 1 ) 45 because of her " s e l f - c o n s c i o u s n e s s " a t being so highly
"valued".
But we may a l s o r e c o l l e c t how Daphne who sought to enjoy perpetua v i r g i n i t a s (Met.I.486-87) responded when " n u p t i a l s a n c t i t y and marriage r i t e s " ( V I I I . 4 8 7 ) were mentioned i n her presence: verecundo s u f f u n d i t u r ora rubore" (Met.1.484). suggestive was
"pulchra
I t a l s o seems
that when Ovid recounts how the v i r g i n goddess, Diana,
s u r p r i s e d bathing by Actaeon, he r e l a t e s the i n c i d e n t as a
v i o l a t i o n of her scrupulous
c h a s t i t y , d e s c r i b i n g the e f f e c t on her
outraged modesty with these words: qui c o l o r i n f e c t i s a d v e r s i s o l i s ab i c t u nubibus esse s o l e t a u t purpureae Aurorae, i s f u i t i n v u l t u v i s a e s i n e v e s t e Dianae. ( M e t . I I I . 185-85)
So here Eve seems to resemble more c l o s e l y the exemplar of severa v i r g i n ! t a s ( M e t . I I I . 2 5 4 - 5 5 ) . Diana, h e r s e l f . When we f i r s t encounter her, then, EVe i s a s s o c i a t e d
with
the v i r g i n a l f i g u r e s , N a r c i s s u s and Daphne, and seems to share something of the c o l d , a l o o f b r i g h t n e s s
of the moon-goddess, Diana,
while Adam shares something of the nature of the ardent
sun-god,
46 Phoebus. T h i s f a c e of Eve betrays i t s negative aspect when i t proves i n i m i c a l to h e r proper c a s t i n g a s b r i d e and mother.
Eve's i n i t i a l
a s s o c i a t i o n with N a r c i s s u s and other v i r g i n a l f i g u r e s thus b a r e l y conceals l a t e n t t r a g i c i m p l i c a t i o n s other than those u s u a l l y fooussed upon by c r i t i c s .
Although these are never f u l l y developed nor t h e i r
p o t e n t i a l r e l e a s e d , t h i s strand of suggestion
i s woven i n t o the web
of i m p l i c a t i o n enveloping Eve from the o u t s e t , and i t s very i n c l u s i o n forms a most s u b t l e means of brushing away the f i l m of f a m i l i a r i t y that gathers on a s t o r y so w e l l known.
107 For, on the f a c e of i t , the r e a d e r ' s very f a m i l i a r i t y with, and u n r e f l e c t i n g acceptance of, the data of Milton's n a r r a t i v e , would pose an insuperable d i f f i c u l t y . Indeed, the l o g i c of Dr„ Johnson's argument seems i r r e f u t a b l e ; such f a m i l i a r " t r u t h s "
o o o being t h e r e f o r e not new, they r a i s e no unaccustomed emotion i n the mind; what we knew before we cannot l e a r n ; what i s not unexpected cannot surprise„
But i n a j u d i c i o u s l y balanced assessment
Johnson does go on to
concede that such "known t r u t h s "
o o . may take ... a d i f f e r e n t appearance, and be conveyed to the- mind by a new t r a i n of intermediate images. This Milton has undertaken and performer! with pregnancy and vigour of mind p e c u l i a r to himself„
In
the flashback to Eve's f i r s t meeting with Adam, Milton
conveys h e r experience through 'a new t r a i n of intermediate images' and succeeds i n producing an e f f e c t of f a m i l i a r i t y and u n p r e d i c t a b i l i t y combined.
S t r i p p i n g away the v e i l of f a m i l i a r i t y , he d i s c l o s e s a
strange v i s t a .
The mechanically smooth running of the n a r r a t i v e
momentarily f a l t e r s and looks s e t to run out of controlo
Eve no
longer a c t s l i k e an automaton s e t i n motion by God, a Pygmalion s t a t u e , t o t a l l y responsive and i n f u s e d with l i f e as an answer to Adam's prayers but l i k e an autonomous human being, a c t i v e l y e x e r c i s i n g her power of c h o i c e , and choosing to r e j e c t Adam.
We no longer f i n d
the i d y l l of unmixed d e l i g h t nor the e c s t a s y which we expected must monotonously d e f i n e u n f a l l e n r e l a t i o n s h i p s .
Milton has s t i r r e d
the dry bones of Genesis to a s t r a n g e l y independent l i f e and v i t a l i t y . Although God guides Eve to Adam, marriage and motherhood a s her best option, the burden of r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r h e r own l i f e , the f u t u r e of Adam, and the human r a c e u l t i m a t e l y devolves upon h e r
48
s h o u l d e r s . The d e c i s i o n to accept or r e j e c t Adam i s hers a l o n e . T h i s i s not a t a n g e n t i a l complexity; i t coheres not only with
108 N a r c i s s u s * r e j e c t i o n of a l l other c l a i m s upon him but that of s e l f , but a l s o with Daphne's withdrawal from s o c i e t y , her r e j e c t i o n of the expected r o l e of wife and mother, and her d e n i a l of her f a t h e r ' s claim that she 'owed' him a son-in-law and grandchildren. I n God's speech to hive he d e l i c a t e l y pronounces her n u b i l i t y and d e f i n e s her future r o l e s as bride and mother according equal emphasis to eachj to the s a t i s f a c t i o n of her yearning f o r love which she w i l l thereby obtains "him thou s h a l t enjoy/Inseparably t h i n e " ; and to the promotion to a more exalted p o s i t i o n as "Mother of (thej human r a c e " (IV.472-73, 415)
So too Britomart, Spenser's exemplar of c h a s t i t y , i s not conceived as vowing perpetual v i r g i n i t y .
V i r g i n i t y i s not
a s an end i n i t s e l f but p u r e l y as a temporary s t a t e before
regarded her
eventual f u l f i l m e n t and f r u i t i o n i n marriage to A r t e g a l l and i n the "famous progeny which from them springen s h a l l " (Fa-erie. QufcergDI.iii). V i r g i n , bride and mother are thus three p a r t s spanning the continuum of n a t u r a l human development from genesis to f r u i t i o n , f i g u r e d a l s o , l i k e man's s p i r i t u a l e v o l u t i o n , i n the steady growth of a flower, from the f i r s t green shoots and u p l i f t of the bud, •the spreading of the p e t a l s to the pride of the seed-head and i n the unfolding of the seasons from s p r i n g to autumn.
(V.479-83)» I t thus
f o l l o w s t h e i r r e t a r d a t i o n a t any one Btage of development i s both unhealthy
and unnatural.
A f t e r God has led her from maidenhood to
wedlock LVe r e c o i l s from Adam and seeks to r e v e r t to her p r i o r condition. To see h e r s e l f i n r e l a t i o n to Adam and the f u t u r e human r a c e would seem n e c e s s a r i l y to i n v o l v e Eve i n a kind of s e l f - a n n i h i l a t i o n so that she can be reborn to assume her new r o l e s of expanded meaning, sloughing o f f her o l d , r e s t r i c t i n g s e l f - d e f i n i t i o n which was i n terms of s e l f alone.
Yet because of the exceptional
circumstances that p r e v a i l i n Wen, untouched by the i n f e c t i o n of
109 m o r t a l i t y and decay, t h i s process does not even e n t a i l the erasure of her previous s e l f . I n i t i a l l y , I used the images of the growth of a flower and the c y c l e of the seasons to i l l u s t r a t e t h i s p r o c e s s , but these analogies are i n part misleading f o r i n the f a l l e n world they imply l o s s as w e l l as change.
The former i m p l i e s the w i t h e r i n g and f a l l of the
p e t a l s , while i n the rhythmic it,
c y c l e of the seasons as we experience
s p r i n g and autumn themselves imply winter.
However, s i n c e i n
Eden "flowers" may f l o u r i s h with " t h e i r f r u i t " (V.482) and " s p r i n g and autumn" dance "hand i n hand" (V.394-5)» £ve too may share i n t h i s s p e c i a l s t a t e of i n c l u s i v e s i m u l t a n e i t y , enjoying the f r u i t f u l n e s s of motherhood while p r e s e r v i n g the e s s e n t i a l q u a l i t i e s of
49 her v i r g i n s t a t e . .But while Eve attempts to exclude Adam from h e r world,
clinging
to h e r i n d i v i d u a l i t y and s i n g e l e n e s s , there e x i s t s a great tension between h e r l i f e - g i v i n g and l i f e - d e n y i n g p o t e n t i a l .
Her p o t e n t i a l
f o r good and e v i l i s thus i n i t i a l l y defined i n terms of f r u i t f u l n e s s and s t e r i l i t y .
There seems a very r e a l danger that her p o s i t i v e
p o t e n t i a l w i l l be thwarted.
The s c a l e s a r e poised;
the balance
may t i p the wrong way as i n the case of N a r c i s s u s and Daphne. Ill S t e r i l i s Amor
From t h i s p e r s p e c t i v e Daphne a s w e l l a s N a r c i s s u s may be seen as a l l o t r o p i c m a n i f e s t a t i o n s of the same element of d e s t r u c t i v e s t e r i l i t y l a t e n t i n Eve.
While Golding continues to hold Daphne
before us a s the model of an exemplary c h a s t i t y , "A myror of v i r g i n i t i e "
Which y e e l d i n g n e i t h e r unto f e a r e , nor f o r c e , n o r ^ f l a t t e r i e Booth purchase e v e r l a s t i n g fame and i m m o r t a l i t i e
and Sandys too e x t r a c t s the same moral from Ovid's t a l e t h a t "Daphne
110
i s changed i n t o a never-withering t r e e , t o shew what immortal 1 honour a v i r g i n obtaines by preserving her c h a s t i t y " , ^
1
f o r some poets i n the
l a t e s i x t e e n t h and seventeenth c e n t u r i e s the f a t e of Daphne came t o bear a very d i f f e r e n t i n t e r p r e t a t i o n , , Spenser, raised i n the Petrarchan t r a d i t i o n of the f a i r , proud mistree8 who remained i o i l y a l o o f , impervious to hex admirer's f i e r y passion, was quick t o perceive and e x p l o i t the obvious correspondence between h i s f r u s t r a t e d passion and t h a t of Phoebus.
For when Petrarchan
romantic love was coupled w i t h the new Protestant emphasis upon married love as "the ambition of v i r g i n i t y " , and marriage as "a s t a t e i n i t 52
s e l f e , fame more e x c e l l e n t than the c o n d i t i o n of single l i f e " ,
i t
was n a t u r a l t h a t the t r a d i t i o n a l moral of the t a l e should be reversed and t h a t the consummation of love should beoome the o v e r r i d i n g value. I n accordance w i t h t h i s i n v e r s i o n o f values the s i g n i f i c a n c e of Daphne's metamorphosis was also reversed;
i n s t e a d of a reward f o r the v i r t u o u s
preservation of her v i r g i n i t y i t became a punishment meted out f o r excessive p r i d e . I n Spenser's Amoretti the example of Daphne's unhappy f a t e i s employed i n an attempt t o persuade h i s lady t o r e l e n t towards him and her "gentle brest i n s p i r e / w i t h sweet i n f u s i o n " .
Let the " l a u r e l l
l e a f " , he admonishes, ... put you i n mind of that proud mayd, whoa now those leaues a t t y r e : Proud Daphne scorning Phoebus l o u e l y f y r e , on the Thessalian shore from him d i d f l i e s f o r which the gods i n theyr reuenge f u l l . y r e did her transforme i n t o a l a u r e l l t r e e . 4
Phoebus' d e s i r e , h i s " l o u e l y f y r e " , i s seen as i n h e r e n t l y good and b e n e f i c i a l , l i k e the sun's l i f e g i v i n g rays w i t h which i t i s a p p r o p r i a t e l y identified.
Spenser proceeds t o p o i n t a moral very d i f f e r e n t from the
orthodox when he concludes i n the f i n a l couplet:
Then f l y no more f a y r e loue from Phebus ohace, but i n your brest h i s l e a f e and loue embrace.
Ill
Again, i t i s i n t e r e s t i n g to note t h a t even Milton's famous c e l e b r a t i o n of c h a s t i t y , Coaus, takes account of t h i s of Daphne's metamorphosis.
understanding
There i t i s s i m i l a r l y used by Comus as
an exemplua o f r e t r i b u t i v e j u s t i c e l i k e Anaxarete's transformation, 9
i t i s a punishment t h a t deprives those who have denied the l i f e of the senses of sensation i t s e l f ••• i f I but wave t h i s wand, Your nerves are a l l chained up i n alabaster, And you a s t a t u e , or as Daphne was Root"bound, t h a t f l e d Apollo. (Comus 658-61) Although i t must be stressed t h a t M i l t o n himself i s not d i r e c t l y countenancing t h i s i n t e r p r e t a t i o n since i t i s put i n the mouth of the extreme sensualist Comus, y e t i t s very i n c l u s i o n i s s i g n i f i c a n t .
The
emphasiB thrown forward on the suggestive compound "Root-bound" h e l p B ensure t h a t i t remains a hauntingly powerful evocation of the l i f e denying aspect of Daphne*s c h a s t i t y . M i l t o n ' s l i n e s seem t o be i n s p i r e d by two l i n e s i n Ovid'B account of her transformation i n which he r e l a t e s how " t o r p i s g r a v i s occupat a r t u s " and "pes modo tarn velox p i g r i s r a d i c i b u s haeret" (Met.1.548} 551).
The f i r s t l i n e seems t o suggest the encroaching i n e r t i a t h a t
infeotB the body as death becomes imminent, while the second through the j u x t a p o s i t i o n of "velox" and " p i g r i s " establishes the tension between what i s gained and what i s l o s t through the transformation, a tension which Ovid himself makes no attempt t o resolve. According t o one possible l i n e of i n t e r p r e t a t i o n , then, Daphne's r i v a l r y w i t h Diana (Met.1.476) had cost her dearly; humanity by i t .
she l o s t her very
Daphne had only been able t o evade the consequences
of Phoebus' p u r s u i t and preserve her v i r g i n i t y by metamorphosis.
She
had craved perpetual v i r g i n i t y as a boon from her f a t h e r , urging as a precedent J u p i t e r ' s assent to h i s daughter
Diana's requests
112
"da m i n i perpetua, g e n j t o r c a r i a a i D e , " d i x i t " v i r g i n ! t a t e f r u i f d e d i t hoc pater ante Dianae." (Met.I.486-87) But when her outstanding beauty threatened t o end her v i r g i n s t a t e her f a t h e r was obliged t o transform i t .
The tree's beauty may be
'ever green' but i t i s also s t e r i l e (Met.1.496) when compared w i t h the promise of f r u i t f u l n e s s t h a t was i m p l i c i t i n the nymph's beauty and the consummation o f love. The two divergent readings of the Daphne myth we have b r i e f l y di8cussed thus depend upon an inherent ambivalence i n the concept o f metamorphosis i t s e l f .
Since the same myth could be used t o support
c o n f l i c t i n g i d e a l s , Daphne's s t o r y became a s h i f t i n g symbol g i v i n g form t o an ambiguity.
Although we do not u s u a l l y f i n d that
succeeding
treatments r e t a i n the same ambiguity of the Ovidian a c c o u n t ^ - the poet or commentator tends t o a f f i r m emphatically the nature of h i s sumaum bonum, whether i t i s the achievement of love or the more orthodox moral value of c h a s t i t y - when we f i r s t encounter Ovid's t a l e reset i n Paradise Lost, M i l t o n seems t o have preserved something of t h i s ambivalence of value. At the conclusion o f t h i s episode, however, M i l t o n resolves the ambiguity, l e a v i n g no doubt as t o which 'beauty' he f i n d s p r e f e r a b l e . I t i s i n t e r e s t i n g t o f i n d t h a t he a l l i e s i n judgment w i t h Comus. must, o f course, allow f o r a c r u c i a l d i f f e r e n c e i n contexts u n f a l l e n world sensuous d e l i g h t i s i n h e r e n t l y good; place f o r an a s c e t i c d e n i a l o f pleasurable sensation.
We
i n the
paradise i s no For Eden i s a
garden o f voluptas, a garden o f Venus t o be presided over by Eve herself.
1 / 0
When Eve f i n a l l y succumbs t o Adam, M i l t o n celebrates the
supremacy of the dynamic power of love over a passive, enclosed symbol of c h a s t i t y . Although whether a t f i r s t Eve a c t u a l l y consents or merely
submits
t o Adam's embraces i s l e f t d i s c r e e t l y v e i l e d i n ambiguity, Eve ceases
113
to r e s i s t h i s approaches actively,, Whereas Daphne's f i n e but f r i g i d beauty had i n s p i r e d Phoebus w i t h a love she could not r e c i p r o c a t e (Met,I„488=89), Eve, apparently t r a n s f i x e d by Love's golden s h a f t , i s l e d from v i r g i n a l seclusion t o the bower of n u p t i a l b l i s s 0
I n Paradise Lost, then, the Daphne myth i s superseded, being no longer compatible w i t h Eve's expanding experience
0
Another
organizing image i s found and secured t o help a m p l i f y and a r t i c u l a t e her r o l e i n the e p i c
The s t o r y o f F l o r a as Ovid recounts i t i n the
F a s t i provides M i l t o n w i t h important m a t e r i a l f o r t h i s consecutive phase, r e l a t i n g p e r t i n e n t l y t o Eve's r o l e i n t h i s p a r t of the epic and d e f i n i n g i t s p o s i t i v e aspects.
IV
The Bride
As the n a r r a t i v e convention i n mediaeval and e a r l y Renaissance p a i n t i n g s permitted consecutive episodes from a s t o r y t o be depicted as separate scenes i n a single but composite design, so i n a comparable manner Eve's reminiscences enable M i l t o n t o interweave events of the past w i t h t i e n a r r a t i v e present.
Portrayed i n the background i s the
r e l u c t a n t maiden, u n w i l l i n g t o submit t o her l o v e r ' s caresses, w h i l s t i n the foreground, and g a i n i n g greater prominence thereby, stands the happy b r i d e , eyes f l a s h i n g w i t h open d e s i r e , enjoying the poise and confident assurance that the consciousness of beauty beloved confers. While the r a d i a n t v i s i o n does not e n t i r e l y d i s p e l the penumbra of half-glimpsed, half-developed c o n f l i c t s , the scene resolves i t s e l f i n t o a b r i e f but d e l i c a t e l y executed v i g n e t t e which assures us of t h e i r present i d u l l i c r e l a t i o n s h i p . innocent but unequivocal s e n s u a l i t y ;
M i l t o n conjures up a scene of Eve f i n i s h e s speaking and
114
o o o w i t h eyes Of conjugal a t t r a c t i o n unreproved, And meek surrender, h a l f embracing leaned On our f i r s t f a t h e r , h a l f her s w e l l i n g breast Naked met h i s under the f l o w i n g gold Of her loose tresses h i d ; he i n d e l i g h t Both o f her beauty and submissive charms Smiled w i t h superior l o v e , as J u p i t e r On Juno smiles, when: he impregns the clouds That shed May flowers. (IV.492-501) 57 Here M i l t o n has "dazed t o represent Paradisal s e x u a l i t y " ,
candidly
r e j o i c i n g a t the termination o f Eve's v i r g i n s t a t e and the consummation of l o v e
0
The r e a l i t i e s o f desire and enjoyment are not evaded but
sheathed i n mythological s i m i l e . 58 I n many ways Eve f u l f i l s the r o l e of F l o r a ,
Ovid's lady of
spring and flowers* perennial symbols of love and beauty.
However,
at t h i s juncture the analogy remains unstated, though an e x p l i c i t comparison i s made, r a t h e r , s u r p r i s i n g l y , between Adam and Eve and J u p i t e r and Juno.
We have already discussed
some of Milton's
possible motives f o r venturing t o i l l u s t r a t e u n f a l l e n s e x u a l i t y by reference t o such i r o n i c a l l y inappropriate exemplars of m a r i t a l v i r t u e . Their marriage couch was notorious as the scene o f r e c r i m i n a t i o n f o r a c e r t a i n party's i n f i d e l i t y r a t h e r than f o r displays of rapturous affection.
And perhaps Flora has t h i s i n mind when she t e s t i f i e s :
"inque meo non est u l l a q u e r e l l a t o r o " (FastiV.206).
But another
curious f e a t u r e of t h i s s i m i l e remains t o be considered. This mythological a l l u s i o n may be regarded as an example of the " t r a d i t i o n a l meteorological i n t e r p r e t a t i o n of myth" which, as Bush has remarked, i s "rare i n M i l t o n " . ^
Significantly, this allusion
to the b i r t h of flowers i n May bears a s u b s t a n t i a l r e l a t i o n s h i p t o Ovid's account of the o r i g i n o f flowers i n the f i f t h book of the F a s t i devoted t o the month o f May.
Ovid there i m p l i e s t h a t the l a t t e r
myth has a s i m i l a r a e t i o l o g i c a l s i g n i f i c a n c e . Hie unique, so f a r as
115
can be ascertained, i d e n t i f i c a t i o n of the earth nymph Chloris ( c f . II
t
Ov
pale greeni
cognate w i t h "VAot),^
the f i r s t green
shoot of p l a n t 8 " L & S) w i t h t h e Roman goddess of f l o w e r s . Flora ( c f . " f l o r u s , a d j . ... o f f l o w e r s " derived from " f l o s , o r i s , m. ... I . L i t . , a blosBom. f l o w e r " , L ) as the two phases,
'before* and 'after' of a
metamorphosis, "Chloris eram, quae Flora vocor" ( F a s t i V.195?
emphasis
added), explains the transformation of the bare earth i n springtime as the cold earth i s warmed by the s p r i n g breeze. The s t o r y of Zephyr's ardent p u r s u i t of C h l o r i s , t h e i r marriage and her subsequent e l e v a t i o n t o the rank of goddess of flowers i s r e l a t e d by Ovid alone o f the Roman poets. U n t i l Chloris became Flora through her f r u i t f u l union w i t h Zephyr, the westerly wind who warms the cold earth i n s p r i n g , the earth had been o f one colour:
prima per immensas sparsi nova semina gentess unius t e l l u s ante c o l o r i s e r a t . ( F a s t i V.221-22) The f e r t i l i s i n g agency of Zephyr causes the s p r i n g flowers t o burst f o r t h , c a s t i n g a variegated mantle over the earth t o s i g n i f y the advent of s p r i n g .
Indeed, even as Flora r e l a t e s her B t o r y t o Ovid t o mark
her s p r i n g f e s t i v a l she breathes out "vernas ... ab ore roeas" ( F a s t i V.194). The dominant m o t i f s of Ovid's t a l e of Zephyr's love f o r C h l o r i s / Flora;
married love, f u l f i l m e n t , and f r u i t f u l n e s s thus s u i t Milton's
account of Adam's love f o r Eve.
S i g n i f i c a n t l y , when M i l t o n attempts
to p o r t r a y Adam's f e e l i n g s of tender a f f e c t i o n aroused by the beauty of h i s newly won bride as she slumbers i n the n u p t i a l bower, M i l t o n e x p l i c i t l y l i k e n s Adam t o Zephyr and Eve t o Flora (V.11-16). u n l i k e the f l e e t i n g comparison of Eve t o Pales (IX.593), we do not merely glimpse Eve as F l o r a .
The impression p e r s i s t s and i s
sustained by a number o f correspondences which are p e c u l i a r l y apt and suggestive.
Just as Zephyr had endowed Flora w i t h her especial r o l e
116
as guardian of flowers a s h i s wedding g i f t s nunc meus i m p l e v i t generoso f l o r e maritus atque a i t 'arbitrium t u , dea f l o r i s habe •• 9
c
( F a s t i V.211-12) Adam delegates special r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r the flowers of Eden t o Eve. The "flowers/Embordered on each bank," disclose "the hand of Eve" (lXo^-37~38)=
Like Flora who describes her happy p o s i t i o n thuss vere f r u o r semper: semper n i t i d i s s i m u s annus, arbor habet frondes, pabula semper humus. Est mihi fecundus d o t a l i b u s hortus i n agrisg aura f o v e t , l i q u i d a e fonte r i g a t u r aquae. ( F a s t i V„207-10) Eve i s p i c t u r e d i n a magical garden where "Rose a f r e s h f o u n t a i n , and w i t h many a r i l l " watered the plants (IV.229-30), against a backcloth of perpetual s p r i n g where "vernal airs"g Breathing the smell of f i e l d and grove, attune The trembling leaves, while u n i v e r s a l Pan K n i t w i t h the Graces and the Hours i n dance Led on the e t e r n a l s p r i n g , (IV,264-68) So t o o , i n another r e l a t e d passage, M i l t o n r e f e r s again t o the dance of the Horae.
Like Flora's garden, Eden enjoys simultaneously the f a i r n e s s
of s p r i n g and the f r u i t f u l n e s s o f autumn forg Danced hand i n hand" (V,394-95)»
" s p r i n g and autumn here/
1$ seems hardly c o i n c i d e n t a l , t h e n ,
t h a t F l o r a , too, l a t e r i n the same passage from the F a s t i quoted above, had described the d a i l y approach of the Hours and Graces t o her garden, suggesting the rhythmic r e g u l a r i t y that patterns the day, and bearing comparison w i t h the dance t h a t Eve h e r s e l f presides over i n Edeng
roscida cum primum f o l i i s excussa priuna e s t , et variae r a d i i s intepuere comae, conveniunt p i c t i s i n c i n c t a e vestibus Horae inque leves calathos munera nostra legunt.
117
p r o t l n u s accedunt Charites nectuntque coronas sertaque caelestes i m p l i c i t u r a comas. ( F a s t i V.215-20) I t seems l i k e l y t h a t Flora as w e l l as Daphne was present i n Milton's thoughts as he shaped Eve's r o l e i n t h i s p a r t of the epic.
Indeed the
s t o r i e s of Daphne and F l o r a prove to be s u r p r i s i n g l y complementary, e a s i l y d o v e t a i l i n g to give a d d i t i o n a l n a r r a t i v e coherence to M i l t o n ' s own account.
Here M i l t o n again d i s p l a y s h i s mastery of the art of p o e t i c
i n t e g r a t i o n , o f a s s i m i l a t i n g d i f f e r e n t source m a t e r i a l s and them together t o form a new whole.
fusing
These two Ovidian myths are made t o 61
merge together almost i m p e r c e p t i b l y and
act i n unison.
Milton
thus s k i l f u l l y interweaves together two separate strands to form a new p a t t e r n of meaning which i s
brought to bear upon the new
situation
i n h i s own work. To r e c a p i t u l a t e !
both myths include a metamorphosis a f t e r a p u r s u i t
and rape or attempted rape.
However, the emphasis accorded these common
n a r r a t i v e elements d i f f e r s s i g n i f i c a n t l y i n each case.
Apollo's p u r s u i t
and Daphne's f l i g h t are c e n t r a l t o her s t o r y and are thus narrated a t length w i t h meticulous regard t o v i v i d , p i c t o r i a l d e t a i l by Ovid.
While
Flora'8 account includes mention of her f l i g h t from the pursuing Zephyr, i t i s c l e a r l y p e r i p h e r a l t o the main theme of her s t o r y and i s accordingly passed over i n a p e r f u n c t o r y manner.
I n Flora's case the metamorphosis
does not i n v o l v e a change of shape but is r a t h e r a r e f i n i n g or s u b l i m a t i n g process;
she progresses from v i r g i n t o b r i d e , from nymph t o goddess,
whereas Daphne r e t a i n s her v i r g i n s t a t e but i n d i r e c t consequence loses
62 her human form and e v e n t u a l l y even sentience i t s e l f . e f f e c t i v e l y o u r t a i l s her s t o r y , Flora's opens up new
Daphne's metamorphosis possibilities,
and a r o l e of expanded meaning and s i g n i f i c a n c e . Flora'8 s t o r y can thus be seen t o take over where Daphne's l e f t o f f , the l a t t e r ' s s i t u a t i o n i s summarily r e s t a t e d , her s t o r y resumed and transposed i n t o a f i n e r key.
When they are thus combined there i s
118
a sense of musical continuity, l i k e a variation upon a theae which changes and develops without losing i t s essential identity. C.S.Lewis i n s i s t s that we can never associate either Adam or Eve with the "simple" "primitive", "naif" or " i n a r t i c u l a t e " . e
65
However,
I f e e l Eve i s , to some extent, transfigured by her acceptance of Adam and consequent exaltation to the role of bride and future "mother of mankind" (V.388).
I t seems to p a r a l l e l the process which transforms
the virgin nymph, Chloris, into Flora, the bride of
Zephyr, and Mater
Florum. "In the F a s t i . " as Edgar Wind baa pointed out, "the transformation was introduced as a playful piece o f etymology" i n which Ovid "supposed that the Greek name Chloris ... had changed into the Roman name of the 64goddess Flora", . "corrupts Latino/nominis est nostri l i t t e r s Graeca aono" ( F a s t i Y.195-96).
But Ovid also implies that the change involved
a more profound metamorphosis, not only i n the earth but i n Flora herself. She herself acknowledges the change and draws a distinction between her present and former s e l f t
"Chloris eram nymphe campi f e l i c i s .../...
quae f u e r i t mihi forma, grave est narrare modestae" ( F a s t i V.197; 199)° The transformation i s symbolised i n the change of her a t t i r e , her bareness i s exchanged for a robe, r i c h l y embroidered with flower-shaped motifs as befits her new role as the resplendent flower goddess and herald of spring.
Ovid's inquiry into why she i s only seen clothed
i n such i r r i d e s c e n t garments ,"cultu v e r s i c o l o r s " ( F a s t i V . 3 5 6 ) , and h i s tentative explanation - "an quia «../et color et species floribus omnis inest?", immediately oonfirned by the goddess herself ( F a s t i 357-59)» would seem to support this interpretation. Indeed, i t seems even more pertinent to note that 'Chloris* as well as connoting * greenness' implies 'unripeness' fxX-GJ/OoS, «c,ov... metaph, unrips" o f . "xXoyPTvfy • ths f i r s t grssn shoots of plants", LM),
w h i l s t 'Flora?
suggests f u l l n e s s and maturity and
holds the promise of f r u i t f u l n e s s ( F a s t i V. 261-68). I t i s , moreover, a thematic progression t h a t i s r e s t a t e d i n Milton's
119 d e s c r i p t i o n o f t h e process o f c r e a t i o n . Son's f r u c t i f y i n g word
Raphael r e c o u n t s how a f t e r t h e
... t h e bare e a r t h , t i l l then Desert and b a r e , u n s i g h t l y , unadorned, Brought f o r t h t h e t e n d e r grass whose v e r d u r e c l a d Her u n i v e r s a l f a c e w i t h p l e a s a n t g r e e n , Then h e r b s o f every l e a f , t h a t sudden f l o w e r e d Opening t h e i r v a r i o u s c o l o u r s , and made gay Her bosom s m e l l i n g sweet ... ... CandJ e a r t h i n her r i c h a t t i r e Consummate l o v e l y s m i l e d . (VII.313=19; 501-2)
So t o o , i t i s i n t e r e s t i n g t o r e o a l l t h a t when Raphael seeks t o i l l u s t r a t e u n f a l i e n man's p o t e n t i a l f o r s p i r i t u a l r e f i n e m e n t by an example o f t h i s s u b l i m a t i n g process a t work i n the w o r l d he chooses t o l i k e n t h e way i n which "body" may
"up t o s p i r i t work" t o t h e development o f a p l a n t
... f r o m t h e r o o t S p r i n g s l i g h t e r t h e green s t a l k , from thence t h e l e a v e s More a i r y , l a s t t h e b r i g h t consummate f l o w e r S p i r i t s odorous b r e a t h e s . (V.479-82)
At t h i s p o i n t we may
c o n v e n i e n t l y r e t u r n t o , and take i s s u e w i t h ,
C.S.Lewis's i n f l u e n t i a l c l a i m t h a t t h e i n s t a n t a n e o u s m a t u r i t y o f Eve
and
h e r r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h Adam i s , f o l l o w i n g Genesis, a datum o f M i l t o n ' s account.
While h i s s t u d y seems i n many ways an a c c u r a t e assessment o f
M i l t o n ' 8 c h a r a c t e r i z a t i o n o f Eve and h i s h a n d l i n g o f u n f a l l e n human r e l a t i o n s h i p s , i t n e v e r t h e l e s s s i g n i f i c a n t l y o m i t s even a b r i e f c o n s i d e r a t i o n o f the i m p l i c a t i o n s o f Eve's speech o f r e c o l l e c t i o n - t h e f i r s t words she u t t e r s i n t h e poem and the o n l y r e c o r d we have o f h e r f i r s t moments o f consciousness
- i n o r d e r t o c o n c e n t r a t e upon t h e assured
and f o r m a l manner which s u b s e q u e n t l y c h a r e t e r i z e s t h e i r m a r i t a l r e l a t i o n s h i p . Emphasizing the way i n which " U n t i l t h e y a r e f a l l e n and robbed t h e i r o r i g i n a l m a j e s t y , t h e y h a r d l y ever address each o t h e r by names, b u t by s t a t e l y periphrases",C.S.Lewis concludes i s ceremonial - a m i n u e t " . ^
3
of
their
"Their l i f e together
M a r j o r i e N i c h o l s o n has s i n U a r l y s t r e s s e d
120 t h i s decorous and s t a t e l y manner, seemingly c o n c u r r i n g w i t h Lewis i n h e r i m p r e s s i o n o f Adam and Eve as* " B e a u t i f u l moving and s t a t u e s , models of a great i m p a s s i v i t y " . ^ 6
However, t h i s i g n o r e s t h e i n i t i a l
energy d i s p l a y e d by Eve; when i n 1
f u l l f l i g h t she has no t i m e t o respond t o Adam's ' s t a t e l y p e r i p h r a s e s , , She
i s as r e t i c e n t as Daphne i n h e r s i m i l a r p r e d i c a m e n t .
I f Eve has a
s t a t u e s q u e q u a l i t y a t t h i s p o i n t , i t must be a s t a t u e modelled by B e r n i n i and i n s t i n c t w i t h l i f e and f e e l i n g .
Y e t , as i n t h e case o f F l o r a , a f t e r
Eve's m a r r i a g e t h e r e remains l i t t l e obvious t r a c e o f such reserves o f t h a t u n r e s t r a i n e d v i g o u r w h i c h animates the i n i t i a l
scene o f f l i g h t and p u r s u i t ;
we f i n d i n s t e a d t h e p o i s e and easy assurance o f t h e f i r s t b r i d e and f u t u r e mother o f mankind. U n l i k e t h e t r a n s f o r m a t i o n o f Daphne, t h e n , t h e 'metamorphoses' o f C h l o r i s and Eve may be l i k e n e d t o a s u b l i m a t i n g process which a l s o encompasses a change o f a t t i t u d e
i n the ' v i c t i m ' h e r s e l f , and i s thus
a c h i e v e d t o the m u t u a l s a t i s f a c t i o n o f l o v e r and b e l o v e d . and
subsequent metamorphosis has,
The p u r s u i t
t h e r e f o r e , b e n e f i c i a l r a t h e r than
t r a g i c consequences, and so t h e r e p e r s i s t no l i n g e r i n g doubts aB t o what i s l o s t as a r e s u l t o f t h e p r o c e s s o f t r a n s f o r m a t i o n . way,
Regarded i n t h i s
t h e e x p e r i e n c e s o f F l o r a and Eve a r e made t o seem c l o s e r i n a c t u a l i t y
as w e l l as i n s p i r i t and t h e m a t i c importance t h a n we m i g h t p r e v i o u s l y have expected. As happy young b r i d e s t h e y l i v e i n a n i d y l l i c garden where l o v e i s open and f r a n k and where romance i s r e a l and imminent f r o m dawn t o dusk. Adam wakes and
... o n h i s s i d e Leaning h a l f - r a i s e d , w i t h l o o k s o f c o r d i a l l o v e Hung over h e r enamoured, and beheld Beauty, which whether waking o r a s l e e p , Shot f o r t h p e c u l i a r g r a c e s ; t h e n w i t h v o i c e M i l d , as when Zephyrus on F l o r a b r e a t h e s , Her hand s o f t t o u c h i n g , whispered. (V.11-17)
121 T h i s passage evokes an e x q u i s i t e l y p o e t i c a l and p o w e r f u l v i s u a l i m p r e s s i o n o f m a r i t a l f e l i c i t y f o r which Ovid can o n l y s u p p l y t h e b a r e s t o f h i n t s as F l o r a i n d i c a t e s , " i n q u e non e s t u l l a q u e r e l l a t o r o " ( F a s t i V.206).
The promise o f beauty i s t h u s s w e e t l y f u l f i l l e d as t h e v i r g i n becomes a b r i d e , and p o t e n t i a l l y , a mother.
The t r i A d i c sequence, v i r g i n -
b r i d e - m o t h e r , c o r r e s p o n d i n g t o t h e u n f o l d i n g p a t t e r n we have been t r a c i n g , C h l o r i s - F l o r a - M a t e r f l o r u m , i s t h u s now complete.
Eve, t h e b r i d e , i s
framed n o t o n l y by h e r p a s t as t h e r e l u c t a n t maiden, b u t a l s o by h e r f u t u r e as t h e p r o s p e c t i v e mother o f mankinds s t u d y o f Eve around
By a r t i c u l a t i n g M B
initial
t h e t h r e e phases o f t h i s d e v e l o p i n g sequence M i l t o n
i s &>le t o enmesh t h e p a s t and f u t u r e i n t h e n a r r a t i v e p r e s e n t , t a k i n g the
r e a d e r ' s awareness beyond t h e immediate t e m p o r a l s i g n i f i c a n c e o f e v e n t s . T h i s g r a d u a l process o f becoming thus seems t o t a k e p l a c e b o t h i n s i d e
and o u t s i d e o f t i m e .
As u s u a l M i l t o n has i t b o t h wayst
on t h e one hand
he p r e s e r v e s t h e i m p r e s s i o n o f a p r e l a p s a r i a n s t a t e o f innocence* t h e timeless stasis of perfection;
on t h e o t h e r Eve breaks o u t o f t h e e t e r n a l
p r e s e n t and t h e mould o f f r o z e n p e r f e c t i o n and t h u s d i s p l a y s a p o t e n t i a l i t y for
development, and, more ominously, f o r d e g e n e r a t i o n o r s t a g n a t i o n .
122
V
Mater Florum
H o l d i n g o u t t h e p r o s p e c t o f b o t h s e x u a l f u l f i l m e n t and t h e r e a l i s a t i o n of
a unique r o l e as t h e mother o f mankind, God had sought
t o assure t h e
v i r g i n Eve t h a t she would a t t a i n a l l p o s s i b l e p e r s o n a l s a t i s f a c t i o n by m a r r y i n g Adam, e n c o u r a g i n g h e r w i t h these words
... I w i l l b r i n g thee where no shadow s t a y s Thy coming, and t h y s o f t embraces/he Whose image t h o u a r t , h i m t h o u s h a l l e n j o y I n s e p a r a b l y t h i n e , t o him s h a l t bear Multitudes l i k e t h y s e l f , and thence be c a l l e d Mother o f human r a c e . (IV.47075)
And, as we have seen, t h e s e c t i o n we have been c o n s i d e r i n g c l o s e s a p p r o p r i a t e l y enough w i t h a b r i e f b u t s i g n i f i c a n t s k e t c h o f Eve's p r e s e n t r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h Adam i n t h i c h t h e r e i s a d i s t i n c t emphasis p l a c e d upon t h e i r and p o t e n t i a l The the
sexuality
fertility.
p r e l u s i v e r e f e r e n c e t o Eve as "our g e n e r a l mother" ( I V . 4 9 2 ) s t r i k e s
k e y n o t e , s u b t l y p r e p a r i n g us f o r t h e s i g n i f i c a n t s u g g e s t i o n t h a t i n
Eden t h e mere a c t o f Adam's s m i l i n g upon Eve r e s u l t s i n a
k i n d o f symbolic
68 i m p r e g n a t i o n and p a r t u r i t i o n .
Adam s m i l e s
... as J u p i t e r On Juno s m i l e s , when he impregns t h e c l o u d s T h a t shed May f l o w e r s . (IV.499-501)
The
l a t t e r terms o f t h i s s i m i l e i m p l i c i t l y c o r r e l a t e Eve w i t h t h e r
'clouds t h a t shed May f l o w e r s , f o r m i n g t h e r e b y t h e f i r s t
strong l i n k i n
a c h a i n o f r e c u r r e n t a s s o c i a t i o n s f o r g e d by M i l t o n between Eve and t h e f l o w e r s o f Eden. to
suggest
T h i B g e n e r a l a s s o c i a t i o n c r y s t a l l i z e s more p a r t i c u l a r l y
t h e r e l a t i o n s between a mother and h e r c h i l d r e n .
The s i m i l e
123
j u s t q u o t e d , i n which Eve by a n a l o g y g i v e s b i r t h t o t h e f l o w e r s i n s p r i n g , serves t o i n t i m a t e t h i s r e l a t i o n s h i p and encourages us t o i d e n t i f y Eve h e r s e l f as a mother o f f l o w e r s . With m a t e r n a l s o l i c i t u d e and a mother's
'tender hand
1
she n o u r i s h e s ,
f o s t e r s and r a i s e s h e r young c h a r g e s , t h e " f r u i t s and f l o w e r s " which as yet f i l l
"Her n u r s e r y " ( V I I I . 4 4 , 46$
emphasis added).
Her ample
m a t e r n a l f e e l i n g s a r e n a t u r a l l y d i s p l a c e d t e m p o r a r i l y t o these f r a g i l e and s e n s i t i v e p l a n t s which she can mother as s u b s t i t u t e s f o r h e r y e t unborn c h i l d r e n .
They i n t u r n respond t o h e r c a r e and d e v o t i o n aid
... a t h e r coming s p r u n g And touched by h e r f a i r tendance g l a d l i e r grew. (VIII.46-47)
Her d i v i n e power t o promote g r o w t h s t r e s s e s t h e p e c u l i a r , i n s t i n c t i v e bond between Eve and t h e p l a n t s o f Eden which she l o s e s w i t h innocence, and which M i l t o n s i n g l e s o u t f o r d i s c r e e t emphasis as one o f t h e f i r s t effects of eating the forbidden f r u i t .
Indeed, h e r v e r y presence now
seems t o b l i g h t them, t h e f l o w e r s n e a r e s t h e r w i t h e r as " a l l t h e faded roses shed" t h e i r p e t a l s (IX.893)» j u s t as when F l o r a n e g l e c t e d h e r o f f i c e and w i t h d r e w h e r n u r t u r i n g powers l i l i a deciderant, v i o l a s arere videres, filaque punicei languida facta c r o c i . ( F a s t i V.317-18)
A f t e r t h e sentence of e x i l e has been pronounced by M i c h a e l , Eve cannot c o n t a i n h e r g r i e f which b r e a k s o u t i n a lament f o r t h e f l o w e r s she must l e a v e behind i n Eden.
I n t h i s h i g h l y charged apostrophe t o t h e f l o w e r s
o f P a r a d i s e , which because of i t s i n t e n s i t y o f f e e l i n g and p o i n t e d d e t a i l has sounded t o many l i k e a mother's p a s s i o n a t e g r i e f f o r h e r l o s t c h i l d r e n , we l e a r n t h a t t h e f l o w e r s of Eden had been r e s e r v e d f o r Eve t o name
... 0 f l o w e r s , That never w i l l i n o t h e r c l i m a t e grow, My e a r l y v i s i t a t i o n , and my l a s t
124 At even, which I bred up w i t h tender hand F r a s the f i r s t opening bud, and gave ye names Who now s h a l l r e a r ye to the sun, o r rank Your t r i b e s , and water f r o a the s a h r o s i a l fount? 9
(XI.275-79) T h i s seems a p a r t i c u l a r l y s i g n i f i c a n t a d d i t i o n t o Genesis by Milton which h e l p s confirm^ i r o n i c a l l y a t the very moment when she l o s e s i t f o r e v e r . Eve's r o l e a s F l o r a , Mater Floruau As the flower precedes, i m p l i e s Eve i n h e r ' f l o r a l
9
connection i s a l s o profoundly a s s o c i a t e d with a
significant constellation fertility
and holds promise of the f r u i t , so
o f images t h a t connote abundance,
and f r u i t f u l n e s s . Indeed, F l o r a i s q u i c k t o a f f i r m
t h i s a s s o c i a t i v e c l u s t e r i s by no means to be r e l e g a t e d
that
to a p e r i p h e r a l
p o s i t i o n i n t he complex of i d e a s t h a t surround h e r d i v i n i t y .
She i s
eager t o d i s p e l the vulgar n o t i o n t h a t a t t r i b u t e s to h e r concern o n l y f o r p r e t t y garlands and,
thereby, t o c o r r e c t the view that would a s s i g n
her a s t r i c t l y l i m i t e d sphere of i n f l u e n c e s
•Torsitan i n t e n e r i s t a n t u a aea regna c o r o n i s esse putes? t a n g i t nuaen e t a r v a seum.
She then proceeds t o reason thuss
s i bene f l o r u e r l n t s e g e t e s , e r i t a r e a d i v e s : s i bene f l o r u e r i t v i r e a , Bacchus e r i t j
e v e n t u a l l y reaching the c o n c l u s i o n
that,
nos quoque idem f a c i n u s tunc, CUD i u v e n a l i b u s a n n i s l u x u r i a n t a n l a l , corporaque i p s a v i g e n t .
( F a s t i V.261-641 N
As "Ver praebet f l o r e s " and "Bona d a t autuanus (BA. becoaes a composite f i g u r e p e r s o n i f y i n g
275-74)
188;187), E v e l i k e F l o r a
the e s p e c i a l g i f t s o f both seasons.
Milton seeas almost t o i a p l y t h a t both the v e r n a l beauty of t h e 'bright consummate flower' and autumn's cornucopian f r u i t f u l n e s s w i l l be found together i n Eve a s i n Eden, where " s p r i n g and autumn. /Danced hand i n hand"
125 (V,394=5)9 as i n F l o r a and h e r "fecundus h o r t u s " ( F a s t i V,209) where i t i s y e t ever s p r i n g .
I n t h i s way,
Eve glimpsed as F l o r a p r o v i d e s an expanding image o f
s u r p r i s i n g potency.
I t continues t o r e l a t e
p o i n t e d l y t o Eve's p r e s e n t
and f u t u r e r o l e s , d e f i n i n g t h e i r p o s i t i v e a s p e c t s .
Most o b v i o u s l y , i t
i l l u m i n a t e s Eve i n her p r e s e n t c a p a c i t y as a young b r i d e w i t h e s p e c i a l tutelage of f l o w e r s .
But the c o n s t a n t and l o v i n g a t t e n t i o n she devotes
t o 'her n u r s e r y ' a l s o g i v e s the r e a d e r ample evidence
o f her f i t n e s s
as the d e s i g n a t e d mother o f mankind and h e l p s him t o bear t h i s f u t u r e r o l e i n mind.
R e s t a t e d i n a n o t h e r key t h e n , Eve imaged as Mater f l o r u m
doubles t o suggest and foreshadow her m o t h e r i n g o f t h e human r a c e . S t r e s s i n g the v i r t u a l i t y o f Eve's motherhood b e f o r e t h e F a l l enables M i l t o n t o accomplish
two o b j e c t i v e s . He can enhance the p r e s t i g e o f ,
and g i v e g r e a t e r prominence t o , Eve i n her d u a l r o l e as b r i d e and mother w h i l s t a t the same t i m e e x t r i c a t i n g h i m s e l f from t h e danger o f becoming e m b r o i l e d i n vexed q u e s t i o n s about t h e consequences o f p r e l a p s a r i a n s e x u a l i t y , q u e s t i o n s which admit o f no adequate s o l u t i o n and which have b a f f l e d many a commentator on Genesis ' i n wandering mazes l o s t ' . S y l v e s t e r , on the o t h e r hand, d e s p i t e l o u d p r o t e s t a t i o n s t o t h e c o n t r a r y , f i n d s h i m s e l f wandering f o r a hundred l i n e s o r so
"unprofitably
i n n i c e q u e s t i o n s , c o n c e r n i n g the Garden o f Eden" and p r e l a p s a r i a n lovemaking
i n particulars
What c h i l d r e n t h e r e t h e y e a r n e d , and how many, Of whether sext or whether none o r any: Or how ( a t l e a s t ) t h e y should have propagated, I f t h e s l y m a l i c e of t h e Serpent h a t e d , Causing t h e i r f a l l , had n o t d e f i l ' d t h e i r k i n , And unborn seed, w i t h l e p r o s i e o f s i n . I f voyd of Venus; s i t h u n l i k e i t i B , Such b l e s s e d s t a t e t h e noble f l o w r s h o u l d miss Of V i r g i n - h e a d ; or, f o l k so p e r f e c t c h a s t e Should f u r i o u s f e e l , when t h e y t h e i r l o v e s i m b r a c ' t , o
•
•
Or, whether e l s e as men i n g e n d e r now, S i t h Spouse-bed s p o t - l e s s laws o f God a l l o w , I f no excess commandt s i t h e l s e a g a i n The Lord had made t h e double sex i n v a i n .
126 Search whoso l i s t oo I w i l l n o t waste my t r a v e l l and my seed To r e a p an empty s t r a w , o r f r u i t - l e s s r e e d . 0
However, i n P a r a d i s e L o s t , as Le (jpmte p o i n t s outg
There i s no f u s s i n g over such o l d q u e s t i o n s as whether, i f the f i r s t couple made l o v e b e f o r e t h e P a l l , t h e y conceived, i n which case t h e i r f i r s t o f f s p r i n g would be f r e e of o r i g i n a l s i n | o r , i f t h e y _ d i d n o t c o n c e i v e , why n o t (as p a r t o f a perfect coition)?
Despite
the views o f Augustine and
I r e n a e u s on t h i s i s s u e ,
Milton
c o u l d f i n d adequate B i b l i c a l a u t h o r i t y t o s a n c t i o n h i s i n c l u s i o n o f l o v e i n t h e p r e l a p s a r i a n w o r l d i n God's command t h a t the male and
sexual
female
73 "Be f r u i t f u l
and m u l t i p l y "
which a n t e d a t e s
M i l t o n seems t o a l l u d e t o t h i s t e m p o r a l
the T e m p t a t i o n and
Fall*
sequence i n h i s t r i u m p h a n t
conclusion
t o the i n i t i a l p a r t o f h i s paean t o "wedded l o v e " s Our maker b i d s i n c r e a s e , who b i d s a b s t a i n But our d e s t r o y e r , f o e t o God and man? ( ! V o 7 4 8 - 4 q )
T h i s i s , i n d e e d , p r e f a c e d by the more s p e c u l a t i v e tone o f
... nor t u r n e d I ween Adam from h i s f a i r spouse, n o r Eve the r i t e s Mysterious of connubial love refused.
b u t the d i s m i s s i v e l i n e s which d i r e c t l y f o l l o w s
Whatever h y p o c r i t e s a u s t e r e l y t a l k Of p u r i t y and p l a c e and i n n o c e n c e , Defaming as impure what God d e c l a r e s Pure. (IVO741-43, 744-47)
e m p h a t i c a l l y express h i s p o s i t i v e a t t i t u d e t o t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f u n f a l l e n sexuality. F u r t h e r j u s t i f i c a t i o n f o r i t s i n c l u s i o n may
have r e s i d e d , as F l e t c h e r
0
a r g u e s , i n R a s h i a i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f Genesis IVo1 which i s o t h e r w i s e thought t o exclude the p o s s i b i l i t y o f s e x u a l l o v e b e f o r e the F a l l .
The
127 l e t t e r ' s commentary on t h e l i n e f r o m Genesis„ "And Adam knew Eve h i s w i f e " , reads:
B e f o r e he had sinned and had been b a n i s h e d from t h e Garden o f Eden even t h e n had c o n c e p t i o n and b i r t h (begun)o Bad i t been w r i t t e n and t h e n t h e man knew i t would t h e n be u n d e r s t o o d t h a t o n l y a f t e r h a v i n g been banished were c h i l d r e n possible f o r hia. 0
In Milton
0
however, I f e e l we may o c c a s i o n a l l y d e t e c t a s u b t l e
i n emphasis;
shift
r e f e r e n c e s t o t h e p r o l i f i c f r u i t f u l n e s s o f t h e human p a i r
t e n d t o c l u s t e r around Eve, r a t h e r c u r i o u s l y , , t o t h e e x c l u s i o n o f Adam.
VI
Mother Of A l l T h i n g s
Living
I t Beems n o t e w o r t h y t h a t i n h i s a d d r e s s t o Eve, God accords
both
a s p e c t s o f h e r f u t u r e r o l e as w i f e and mother equal w e i g h t and emphasis. Moreover, he p l a y s upon t h e c o n n o t a t i o n s o f h e r name which was g e n e r a l l y
75 h e l d t o be d e r i v e d "from a Hebrew v e r b which s i g n i f i e s t o l i v e " . A g a i n , Adam, i n h i s d i v i n e l y o r d a i n e d c a p a c i t y as 'name g i v e r ' , 'sudden a p p r e h e n s i o n
0
intuits
with
h e r n a t u r e a n d , i m m e d i a t e l y and i n s t i n c t i v e l y ,
c a l l s h e r 'Eve'. I t s h o u l d be s t r e s s e d t h a t t h i s goes d i r e c t l y c o n t r a r y t o t r a d i t i o n ; a c c o r d i n g t o commentators, who l a i d g r e a t s t r e s s upon t h i s p o i n t , t h e name 'Eve' was g i v e n by Adas t o h i s w i f e o n l y a f t e r t h e F a l l s
"And Adam 76
called his wife's
name Eve; because she was t h e mother o f a l l l i v i n g " .
Newton i s c l e a r l y a l l u d i n g t o t h i s t r a d i t i o n a l v i e w when be remarks t h a t b e f o r e t h e F a l l Eve i s o n l y so c a l l e d "by way o f a n t i c i p a t i o n " , s i n c e until
t h a t p o i n t she had s i m p l y been c a l l e d "Woman, because she was taken
o u t o f . . o Man".^
Fowler t o o s p e c u l a t e s upon t h i s i n h i s n o t e on the
passage, c o n c l u d i n g s i g n i f i c a n t l y t h a t
Milton
o o o may be d e l i b e r a t e l y • c o r r e c t i n g t h e c o n v e n t i o n a l c h r o n o l o g y , - t o enhance t h e s t a t u s o f s e x u a l i t y and motherhoodo
128 One
o f the most s t r i k i n g i n s t a n c e s o f M i l t o n ' s tendency t o l i n k
the f e m i n i n e p r i n c i p l e , and Eve i n p a r t i c u l a r , t o abundance, f r u i t f u l n e s s , v i t a l i t y and l i f e occurs a t the o u t s e t o f Raphael's v i s i t t o Eden. C.ScLewis perhaps r a t h e r p e r p l e x e d l y remarks, "The
angel h a i l s
As
[Eve]
79 more c e r e m o n i o u s l y than Adam".
Moreover, i t i s i n her c a p a c i t y as
the p r o s p e c t i v e mother o f mankind t h a t he s a l u t e s h e r .
The
emphasis
i s more c u r i o u s when we c o n s i d e r t h a t Rashi i n h i s commentary on Bomberg B i b l e w i t h which M i l t o n was
f a m i l i a r "had
as we have seen, " t o mean t h a t the man
who
the
i n t e r p r e t e d Genesis",
i s t o subdue and dominate the 80
f e m a l e , i s commanded t o be f r u i t f u l and m u l t i p l y , and n o t the woman". P a y i n g t r i b u t e t o Eve's promised, p r o d i g i o u s f r u i t f u l n e s s , Raphael exclaims: H a i l mother o f mankind, whose f r u i t f u l womb S h a l l f i l l the w o r l d more numerous w i t h t h y sons Than w i t h t h e s e v a r i o u s f r u i t s t h e t r e e s o f God Have heaped the t a b l e . (V.388-91)
on w h i c h "ample square", M i l t o n hastens t o a d d , "from s i d e t o B i d e / A l l autumn p i l e d " (V.393-94). o f f s p r i n g and
The analogy drawn between Eve's f u t u r e
the f r u i t o f the Garden i s n o t a b l e n o t o n l y on a q u a n t i t a t i v e
b a s i s , f o r i t a l s o forms one of r e c u r r e n t i n t i m a t i o n s o f an u n d e r l y i n g a f f i n i t y between the abundance and
f e r t i l i t y o f Eden and Eve h e r s e l f .
Indeed, i n her r o l e as Mater f l o r u m . Eve becomes the geniuB l o c i , m a i n t a i n i n g the f e r t i l i t y o f the Garden and i n f u s i n g v i b r a n t l i f e
into
the p l a n t s .
from
Witness t h e i m p r e s s i v e d e s c r i p t i o n o f her w i t h d r a w a l
the d i s c u s s i o n o f astronomy, "where", as S.A.Demetrakopoulos has "we
sense her c e l e b r a t i o n o f h e r own
f e r t i l i t y as a miorocosmic E a r t h
81 goddess"
%
remarked,
"Eve"
Rose, and went f o r t h among h e r f r u i t s and f l o w e r s , To v i s i t how t h e y prospered bud.and bloom, Her n u r s e r y ; t h e y a t h e r coming sprung And touched by her f a i r tendance g l a d l i e r grew.
With g o d d e s s - l i k e demeanour f o r t h she went? Not u n a t t e n d e d , f o r on her as queen A pomp o f w i n n i n g graces w a i t e d s t i l l , And from about h e r shot d a r t s o f d e s i r e I n t o a l l eyes t o wish her s t i l l i n s i g h t .
(VIII.44=47. 59-63) Confronted w i t h such an account o f Eve's p o w e r f u l i n f l u e n c e , t h e r e a d e r i s more t h a n i n c l i n e d t o agree w i t h Adam t h a t , d e p r i v e d o f h e r i n f o r m i n g presence,
the f e r t i l e
Garden o f Eden would r a p i d l y become a 82
d a r k , d e s o l a t e wasteland o f " w i l d woods f o r l o r n " (IX.910). I n h e r care o f f r u i t s as w e l l as f l o w e r s and i n h e r a s s o c i a t i o n w i t h autumn as w e l l as s p r i n g , Eve subsumeB t h e r o l e o f the p e c u l i a r l y O v i d i a n f i g u r e , Pomona. c l e a r and i n s t r u c t i v e ;
Sandys' n o t e upon h e r n a t u r e and f u n c t i o n i s he d e s c r i b e s h e r a s , " t h e Godesse o f the
H o r t y a r d s and t h e i r f r u i t f u l l p r o d u c t i o n s , t a k i n g f r o m thence her name".* I n h i s e x q u i s i t e r e n d e r i n g o f h e r s t o r y i n t h e Metamorphoses
t
she i s
c h a r a c t e r i z e d by Ovid i n terms t h a t bear d i r e c t comparison w i t h Eve . . . qua n u l l a L a t i n a s i n t e r hamadryadas c o l u i t s o l l e r t i u s h o r t o s nec f u i t a r b o r e i s t u d i o s i o r a l t e r a f e t u s ; unde t e n e t nomenj non s i l v a s i l i a nec amnes; r u s amat e t ramos f e l i c i a poma f e r e n t e s . (Met. XIV.623-27)
T h i s g e n e r a l a s s o c i a t i o n i s p r o m p t l y c o n f i r m e d by an open comparison. Raphael g r e e t s Eve as she stands b e f o r e h e r ' s i l v a n lodge' and t h i s i s r
i m m e d i a t e l y l i k e n e d t o 'Pomona's a r b o u r .
The s i m i l e t h e n evolves
into
a comparison o f Eve h e r s e l f w i t h 'the wood-nymph' o r 'hamadryad', as Ovid c a l l s h e r . A c c o r d i n g t o t h e m y t h o l o g i c a l t r a d i t i o n t h e u n i o n o f Pomona and Vertumnus was r e s p o n s i b l e f o r t h e r i p e n i n g o f f r u i t i n autumn, as Sandys e x p l a i n s , " i n the d e c l i n a t i o n o f t h e yeare Pomona}
[Vertumnus] m a r r i e s w i t h
i n t h a t a l l f r u i t s come t h e n t o m a t u r i t y " .
We m i g h t
reasonably
130 expect t h a t the n a t u r a l c o r o l l a r y of p a i r i n g Eve and
Pomona would be
a s i m i l a r linkage of Adam and Vertumnus, e s p e c i a l l y s i n c e the god h i s r e p u t a t i o n upon h i s tending
nam
However by
and patronage of the f r u i t f u l gardens
quid ego a d i e i a a de quo mi h i maxima fama e s t hortorum i n manibus dona probata meis? 9
0
such an a s s o c i a t i o n seems to have been p u r p o s e f u l l y
B
founded
withheld
Hilton. So too, i t i s i n t e r e s t i n g to note that on the one occasion when
Mas
i s e x p l i c i t l y likened to Zephyr he does not appear i n the
of the wind god as
a f e r t i l i s i n g agent whose f r u c t i f y i n g breath
impregnates h i s lawful w i f e . F l o r a . R a t h e r , a s we included
guise
have seen, t h i s
association is
to suggest Adam's tender a f f e c t i o n f o r Eve, h i s p e r p e t u a l l y
f r e s h wonder a t her beauty and
the s o f t n e s s of h i s whisper as
. . . he on h i s s i d e Leaning h a l f - r a i s e d , with looks of c o r d i a l love Hung over her enamoured, and beheld Beauty, which whether waking or a s l e e p . Shot f o r t h p e c u l i a r graces} then with v o i c e Mild, as when Zephyrus on F l o r a breathes, Her hand s o f t touching, whispered thus. Awake « . .
(V.11-17) I f we stand back and ignore the d e l i c a t e brush s t r o k e s , f o c u s s i n g a t t e n t i o n r a t h e r upon the organising design of the picture, we perceive how
may
Adam g r a v i t a t e s toward Eve, i r r e s i s t i b l y a t t r a c t e d by
powerful magnetism of
her beauty.
our
the
From t h i s vantage point i t seems
p o s s i b l e that the c o r r e l a t i o n of Adam and
Zephyr and
Eve and
Flora
o r i g i n a t e s u l t i m a t e l y from Eve's dynamic presence which e x e r t s i t s compelling influence over Adam even w h i l s t she i s The conclusion seems almost inescapable repeatedly
asleep.
that while Eve's name i s
coupled with those mythological f i g u r e s who
serve to body
f o r t h h e r s u b s t a n t i a l r e l a t i o n s h i p s t o ancient f e r t i l i t y goddesses, thus e n v e l o p i n g h e r i n t h e numinous a u r a o f a q u a s i - d i v i n e beauty, Adam i s r a r e l y so l i n k e d . A l t h o u g h t h e r e i s no shortage o f f o r m a l t i t l e s t h a t e x p l i c i t l y r e f e r t o Adam's i m p o r t a n t r o l e a s "our f i r s t f a t h e r " (IVO495)» t h e s e v e r e a p p e l l a t i o n s , " t h e p a t r i a r c h o f mankind" ( V . 5 0 6 ) , and "our p r i m i t i v e g r e a t s i r e " (V.350), serve r a t h e r t o i d e n t i f y him w i t h t h e Hebraic c h a r a c t e r Abraham;
t h e ^ i n s t i l r e B p e c t and i n d i c a t e a u t h o r i t y , b u t they
do n o t suggest t h e c r e a t i v e s p i r i t i n c a r n a t e i n man. Yet an a p p a r e n t l y obvious e x c e p t i o n o c c u r s , a s we have s e e n , s h o r t l y a f t e r o u r f i r s t i n t r o d u c t i o n t o t h e human p a i r . to
We a r e n a t u r a l l y l e d
expect t h a t here Adam and Eve w i l l i l l u s t r a t e the m o r a l l e s s o n o f :
How beauty i s e x c e l l e d by manly grace And wisdom, which a l o n e i s t r u l y f a i r . (IV.490-91)
and t h a t Adam, as Eve's " a u t h o r and d i s p o s e r " (IV.635), i s s u p e r i o r t o h e r " i n t h e prime end/Of n a t u r e " (VIII.540-41).
The episode o s t e n s i b l y
f u l f i l s o u r e x p e c t a t i o n s as Eve " w i t h eyes"j
Of c o n j u g a l a t t r a c t i o n u n r e p r o v e d , And meek s u r r e n d e r , h a l f embracing leaned On o u r f i r s t f a t h e r , h a l f h e r s w e l l i n g b r e a s t Naked met h i s under t h e f l o w i n g g o l d Of h e r l o o s e t r e s s e s h i d ; he i n d e l i g h t Both o f h e r beauty and submissive charms Smiled w i t h s u p e r i o r l o v e , as J u p i t e r On Juno s m i l e s , when he impregns t h e c l o u d s That shed Nay f l o w e r s ; and pressed h e r matron l i p With k i s s e s pure.
(IV.492-502) Eve i s p a s s i v e and r e c e p t i v e here where Adam i s a c t i v e and a s s e r t i v e , s u b m i s s i v e where he i s dominant.
However, on c l o s e r e x a m i n a t i o n , we
may e x p e r i e n c e t h e d i s c o n c e r t i n g f e e l i n g t h a t what M i l t o n i s a c t u a l l y showing us i s something q u i t e d i f f e r e n t . reverses.
Suddenly somewhere t h e p o l a r i t y
132 The s h i f t o f emphasis i s a t f i r s t i m p e r c e p t i b l e , b u t t h e c u m u l a t i v e f o r c e o f s e l e c t , v i v i d d e t a i l c u l m i n a t e s i n a most i m p r e s s i v e p i c t u r e of Eve's v i t a l presence. As Rauber a s t u t e l y o b s e r v e s , " t h e dynamic n o t e s o f t h e d e s c r i p t i o n " c l u s t e r around Evej " 'her s w e l l i n g B r e a s t ' and 'the f l o w i n g G o l d o f her h a i r " and, o f c o u r s e , her eyes f l a s h i n g w i t h " c o n j u g a l a t t r a c t i o n " . The c o u n t e r - b a l a n c i n g o r c o r r e c t i n g movement, 9
as <-
i n i t i a t e d by such emphatic e x p r e s s i o n s a r e " u n r e p r o v e d " , "meek s u r r e n d e r " , and " s u p e r i o r l o v e " , does n o t w h o l l y c o u n t e r - a c t t h e c e n t r i p e t a l towards Eve who
e f f e c t i v e l y dominates t h e p i c t u r e .
pull
Rauber would take
t h i s p o i n t even f u r t h e r by u r g i n g t h a t here Eve has become " t h e e a r t h goddess h e r s e l f , over-shadowing i n h e r g r e a t power the poor, t r e m b l i n g ephemeral male." of
86
We have cornea l o n g way from t h e " p r o f e s s e d m o r a l "
87
the episode.
VII
The Source o f L i f e
C r i t i c s have o f t e n commented upon t h e pre-eminent i m p o r t a n c e a s s i g n e d to
t h e c r e a t i v e process by H i l t o n i n P a r a d i s e L o s t .
I n d e e d , Rajan
8*7 8concludes t h a t f o r M i l t o n "goodness i s f e r t i l i t y "
, w h i l e Le Comte
e n t h u s i a s t i c a l l y d e c l a r e s t h a t t h e poem i s ... a hymn t o c r e a t i o n , a c r e a t i o n a t many l e v e l s , r a n g i n g f r o m t h e b r o o d i n g o f t h e Dove and t h e demiu r g i c m i s s i o n o f t h e second person o f t h e T r i n i t y t o the p o e t ' s own n i g h t l y i n g g r c o u r s e w i t h h i s MuBe t h a t b r i n g s t h e poem t o b i r t h .
On t h e o t h e r hand, l o o k i n g a t these v a r i o u s l e v e l s o f t h e c r e a t i v e p r o c e s s , M a r c i a Landy argues t h a t t h e y share one f e a t u r e i n common : they a r e r e g a r d e d as an e x c l u s i v e l y m a s c u l i n e p r e r o g a t i v e by M i l t o n .
133 She m a i n t a i n s t h a t :
The p r i n c i p l e o f c r e a t i v i t y , t h e h i g h e s t p r i n c i p l e o f t h e cosmos i s denied t o woman. The F a t h e r and Son bound t h e cosmos. The male poet c r e a t e s t h e epic,* and t h e a u t h o r and d i s p o s e r o f woman i s h e r husband.
So t o o , Sandra G i l b e r t has i n s i s t e d t h a t as Paradise L o s t i s an example o f the " p a t r i a r c h a l e t i o l o g y t h a t d e f i n e s a s o l i t a r y F a t h e r God as t h e o n l y c r e a t o r o f a l l t h i n g s " , t h e poem
i l l u s t r a t e s "the h i s t o r i a l 90
d i s p o s s e s s i o n and d e g r a d a t i o n o f t h e female p r i n c i p l e " .
However, such
a view i s something o f an o v e r - s i m p l i f i c a t i o n and, i n G i l b e r t ' s a r t i c l e a t l e a s t , serves o n l y t o take us back t o t h e o l d s t e r e o t y p e and " M i l t o n ' s 91
well-known misogyny". We may now c o n v e n i e n t l y examine M i l t o n ' s account o f t h e process o f C r e a t i o n , t h e way i n which he manages "somehow t o 92
i n t r o d u c e a female element i n t o a p u r e l y masculine
cosmic scheme"
and t h e n t r a c e t h e s t e p s whereby Eve g a t h e r s t o h e r s e l f a c o n s t e l l a t i o n 93
o f images p r i m a r i l y a s s o c i a t e d w i t h t h e F a t h e r ' s " e f f o r t l e s s p l e n i t u d e " . The F a t h e r ' s l o v e and goodness i s m a n i f e s t e d i n the r i c h n e s s and v a r i e t y o f c r e a t i o n e f f e c t e d t h r o u g h "His Word" ( V I I . 1 7 5 ) , t h e Son, i n t h e company o f t h e H o l y S p i r i t .
The F a t h e r announces h i s i n t e n t i o n t o
" c r e a t e / A n o t h e r w o r l d " i n these words addressed t o h i s Son ... my Word, b e g o t t e n Son, by thee T h i s I p e r f o r m , speak t h o u , and be i t done* My overshadowing s p i r i t and m i g h t w i t h thee I send a l o n g , r i d e f o r t h , and b i d t h e deep W i t h i n a p p o i n t e d bounds be heaven and e a r t h ,
So spake t h e a l m i g h t y , and t o what he spake H i s Word, t h e f i l i a l Godhead, gave e f f e c t .
(VII.163-67; 174-75) M i l t o n ' s i n s i s t e n c e upon t h e i n s t r u m e n t a l i t y o f t h e Word and S p i r i t here seems i n d i s t i n g u i s h a b l e from h i s p o s i t i o n i n Be D o c t r i n a C h r i s t i a n a where t h e q u e s t i o n i s g i v e n f u l l e r and more a n a l y t i c a l t r e a t m e n t . Word, he
argues:
The
J
134 non p r i n c i p a l e m , q u i a t u n p a t e r i p s e a quo s o l o omnia non esset p r i n c i p a l i s * non sociam, q u i a turn non d i c e r e t u r , p a t e r v e r b o e t s p i r i t u , sed cum verbo e t s p i r i t u c r e a v i t } v e l p a t e r , verbum, e t s p i r i t u s c r e a r u n t g quae f o r m u l a e l o q u e n d i i n s c r i p t u r a nusquam i n v e n i u n t u r .
Moreover, i n the passage from P a r a d i s e Lost quoted above, the emphasis i s p l a c e d upon t h e Son as the a c t i v e agent o f c r e a t i o n w h i l e the r o l e of
the S p i r i t i n t h e c r e a t i v e process i s l e f t u n d e f i n e d .
This too i s
i n accordance w i t h t h e p o s i t i o n adopted by M i l t o n i n h i s t h e o l o g i c a l treatise,,
There M i l t o n c a s t s doubt upon the v a l i d i t y o f i d e n t i f y i n g
t h e S p i r i t as a s e p a r a t e
person i n the d i v i n e n a t u r e and
r e l e g a t e s i t to a s u b s i d i a r y r o l e i n c r e a t i o n . he
The
clearly
"Spiritus
Dei",
maintains
„ o o e s t v i r t u s p o t i u s d i v i n a , quam persona a l i q u a ... Nam s i persona e r a t , c u r s p i r i t u s n o m i n a t u r , f i l i u s r e t i c e t u r , c u i u s opera factum esse mundum t o t i e s l e g i m u s t n i s i p o t i u s C h r i s t u s i s f u i t , quern S p i r i t u m i n v e t e r e testamento a l i q u o t i e s d i c t u m supra ostendinuas. U t u t s i t , s i personam omnino volumus, non a l i a tarnen quam m i n i s t r a dumtaxat v i d e t u r f u i s s e s postea enim quam Deus coelum e t t e r r a m c r e a v e r a t , s p i r i t u s tantummodo i n c u b a b a t , s u p e r f i c i e i aquarum iam creatarumo^S
However, i n s p i t e o f the a p p a r e n t correspondence between t h e F a t h e r " 8 words and M i l t o n ' s stand i n De D o c t r i n a C h r i s t i a n a such a v i e w o f t h e Holy S p i r i t i s n o t t y p i c a l o f the i m p r e s s i o n we from the poem as a whole.
receive
Whether or n o t i n a t h e o l o g i c a l d i s p u t e
M i l t o n would have argued t h a t t h e S p i r i t i s always e i t h e r an a s p e c t o f t h e F a t h e r o r Son,
i n h i s imaginative r e p r e s e n t a t i o n i n Paradise Lost
t h e S p i r i t i s an a c t i v e p a r t i c i p a n t i n the c r e a t i v e process whose r o l e , 96
i f d i f f e r e n t , i s no l e s s i m p o r t a n t t h a n t h a t o f t h e S o n ,
7
i s a r e s u l t of t h e i r c o o p e r a t i o n , "The k i n g o f g l o r y i n h i s Word/And S p i r i t " s e t f o r t h t o c r e a t e "new added).
and c r e a t i o n powerful
worlds" (VII.208°9j
emphasis
135
91 I n d e e d , we may d i s t i n g u i s h two d i s c r e t e b u t complementary processes at
work,and as Watkins has p e r c e p t i v e l y p o i n t e d outs M i l t o n has f u s e d them so s k i l f u l l y t h a t we do n o t a t f i r s t r e a l i z e he i s u s i n g two d i s t i n c t methods i n d r a m a t i z i n g C r e a t i o n , two d i f f e r e n t s e t s o f images and symbols: a b s t r a c t and c o n c r e t e , s p i r i t and m a t t e r , mind and body, t h e spontaneous e x i s t e n c e as i f by magic w i t h t h e spoken word and n a t u r a l b i o l o g i c a l e v o l u t i o n through time.
These two modes o f o p e r a t i o n a r e a s s o c i a t e d w i t h t h e Son and S p i r i t respectively„ The
Son and S p i r i t a r e seen w o r k i n g i n c o n j u n c t i o n n o t o n l y i n t h e
main account o f C r e a t i o n i n Book V I I ( 1 1 . 225=42),but even i n t h e 98 opening l i n e s o f t h e poem t h e i r complementary a c t i o n s a r e suggested. At f i r s t we hear how " I n t h e b e g i n n i n g ... t h e heavens and earth/nose out o f chaos" (1.9-10) w i t h t h e e f f o r t l e s s power i n h e r e n t i n t h e word 1
t h a t t h e D e v i l s can o n l y parody i n Pandaemonium (I.692-71 )» b u t then we l e a r n t h a t even "from t h e f i r s t " t h e S p i r i t t o o : Wast p r e s e n t , and w i t h m i g h t y wings outspread. L o v e - l i k e s a t ' s t b r o o d i n g on t h e v a s t abyss And madest i t pregnant. (1.19-22)
I n c i d e n t a l l y , we may draw a p a r a l l e l here between t h e two c r e a t i v e processes d e s c r i b e d above and those envisaged of
t h e Metamorphoses.
by Ovid i n t h e f i r s t
For Ovid t o o , C r e a t i o n wore a double a s p e c t ,
though they d i d n o t occur contemporaneously as i n M i l t o r f ' s The
f i r s t phase o f C r e a t i o n , r e c o u n t e d
i n which f i r s t l y
book
i n l i n e s 5-75 i s
a
account.
t w o f o l d process
o r d e r i s imposed on t h e w a r r i n g elements o f Chaos, p*-^
then f o l l o w s the coBmic task o f o r g a n i s i n g t h e c o n s t i t u e n t part6 o f the Univerr-e and
lastly
o f 'Earth
it*«lf.
The second phase, t h e r e -
c r e a t i o n o f l i f e a f t e r t h e F l o o d , i s conveyed i n a number o f p a r t u r i t i v e images t o which we may r e t u r n l a t e r .
For i t i s i n t h e fir6t phase t h a t
Ovid'6 i n f l u e n c e i s most i m m e d i a t e l y
apparent.
136
M i l t o n h e l d t h e a n c i e n t but unorthodox view t h a t the C r e a t i o n
was
99 n o t ex n i h i l o .
I n De D o c t r i n a C h r i s t i a n a he i n t r o d u c e s h i s comments
on the q u e s t i o n t h u s : M a t e r i a autem p r i m a quae f u e r i t , v a r i e disputatur„ Moderni p l e r i q u e v o l u n t ex n i h i l o emerisse omniaj unde e t ipsorum credo s e n t e n t i a o r t a e s t . Primum autem c o n s t a t , neque Hebrao v e r b o neque Graeco KXL*9e
As F l e t c h e r has p o i n t e d o u t , M i l t o n "conceived
o f the Act o f C r e a t i o n
as
an o r d e r i n g o f t h e elements, a l r e a d y e x i s t e n t i n Chaos, n o t the c r e a t i n g of
those elements t h e m s e l v e s " .
1 0 1
P
l
e
t h i s m i g h t i n p a r t , a t l e a s t , be due
t
c
h
e
r
S
o e s
o
n
*> ^ose
that
t o the i n f l u e n c e o f I b n Ezra's
r e f u t a t i o n of t h e i d e a o f c r e a t i o ex n i h i l o s e t f o r t h i n t h e Rabbi's 102 commentary on the f i r s t c h a p t e r of Genesis. n o t M i l t o n drew h i s " b a s i c c o n c e p t i o n
However, whether or
of C r e a t i o n " as an arrangement
of p r e - e x i s t e n t elements from R a b b i n i c a l commentaries or elsewhere, "the elaborate conception
of C r e a t i o n as M i l t o n has
poetically
embroidered i t i n the poem" seems c l o s e r t o t h e O v i d i a n account than to o t h e r a v a i l a b l e sources. The
s i m i l a r i t y between Genesis and
Metamorphoses had e x p l a n a t i o n was was
l o n g been f e l t
required.
the o p e n i n g l i n e s of the
t o be so i m p r e s s i v e
t h a t some
Indeed, as Ann Moss i n d i c a t e s , L a v i n i u s
n o t a l o n e when he p o s t u l a t e d t h a t : E i t h e r Ovid was d i r e c t l y i n s p i r e d by the H o l y Ghost, o r he knew t h e Pentateuch t h r o u g h Moses' p u p i l s the E g y p t i a n p h i l o s o p h e r s , and t h e i r Greek d i s c i p l e s , P l a t o and Pythagoras.
And
as she proceeds t o p o i n t o u t , "Such a t h e o r y " was
" p a t r i s t i c a u t h o r i t y and was 1 0
pagan a u t h o r " . ^
by no means a n o v e l way
S i m i l a r e x p l a n a t i o n s are s t i l l
more r e c e n t commentaries o f G o l d i n g and Sandys. the support
of
not without of j u s t i f y i n g a
t o be found i n t h e G o l d i n g indeed
claims
( „o« those not o f the rude and v u l g a r s o r t But such as have o f g o d l i n e s s e and l e a r n i n g good r e p o r t ) That t h i n k the Poets tooke t h e i r f i r s t o c c a s i o n o f these t h i n g s Prom h o l i e W r i t as from the w e l l where a l l wisedome springs,,
b e f o r e he exclaims?
What man i s hee b u t would suppose t h e a u t h o r of t h i s booke The f i r s t f o u n d a t i o n o f h i s worke from Moyses w r i t i n g s t o o k e .
arguing that
Not onely i n e f f e c t he dooth w i t h Genesis a g r e e , But a l s o i n the o r d e r o f c r e a t i o n , ^ g a v e t h a t hee Makes no d i s t i n c t i o n o f t h e dayes.
Sandys too begins c a u t i o u s l y b e f o r e c o n c l u d i n g on a more p o s i t i v e n o t e
... a l t h o u g h by n o t e x p r e s s i n g t h e o r i g i n a l l he seems t o i n t i m a t e t h e e t e r n i t i e of h i s Chaos: y e t appeares i n the r e s t so consonant t o t h e t r u t h , as d o u b t l e s s e he had e i t h e r seene the Bggks o f Moses or receaved t h a t d o c t r i n e by tradition.
Since the t h e o r y t h a t Ovid's d e s c r i p t i o n of the C r e a t i o n was on Genesis was
s t i l l c u r r e n t i n h i s own day, M i l t o n c o u l d , as
based
Harding
suggests,
borrow d e t a i l s f r o m h i s d e s c r i p t i o n w i t h o u t v i o l a t i n g i n the eyes of h i s contemporaries t h a t p r i n c i p l e o f decorum, which he once s t a t e d was " t h e grand m a s t e r p i e c e t o observe".
Moreover, we have evidence o f a d i f f e r e n t k i n d , t h e t e s t i m o n y of M i l t o n youngest d a u g h t e r , Deborah, t h a t seems t o c o n f i r m first
t h a t he regarded
the
book o f the Metamorphoses as p a r t i c u l a r l y s i g n i f i c a n t f o r h i s
purpose.
Dr.Johnson r e c o r d s how
"She
c o u l d r e p e a t the f i r s t l i n e s of 108
... the Metamorphoses ... by h a v i n g o f t e n read them" t o her f a t h e r . But l e a v i n g the q u e s t i o n o f c r e a t i o ex n i h i l o and O v i d i a n i n f l u e n c a s i d e f o r the moment, l e t us r e t u r n t o the two processes
of creation
identified i n P a r a d i s e L o s t w i t h t h e a c t i o n s o f t h e Son and S p i r i t r e s p e c t i v e l y . Prom t h e f i r s t p e r s p e c t i v e C r e a t i o n i s envisaged as a
138
process o f o r g a n i s i n g and o r d e r i n g the confused m a t t e r o f Chaos, e s t a b l i s h i n g " o r d e r from d i s o r d e r " ( i l l . 7 1 3 ) by the power o f t h e v e r b a l 108 3. fiat.
T h i s suggests a r a t i o n a l process d i r e c t e d by t h e conscious
w i l l , and t h i s seems c o n f i r m e d
by M i l t o n ' s use o f the m a t h e m a t i c a l
symbol o f the "golden compasses" w i e l d e d by t h e Son " t o c i r c u m s c r i b e " the "bounds" o f the c r e a t e d U n i v e r s e (VII.225=31)•
From the a l t e r n a x i v e
p e r s p e c t i v e , C r e a t i o n i s seen as a cosmic a c t o f i m p r e g n a t i o n 109 S p i r i t r e s u l t i n g i n the m i r a c u l o u s ' b i r t h s ' his
o f t h e Days,
Here, i n
d i f f e r e n t i a t i o n o f the r o l e s o f the Son and S p i r i t i n C r e a t i o n ,
M i l t o n may a t f i r s t g l a n c e appear t o be a d o p t i n g a more p o s i t i o n than i n De D o c t r i n a C h r i s t i a n a . of
by t h e
orthodox
For St.Thomas Aquinas speaks
the Son as " a r t i f e x rerun) a x t i f i c a t a r u m " and the S p i r i t as " v i v i f i c a t o r " ,
and Garrigou-Lagrange e x p l a i n s Aquinas' c o n c l u s i o n , "Deus P a t e r operatus
e s t c r e a t u r a m p e r suum Verbum, quod e s t F i l i u S } e t p e r suum 110 amorem, q u i e s t S p i r i t u s s a n c t u s " , thus: Deus o p e r a t u r p e r i n t e l l i g e n t i a m e t v o l u n t a t e m . A t q u i F i l i u s p r o c e d i t per modum i n t e l l e c t u a l e m u t Verbum, e t S p i r i t u s Sanctus per modum a m o r i s . Ergo s i c d i c i p o t e s t ? Deus P a t e r ^ c r e a v i t p e r suum F i l i u m e t p e r S p i r i t u m Sanctum. However, on c l o s e r e x a m i n a t i o n
i t becomes r e a d i l y a p p a r e n t t h a t w h i l e
i n P a r a d i s e L o s t an e s s e n t i a l p a r t o f t h e fundamental f o r m u l a o f t h e U n i v e r s e i s amor, i t i s c l e a r l y a r a t h e r d i f f e r e n t k i n d o f l o v e
than
C h r i s t i a n t h e o l o g i a n s o r even P l a t o n i c p h i l o s o p h e r s n o r m a l l y have i n 112 mind. in
For M i l t o n ' s i m a g i n a t i v e account o f C r e a t i o n i n v o l v e s him
the r a t h e r dubious orthodoxy
o f r e p r e s e n t i n g t h e Father
the w o r l d t o l i f e t h r o u g h the o p e r a t i o n o f h i s S p i r i t . Lost, then, a transcendent
'loving'
I n Paradise
s e x u a l l o v e becomes a cosmic c r e a t i v e f o r c e .
S i g n i f i c a n t l y , i t i s the Father's mouthpiece f o r t h e i n s t r u c t i o n of mankind, Raphael, who i n d i c a t e s t h a t "two g r e a t sexes animate t h e world" ( V I I I . 1 5 / ) .
God i n h i s i n f i n i t u d e comprehends both sexes f o r ,
as Summers has observed, "The
o r d i n a r y masculine and f e m i n i n e r o l e s a r e
139
joined i n divine f e r t i l i t y : *.l 13 God."
The
b o t h of the
'great Sexes' f i n d t h e i r o r i g i n i n
a c t i v e or ' m a l e ' p r i n c i p l e m a n i f e s t s i t s e l f
i n the d i v i n e
will
114
to
create;
the p a s s i v e or 'female' p r i n c i p l e i s embodied i n Chaos,
c o n t a i n i n g i n p o t e n t i a l a l l the teeming
l i f e of t h e w o r l d .
The mere sexual
a p p l i c a t i o n of t h i s i s o b v i o u s , but the p r i n c i p l e goes f a r beyond o r d i n a r y s e x - r o l e s t e r e o t y p e s as
such.
Moreover, such imagery
accorded w i t h h i s b e l i e f t h a t the C r e a t i o n was
not e f f e c t e d ex n i h i l o , "omnia s i m p l i c i verbo Dei f a c t a esse"!*"' presupposed
(11.911).
not o n l y a masculine
"vivificator"*Dut
a
feminine
since i t
"womb o f
nature"
Thus M i l t o n argues i n De D o c t r i n a C h r i s t i a n a : Ex m a t e r i a i g i t u r quacunque mundum f u i s s e conditum palam est. A c t i o enim e t p a s s i o r e l a t a cum s i n t , nullumque agens e x t r a se p o s s i t agere, n i s i s i t quod p a t i q u e a t , m a t e r i a nimirum, Deus ex n i h i l o c r e a r e hunc mundum v i d e t u r non p o t u i s s e non ob v i r i u m , aut o m n i p o t e n t i a e defectum, sed q u i a necesse f u i t a l i q u i d iam turn f u i s s e ^ y quod vim e i u s agendi p o t e n t i s s i m a m p a t i e n d o r e c i p e r e t .
That e v e r y t h i n g r e s t s upon t h e s t i m u l a t i o n of the a l l - p o t e n t i a l of
Chaos by t h e dynamic, c r e a t i v e energy o f the S p i r i t of God,
life
matter
as divine
i s m y s t e r i o u s l y i n f u s e d i n t o m a t t e r i n a t r a n s c e n d e n t sexual a c t , i s
e m p h a t i c a l l y pronounced i n t h e f i r s t
l i n e s of t h e poem as the S p i r i t
. . . w i t h mighty wings o u t s p r e a d D o v e - l i k e s a t ' s t b r o o d i n g on the v a s t abyss And madest i t pregnant. (1.20-22)
"The
Act of C r e a t i o n " here d e s c r i b e d , as F l e t c h e r p e r c e p t i v e l y comments, 118
is
" t h e i m p r e g n a t i o n of the s t u f f of Chaos by t h e S p i r i t of
God".
There has been c o n s i d e r a b l e d i s c u s s i o n of the s i g n i f i c a n c e of M i l t o n ' s use of " b r o o d i n g " here f o r t h e Hebrew v e r b i n Genesis 1.2 t r a n s l a t e d i n 119 the
A u t h o r i s e d V e r s i o n and Revised
c o n j u n c t i o n w i t h h i s d e s c r i p t i o n of
V e r s i o n as "moved". how
Taken i n
140
. . . on the watery calm His b r o o d i n g wings t h e s p i r i t o f God o u t s p r e a d , And v i t a l v i r t u e i n f u s e d , and v i t a l warmth Throughout the f l u i d mass . . . (VII.234-37)
t h i s s u r e l y i m p l i e s t h a t t h e S p i r i t i s n o t envisaged
as merely s u r v e y i n g
the scene b u t i s r a t h e r regarded as a l i f e - g i v i n g f o r c e , the v i v i f i c a t o r , 120 active i n creation. more independent
A g a i n , t h i s i s s i g n i f i c a n t because i t suggests a
r o l e f o r t h e S p i r i t which he d i s c u s s e s o n l y t o r e j e c t i n
De D o c t r i n a C h r i s t i a n a . Dei may be v a r i o u s l y
There he comments t h a t w h i l e the e x p r e s s i o n S p i r i t u s
interpreted:
Nunc p a t r i s p o t e n t i a m atque v i r t u t e m , i l i u m i m p r i m i s a f f l a t u m d i v i n u m omnia creantem ac foventem s i g n i f i c a r i : quomodo locum i l i u m Gen. i . 2. s p i r i t u s D e i i n c u b a b a t , m u l t i i n t e l l i g u n t e t a n t i q u i e t r e c e n t i o r e s . Quamquam i l l i c f i l i u s i n t e l l i g e n d u s v i d e ^ u r p o t i u s , per quem p a t e r omnia creasse t o t i e s d i c i t u r .
Moreover, 'brooding' and i t s L a t i n form i n c u b a b a t , employed by M i l t o n i n De D o c t r i n a C h r i s t i a n a , as Hume f i r s t n o t e d , suggest
the p a r t i c u l a r
action
o f the mother b i r d as she i m p a r t s v i t a l warmth t o h e r young as they h a t c h . Hume remarks t h a t i t i s a
. . . Metaphor taken from B i r d s s i t t i n g and h a t c h i n g t h e i r young ones, which i s here e x t r e a m l y h e i g h t e n e d by D o v e - l i k e , God's Holy S p i r i t having v i s i b l y descended on h i s Son, t h e Blessed Jesus, i n t h a t s o f t S i m i l i t u d e , the Emblem o f Meekness and Innocence, M a t t h . 3.16.
It
i s n o t e w o r t h y t h a t o n l y Ovid o f t h e Roman poets seems t o use incubare
i n t h i s sense.
Recounting
t h e f a t e o f the l o v i n g couple Ceyx and Alcyone
t r a n s f o r m e d i n t o b i r d s he r e l a t e s :
tunc quoque mansit amor nec c o n i u g i a l e solutum foedus i n a l i t i b u s : coeunt f i u n t q u e p a r e n t e s , perque d i e s p l a c i d o s h i b e r n o tempore septem i n c u b a t Alcyone pendentibus aequore n i d i s . tunc i a c e t unda m a r i s : ventos c u s t o d i t e t a r c e t Aeolus egressu p r a e s t a t q u e n e p o t i b u s aequor. (Met. XI.743-48)
A myth t h a t M i l t o n had On
indeed turned
t o h i s own
account i n the e a r l y work,
the Morning of C h r i s t ' s N a t i v i t y , where he uses i t as a token of
Christ's
" r e i g n of peace upon the e a r t h " (1.63) b e g i n n i n g i n " t h e w i n t e r w i l d " (1.29) The winds w i t h wonder w h i s t , Smoothly the waters k i s s e d W h i s p e r i n g new
joys t o the m i l d
ocean,.
Who now h a t h q u i t e f o r g o t t o r a v e , ^3 While b i r d s of calm s i t b r o o d i n g on the charmed wave. (11.64-68)
Thus too the S p i r i t
of God
l i k e the mother b i r d , Alcyone and
"the b i r d s o f
calm", broods on a m i r a c u l o u s "watery calm" ( V I I . 2 3 4 ) .
However, t h a t
S p i r i t " b r o o d i n g . . . madest i t pregnant" seems t o be,
as Fowler
a s t u t e l y observed, "Not
the
has
a mixed metaphor, but a d e l i b e r a t e a l l u s i o n t o the ., 124
Hermetic d o c t r i n e t h a t God W h i l e not denying
i s both masculine and
feminine .
Cope's s u g g e s t i v e argument t h a t M i l t o n d i d a t times
choose " s e x u a l i t y as the c h i e f image of e v i l
...
i n Paradise L o s t " ,
I
would l i k e t o take i s s u e w i t h the i m p l i c a t i o n s of h i s c l a i m t h a t "when 125 s e x u a l i t y e n t e r s the poem, i t e n t e r s as S i n " ( I I . 750-809). His a s s e r t i o n t h a t sex i s " t h e obscene, awkward means by which Satan and the m a t e r i a l ,.126 world
can
ape
Creation to the The
God
and 'two
s creative f i a t
disregards
the r o l e of the S p i r i t
a l s o the transcendent importance t h a t M i l t o n thus a t t r i b u t e s
great
sexes' a n i m a t i n g the
world.
f r u i t o f t h i s cosmic i n t e r c o u r s e was
seen here d r a m a t i c a l l y as a d e v e l o p i n g
the c o n c e p t i o n o f the
yet
(VII.
While these l i n e s may
owe
earth,
foetus:
The e a r t h was formed, but i n the womb as Of w a t e r s , embryon immature i n v o l v e d , Appeared n o t .
Was The
in
something t o S y l v e s t e r ' s
276-78)
l i k e n i n g o f Chaos t o an
. . . Embryon, t h a t w i t h i n a Weeke t o be born: f o r t h a t huge lump was l i k e shape-less b u r t h e n i n the Mother's womb,
Which y e t i n t i m e d o t h i n t o f a s h i o n come . . .
128
142
t h e r e i s n o t h i n g t o compare w i t h the d a r i n g s i m u l t a n e i t y o f e f f e c t whereby the
p l a c e n t a l waters which encompass the m a t u r i n g embryo are seen t o a c t as
seminal f l u i d ,
i m p r e g n a t i n g the whole s u r f a c e o f the " g r e a t mother" ( V I I . 281)
as she develops. process
F o l l o w i n g the S p i r i t ' s own p r o l i f i c example, the f e r t i l i s i n g
i s repeated on a lower plane i n the s u b l u n a r y w o r l d o f n a t u r e and
m a t t e r as
. . . over a l l the face o f e a r t h Main ocean f l o w e d , n o t i d l e , but w i t h warm P r o l i f i c humour s o f t e n i n g a l l her g l o b e , Fermented the g r e a t mother t o c o n c e i v e , Satiate w i t h genial moisture. (VII.
278-82)
T h i s i s d i r e c t l y p a r a l l e l t o Ovid's account o f the g e n e r a t i o n o f new life
a f t e r the Flood.
impregnate
Warmth and m o i s t u r e work i n f r u i t f u l c o n j u n c t i o n t o
t h e f e r t i l e and r e c e p t i v e womb o f T e l l u s
. . . vetus umor ab igne p e r c a l u i t s o l i s , caenumque udaeque paludes intumuere a e s t u , fecundaque semina rerum v i v a c i n u t r i t a s o l o ceu m a t r i s i n a l v o c r e v e r u n t faciemque aliquam cepere morando. (Met.
I.417-21) 129
T e l l u s g r a v i d w i t h the teeming
life
o f the w o r l d " e d i d i t
innumeras s p e c i e s "
(Met. 1.436, emphasis added).
S i m i l a r l y , M i l t o n ' s ' g r e a t mother', when her
time i s r i p e : Opening her f e r t i l e womb teemed a t a b i r t h Innumerous l i v i n g c r e a t u r e s , p e r f e c t forms, Limbed and f u l l grown. (VII.
As the c r e a t i v e process
454-56)
i n i t i a t e d by the S p i r i t i s thus r e p e a t e d ,
traces o f M i l t o n ' s e a r l y poetic conceptions
vestigial
o f the female a r c h e t y p e , t h e
c o n s t e l l a t i o n o f images t h a t c l u s t e r around t h e idea o f f r u i t f u l womanhood, become more pronounced.
A l t h o u g h Le Comte m a i n t a i n s t h a t i n M i l t o n ' s mature
work, "The
references
t o Mother E a r t h and Mother Nature i n the e a r l y ,
i n c l u d i n g the L a t i n , p o e t r y have metamorphosed i n t o p r a i s e of God's f e c u n d i t y " , I would argue t h a t the process i s more complex than such a w h o l e s a l e t r a n s f o r m a t i o n suggests. As
the f e r t i l i s i n g process continues
the sun who
and e a r t h i s mounted s e x u a l l y
"Shot down d i r e c t h i s f e r v i d rays
(V. 301-2), we
by
t o warm" her " i n m o s t womb"
cannot h e l p but remember t h a t the sun i s e a r t h ' s
"lusty
131 paramour" how
elsewhere i n M i l t o n ' s p o e t r y .
i n Elegia Quinta:
I n Adventum V e r i s
Moreover, we may
also
recall
the dynamic female f i g u r e of
T e l l u s usurps the male p r e r o g a t i v e , t a k i n g the i n i t i a t i v e i n t o her own
hands
of a c t i v e l y seeking the sun's f r u c t i f y i n g embraces: Cum
t o Phoebo tuo s a p i e n t i u s u t e r i s i g n i , Hue ades, e t gremio lumina pone meo. Sic T e l l u s l a s c i v a suos s u s p i r a t amores. M a t r i s i n exemplum caetera t u r b a r u u n t . (•.V.
The
s u c c e s s i o n o f a c t i v e verbs:
" q u a e r i t amores" ( 1 . 7 1 ) ;
93-96)
" c u p i t amplexus" ( 1 . 5 6 ) ;
"poscit . . . toros" (1.72);
" c u p i t " (1.57);
effectively
demonstrate
t h a t hers are the lineaments o f sexual a r o u s a l and unashamed d e s i r e .
And i t
i s i n t e r e s t i n g t o note i n passing t h a t Mother E a r t h , as p o r t r a y e d here by M i l t o n , shares some of the a t t r i b u t e s of the L u c r e t i a n Venus G e n e t r i x . as a l l o t h e r c r e a t u r e s
Just
are q u i c k t o f o l l o w t h e i r mother's example i n
adventum v e r i s , so L u c r e t i u s c e l e b r a t e s how
as soon as " s p e c i e s p a t e f a c t a s t
verna d i e i " a t the "adventum" of Venus, b i r d s and
beasts
. . . i t a capta lepore te s e q u i t u r cupide quo quamque inducere p e r g i s . denique per maria ac montis f l u v i o s q u e rapaces f r o n d i f e r a s q u e domos avium camposque v i r e n t i s omnibus i n c u t i e n s blandum per p e c t o r a amorem^.^ e f f i c i s u t cupide g e n e r a t i m saecl& propagent.
E a r t h tempts the f e r v i d sun, umbra" ( 1 . 85) and
p a r a d o x i c a l l y enough, w i t h her " f r i g o r a
"humentes . . . rosas"
( 1 . 90).
We
may
a t l e a s t make a
. . .
s u b l i m i n a l c o n n e c t i o n between t h i s s e d u c t i v e r e t r e a t and t h e " c o o l bower" (V. 300) t o which Adam r e t i r e s a t noon and which
i s s a i d t o shower roses
from i t s " f l o w e r y r o o f " ( I V . 772-73) a t n i g h t upon the embracing couple as they sleep.
Indeed,
the way i n which
the passage i m m e d i a t e l y t u r n s
from t h e sun mounted upon t h e e a r t h t o Adam and Eve seems t o suggest some emblematic correspondence between the two. We are perhaps
justified,
t h e n , i n seeing Mother E a r t h , Mother Eve
and the Venus G e n e t r i x as p a r t o f t h e same i m a g i n a t i v e complex w i t h f r u i t f u l n e s s a t the centre.
However, t h e t e n s i o n we have p r e v i o u s l y noted
between t h e male and female r o l e s i n c r e a s e s when we come t o sense t h a t t h e "prime end/Of n a t u r e " ( V I I I . 5 4 0 - 4 1 ) i s c r e a t i v i t y , since t h i s i s f u n d a m e n t a l l y connected
w i t h woman as the m a n i f e s t "source
has c o n t r o l o f t h e door t h r o u g h which the is
ripening ' f r u i t '
of l i f e "
( X I . 169).
l i f e comes i n t o t h e w o r l d , h o l d i n g
i n her womb u n t i l t h e time o f r e l e a s e .
a l s o t h e p r i m i t i v e y e t deep seated f e e l i n g t h a t l i f e
Moreover, t h e r e
i s produced by a
s e l f - s u f f i c i e n t Nature whose s e I f - f e c u n d a t i o n i s independent generative p r i n c i p l e .
For she
o f a male
T h i s c o n c e p t i o n appears b r i e f l y i n Ovid as T e l l u s
r e p o p u l a t e s the w o r l d w i t h l i v i n g t h i n g s : f o r m i s / s p o n t e sua p e p e r i t " (Met. I.416-17).
"Cetera
diversis tellus
I t reappears,
animalia
surprisingly, i n
M i l t o n , f o r o n l y two l i n e s b e f o r e t h e d e s c r i p t i o n o f t h e sun's i n t e r c o u r s e w i t h t h e e a r t h , we f i n d t h a t i n Eden, v i r g i n Nature produced as a r e s u l t o f her own v o l i t i o n and
Wantoned as i n her prime, and played a t w i l l Her v i r g i n f a n c i e s , p o u r i n g f o r t h more sweet, W i l d above r u l e o r a r t ; enormous b l i s s . (V. 295-97) 133 Furthermore,
"The sun, f o r a l l i t s s h i n i n g , i s i n i t s e l f
as Raphael i n f o r m s Adam.
barren"
Moreover, as David Aers and Bob Hodge have
p o i n t e d o u t , t h i s makes an i n d i r e c t b u t complex comment on t h e p o s i t i o n o f Eve h e r s e l f . W h e n Adam asks "about
h i e r a r c h i e s i n Heaven" and why t h e
145
"sedentary
e a r t h " i s "Served
Raphael's
by
more n o b l e
than
her
self"
(VIII.32-34) , in
reply:
T h e p a r a l l e l w i t h human s e x u a l i t y i s e x p l i c i t : the e a r t h as female, the sun as male. The l e s s o n i s c l e a r t o o . The a p p a r e n t e x c e l l e n c e of t h e a c t i v e m a l e p r i n c i p l e i s illusory: without the e a r t h i t i s b a r r e n , s i n c e i t s beams f i n d t h e i r ' v i g o u r ' i n t h e f r u i t f u l e a r t h . So man, i n ^ g p i t e of d o c t r i n e to the c o n t r a r y , e x i s t s f o r woman?
136 As
instrumental We
and
may
the
now
her
more
substantial
"fruitful
earth"
associations In
to
Paradise
to
fruitfulness?
fully
relationship
(VIII.96), take
on do
not
systematic
theology
of
De
discursive
t h i n k i n g nor
sensuous
feelings
i n the
mystery
of
mother'
cannot
a
theology
and
Doctrina
and
love
be o u i t e d
with
such
that from
of
begets
the
the
life
the
or
Nature
into her
'great
the fall.
mother' goddess, whether
pregnant world,
with
the
very
I t i s when t h e
like
demeanour' , and
that
Adam, i n a n
Genetrix,
teeming
the
address
life,
'source
of
the
of
of
the as
that
door
her
and
subsumes
of
the
will.
Being
result
imagination,
deeper
not
substantial
through
Tellus, which
the
the
'great
even
seventeenth-century Eve's
of
more
while
f i g u r e of
these
the
the
And
the
standards.
i s not
finds i t s fullest
strongly reminiscent
t h r o u g h whom " g e n u s
Eve
w e l l - s p r i n g s of
p e r s o n i f i e d as
life',
aura
the
significance
pre-lapsarian
poetry
remains,
"much-humbled" Eve numerous
by
imagination.
emphasis
I t i s s t r a n g e l y p a r a d o x i c a l , however, to
herself
conscious
tap
universe
a patriarchal
between
a poetic restatement
i t may
caverns
the
Eve
Christiana; of
converging
subsist
mother.
find
act
passionate'
to
of
s t a t u r e - even to
an
feeling
seems
great
expect
subterranean
life
the
solely
the
that
superhuman
L o s t we
'simple,
appreciate
by
Puritanism. relationship
Mater life
florum
comes
expression
after
( X I . 181)
has
shed
her
presence
has
been
extinguished
of
'goddess-
L u c r e t i u s ' hymn t o V e n u s 137 omne a n i m a n t u m / c o n c i p i t u r " , h a i l s her:
146
Eve,
rightly
Mother Man
called,
of a l l t h i n g s
i s to l i v e ,
and
Mother
of a l l Mankind
living, since a l lthings
live
by
thee
for
man. (XI.
159-61)
147
NOTES
1.
T h i s t i t l e was s u g g e s t e d by D. F . R a u b e r ' s s t i m u l a t i n g b u t f u n d a m e n t a l l y unsound a r t i c l e , "The Metamorphoses o f E v e ' i n w h i c h he a r g u e s t h a t M i l t o n "has c a r e f u l l y r e p r o d u c e d i n E v e [ t h e j p o t e n t p a t t e r n o f v i r g i n , b r i d e and mother" t h a t c h a r a c t e r ~ i z e d " t h e G r e a t Goddess ... who i s w o r s h i p p e d i n v a r i o u s t r i a d s which correspond t o the c y c l e of t h e v e g e t a t i v e y e a r " (p.64). U n f o r t u n a t e l y , Rauber, w h i l e p r o f e s s i n g t o f o l l o w R o b e r t G r a v e s ' c o n c l u s i o n s (The Greek Myths: I [ R e v i s e d e d i t i o n , 1 9 6 0 J , e s p . pp. 13-17), has s e r i o u s l y d i s t o r t e d the l a t t e r ' s theory t o s u i t h i s own argument. I t i s i n t e r e s t i n g t o n o t e t h a t Rauber h a s s u p p r e s s e d t h e f i n a l e l e m e n t o f t h e t r i a d a s u n f o l d e d by G r a v e s , " t h e c r o n e " , by r e p l a c i n g h e r w i t h 'the mother', t h u s d i v i d i n g t h e s e c o n d p e r s o n o f G r a v e s ' t r i n i t y , " t h e nymph" o r " n u b i l e woman" i n t o two s e p a r a t e f i g u r e s . A c c o r d i n g t o G r a v e s , t h e G r e a t Goddess and m a t r i a r c h c o m p r i s e d t h r e e d i s t i n c t a s p e c t s "maiden, nymph ( n u b i l e woman) a n d c r o n e " and he e x p l a i n s how, s i n c e " t h e moon's t h r e e p h a s e s " and " t h e s u n ' s a n n u a l c o u r s e "
... r e c a l l e d t h e r i s e a n d d e c l i n e o f h e r p h y s i c a l powers - s p r i n g a maiden, summer a nymph, w i n t e r a c r o n e - t h e g o d d e s s became i d e n t i f i e d w i t h s e a s o n a l changes ... and t h u s w i t h Mother E a r t h who, a t t h e beginning of t h e v e g e t a t i v e y e a r , produces only l e a v e s and buds, t h e n f l o w e r s and f r u i t s , a n d a t l a s t c e a s e s to bear. (p.14) I t i s a t r i b u t e t o M i l t o n ' s E v e t h a t Rauber, p e r h a p s u n c o n s c i o u s l y , d i s m i s s e s t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f h e r e v e r b e i n g t o u c h e d by t h e w i t h e r i n g hand o f t i m e .
2.
E . A u e r b a c h , 'Myth and R e a l i t y i n t h e O l d T e s t a m e n t ' , ( 1 9 6 0 ) , 45-48, a s quoted i n E v a n s , pp.21-22.
3-
Dr. J o h n s o n ,
4-
c f . E v a n s , p.22 where he r e m a r k s of the t h i r d chapter of Genesis.
5.
The p o i n t made by M a r c i a Landy i s s u g g e s t i v e :
S.B.T. x x v i i
L i v e s of t h e E n g l i s h Poets Lpp.182-83.
upon t h e n a r r a t i v e
difficulties
The i n g r e d i e n t s o f t h e myth o f t h e F a l l a r e c o n s t a n t ... b u t c h a r a c t e r , s i t u a t i o n , and m o t i v e v a r y , and t h e v a r i a t i o n s a r e a s s i g n i f i c a n t a s t h e b a s i c common elements. ( ' K i n s h i p and t h e R o l e o f Women P a r a d i s e Lost', p.5)
in
148
b
-
See Adams, p.144, where he comments upon t h e s u c c e s s w i t h w h i c h M i l t o n h a s f i l l e d out t h e o u t l i n e f i g u r e s o f G e n e s i s i n t o human shape "by f i n d i n g a p p r o p r i a t e m o t i v e and l a n g u a g e " .
7.
D. P. H a r d i n g ,
M i l t o n and
the Renaissance Ovid,
p.67.
8.
Newton, note t o I V .
9.
Osgood, The C l a s s i c a l Mythology o f M i l t o n ' s E n g l i s h Poems, p . x x i .
10.
Newton, note t o I V .
11.
K. W. G r a n s d e n ,
12.
C
13.
P a t r i c k Hume, n o t e t o I V .
14.
Newton, note t o I V .
15.
Dr. J o h n s o n , L i v e s of t h e E n g l i s h P o e t s X,p.l81.
16 .
ibid.,
17.
M a u r i c e K e l l e y , T h i s G r e a t Argument: A Study o f M i l t o n ' s 'De D o c t r i n a C h r i s t i a n a ' a s a G l o s s on ' P a r a d i s e L o s t ' ( P r i n c e t o n , N.J., 1 9 4 1 ) , p.150.
18.
D o u g l a s Bush, ' I r o n i c and Ambiguous A l l u s i o n i n P a r a d i s e L o s t ' , JEGP L X ( 1 9 6 1 ) , p.638. Bush c o n c l u d e s e l s e w h e r e t h a t M i l t o n ' s "Preparation f o r the f a l l begins here w i t h Eve's speech"(John Milton: A S k e t c h o f H i s L i f e and W r i t i n g s [1964] . p . 1 6 0 ) .
458.
458.
' P a r a d i s e L o s t and
the Aeneid',
S. L e w i s , A P r e f a c e t o ' P a r a d i s e L o s t ' ,
p.284.
p.116.
461.
458.
p.181.
Some a c c o u n t of t h e m a i n b r a n c h e s o f c r i t i c a l i n t e r p r e t a t i o n must be g i v e n h e r e . F o r most r e c e n t c r i t i c s t h e p a s s a g e i s s e e n t o be c h a r g e d w i t h p o t e n t i a l meaning. A r n o l d S t e i n ominously notes t h a t E v e ' s " f i r s t r e c o r d e d a c t i s one t h a t f l i r t s w i t h s e l f - l o v e , " c o n c l u d i n g , " D r a m a t i c a l l y i t i s j u s t r i g h t , p o i n t i n g out the p o s s i b i l i t y without p r e j u d i c i n g the c a s e " (Answerable S t y l e : E s s a y s on ' P a r a d i s e L o s t ' M i n n e a p o l i s , Minn., 1953J , p p . 9 2 - 9 3 ) . G i a m a t t i t o o , though he i n s i s t s t h a t t h e e p i s o d e s h o u l d n o t l e s s e n "our immediate e s t i m a t e o f E v e " , o b s e r v e s t h a t " t h i s o v e r t
149
s u g g e s t i o n of n a r c i s s i s m " p r o v i d e s "a r e p o s i t o r y o f doubt f o r l a t e r e x p l o i t a t i o n " (The E a r t h l y P a r a d i s e , p . 3 1 6 ) . On t h e o t h e r hand, o t h e r s have sought t o d e f e n d Eve and p u r g e t h e p a s s a g e o f i t s unwelcome i m p l i c a t i o n s . Marjorie Hope N i c h o l s o n , f o r i n s t a n c e , has c l a i m e d t h a t " I t seems e n t i r e l y p o s s i b l e t o e x p l a i n E v e ' s supposed ' n a r c i s s i s m ' by s a y i n g t h a t Eve was s t i l l an i n f a n t , j u s t now c r e a t e d - and h e r e x p e r i e n c e was t h a t o f any c h i l d f o r t h e f i r s t t i m e n o t i c i n g i t s r e f l e c t i o n " (p.242) . John H a l k e t t h a s f o l l o w e d N i c h o l s o n ' s l i n e and a r g u e d t h a t " E v e ' s v a n i t y i s not t h e f o c a l i s s u e o f E v e ' s a c c o u n t " ( M i l t o n and t h e I d e a o f M a t r i mony: A S t u d y o f t h e D i v o r c e T r a c t s and ' P a r a d i s e L o s t ' £ 197o3, p.106). S i m i l a r l y , John P e t e r , r e p l y i n g t o M i l l i c e n t B e l l ' s argument t h a t " E v e ' s a d m i r a t i o n f o r h e r own r e f l e c t i o n ( i v . 4 6 1 - 7 ) b e t r a y s a q u a l i t y of ' d a i n t y v a n i t y ' i n h e r " , i n s i s t s t h a t "The i n c i d e n t i s a c t u a l l y one o f t h e most e n g a g i n g g l i m p s e s we have o f E v e ' s a r t l e s s s i m p l i c i t y " and i s " o n l y one i n s t a n c e o f t h e many r e v e l a t i o n s M i l t o n g i v e s o f h e r charm o r f e m i n i n i t y " (A C r i t i q u e o f ' P a r a d i s e L o s t ' p.tOZ)."But". a s G i a m a t t i m a i n t a i n s , " i t would be a s t u b b o r n r e a d e r who would r e f u s e t o s e e t h e n a r c i s s i s m h e r e ... o r would i n s i s t on c o m p l e t e l y p l a y i n g down i t s i m p l i c a t i o n s " (The E a r t h l y P a r a d i s e , p . 3 1 6 ) . N e v e r t h e l e s s , K n o t t h a s d e p l o r e d what he f e e l s t o be t h e undue e m p h a s i s upon t h e p s y c h o l o g i c a l p r o b i n g o f E v e ' s p o t e n t i a l weaknesses, complaining: " I t i s a r a r e c r i t i c who does not t o u c h on t h e n a r c i s s i s m o f E v e ' s f a s c i n a t i o n w i t h h e r image i n t h e l a k e " (p.109). S t i l l , a s S t a n l e y F i s h h a s p o i n t e d o u t , "What t h e r e a d e r c a n n o t p o s s i b l y do i s i g n o r e t h e p r o b l e m ( t h e e i g h t e e n t h - c e n t u r y commentators were a l r e a d y d e b a t i n g i t ) once t h e O v i d i a n a l l u s i o n i s recognized. The p r e s e n c e o f N a r c i s s u s , e v e n a t a remove, i s a p u z z l e " ( S u r p r i s e d by S i n : The R e a d e r i n ' P a r a d i s e L o s t ' , { [ C a l i f o r n i a , 1971 j pp.218-19) . Some o f t h e most i m p o r t a n t r a m i f i c a t i o n s o f t h e O v i d i a n themes o f ' r e f l e c t i o n ' , 'image', ' s u b j e c t ' and ' o b j e c t ' h e r e a r e t r a c e d by d e a r t h B r o o k s i n 'Eve's Awakening' reprinted i n Milton: Modern J u d g e m e n t s / e d . A l a n Rudrum (1969) pp.173-188).
19.
A. B. G i a m a t t i , The E a r t h l y P a r a d i s e , p.316.
20.
S p e n s e r , F a e r i e Queene. I I I . i i . 1 8 , f rom S p e n s e r : ed. J . C. Smith and E . De S e l i n c o u r t ( 1 9 7 0 ) .
21.
S a l v a d o r D a l i , The Metamorphosis o f N a r c i s s u s ( 1 9 3 4 ) , T a t e C o l l e c t i o n , T.2243.
22.
Summers, The
23.
Nicholson,
Muse's M e t h o d , p . 9 8 .
p.242.
P o e t i c a l Works,
Gallery
150
24.
S e e E v a n s , p.40, and C. S. L e w i s ,
A Preface t o 'Paradise Lost',
25.
Thus t h e t e x t o f t h e poem does n o t s u p p o r t B u r t o n argument t h a t s i n c e M i l t o n
p.116.
J a s p e r Webber's
... makes no r e f e r e n c e t o t h e c l i m a x o f [ b v i d ' s j a c c o u n t , w h e r e i n N a r c i s s u s r e c o g n i z e s t h a t he i s looking a t h i m s e l f and p e r s i s t s i n h i s p a s s i o n s . . . [wjhen M i l t o n s u g g e s t s a c o m p a r i s o n o f E v e ' s c a s e t o t h a t o f N a r c i s s u s , t h e n , he o m i t s t h e m a t e r i a l w h i c h makes N a r c i s s u s a n emblem o f s e l f love. (The C o n s t r u c t i o n o f ' P a r a d i s e L o s t ' [1971J , p.214)
26.
S y l v e s t e r ' s _Du B a r t a s , 'Eden', I . v i . 1.1030f, p.81. Note t o o t h e way i n w h i c h h e t e n d s t o e x c l u d e E v e from t h e p i c t u r e o f l i f e i n Eden to f o c u s upon Adam a n d h i s p u r s u i t s ( I I . i . 1 . 7 0 - 6 3 5 , p p . 1 0 0 - 4 ) . As D. R. H u t c h e r s o n h a s o b s e r v e d , "The f i r s t r e a l i n t e r e s t i n E v e i n many v e r s i o n s o f t h e t r a d i t i o n i s a t t h e b e g i n n i n g o f t h e t e m p t a t i o n " ( ' M i l t o n ' s E v e a n d t h e O t h e r E v e s ' , p.20).
27.
c f . Newton's n o t e t o X I . 1 5 9 :
Eve r i g h t l y c a l l ' d mother o f a l l mankind, Gen.III.20. And Adam c a l l e d h i s w i f e ' s name E v e , b e c a u s e she was t h e mother o f a l l l i v i n g . He c a l l e d h e r b e f o r e I s h a h , Woman, b e c a u s e s h e was t a k e n o u t o f I s h , Man, Gen.II.23. - Woman i s h e r name, o f Man Extracted as i t i s e x p r e s s ' d V I I I . 4 9 6 . B u t now he d e n o m i n a t e s h e r E v e o r Havah from a Hebrew v e r b w h i c h s i g n i f i e s t o l i v e , i n f i r m b e l i e f t h a t God would make h e r t h e mother o f a l l men, a n d o f t h e p r o m i s ' d s e e d particularly. Our p o e t h a d c a l l ' d h e r E v e b e f o r e by way o f a n t i c i p a t i o n .
Newton's n o t e , q u o t e d i n f u l l above, p r o v i d e s a u s e f u l commentary on t h e s i g n i f i c a n c e o f h e r name t o w h i c h we w i l l r e t u r n a g a i n later.-
151a
36.
38.
W i t n e s s W a l t e r Savage L a n d o r ' s e n t h u s i a s t i c r e s p o n s e t o l i n e s 309-10: " I w o u l d r a t h e r have w r i t t e n t h e s e t w o l i n e s t h a n a l l t h e p o e t r y t h a t has been w r i t t e n s i n c e M i l t o n ' s t i m e i n a l l t h e r e g i o n s o f t h e e a r t h " ( q u o t e d b y Le Comte, M i l t o n a n d Sex, p. 91).
B. A. W r i g h t , N£2 C C I I (Jan.1958), p.341.
(Jan-Dec.1958)3
New S e r i e s
39-
O v i d ' s " p r o l i c i e n d a " comes f r o m p r o l i c e r e o n , i n c i t e ( p o e t . ) " (L,) .
40.
P a t r i c k Hume, n o t e t o I V . 3 1 0 .
41.
Le Comte, M i l t o n a n d Sex, p . 9 1 .
vol.5
"to allure
In the light
no.l,
forth,
of this,
lead
Demetrakopoulos'
r e m a r k t h a t Eve " i s n e v e r p i c t u r e d a s a n y t h i n g o t h e r t h a n r a t h e r o b l i g i n g l y a c c e p t i n g Adam's a d v a n c e s " , i s shown t o be something o f an o v e r - s i m p l i f i c a t i o n o f t h e i r complex r e l a t i o n ship. See 'Eve a s a C i r c e a n a n d C o u r t l y F a t a l Woman', p . 1 0 2 .
42.
"The e f f e c t " o f s u c h L a t i n a t e E n g l i s h i s , a s Adams o b s e r v e s , " t h a t o f an o v e r l a y ; one s e e s a n d r e s p o n d s t o t h e E n g l i s h w o r d a t t h e same t i m e t h a t one i s a w a r e o f a L a t i n w o r d b e h i n d t h e E n g l i s h , w i t h i t s own i m p a c t a n d i m p e t u s " ( p . 1 9 1 ) . See t o o R i c k s , M i l t o n ' s Grand S t y l e , p.63.
43.
This p o i n t i s f u r t h e r developed i n t h e chapter
which f o l l o w s .
44.
D a v i d A e r s a n d Bob Hodge, ' " R a t i o n a l B u r n i n g " : and M a r r i a g e ' , MS X I I I ( 1 9 7 9 ) , p . 2 7 .
M i l t o n o n Sex
45.
B u t he t o o h a s some r e s e r v a t i o n s s e e ' U n f a l i e n S e x u a l i t y ' , C. S. L e w i s , A P r e f a c e t o ' P a r a d i s e L o s t ' , p p • 1 2 2 - 2 4 .
46 •
A b r i e f d i s c u s s i o n o f some o f t h e i m p l i c a t i o n s o f s o l a r a n d l u n a r i m a g e r y i n r e l a t i o n t o Adam a n d Eve i n c l u d e d i n 'Appendix I : The Sun a n d t h e Moon'.
47.
Dr. J o h n s o n , L i v e s o f t h e E n g l i s h P o e t s L p p . 1 8 2 - 8 3 .
152
48.
D a n i e l R o g e r s ' comments on t h e s u b j e c t i o n o f women i n m a r r i a g e i n h i s e s s a y on p a t r i m o n i a l 1 Honour (1642) c a s t an i n t e r e s t i n g s i d e - l i g h t on E v e ' s p o s i t i o n h e r e . To t h o s e who a r g u e t h a t i t i s "an h a r d t a s k f o r a woman so f a r r e t o deny h e r s e l f a s t o be s u b j e c t t o a n o t h e r , he answers, God
. .. p u t s t h i s burden of s u b j e c t i o n upon no woman who t a k e s n o t t h e yoke of m a r r i a g e upon h e r s e l f e ; w h i c h t h e L o r d doth f o r c e upon none, b u t a l l o w s e a c h woman t o be h e r owne R e f u s e r , and t o c h u s e f o r h e r s e l f ( i f she c a n ) such a man, a s she c a n y e e l d s u b j e c t i o n u n t o ... (pp.259-60)
49.
T h i s p o i n t i s f u r t h e r developed V i r g o ' and ' F r u i t f u l F l o w e r s ' .
50.
Golding,
51 .
Sandys, p.74.
52.
The
i n t h e n e x t two c h a p t e r s ,
XV Bookes o f P. O u i d i u s Naso,
'Venus-
p.Aii.
D a n i e l R o g e r s , M a t r i m o n i a l l Honour, p.7; C h r i s t i a n t r a n s l a t e d b y Thomas P i c k e r i n g ( 1 6 0 9 ) , p.11.
Oeconomie
53.
S e e C h r i s t i n e R e e s , 'The Metamorphosis of Daphne i n S i x t e e n t h and S e v e n t e e n t h - c e n t u r y E n g l i s h P o e t r y ' , f o r a n e x c e l l e n t a c c o u n t o f c h a n g i n g i n t e r p r e t a t i o n s of t h e myth d u r i n g t h i s p e r i o d .
54.
Spenser,
55.
A c c o r d i n g t o R e e s , O v i d ' s a t t i t u d e i s unambiguous: i n " t h e s t o r y a s t o l d by O v i d . . . t h e metamorphosis i n t o a l a u r e l i s t h e c o n s e q u e n c e o f Daphne' s own r e q u e s t , and i t s c o n t i n u a l g r e e n e s s i m m o r t a l i z e s h e r v i r g i n honour, w i t h o u t h i n t o f r e g r e t f o r s t e r i l i t y " ( p p . 2 5 2 - 5 3 ) , b u t t h i s does not t a k e a c c o u n t o f O v i d ' s r e f e r e n c e t o P h o e b u s ' " s t e r i l e m ... amorem" (Met. I . 4 9 6 ) .
56 .
A p o i n t made by Kermode i n h i s e s s a y 'Adam U n p a r a d i s e d ' , pp.89-90.
A m o r e t t i , Sonnet
xxviii.
153
57.
C. S. L e w i s , A P r e f a c e t o ' P a r a d i s e L o s t ' ,
p.122.
58.
See K n o t t , M i l t o n ' s P a s t o r a l V i s i o n ,
59 .
See pp.38 - 4 0 .
60.
Bush, n o t e t o I V . 4 9 9 - 5 0 1 . Newton a n d subsequent e d i t o r s f o l l o w Hume i n a s s o c i a t i n g t h e p a s s a g e w i t h G e o r g i c s I I . 3 2 5 f . w h i c h " r e p r e s e n t s J u p i t e r o p e r a t i n g on h i s spouse f o r t h e p r o d u c t i o n of a l l t h i n g s . "
61.
See ' A p p e n d i x I I : B o t t i c e l l i , M i l t o n a n d O v i d ' f o r a n i c o n o g r a p h i c a l g l o s s o n t h e way i n w h i c h t h e t w o m y t h s may c o - o p e r a t e together.
62 .
There i s even t h e s u g g e s t i o n t h a t h e r s u f f e r i n g i s i n t e n s i f i e d by t h e r e t e n t i o n o f human c o n s c i o u s n e s s . See M e t . I . 5 5 3 - 5 6 .
63.
c . S. L e w i s ,
64.
Wind, p.101.
65.
And compare E. K.'s g l o s s o n C l o r i s i n h i s n o t e s o n ' A p r i l ' i n The S h e p h e a r d e s C a l e n d a r .
65a..
C. S. L e w i s , A P r e f a c e t o ' P a r a d i s e L o s t ' ,
66.
N i c h o l s o n , p.239.
67.
As B. K. L e w a l s k i o b s e r v e s " t h e t e x t o f t h e poem d o e s n o t s u s t a i n t h e a s s e r t i o n " made b y M a r c i a L a n d y ( ' K i n s h i p a n d t h e R o l e o f Woman i n P a r a d i s e Lost', p.9) " t h a t t h e r e c o g n i t i o n o f Eve a s mother i s p r i o r t o and s a n c t i o n f o r h e r r o l e s as l o v e r and spouse " ( ' M i l t o n o n Women - Y e t Once M o r e ' , p.9 ).
68.
See L i e b , The D i a l e c t i c s o f C r e a t i o n , p p . 7 0 - ~ 1 t .
68a.
F o r a v e r y d i f f e r e n t i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f Eve's r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h t h e f l o w e r s o f Eden s e e S. A. D e m e t r a k o p o u l o s , 'Eve a s a C i r c e a n and C o u r t l y F a t a l Woman' w h e r e he m a i n t a i n s t h a t a s " A r c h e t y p a l F l o w e r G o d d e s s , s h e a s c e n d s o v e r t h e m . T h e y become p r e c u r s o r s of h e r f u t u r e C i r c e a n h e r d " (p.105).
pp.115-16.
A P r e f a c e t o . ' P a r a d i s e L o s t ' , p.116.
p.119.
69.
See K n o t t , M i l t o n ' s P a s t o r a l V i s i o n , p . 1 1 4 , a n d f o r f u r t h e r d i s c u s s i o n o f t h i s p a s s a g e see pp.24-3-4-5.
70.
S y l v e s t e r ' s Du B a r t a s ,
'Eden', I I . i . 1 . 6 5 4 - 6 3 , 6 6 8 - 7 1 , »
708-13.
154
M i
71
t o n
a
n
d
Le r n m t p , - J Sex,;p.92. L i n d e n b a u m t o o n o t e s M i l t o n ' s d e t e r m i n a t i o n t o overcome t h e " d i f f i c u l t i e s i m p l i c i t i n t h e i d e a o f an u n f r u i t f u l a c t o f i n t e r c o u r s e commanded by a God who w i s h e d t o see man i n c r e a s e and m u l t i p l y " ( L o v e m a k i n g i n M i l t o n ' s P a r a d i s e ' , MS V I [ 1 9 7 4 ] , p . 280) . 1
72.
Le Comte, M i l t o n and Sex, p. 89 and n o t e 19 o n p. 135.
73.
G e n e s i s 1.28.
74.
Fletcher,
75.
Newton, n o t e t o XI.159.
76.
Genesis
77.
Newton, n o t e t o X I . 1 5 9 .
p.206.
III.20.
78.
Note t o IV.474-75;
79.
C. S. L e w i s , A P r e f a c e t o ' P a r a d i s e L o s t ' ,
80.
D. R. H u t c h e r s o n ,
81.
S. A. D e m e t r a k o p o u l o s , p.103.
82.
c
F o w l e r , p.222.
' M i l t o n ' s Eve and t h e O t h e r
Sandys, p.661
84.
S e x t i P r o p e r t i Carmina (Oxford, 1953).
85.
D. F. R a u b e r ,
87.
Eves', p.16.
'Eve as a C i r c e a n a n d C o u r t l y F a t a l Woman',
f . the effects of Flora's withdrawal of her t u t e l a r y f r o m t h e " f e r t i l i s h o r t u s " ( F a s t i V. 3 1 5 f . ) .
83.
86.
p.121.
I V . i i . 4 1 - 4 2 , e d . E.A.
'The M e t a m o r p h o s e s o f E v e ' ,
ibid.
H a r d i n g , The C l u b o f H e r c u l e s , p.74
Barber''
p.61.
influence
155
87a-
B. R a j a n , ' S i m p l e , S e n s u o u s and P a s s i o n a t e ' , i n M i l t o n ; Modern E s s a y s i n C r i t i c i s m , e d . A. E . B a r k e r (New Y o r k , 1 9 6 5 ) , p . 1 3 .
88.
L e Comte, M i l t o n a n d Sex,
89.
M a r c i a L a n d y , ' K i n s h i p and t h e R o l e o f Women i n P a r a d i s e L o s t ' , MS I V ( 1 9 7 2 ) , p . 1 1 .
90.
Sandra G i l b e r t , P.374.
91 .
ibid.,
92.
w. B. C. W a t k i n s , p . 60.
y j
-
p.85.
' P a t r i a r c h a l P o e t r y a n d Women R e a d e r s ' ,
p.368;
p.374.
An Anatomy o f M i l t o n ' s V e r s e
L e Comte, M i l t o n a n d Sex,
( B a t o n Rouge, 1 9 5 5 ) ,
p.88.
94.
De P o e t . I . v i i
( C o l . XV, p p . 6 - 8 ) .
95.
.De P o e t , i . v i i
( C o l . XV, pp. 12-14) .
96.
I t i s i n t e r e s t i n g t o compare M i l t o n ' s p o e t i c i n v o c a t i o n o f t h e S p i r i t i n t h e f i r s t l i n e s o f t h e poem ( 1 . 1 7 - 1 9 ) w i t h L u c r e t i u s ' moving p r a y e r t o Venus i n t h e opening l i n e s o f De Rerum N a t u r a , s i n c e , a c c o r d i n g t o t h e i r r e s p e c t i v e t h e o r i e s n e i t h e r power c o u l d be i n v o k e d .
97.
F l e t c h e r d i s t i n g u i s h e s "two a s p e c t s o f C r e a t i o n " (p.81) b u t r e g a r d s them a s "two d i s t i n c t p h a s e s " (p.79, e m p h a s i s added) i n w h i c h "the a c t o f C r e a t i o n " o r "the o r d e r i n g o f t h e elements" i s s u c c e e d e d by t h e p r o c e s s o f c r e a t i o n , " t h e c r e a t i o n o f t h e E a r t h and i t s m a n i f o l d forms o f l i f e " ( p p . 8 0 - 8 1 ) . B u t n o t e , o n p.128, "The A c t o f C r e a t i o n " h a s become " t h e i m p r e g n a t i o n o f t h e s t u f f o f Chaos by t h e S p i r i t o f God."
97a.
w. B. C. W a t k i n s ,
An Anatomy o f M i l t o n ' s V e r s e , p . 6 2 .
156
98.
W i t h i t s echo o f Luke 1.35, "The H o l y G h o s t s h a l l come u p o n t h e e , a n d t h e power o f t h e H i g h e s t s h a l l o v e r s h a d o w t h e e " , a n d M a r y ' s r e s p o n s e "be i t u n t o me a c c o r d i n g t o t h y w o r d " ( L u k e 1 . 3 8 ) , t h e r e i s p e r h a p s even a s u g g e s t i o n o f c r e a t i o n v e r b o e t s p i r i t u i n t h e words o f t h e F a t h e r a t V I I . 1 6 3 - 6 5 .
99.
i t h e Summa T h e o l o g i c a I.XLV.5, St.Thomas A q u i n a s h a d m a i n t a i n e d t h a t " C r e a r e e s t ex n i h i l o a l i q u i d f a c e r e " ( 1 2 t h e d i t i o n ; P a r i s , 1880). I n h i s a u t h o r i t a t i v e c o m m e n t a r y , C o m m e n t a r i u s i n Summam T h e o l o g i c a l S. Thomae (De Deo T r i n o e t C r e a t o r e ) , ( T a u r i n i , 1 9 4 3 ) , R. G a r r i g o u Lagrange a f f i r m s t h e o r t h o d o x p o s i t i o n t h u s : "Ergo omnia o r i g i n e m h a b e n t a Deo e t q u i d e m e x n i h i l o , n o n a u t e m e x m a t e r i a praeexistente e t non p r o d u c t a " ( p . 2 4 8 ) . n
100-
pe P o e t . I . v i i
(Col.XV, p p . 1 4 - 1 6 ) .
101.
F l e t c h e r , p.81. Such a p o s i t i o n i s n o t , o f c o u r s e , s a n c t i o n e d b y a n y o f t h e c o m m e n t a r i e s d i s c u s s e d b y A r n o l d W i l l i a m s i n The Common E x p o s i t o r : An A c c o u n t o f t h e C o m m e n t a r i e s o n G e n e s i s 1 5 2 7 - 1 6 3 3 ( C h a p e l H i l l , N.C., 1 9 4 8 ) , p p . 4 5 - 4 9 .
102 .
ibid.,
103.
A l t h o u g h M i l t o n ' s d e s c r i p t i o n o f c h a o s shows some s i m i l a r i t i e s t o S y l v e s t e r ' s a c c o u n t ( I . i . 2 5 8 - 9 5 ; p . 2 1 ) , " i t i s w e l l t o remember", as W i l l i a m s r e m i n d s u s , " t h a t M i l t o n ' s c h a o s i s n o t t h e p r o d u c t o f t h e c r e a t i o n o f heaven and e a r t h , b u t t h e p r e - e x i s t i n g m a t e r i a l w h i c h t h e Word u s e d t o c r e a t e t h e W o r l d " (The Common Expositor, p.49).
pp.82-85.
104.
Ann Moss, O v i d i n R e n a i s s a n c e F r a n c e ,
p.34.
105.
G o l d i n g , The XV Bookes o f P. O v i d i u s Naso, p . A v i i .
106.
Sandys, p.49.
107.
D. P. H a r d i n g , M i l t o n a n d t h e R e n a i s s a n c e O v i d , p . 6 7 . H a r d i n g h a s d e m o n s t r a t e d how s t r o n g l y M i l t o n ' s d e s c r i p t i o n o f Chaos r e s e m b l e s t h e O v i d i a n . He h a s a l s o shown t h e way i n w h i c h M i l t o n h a s s e c u r e d many o f t h e L a t i n p o e t ' s s u g g e s t i v e d e t a i l s f o r h i s own account, while i n d i c a t i n g t h a t h i s influence i sn o t confined t o such p o e t i c d e t a i l (pp.67-76).
157
108.
Dr. J o h n s o n , L i v e s o f t h e E n g l i s h P o e t s I , p p . 1 5 8 - 5 9 . a n d s e e Appendix 0,p.l99. However, J o h n s o n p r o c e e d s t o c a s t d o u b t o n t h i s evidence reasoning t h a t :
Of a book w r i t t e n i n a l a n g u a g e n o t u n d e r s t o o d t h e b e g i n n i n g r a i s e s no more a t t e n t i o n t h a n t h e e n d , a n d a s t h o s e t h a t u n d e r s t a n d i t know commonly t h e b e g i n n i n g b e s t , i t s r e h e a r s a l w i l l seldom be necessary.
W h i l e t h i s seems a v a l i d a r g u m e n t , i t may be a t l e a s t p o s s i b l e t h a t Johnson has missed t h e p o i n t h e r e , t h a t t h e opening o f t h e M e t a m o r p h o s e s was a p a r t i c u l a r f a v o u r i t e o f M i l t o n ' s a n d t h a t he t h e r e f o r e d e s i r e d t o h e a r i t more o f t e n . M o r e o v e r , we may remember t h a t John P h i l l i p s r e c o u n t e d M i l t o n ' s custom o f spending h i s " E v e n i n g s ... i n r e a d i n g some c h o i c e P o e t s , b y way o f r e f r e s h m e n t a f t e r t h e day's t o y l and t o s t o r e h i s Fancy a g a i n s t Morning " (The E a r l y L i v e s o f M i l t o n , e d . H. D a r b y s h i r e [ 1932 J , p . 3 3 ) .
108JL
indeed, t h i s i s the only p o i n t o f view i nU r i e l ' s ( I I I . 708-21).
account
109.
Fletcher p.125 p o i n t s o u t t h a t t h e i d e a o f " C r e a t i o n ... a s a b i r t h p r o c e s s " was n o t uncommon i n t h e s e v e n t e e n t h c e n t u r y . He c i t e s t h e example o f T i m o t h y B r i g h t ' s A T r e a t i s e on M e l a n c h o l y ( 1 6 1 3 ) i n w h i c h t h e l a t t e r d e s c r i b e s how " t h e S p i r i t o f t h e L o r d d i d as i t were h a t c h , a n d b r e e d o u t a l l l i v i n g t h i n g s " ( p p . 5 4 - 5 5 ) .
110.
S t . Thomas A q u i n a s , Summa T h e o l o g i c a
111.
112.
R
-
I.XLV.6, pp.374-75.
G a r r i g o a - L a g r a n g e , C o m m e n t a r i u s i n Summam T h e o l o g i c a m , p . 2 6 8 .
Compare, f o r i n s t a n c e , " S p e n s e r ' s m i x t u r e o f t h e c r e a t i o n o f Genesis 1:1 w i t h t h e Empedoclean c o n c e p t o f Love, o r Concord, c h a i n i n g t h e d i s c o r d a n t e l e m e n t s i n t o o r d e r " , C o l i n C l o u t s Come Home A g a i n , 11.846-62 ( A r n o l d W i l l i a m s , The Common E x p o s i t o r , pp.49-50). And c f . S a n d y s :
Then [ O v i d ] p r o c e e d s t o t h e d e s c r i p t i o n o f t h a t c o n f u s e d Masse, w h i c h t h e P l a t o n i s t s c a l l t h e u n d i g e s t e d W o r l d , a s t h e W o r l d t h e d i g e s t e d Chaos: o r d e r e d a s t h e y s a y b y L o v e ... w h i c h was no o t h e r t h e n t h a t harmony i n M a t u r e c r e a t e d b y t h e A l m i g h t i e s Fiat. (p.49)
158
B u t s e e O. B. H a r d i s o n Jr., ' W r i t t e n R e c o r d s a n d T r u t h s o f S p i r i t i n P a r a d i s e L o s t ' . MS I (1969) p.156, w h e r e h e r e l a t e s " t h e sexual i m p l i c a t i o n s " o f incubabat " t o the t r a d i t i o n o f C h r i s t i a n Neoplatonism".
113.
Summers, The Muse's M e t h o d , p.93.
114 . On a n o t h e r l e v e l , t h e r e g i o n o f p r i m e v a l c h a o s a g a i n r e f l e c t s t h i s fundamental d u a l i t y , f o r t h e w a r r i n g elements a r e d e p i c t e d as b e i n g r u l e d o v e r b y a k i n g , Chaos p e r s o n i f i e d , a n d b y " N i g h t .../The C o n s o r t o f h i s r e i g n " ( I I . 962-63).
115.
R. G a r r i g o o - L a g r a n g e , C o m m e n t a r i u s i n Summam T h e o l o g i c a m , p.248 (emphasis added).
116.
St.Thomas A q u i n a s Summa T h e o l o g i c a
117.
De P o e t . I . v i i (Col.XV, p.18)
118.
F l e t c h e r , p.128.
119.
i b i d . , p p . 127-29. B u t s e e K i t t y Cohen's a r t i c l e , 'A N o t e o n M i l t o n ' s S e m i t i c S t u d i e s ' , M £ I V (1970), pp.7-10, w h e r e s h e a r g u e s t h a t w i t h o u t denying t h e presence o f " s i g n i f i c a n t Hebraic elements i n P a r a d i s e L o s t " we n e e d n o t a t t r i b u t e M i l t o n ' s u s a g e h e r e t o t h e i n f l u e n c e o f R a b b i n i c a l c o m m e n t a r y . She c o n c l u d e s :
r e f e r s t o t h e Holy S p i r i t ' s I.XLV.6, p.374.
r o l e as " v i v i f i c a t o r " i n
I t i s u n l i k e l y t h a t M i l t o n was i n f l u e n c e d b y a J e w i s h Rabbi r a t h e r t h a n by c e n t u r i e s o f C h r i s t i a n e x e g e s i s stemming i n t h i s case f r o m B a s i l t h e G r e a t a n d by S t . Jerome o r b y B u x t o r f ' s L e x i c o n , w h i c h h e knew. (p.9)
A g a i n , t h e p o s s i b l e i n f l u e n c e o f S y l v e s t e r ' s Du B a r t a s s h o u l d n o t be d i s c o u n t e d . See 1.1 330-41, p.22.
120.
121.
C
f . I I . 583-86. N o t e t h a t when t h e s u n t a k e s o v e r t h i s r o l e a s v i ^ i f i c a t o r o f t h e c r e a t e d u n i v e r s e t h e s e x u a l i m a g e r y becomes more e x p l i c i t .
Pe P o e t . I . v i
( C o l . X I V , pp.358-60).
159
122.
P a t r i c k Hume, n o t e t o 1.21.
123.
I n h i s n o t e t o l i n e 68, Carey m e n t i o n s " A r i s t o t l e , H i s t o r i a A n i m a l i u m v 8, a n d P l i n y x 47" a s p o s s i b l e s o u r c e s f o r t h i s i d e a but n o t t h e passage f r o m t h e Metamorphoses.
124.
N o t e t o I . 17-22;
125.
J a c k s o n I . Cope, The M e t a p h o r i c S t r u c t u r e o f ' P a r a d i s e ( B a l t i m o r e , 1 9 6 2 ) , p.80; p . 8 1 .
126-
i b i d . , p.82.
128.
S y l v e s t e r ' s Du B a r t a s
129.
E d e r e , L " I I . Esp. A. To b r i n g f o r t h . 1. L i t . , o f a p a r e n t , £ a g i v e b i r t h t o , b e a r , produce,, b e g e t " a s i n M e t . V. 517 a n d V I . 336.
130-
Le Comte, M i l t o n a n d Sex, p . 8 5 .
131.
On t h e M o r n i n g
Fowler,
I.i.
p.43.
Lost'
298-301, p . 2 1 .
of Christ's Nativity
(L.36).
132.
L u c r e t i u s , De Rerum N a t u r a
I . 7120.
133.
B l a m i r e s , M i l t o n ' s C r e a t i o n , p.lPO.
134.
D a v i d A e r s a n d Bob Hodge, ' " R a t i o n a l B u r n i n g " : M i l t o n o n Sex a n d M a r r i a g e ' , pp.19-20.
135-
ibid.
136-
T h i s passage a l s o prompts B l a m i r e s t o a s k t e n t a t i v e l y , " I s t h e M i l t o n i c E v e , c o r r e s p o n d i n g l y p r e g n a b l e b y Adam, m o r e i m p o r t a n t t h a n we t h o u g h t ? " ( M i l t o n ' s C r e a t i o n , p.190).
137.
L u c r e t i u s , Pe Rerum N a t u r a
I . 4-5.
160 CHAPTER V
Venus-Virgo
Celestial
Beauty
I n h i s t r a n s l a t i o n o f Du B a r t a s , S y l v e s t e r h a d
stressed that
Eve's b e a u t y , t h o u g h a p p r o p r i a t e l y s o f t e r a n d more f e m i n i n e t h a n Adam's, was
h a r d l y t o be d i s t i n g u i s h e d
Hutcherson
remarks,
f r o m his.''"
" s t a n d s a p a r t f r o m , and
B u t M i l t o n ' s Eve,
as
f a r above t h e l i n e
from
2 which
she
i s descended."
I n Paradise Lost, beauty
i s Eve's e s p e c i a l
3 attribute.
H o w e v e r , h e r b e a u t y becomes a s o u r c e
f o r m i n g t h e s i n g l e most s i g n i f i c a n t f a c t o r a p p r a i s a l o f Eve, is
and,
o f genuine
ambiguity,
that complicates a
just
as s u c h , a p r o p e r u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f i t s i m p l i c a t i o n s
c e n t r a l t o o u r u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f man's F a l l . The
l u x u r i a n t mass o f a s s o c i a t e d c o n c e p t s
s p r i n g t i m e and
f l o w e r s - which c l u s t e r
i d e n t i f i c a t i o n with Flora,
a r o u n d Eve
- beauty,
through her
i s subsumed w i t h i n a m o r e e x a l t e d
a t i o n a s , w i t h a s l i g h t a d j u s t m e n t o f f o c u s , Eve
love, partial configur-
i s s e e n t o be
t h e r o l e o f V e n u s h e r s e l f , t h e g o d d e s s o f b e a u t y and
love.
The
assigned link is
f o r g e d i n d i r e c t l y t h r o u g h t h e a s s o c i a t i o n o f Eve w i t h t h e m y r t l e and r o s e , t h e two p l a n t s s i n g l e d o u t by O v i d and o t h e r c l a s s i c a l p o e t s as
4 especially in
s a c r e d t o Venus a n d u s e d ,
the r i t u a l s
connected
with
as O v i d e x p l a i n s i n t h e
her f e s t i v a l
in April,
d e d i c a t e d t o h e r w o r s h i p : " f o r m o s a Venus f o r m o s o (Fasti
IV.129).
Fasti,
the spring
month
tempore d i g n a e s t "
161
" M i l t o n ' s Eve",
Hutcherson
e x c l a i m s , "has
beauty c l o t h e d i n g r e a t p o e t r y " . ^
Her
more t h a n one
7 u c
r e a d e r o f Homer's y ( , /
a rare
physical
" g o l d e n t r e s s e s " have
reminded
e r
' | 'A-p^oodixr^ and V i r g i l ' s
Venus
6 aurea.
Once a g a i n , M i l t o n ' s p o r t r a y a l o f Eve
work o f B o t t i c e l l i . and b e a u t y , The in its
F o r as i n B o t t i c e l l i ' s
call
t o mind
the
famous c e l e b r a t i o n o f
love
B i r t h o f V e n u s , Eve's p h y s i c a l m a g n i f i c e n c e i s summed up
the beauty of the " f l o w i n g gold" own
may
looseness or waving w i t h
(IV.496) o f her h a i r , wantoning i n
i t s own
natural
grace:
She as a v e i l down t o t h e s l e n d e r w a i s t Her u n a d o r n e d g o l d e n t r e s s e s w o r e D i s h e v e l l e d , b u t i n w a n t o n r i n g l e t s waved As t h e v i n e c u r l s h e r t e n d r i l s . (IV.304-7)
With t h i s exception, M i l t o n avoids p a r t i c u l a r i z a t i o n i n h i s d e s c r i p t i o n o f Eve's p h y s i c a l b e a u t y .
As T h y e r h a s o b s e r v e d ,
"Most g r e a t p o e t s h a v e l a b o u r e d i n a p a r t i c u l a r manner t h e of
t h e i r b e a u t i e s , (Aristo's
Belphoebe ) " person
Milton
"has
Alcina, Tasso's A r m i d a , and
v e r y a r t f u l l y mentioned
i n g e n e r a l terms only"."
7
delineation
Spenser's
t h e c h a r m s o f [.Eve's]
Y e t , as H u t c h e r s o n c o n c l u d e s ,
e f f e c t t h a t M i l t o n a c h i e v e s i s ...
"The
unequalled."
M i l t o n does n o t a t t e m p t t o convey of
while
a minutely detailed impression
Eve's b e a u t y , p r e f e r r i n g i n s t e a d t o s u g g e s t i t s p r e s e n c e
obliquely
e i t h e r by d e s c r i b i n g t h e r e a c t i o n t h a t h e r b e a u t y e x c i t e s i n t h e h o l d e r , o r by comparing
i t w i t h some i d e a l
form o f beauty.
e x a m p l e o f t h e e f f e c t o f Eve's p r e - e m i n e n t b e a u t y i s t o be in
Book V,
beside
him:
when Adam wakes and
i s s u r p r i s e d t o d i s c o v e r Eve
be-
A powerful found still
early asleep
162
... he o n h i s s i d e Leaning h a l f - r a i s e d , w i t h looks o f c o r d i a l Hung o v e r h e r enamoured, a n d b e h e l d Beauty, which whether waking o r a s l e e p , Shot f o r t h p e c u l i a r graces.
love
(V. 11-15)
The e m p h a t i c
p l a c i n g o f "Beauty"
of the possessive adjective "Perfect beauty"
a t t h e head o f l i n e
14 a n d t h e o m i s s i o n
' h e r ' e q u a t e s Eve w i t h b e a u t y
itself.
( I V . 6 3 4 ) t h u s becomes i n c a r n a t e , n o t t h i n l y
personified,
b u t s u b s t a n t i a l l y e m b o d i e d , i n Eve.
We a r e n e v e r of her beauty.
f a r f r o m such r e m i n d e r s o f t h e magnetism and p o t e n c y
There
i s Adam's i m p r e s s i v e homage t o Eve a s t h e
consumation o f c r e a t i o n
"so l o v e l y
fair":
T h a t w h a t seemed f a i r i n a l l t h e w o r l d , seemed now Mean, o r i n h e r summed u p , i n h e r c o n t a i n e d . -' (VIII.
and we h a v e S a t a n ' s
testimony too.
To S a t a n
471-73)
she seems n o t j u s t
"fair"
but
... d i v i n e l y f a i r , f i t l o v e f o r g o d s , N o t t e r r i b l e , t h o u g h t e r r o r be i n l o v e And b e a u t y . (IX.
Moreover,
489-91)
i n t h e n a r r a t o r ' s e y e s "She i s n o t o n l y g r a c e f u l b u t
q u e e n o f t h e g r a c e s as t h e H e a t h e n s s u p p o s e d t h e i r Goddess o f l o v e t o 9 be."
As S p e n s e r e x p l a i n s , t h e G r a c e s "on men a l l g r a c i o u s g i f t s
. that
"adorne
t h e mynde" and t e a c h t h e " s k i l l
w h i c h s e p a r a t e s man's l i f e
from the beasts'.
men c a l l
i s V e n u s , " M u l t a q u e cum f o r m a g r a t i a m i x t a f u i t "
is
t h e source o f t h i s c i v i l i s i n g
power:
„io
Ciuxlxty"
In classical
it
bestow"
literature,
(Ars / W I I . 5 7 0 ) , who
163
m i l l e p e r hanc a r t e s m o t a e ; studioc^ue- p l a c e n d i quae l a t u e r e p r i u s , m u l t a r e p e r t a f e r u n t . f F a s t i 1V.M3-I4-;
In
Paradise Lost
i t i s Eve who e x e r t s t h i s
"her looks
influenceAdam
recalls
how
before"
( V I I I . 4 7 4 - 7 5 ) a n d r e j o i c e s i n t h e "Sweete
himself
... i n f u s e d / S w e e t n e s s i n t o my h e a r t ,
unfelt
semblaunt,
friendly
12 offices issue
t h a t bynde,/And
from
a l l t h e complements o f c u r t e s i e "
that
her i n ... t h o s e g r a c e f u l a c t s , Those t h o u s a n d d e c e n c i e s t h a t d a i l y f l o w From a l l h e r w o r d s a n d a c t i o n s m i x e d w i t h And s w e e t c o m p l i a n c e .
love
(VIII.600-3)
Eve i s f i r s t and
explicitly
compared w i t h t h e goddess o f b e a u t y
love i n a s i m i l e which serves t o e s t a b l i s h t h e s u p e r l a t i v e
of her l o v e l i n e s s . as she s t a n d s b e f o r e
I t i s Eve t h a t h o l d s
the g i f t
nature
o f l o v e i n h e r power
us:
U n d e c k e d , save w i t h h e r s e l f m o r e l o v e l y Than ... t h e f a i r e s t g o d d e s s f e i g n e d Of t h r e e t h a t i n M o u n t I d a n a k e d s t r o v e .
fair
(V.380-82)
A comparison t h a t s t i m u l a t e s t h e i m a g i n a t i o n t o body f o r t h a picture merits
Milton
further
so r a d i a n t
consideration.
s u d d e n l y p r o j e c t s us i n t o a f a b l e d w o r l d .
We a r e
m o m e n t a r i l y encouraged t o g l i m p s e a t a b l e a u o f t h e Judgement o f P a r i s as so o f t e n d e p i c t e d centre
by O v i d .
of the picture,
Eve t a k e s
the place
o f Venus a t t h e
and Raphael i m p e r c e p t i b l y merges
of the d i v i n e "nuntius ales"
(Her. X V I . 6 8 ) , M e r c u r y .
into
This
the figure
transformation
164
has
b e e n a d r o i t l y p r e p a r e d f o r a few l i n e s p r e v i o u s l y , when M i l t o n
had
d e s c r i b e d how
(V.285-86).
" L i k e M a i a ' s son he
W i t h Adam we
must pronounce
stood,/And shook h i s
are cast i n the r o l e of a r b i t e r
" v i n c e r e quae f o r m a d i g n a s i t una
T h o u g h a l l seem f a i r ,
we
are compelled t o
duas!"
overturn
plumes" formae,
who
(Her. X V I . 6 9 - 7 0 ) . Paris'
decision,
14 " v i n c i s u t r a m q u e , Venus"
( A r s Am.
1.248)
A l t h o u g h I would n o t w i s h t o argue
i n favour of
too strongly that Milton
any o f t h e s e p a r t i c u l a r r e f e r e n c e s t o t h e judgment it
i s interesting
Eve.
had
o f P a r i s i n mind,
t o note t h a t i n the Ars Amatoria, Ovid a l s o
emphasizes
the s e t t i n g of the contest, s p e c i f i c a l l y the t e s t i n g q u a l i t y of the s e a r c h i n g s u n l i g h t t o e x p o s e any b l e m i s h e s on t h e u n d r a p e d
figures:
Luce deas caeloque P a r i s s p e c t a v i t a p e r t o Cum d i x i t V e n e r i " v i n c i s u t r a m c q u e , V e n u s . " ( A r s Am.
It her
i s E v e ' s r a d i a n t and "silvan
lodge"
f l a w l e s s b e a u t y as she
stands naked
outside
(V.377) i n t h e l i g h t o f t h e m i d d a y s u n , r e a d y t o
welcome h e r h e a v e n l y g u e s t t h a t i n s p i r e s t h i s He
1.247-48)
tribute
c o u l d s c a r c e l y h a v e d e v i s e d a more s t r i k i n g
her transcendent p h y s i c a l
from
comparison
Milton. to
suggest
beauty.
Such e x c i t e d o u t b u r s t s upon t h e p a r t o f t h e n a r r a t o r
would
seem t o p r o v i d e , as L i n d e n b a u m has o b s e r v e d , e v i d e n t " a u t h o r i a l e n d o r s e m e n t o f Adam's and one
o f t h e most s t r i k i n g
and
active
enthusiasm
f o r Eve.""^
t r i b u t e s t o Eve's b e a u t y a s an
f o r c e a t w o r k w i t h i n t h e poem i s t h e way
heavenly form/Angelic" "malice":
Satan's
But
perhaps
independent
i n which
(IX.457-58) t e m p o r a r i l y overawes even
"her Satan's
165
... and w i t h r a p i n e s w e e t b e r e a v e d His fierceness of the f i e r c e i n t e n t i t brought: T h a t s p a c e t h e e v i l one a b s t r a c t e d s t o o d From h i s own e v i l , and f o r t h e t i m e r e m a i n e d S t u p i d l y good, o f e n m i t y d i s a r m e d , Of g u i l e , o f h a t e , o f e n v y , o f r e v e n g e . (IX.460-66)
W i t h such passages i n view, i t i s h a r d l y s u r p r i s i n g
i f Eve's
b e a u t y no l o n g e r seems m e r e l y a m a t t e r o f o u t w a r d o r n a m e n t . c e r t a i n l y r e v e a l a more c o m p l e x a t t i t u d e t h a n t h o s e who t h a t M i l t o n ' s own rejection
c o n s i d e r e d judgment
o f b e a u t y as
o n l y o f weak m i n d s " more f u l l y
(PR
would
i s neatly contained i n
toy" that
"stands/In the
I I . 220-22) m i g h t r e a d i l y
examine i t i n t h e l i g h t
Satan's
We
can
pre-eminent
l o o k a t i t from t h e p e r s p e c t i v e o f Renaissance
us f i r s t
assume
admiration
imagine.
a p p r e c i a t e t h e e x a l t e d p o s i t i o n a c c o r d e d Eve's
b e a u t y i f we
Let
"a t r i v i a l
They
Neoplatonism.
o f a passage from Spenser's
An Hymne i n H o n o u r o f L o v e , w h e r e he c o n s i d e r s t h e o r i g i n o f man's attraction man
t o b e a u t y and c o n c l u d e s t h a t even i n h i s f a l l e n
condition,
" i n choice o f love":
... d o t h d e s y r e T h a t s e e m e s on e a r t h most h e a v e n l y , t o embrace, T h a t same i s B e a u t i e , b o r n e o f h e a v e n l y r a c e . (11.110-12)
Spenser c o n t i n u e s h i s m e d i t a t i o n i n l i n e s most p e r t i n e n t t o o u r purpose:
For sure o f a l l , t h a t i n t h i s m o r t a l l frame C o n t a i n e d i s , n o u g h t more d i v i n e d o t h seeme, Or t h a t r e s e m b l e t h more t h ' i m m o r t a l l f l a m e Of h e a v e n l y l i g h t , t h e n B e a u t i e s g l o r i o u s beame. (11.113-16)
166
From t h i s p o i n t o f v i e w , ( 1 . 1 9 6 ) and
"unde m o v e t u r amor"
( H e r . X V I . 7 8 ) when we
i n the c h a i n which
consider
that
i n Eve.
of heauenly We
may
and
may
remember t h a t
guide"
more
"love
the Neoplatonic
fully
.../
(VIII.612-13).
Beauty
I f we
"Throughout t h e exchange between Raphael
"familiarity with
light"
w i t h Venus
u n i t e Adam w i t h God.
Adam[ on t h e theme o f l o v e i n Book V I I I J, M. out,
...
s i g n i f i c a n c e o f a s s o c i a t i n g Eve
t o h e a v e n , i s b o t h t h e way
i s thus a l i n k further
i s "the m i r r h o u r
i s t h u s a m a n i f e s t a t i o n o f God
appreciate the profound
L e a d s up
beauty
and
a s s u m e s , " as F o w l e r p o i n t s
ordering of d i f f e r e n t kinds
of
17 love," an
we
have good a u t h o r i t y
important role It
i n the d i v i n e
f o r a s s i g n i n g human l o v e and
beauty
scheme.
i s i m p o r t a n t t o remember t h a t i n R e n a i s s a n c e N e o p l a t o n i s m
e a r t h l y and
heavenly
Human l o v e became an
l o v e w e r e no
longer placed
image o r t y p e o f h e a v e n l y
i n simple o p p o s i t i o n . l o v e and
t o some e x t e n t i n t h e c e l e s t i a l g l o r y .
Thus t h e two
symbolized
and
i n P l a t o by A p h r o d i t e U r a n i a
e l a b o r a t e d by P i c o d e l l a M i r a n d o l a
as
such
types of
shared
love
A p h r o d i t e Panderaos were
into a threefold division:
amore
18 c e l e s t e , umano e b e s t i a l e . heavenly
from e a r t h l y
I n t h e same way,
l o v e , and
Raphael
Adam d e f e n d s t h e m y s t e r y
differentiates o f human l o v e
as d i f f e r e n t
i n k i n d f r o m t h e a c t o f c o p u l a t i o n "common t o a l l k i n d s "
(VIII.597).
And
admonition
indeed,
t o Adam t h a t
this division "true
seems i m p l i c i t a l s o i n R a p h a e l ' s
love" ...
refines
The t h o u g h t s , and h e a r t e n l a r g e s , h a t h h i s s e a t I n r e a s o n , and i s j u d i c i o u s , i s t h e s c a l e By w h i c h t o h e a v e n l y l o v e t h o u m a y s t a s c e n d , N o t sunk i n c a r n a l p l e a s u r e , f o r w h i c h c a u s e Among t h e b e a s t s no mate f o r t h e e was found. (VIII.589-94)
167
Fowler p r o v i d e s an e x c e l l e n t commentary on these
lines:
Raphael here expounds t h e v e r y f a m i l i a r N e o p l a t o n i c d i s t i n c t i o n between d i v i n e or c e l e s t i a l Love; human o r t e r r e s t i a l l o v e ; and b e s t i a l l o v e . The f i r s t (M.'s heavenly l o v e ) i s t h e l o v e o f t h e c o n t e m p l a t i v e , b e l o n g i n g t o mind a l o n e . The second ( t r u e love) i s t h e f o r c e t h a t d r i v e s a man t o propogate t h e e a r t h l y image o f d i v i n e b e a u t y , b u t may a l s o , i n i t s i d e a l form, l e a d him t o t h e f i r s t ... The t h i r d (sunk ... p l e a s u r e ) i s e x p e r i e n c e d by him who 'stoops t o debauchery, o r , even worse, abandons f o r sensual p l e a s u r e s a c o n t e m p l a t i v e s t a t e a l r e a d y a t t a i n e d ' (Panofsky 143).'^
To t h i s I should o n l y wish t o add t h a t t h e f i r s t two k i n d s o f l o v e may be regarded r a t h e r as complementary phases o f a r e c u r r i n g p r o c e s s t h a t ' r e f i n e s t h e t h o u g h t s and h e a r t e n l a r g e s
1
as "What
descends t o e a r t h as t h e b r e a t h o f p a s s i o n / r e t u r n s t o heaven i n t h e 20 s p i r i t o f contemplation."
Indeed, we may d i s t i n g u i s h some s i m i l a r -
i t i e s w i t h t h e d i v i n e c y c l e fundamental
t o Neoplatonic thought i n
which God e x e r t s h i s i n f l u e n c e on t h e w o r l d .
Beauty emanates from
God, i n s p i r e s r a p t u r e and draws man back t o him i n a t r i p a r t i t e 21 of
emanatio - r a p t i o - r e m e a t i o ,
rhythm
as F i c i n o e x p l a i n s i n h i s commentary
on P l a t o ' s Symposium; Circulus ... p r o u t i n Deo i n c i p i t e t a l l i c i t , p u l c h r i t u d o : p r o u t i n mundum t r a n s i e n s ipsum r a p i t , amor; p r o u t i n auctorem remeans i p s i suum opus c o n i u n g i t , v o l u p t a s . Amor ^2 i g i t u r i n voluptatem a p u l c h r i t u d i n e d e s i n i t . Moreover, i f we pause t o r e f l e c t b r i e f l y upon t h e r o l e to
t h e Graces i n t h i s p r o c e s s , i t s r e l e v a n c e t o P a r a d i s e L o s t becomes
still is
assigned
c l e a r e r and " M i l t o n ' s d e s c r i p t i o n o f Eve as Queen o f t h e Graces"
seen t o embrace " l a r g e themes" when regarded
"through t h e lenses o f
23 Neoplatonism."
I n t h e p h i l o s o p h i c a l mythology
o f Neoplatonic thought,
168
the
t r i n i t y of t h e Graces bound i n a p e r p e t u a l c i r c l e of g r a c e : g i v i n g -
a c c e p t i n g - r e t u r n i n g , became an i n c l u s i v e symbol o f t h i s rhythm o f l o v e i n which, as P u l c h r i t u d o - Amor
- Voluptas, they "unfolded"
24 "the
u n i t y of Venus."
Indeed, t h e c l a s s i c a l g r o u p i n g o f t h e Graces 25
"una aversa p i n g i t u r , duae nos r e s p i c i e n t e s "
acquired a transcendent
meaning r e p r e s e n t i n g p i c t o r i a l l y t h e N e o p l a t o n i c metaphysic o f Love as D e s i r e aroused by Beauty i n which, as Wind e x p l a i n s , "the f i r s t b e n e f i t ( P u l c h r i t u d o ) descends from t h e Beyond t o us, and
... t h e e n r a p t u r e d 26
Grace (Amor) ' t u r n s back' from us t o t h e Beyond ( V o l u p t a s ) . " a n o t h e r way,
Put
Love i s t h e m e d i a t i n g power which t r a n s l a t e s Beauty i n t o
Joy and enables man t o ascend towards God. Moreover, " i f we remember t h a t Pico d e l l a M i r a n d o l a , i n d e s c r i b i n g ' l a v i o l e n z i a d e l l o amor c e l e s t e ' , borrowed h i s images f r o m a f l a m i n g 27 passion"
and t h a t P l o t i n u s t o o had advised h i s p u p i l s t o model t h e i r
e x p e c t a t i o n o f s p i r i t u a l j o y on what t h e y knew o f t h e j o y s o f t h e senses, l i k e n i n g i t t o the p a s s i o n o f l o v e r s p a r t i c u l a r l y , we
may
a p p r e c i a t e more f u l l y t h e e x a l t e d f u n c t i o n accorded human l o v e i n paradise.
Love i s pre-eminent
r e p e a t e d l y emphasizes.
among t h e d e l i g h t s o f Eden as M i l t o n
The paradisum
v o l u p t a t i s i s found t o be
i n c o m p l e t e w i t h o u t Eve, and t o Adam t h e i r l o v e i s " t h e sum bliss"
of e a r t h l y
(VIII.522). T h i s view i s g i v e n countenance by Raphael, who,
having explained
how
f l e s h and s p i r i t are p l a c e d upon t h e same continuum
may
be r e f i n e d i n t o s p i r i t , i n t i m a t e s t h a t t h e j o y s o f heaven are
those o f p a r a d i s e r e p e a t e d i n a ' f i n e r t o n e . '
so t h a t
flesh
Pressed on t h i s p o i n t
by Adam, Raphael concedes t h a t heavenly s p i r i t s t o o express t h e i r l o v e
169
i n s e x u a l u n i o n and suggests t h e b l i s s o f such heavenly u n i o n by emphasizing
t h e completeness and t o t a l i t y o f a n g e l i c i n t e r c o u r s e .
J u s t as f o r Adam
Eden i s no Paradise w i t h o u t Eve, Raphael admits
t h a t t h e r e would be no happiness
i n heaven w i t h o u t such t r a n s c e n d e n t ,
sexual l o v e :
... L e t i t s u f f i c e thee t h a t t h o u know'st Us happy, and w i t h o u t l o v e no happiness. Whatever pure t h o u i n t h e body e n j o y ' s t (And pure t h o u w e r t c r e a t e d ) we e n j o y I n eminence, and o b s t a c l e f i n d none Of membrane, j o i n t , o r l i m b , e x c l u s i v e b a r s : E a s i e r t h a n a i r w i t h a i r , i f s p i r i t s embrace, T o t a l t h e y mix, u n i o n o f pure w i t h pure Desiring. (VIII.620-28)
170
II The
F a i r e r Image
Pressed t o i t s l o g i c a l c o n c l u s i o n , t h e l i n e o f argument followed i n the preceding Eve
s e c t i o n would l e a d t o t h e c o n c l u s i o n
i s " t h e l i n k between Adam and b e a t i t u d e : t h e l o v e she
that
inspires i s
29 an i n v i t a t i o n t o l e a r n what man
can know o f God."
v i e w would r u n c o n t r a r y t o our u n d e r s t a n d i n g
o f M i l t o n ' s famous
s t a t e m e n t o f t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p o f t h e sexes t o God f o r God
o n l y , she
f o r God
i n him"
However, such a
and
each o t h e r :
"He
(IV.299).
I n t h e more f a m i l i a r v i e w o f M i l t o n ' s t h e o l o g i c a l scheme, "the r e l a t i o n s o f t h e two t o D e i t y are t h r o u g h t h e man."^°
the superior of the
I n t h i s c o n f i g u r a t i o n , Adam i s " t h e medium by which
i s d i v i n e l y c r e a t e d and
through
n e a r e r t o God's image;
Eve
which Eve
u n i t e s w i t h God.""^
a u t h o r i t y o f S t . P a u l , M i l t o n had
M i l t o n had
Adam i s
elaborated
Drawing on
image, i n t h e image o f God
who the
t h i s p o i n t elsewhere. When
d i s c u s s i n g t h e s i g n i f i c a n c e o f t h e v e r s e f r o m Genesis, "God i n h i s own
Eve
" I n outward" resembles " l e s s / H i s image
made b o t h " as Adam h i m s e l f r e c o g n i s e s ( V I I I . 5 4 3 - 4 4 ) .
man
two,
c r e a t e d he him,"
created (1.27)
argued
... had t h e Image o f God b i n e q u a l l y common t o them b o t h , i t had no doubt b i n s a i d , I n t h e image o f God c r e a t e d he them. But St. P a u l ends t h e c o n t r o v e r s i e by e x p l a i n i n g t h a t t h e woman i s n o t p r i m a r i l y and i m m e d i a t e l y t h e image o f God, b u t i n r e l a t i o n t o t h e man. The head o f t h e woman, s a i t h he, I Cor. I I . i s t h e man: he t h e image and g l o r y o f God, she t h e g l o r y o f t h e man: he n o t f o r her b u t she f o r him.32
171
T h e i r f i r s t l e s s o n i n Eden a p p a r e n t l y i l l u s t r a t e s t h i s h i e r a r c h y o f v a l u e i n which f e m i n i n e "beauty i s e x c e l l e d by manly grace/And wisdom" (IV.490-91).
A c c o r d i n g l y , i f " t h e mind/And i n w a r d
... most e x c e l " t h e n Eve nature"
(VIII.540-42).
facilities
i s " i n f e r i o r " t o Adam " i n t h e prime £nd/Qf However, Adam f i n d s i t d i f f i c u l t t o abide
t h i s c l e a r - c u t and u n e q u i v o c a l assessment o f t h e i r r e l a t i v e i n the d i v i n e s c a l e .
i s y e t the " F a i r e s t resemblance o f
( I X . 5 3 8 ) , and i t i s her " l o v e l i n e s s "
her seem t h e c u l m i n a t i o n o f c r e a t i o n , "one Occasionally"
importance
A l t h o u g h Adam r e c o g n i s e s t h a t he more d i r e c t l y
resembles God's image, Eve maker f a i r "
by
[their]
( V I I I . 5 4 7 ) t h a t makes
i n t e n d e d f i r s t , n o t a f t e r made/
(VIII.555-56).
Moreover, i t i s as w e l l t o remember: i t i s Eve
who
l e s s o n t h a t beauty i s e x c e l l e d by wisdom; Adam p a i n t s a p i c t u r e i n which
draws t h e different
"wisdom i n d i s c o u r s e w i t h [ b e a u t y ] / L o o s e s d i s -
countenanced,, and l i k e f o l l y shows" ( V I I I . 5 5 2 - 5 3 ) . Adam c o n j u r e s up here seems ominously
Since t h e scene
t o anticipate the opposition of
f o r c e s and outcome o f t h e gardening debate, i t s h o u l d g i v e us pause.
I n response t o Adam's dilemma Raphael urges him t o :
... weigh w i t h her t h y s e l f ; Then v a l u e : o f t t i m e s n o t h i n g p r o f i t s more Than s e l f esteem, grounded on j u s t and r i g h t W e l l managed; o f t h a t s k i l l t h e more t h o u know'st, The more she w i l l acknowledge thee her head. (VIII.570-74)
But Adam f i n d s i t i m p o s s i b l e t o f o l l o w t h i s d e c e p t i v e l y easy f o r m u l a f o r managing h i s r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h Eve.
And,
b e a r i n g i n mind P e t e r
Lindenbaum's s u g g e s t i v e p o i n t t h a t "much o f M i l t o n ' s most e f f e c t i v e
172
and a f f e c t i v e w r i t i n g h a s gone i n t o t h e d e s c r i p t i o n s o f h e r , " i t i s hardly surprising
i f Adam, and a t t i m e s t h e r e a d e r t o o , f i n d s he
" c a n n o t g e t t h i s crude
There apprehension the
weighing
i s t h u s some d e g r e e
o p e r a t i o n t o come o u t r i g h t . " " ^
o f t e n s i o n between o u r i m a g i n a t i v e
o f E v e , s u f f u s e d i n t h e warm glow o f p o e t i c a r d o u r , and
c o l d l y c a l c u l a t e d a s s e s s m e n t s made about
her.
F o r E v e i s so much
more t h a n t h e sum o f t h e p l a i n d i s c u r s i v e s t a t e m e n t s made about h e r . The
cumulative weight of powerful e v o c a t i v e a s s o c i a t i o n s ,
primarily
m y t h o l o g i c a l , t e n d s t o overwhelm t h e b a r e r a t i o n a l a p p e a l s o f R a p h a e l to
Adam,
'weigh w i t h h e r t h y s e l f ; / T h e n v a l u e , ' o r h i s c u r t
reference to her f a i r
"outside" (VIII.568), e n t i r e l y discounting the
a l m o s t numinous a u r a t h a t seems t o emanate from h e r b e a u t y . his
dismissive
Indeed,
v o i c e o f t e n sounds a l o n e , drowned by t h e r a p t u r o u s t o n e s o f Adam,
S a t a n and, a t t i m e s , t h e p o e t h i m s e l f , a most u n l i k e l y
chorus.
Moreover, t h e e c s t a t i c r e f e r e n c e s t o " r a v i s h m e n t " 541),
"vehement d e s i r e "
(VIII.526)
(V.46, I X .
and " t r a n s p o r t e d " d e l i g h t
(VIII.
529-30) s u g g e s t t h e e x t r e m i t y o f f e e l i n g a s s o c i a t e d w i t h h e r p r e s e n c e . Significantly,
i n S y l v e s t e r ' s t r a n s l a t i o n o f Du B a r t a s s u c h h e i g h t e n e d 34
e x p r e s s i o n i s r e s e r v e d f o r Adam's communion w i t h God. is
"no s u g g e s t i o n o f C h r i s t
imagery
of r e l i g i o u s
flirted
w i t h even
Eve.
i n t h e spouse
sexuality
While
there
i n Paradise Lost", the
" s o marked i n M i l t o n ' s m i l i e u a s t o be
i n t h e language
o f many P u r i t a n s " " ^ i s e n g r o s s e d by
173
Before t h e F a l l , t h e n , Eve's beauty b e g i n s t o appear l e s s l i k e a c r e a t e d t h i n g , merely a p h y s i c a l q u a l i t y and a m a t t e r o f e x t e r n a l s o n l y , than a f o r c e i n i t s own r i g h t , o p e r a t i n g i n d e p e n d e n t l y . we have a l r e a d y seen t h e potency o f "beauty's
heavenly
While
ray"(IX.607)
e x e r t e d as an almost s u p e r n a t u r a l power f o r good, d i s a r m i n g Satan
"Of
g u i l e , o f h a t e , o f envy, o f revenge" (IX.466) , o t h e r r e f e r e n c e s t o her "Beauty, which whether waking or asleep/Shot
f o r t h p e c u l i a r graces"
and
" d a r t s o f d e s i r e " (V.14-15 , V I I I . 6 2 ; emphasis added) suggest t h a t i t i s a l s o a p o t e n t i a l l y dangerous weapon t h a t l e a v e s Adam "here o n l y weak/Against t h e charm o f beauty's p o w e r f u l g l a n c e "
A t such times Eve,
(VIII.532-33).
" d i v i n e l y f a i r , f i t l o v e f o r gods,"
(IX.489)
does n o t appear a modest and humble v i c a r o f a more e x a l t e d l o v e ; t h e l o v e she o f f e r s seems l e s s a means t o an end t h a n an end i n i t s e l f , merely
" t h e sum
of earthly b l i s s "
not
( V I I I . 5 2 2 ; emphasis added) b u t ,
d e s p i t e Raphael's e x t o l l i n g o f t h e v i r t u e s o f a n g e l i c i n t e r c o u r s e , t h e h i g h e s t good i m a g i n a b l e .
The
s i g n i f i c a n c e o f t h i s i s p l a i n when we
remember what M i l t o n never a l l o w s us e n t i r e l y t o f o r g e t , t h a t " I n t h e act
o f d i s o b e d i e n c e Adam s i m p l y chooses Eve over God:
he r e j e c t s human
l o v e as a means and d e i f i e s i t as an end.""^
Goodman's r e f l e c t i o n s i n The F a l l o f Man point.
seem p e r t i n e n t a t t h i s
Since b e a u t y , l i k e o t h e r " a l l u r e m e n t s o f t h e w o r l d ...
though
i n themselves t h e y are meenes t o s t i r r e up l o v e and t h a n k f u l n e s s e t o God;
y e t t h r o u g h our abuse they might be an o c c a s i o n o f our f a l l , "
had s t r e s s e d " I f I l o v e beauty,
he
I w i l l f i r s t l o v e him, and f a s t e n mine
eyes upon him, t h a t i s t h e f o u n t a i n o f beauty, and beauty
itself."
37
174
A u g u s t i n e t o o had e x p l a i n e d how b e a u t y , l i k e e v e r y
created
t h i n g : "Cum enim bona s i t , e t bene amari p o t e s t e t male, bene s c i l i c e t 38
o r d i n e c u s t o d i t o male o r d i n e p e r t u r b a t o . "
I n t h e event, Eve's beauty
does n o t b r i n g Adam nearer t o God b u t causes him t o break t h e c h a i n t h a t b i n d s him t o h i s Creator him down t h e s c a l a n a t u r a e .
and "the l i n k o f n a t u r e "
(IX.914) draws
So Adam v i o l a t e s t h e h i e r a r c h y o f c r e a t i o n
when he a l l o w s , i n Bush's words, " i d o l a t r y o f a c r e a t u r e t o become h i s 39
ultimate p r i n c i p l e of allegiance." I n d e e d , t h e terms i n which Adam couches h i s d e s c r i p t i o n o f t h e power o f Eve's presence a r e d i s q u i e t i n g . Eve completes h i s c r e a t i o n o r r a t h e r r e c r e a t e s him as h e r c r e a t u r e . immediately
Using v o c a b u l a r y
which
r e c a l l s Raphael's r e c e n t account o f t h e c r e a t i o n , Adam
e x p l a i n s how Eve " i n f u s e d " :
Sweetness i n t o [ h i s ] h e a r t , u n f e l t b e f o r e / And i n t o a l l t h i n g s from h e r a i r i n s p i r e d The s p i r i t o f l o v e and amorous d e l i g h t . (VIII.474-77)
J u s t as t h e S p i r i t o f God had " i n f u s e d " t h e w o r l d w i t h " v i t a l ( V I I . 2 3 6 ) and God had "breathed" 5 2 5 - 2 6 ) , Eve l i t e r a l l y ' i n s p i r e s ' breathe
virtue"
i n t o Adam "The b r e a t h o f l i f e " ( V I I . (Linspirare
" Ilit.,
t o blow upon,
i n t o , inspire") Adam and u n i v e r s a l n a t u r e w i t h 'the s p i r i t o f
love'. P u r v i s Boyette
h a i l s Eve as " t h e c r e a t o r o f n o t h i n g l e s s t h a n
human l o v e and t h e i n s p i r a t i o n f o r e r o t i c l o v e n o t o n l y i n man b u t i n 40 nature."
But, as A r n o l d S t e i n has observed, t h e r e i s a " t r o u b l i n g
q u a l i t y about t h i s use by Adam o f t h e image from t h e p r i m a r y c r e a t i o n " and he proceeds t o argue p e r s u a s i v e l y t h a t Eve "seems - by t h e metaphor 41 he g r a n t s h e r - t o be c r e a t i n g him i n t u r n and i n h e r image."
175
At t h i s p o i n t , the p o t e n t i a l danger l i e s i n e r t ; i t becomes a c t i v e when Satan succeeds i n p e r s u a d i n g Eve overmuch' t o the s i g n i f i c a n c e o f her
f a i r e r image.
t h e m i r r o r o f such a d u l a t i o n , i t i s h a r d l y s e l f - k n o w l e d g e and to maintain.
herself to
a p r o p e r sense o f her
'attribute
Seeing h e r s e l f i n
s u r p r i s i n g i f she
too
finds
human l i m i t a t i o n s d i f f i c u l t
Drawing her back t o a s t a t e o f n a r c i s s i s t i c s e l f 42
absorption
i n her own
beauty, Satan l u r e s Eve
Satan's f i r s t approach i s t o c e l e b r a t e Venus o f u n i v e r s a l n a t u r e ,
"nature's
t o her
Fall.
her p o s i t i o n as
the
desire":
I n whose s i g h t a l l t h i n g s j o y , w i t h r a v i s h m e n t A t t r a c t e d by t h y beauty s t i l l t o o gaze. (V.45-47)
T h i s resembles Adam's t r i b u t e t o the dynamic power o f h e r ' p r e s e n c e , and
indeed Eve
temptation
r i s e s "as
at [ h i s ] c a l l "
(V.48).
What makes Satan's
so c u n n i n g l y e f f e c t i v e i s t h a t h i s words are so d e v i l i s h l y
near t h e t r u t h .
What makes h i s address d a n g e r o u s l y d i s r u p t i v e o f
r i g h t f u l o r d e r o f t h i n g s and
not a simple statement o f f a c t i s i t s
p r e f a c e , "heaven wakes w i t h a l l h i s eyes,/Whom t o b e h o l d b u t (V.44-45).
the
thee"
T h i s p o s i t s Eve's c e n t r a l p o s i t i o n i n t h e d i v i n e scheme:
n o t o n l y does heaven as w e l l as e a r t h f i n d i t s c o m p l e t i o n i n Eve,
but
God
her
too, i t i s subtly intimated, r e j o i c e s i n h i s contemplation of
' d i v i n e semblance' as i n t h e " d i v i n e s i m i l i t u d e " o f h i s Son
(III.384).
From here i t i s an easy s t e p f o r Satan t o urge her
claim to
"high
exaltation"
(V.77-78) by v i r t u e
o f her
(V.90) as "a goddess" "among t h e gods"
' c e l e s t i a l beauty'.
176
The
second t e m p t a t i o n f o l l o w s t h e p a t t e r n o u t l i n e d above. Satan
encourages Eve t o r e g a r d h e r s e l f as t h e e a r t h l y and h e a v e n l y Venus 43 "hominum divumque v o l u p t a s " who should be worshipped as such: F a i r e s t resemblance o f t h y maker f a i r , Thee a l l t h i n g s l i v i n g gaze on, a l l t h i n g s t h i n e By g i f t , and t h y c e l e s t i a l beauty adore W i t h ravishment b e h e l d , t h e r e b e s t beheld Where u n i v e r s a l l y admired; b u t here I n t h i s e n c l o s u r e w i l d , t h e s e beasts among, Beholders rude, and s h a l l o w t o d i s c e r n H a l f what i n thee i s f a i r , one man e x c e p t , Who sees thee? (And what i s one) who s h o u l d s t be seen A goddess among gods, adored and served By angels numberless, t h y d a i l y t r a i n . [^o g l o z e d t h e t e m p t e r , and h i s proem tuned; I n t o t h e h e a r t o f Eve h i s words made way. (IX.538-50)
I n t h i s way, Satan appeals t o Eve's awareness o f h e r s u p e r i o r beauty; t h e r e i s , he m a i n t a i n s , "no f a i r t o t h i n e / E q u i v a l e n t o r second"
(IX.
44 608-9). the
He t h e n m a n i p u l a t e s t h i s argument n o t o n l y t o suggest
that
c r e a t i o n i s summed up i n h e r s e l f alone and n o t i n Adam o r i n them
b o t h c o l l e c t i v e l y , b u t even t o b l u r any sense o f h e r i n f e r i o r i t y t o her Creator.
Only w i t h t h e F a l l does i t become p o s s i b l e t o c o n s i g n
Eve and h e r beauty t o a c l e a r and u n e q u i v o c a l p o s i t i o n i n t h e h i e r a r c h y of
b e i n g , and t h e Son's demands o f Adam become
unanswerable:
Was she t h y God, t h a t her t h o u d i d s t obey Before h i s v o i c e , o r was she made t h y g u i d e , S u p e r i o r , o r b u t e q u a l , t h a t t o her Thou d i d s t r e s i g n t h y manhood, and t h e p l a c e Wherein God s e t thee above h e r made o f t h e e , And f o r t h e e , whose p e r f e c t i o n f a r e x c e l l e d .Hers i n a l l r e a l d i g n i t y : adorned She was indeed, and l o v e l y t o a t t r a c t Thy l o v e , n o t t h y s u b j e c t i o n , and h e r g i f t s Were such as under government w e l l seemed, Unseemly t o bear r u l e which was t h y p a r t And person, hadst t h o u know t h y j s e l f a r i g h t . (X.145-56)
Once Eve has f a l l e n , amore umano and c e l e s t e become m u t u a l l y e x c l u s i v e p a t h s f o r Adam.
As Goodman had r e f l e c t e d i n The F a l l o f Man
I f I s e e t h e shadow b e f o r e me, t h e n t h e l i g h t i s b e h i n d me; i f t h e l i g h t be b e f o r e me, t h e shadow i s behind me ... t h e l o v e o f heaven and e a r t h cannot t o g e t h e r s u b s i s t , no man can serve two masters.45
P a r a d o x i c a l l y , as Adam e l e v a t e s human l o v e above d i v i n e l o v e , he f a l l s under Eve's 'Circean charm' and i n t o amore b e s t i a l e . (IX.1009-16), he i s "sunk i n c a r n a l p l e a s u r e "
Burning i n l u s t
(VIII.593).
But d e s p i t e Demtrakopoulos' p r o t e s t a t i o n t h a t "From t h e beginning o f her c r e a t i o n , [Eve's] s i n i s t e r a t t r a c t i v e n e s s partakes o f 46 Circean w i t c h e r y " ,
i t i s i m p o r t a n t t o remember t h a t u n t i l t h e F a l l ,
M i l t o n i s c a r e f u l t o maintain a balance, a l b e i t a t times a p r e c a r i o u s b a l a n c e , between beauty's power t o promote, o r i n t e r f e r e w i t h , man's spiritual
life.
Even M i l t o n ' s brusque d i s m i s s a l o f Adam as " f o n d l y
overcome w i t h female charm" (IX.999) i s n o t h i s f i n a l word on t h e "charm o f beauty's p o w e r f u l g l a n c e "
(VIII.532-33) f o r :
... beauty, though i n j u r i o u s , h a t h s t r a n g e power, A f t e r offence r e t u r n i n g , t o regain Love once possessed, n o r can be e a s i l y Repulsed. (S A
1003-6)
I n Paradise L o s t , though Eve's beauty becomes an i n s t r u m e n t o f e v i l , it
i s f i n a l l y an i n s t r u m e n t o f r e p a r a t i o n and r e d e m p t i o n : Adam cannot
l o n g r e s i s t "Creature so f a i r h i s r e c o n c i l e m e n t s e e k i n g "
(X.943).
178
I n c o n c l u s i o n , l e t us c o n s i d e r a g a i n t h e s i m i l e which e x p l i c i t l y l i n k s Eve w i t h Venus, t h i s time i n t h e c o n t e x t o f t h e l i n e s t h a t d i r e c t l y f o l l o w , as EveUndecked, save w i t h her s e l f more l o v e l y f a i r Than ... t h e f a i r e s t goddess f e i g n e d Of t h r e e t h a t i n Mount I d a s t r o v e , Stood t o e n t e r t a i n her guest f r o m heaven; no v e i l She needed, v i r t u e - p r o o f , no t h o u g h t i n f i r m A l t e r e d her cheek. On whom t h e angel H a i l Bestowed, t h e h o l y s a l u t a t i o n used Long a f t e r t o b l e s t M a r i e , second Eve.
(V.380-87)
Eve's e r o t i c sensuousness i s cleansed o f any h i n t o f p r o v o c a t i v e s e n s u a l i t y by t h e immediate a s s o c i a t i o n w i t h t h e V i r g i n , as M i l t o n d e f t l y changes t h e scene from a Judgement o f P a r i s t o an A n n u n c i a t i o n tableau.
The s h i f t i n emphasis a c t s as a c o u n t e r - p o i s e and c a s t s a
r e t r o s p e c t i v e l i g h t by which Eve i s seen t o embody t h e d u a l n a t u r e o f l o v e b o t h sensuous and chaste i n i t s p h y s i c a l and s p i r i t u a l m a n i f e s t ations.
A t r a n s c e n d e n t u n i o n o f c o n t r a r i e s i s t h u s rendered by t h i s
c u r i o u s a d j u s t m e n t o f focus and f r o z e n i n a t r a n s i t o r y g e s t u r e as Raphael h a i l s t h e naked Eve.
But even i n t h i s most i n n o c e n t o f moments, M i l t o n reminds us o f what he never a l l o w s us t o f o r g e t , t h a t t h e p r e s s u r e o f c o n t r a r y f o r c e s w i l l u l t i m a t e l y prove t o o d i f f i c u l t t o s u s t a i n .
"Hypnotically
s e x u a l " and "endowed w i t h a m y s t e r i o u s , m a g i c a l and h i g h l y p o w e r f u l 47 eroticism" life.
Eve proves t o o g r e a t a d i s t r a c t i o n t o man's s p i r i t u a l
The second Eve w i l l n o t be a second A p h r o d i t e .
179 III
The
While Eve
V i r g i n Majesty o f
remains u n f a l i e n , she
Eve
unites
M i l t o n r e s o l v e s t h e c o n f l i c t between t h e two and
chaste and
opposing i d e a l s of
e r o t i c l o v e by a s t r o k e o f o r i g i n a l g e n i u s :
v i r g i n and
M i l t o n makes s u b t l e and
The
of
by t h e
prime c l a s s i c a l symbol of c h a s t i t y was,
i n the same way and
embodiments o f her
serpent.
o f c o u r s e , the
i s d i r e c t l y compared.
as Venus, goddess o f l o v e and organizing
Indeed, i t i s
p a r t s from Adam t o garden
w i l l r e t u r n " d e f l o w e r e d " ( I X . 901)
v i r g i n goddess, Diana, t o whom Eve
synthesizing
her
U n t i l t h e F a l l , M i l t o n draws a t t e n t i o n t o her v i r g i n a l
r e i t e r a t e d w i t h ominous suggestiveness as Eve she
Even a f t e r
s u g g e s t i v e use
aspect a t c a r e f u l l y chosen moments i n the n a r r a t i v e .
alone;
chastity
c o n t i n u e s t o r e t a i n many o f t h e q u a l i t i e s a s s o c i a t e d
w i t h her v i r g i n a l r o l e , and t h i s motif.
love.
the d i s j u n c t i o n between
b r i d e i s mended i n the s t a t e o f innocence.
m a r r i a g e t o Adam, Eve
sensuous
loveliness
Moreover, a c t s as
image around w h i c h are c l u s t e r e d
n a t u r e , M i l t o n achieves a s i m i l a r s k i l f u l
o f i n t e r r e l a t e d images, events and
a
partial patterning
exemplary t y p e s c e n t r e d upon the
v i r g i n goddess, Diana.
The
obverse o f Venus i s t h u s Diana;
i n Paradise Lost t h e y
become complementary aspects o f a s i n g l e , composite f i g u r e , Eve. Eve
r e t a i n s w i t h i n h e r s e l f an i n h e r e n t
in solution contradictory opposed p o s i t i o n s ;
attributes.
c o m p l e x i t y , e n a b l i n g her t o She
For hold
encompasses d i a m e t r i c a l l y
t h e element o f sensuousness and
n a t u r e i s o f f s e t by a c e r t a i n v i r g i n a l c o l d n e s s and
s o f t n e s s i n Eve's independence.
180
That Eve has subsumed t h e r o l e s o f v i r g i n and b r i d e seems t o be i n t i m a t e d i n i t i a l l y i n t h e f i r s t passage d e s c r i b i n g t h e n u p t i a l bower, "The r o o f " :
Of t h i c k e s t c o v e r t was inwoven shade L a u r e l and m y r t l e . (IV.
692-94)
E d i t o r s have g e n e r a l l y noted t h a t V i r g i l had s i m i l a r l y l i n k e d t h e l a u r e l and m y r t l e t o g e t h e r i n a passage f r o m t h e Eclogues:
e t uos, o l a u r i , carpam e t t e , proxima m y r t e , s i c p o s i t a e quoniam suauis m i s c e t i s odores. ( I I . 54 - 55) B u t , as Fowler p o i n t s o u t , " a t t h i s j u n c t u r e M. must i n t e n d more t h a n 48 an e l e g a n t a l l u s i o n "
t o t h e m u t u a l l y enhancing f r a g r a n c e
n o t e d by V i r g i l i n t h e passage above.
o f t h e shrubs
The emphatic p o s i t i o n o f t h e
o p e r a t i v e words ' l a u r e l ' and ' m y r t l e ' suggest t h a t i t i s more t h a n a passing d e t a i l . I n Fowler's o p i n i o n " t h e t r e e s seem r a t h e r t o symbolize t h e complementary r o l e s o f A p o l l o and Venus, male and f e m a l e , mens and 49 anima
a n <
^ t h i s would accord w i t h t h e m y t h o l o g i c a l r o l e s assumed by
Adam and Eve elsewhere.
However, t h i s seems t o c o n s t i t u t e o n l y one
f a c e t o f t h e p o s s i b l e emblematic s i g n i f i c a n c e c o n t a i n e d and~indeed, as Fowler h i m s e l f p e r c e p t i v e l y c o n c l u d e s :
i n t h e passage, "The f o r c e o f 51
t h e passage l i e s i n t h e s u g g e s t i o n
o f a comprehensive p o l a r i t y . "
On one i m p o r t a n t l e v e l o f i n t e r p r e t a t i o n , i t seems t o s i g n i f y emblematically
t h e r e c o n c i l i a t i o n o f c h a s t i t y and l o v e .
The m y r t l e
was, o f c o u r s e , t h e p l a n t e s p e c i a l l y sacred t o Venus, t h e goddess o f
181
l o v e , and i s c o n s t a n t l y
a s s o c i a t e d w i t h her i n t h e works o f t h e p o e t
of love himself,
The l a u r e l i s o n l y connected w i t h A p o l l o
Ovid.
t h r o u g h h i s u n r e q u i t e d l o v e f o r Daphne;
he o n l y adopted i t as h i s
emblem a f t e r her metamorphosis, and t h e prime a s s o c i a t i o n s u r e l y remains w i t h Daphne h e r s e l f .
o f the l a u r e l
I n h i s commentary on t h e f a b l e as
r e c o u n t e d by Ovid i n t h e Metamorphoses, Sandys e n l a r g e s on t h e symbolic s i g n i f i c a n c e and congruence o f her
transformation
into laurel:
She i s s a i d ... t o f l y [ A p o l l o ' s ] p u r s u i t , i n t h a t [ l a u r e l s ] a f f e c t t h e shadow; and t o r e p e l l t h e f i r e o f l u s t , i n not b e i n g scorched by t h e Sunnervor l i g h t n i n g . 52
The l a u r e l t h u s forms t h e t r u e "image o f her beauty and c h a s t i t y " .
The r e c o n c i l i a t i o n o f these seemingly d i s c o r d a n t q u a l i t i e s , c h a s t i t y and l o v e , i s perhaps b e s t u n d e r s t o o d i n t h e l i g h t o f contemp o r a r y a p p l i c a t i o n s o f t h e m o t i f o f t h e Venus-Virgo.
The two opposing
goddesses o f t h e c l a s s i c a l pantheon, Venus and Diana, were f u s e d i n t o one h y b r i d f i g u r e i n t h e Renaissance.
occasionally
An a u t h o r i t a t i v e
source f o r t h i s composite f i g u r e was a t hand i n a v e r s e f r o m t h e f i r s t book o f t h e Aeneid " i n which Venus appears d i s g u i s e d
as a nymph o f
Diana, t h e goddess o f love as a devotee o f c h a s t i t y : 53
V i r g i n i s os habitumque gerens e t v i r g i n i s
arma'.
M i l t o n m i g h t have become a c q u a i n t e d w i t h t h i s m o t i f from a v a r i e t y o f sources.
He would c e r t a i n l y have been f a m i l i a r w i t h t h e
dense l a y e r - o f imagery w i t h w h i c h t h e v i r g i n queen, E l i z a b e t h surrounded h e r s e l f .
I
She seems t o have developed t h e p o t e n t i a l i t i e s o f
t h e f i g u r e o f t h e Venus-Virgo f o r her own p o r t r a i t u r e ;
she
was
f r e q u e n t l y depicted
as Diana by a r t i s t s , composers and p o e t s
a l i k e , b u t i n such a way as o f t e n seemed t o p o i n t t o t h e c u l t o f Venus 54 in disguise.
Instances
o f t h i s d i s t i n c t i v e m o t i f appear i n t h e work o f
Spenser, one o f M i l t o n ' s acknowledged m a s t e r s .
I n t h e proem t o Book
IV o f t h e F a e r i e Queene, Spenser addresses E l i z a b e t h as "The Queene o f l o v e " and then i n t h e succeeding stanza reminds us o f Diana's severa v i r g i n i t a s by p r a y i n g t h a t Venus' son " w i t h drops o f m e l t i n g l o v e " may
assuage E l i z a b e t h ' s
"vse o f a w f u l l M a i e s t i e " and
"haughtie
55 courages". B u t , o f c o u r s e , something o f t h e same t e n s i o n r u n s
throughout
the sonnet sequences o f t h i s p e r i o d , and E l i z a b e t h ' s p o e t i c persona owes something t o t h e d e s c r i p t i o n s o f t h e i d e a l l a d y o f Petrachan 56
:
convention.
183
IV
S p e c i e s Secunda
I n t h e eyes
Virginitatis
o f P r o t e s t a n t and P u r i t a n p r e a c h e r s ,
marriage had
57 been " s t a i n e d w i t h t h e u n j u s t a s p e r s i o n s o f P o p e r y . " had
condemned t h e f i n d i n g s o f " t h e C o u n c e l l
s i n c e i t "opposeth m a r r i a g e and c h a s t i t i e ; 58 t h a t i n m a r r i a g e t h e r e i s no c h a s t i t i e . "
William
Perkins
of Trent", p r o t e s t i n g that i t plainly
determineth
By e n d i n g t h e o p p o s i t i o n
o f m a r r i a g e and c h a s t i t y , t h e R e f o r m e r s hoped t o p u t an end t o t h e to "Popish
magnifying o f v i r g i n i t y " a t t h e expense o f m a r r i a g e .
Thus P h i n e a s i n The P u r p l e
F l e t c h e r g l o r i f i e s both m a r r i e d
I s l a n d , according
l o v e and v i r g i n i t y
equal m e r i t and d i s t i n c t i o n t o each.
F l e t c h e r e m p h s i z e s t h e c l o s e r e l a t i o n s h i p between t h e v i r g i n and b r i d e by r e p r e s e n t i n g them a s t w i n s i s t e r s , chaste.
e q u a l l y b e a u t i f u l and e q u a l l y
"Agnia c h a s t e was j o y n ' d i n Hymen's t i e s " a n d :
Upon h e r a r c h e d brow unarmed Love Triumphing s a t i n p e a c e f u l v i c t o r i e ; And i n h e r e y e s a t h o u s a n d c h a s t e G r a c e s move Checking v a i n thoughts with a w f u l l m a j e s t i e .
while the eyes of P a r t h e n i a ,
" C h o i c e nymph, t h e crown o f c h a s t e
Diana's
train"
... t i m e l y warmth t h e m s e l v e s n o t warm, i n s p i r e ; These k i n d l e a thousand h e a r t s w i t h hot d e s i r e s ^ And b u r n i n g a l l t h e y s e e , f e e l i n t h e m s e l v e s no f i r e .
184
Indeed,
i n h i s t r e a t i s e on C h r i s t i a n Oeconomie, W i l l i a m
went f u r t h e r and c l a i m e d
Perkins
was "a s t a t e i n i t s e l f e , f a r r e 61 more e x c e l l e n t , t h a n t h e c o n d i t i o n o f s i n g l e l i f e " and D a n i e l R o g e r s s i m i l a r l y concluded
t h a t marriage
that marriage
was " t h e P r e s e r v a t i v e o f C h a s t i t i e " 62
and
"the ambition
be d e t e c t e d
of V i r g i n i t i e " .
i n t h e work o f P r o t e s t a n t p r e a c h e r s ;
l i k e w i s e a s s i g n e d t o marriage has
Such a n e m p h a s i s i s n o t o n l y t o the poet,
a new d i g n i t y and r e s p e c t .
Spenser,
As S i n f i e l d
observed: The F a i r y Queen, book I I I , i s a b o u t c h a s t i t y b u t g i v e s most o f i t s a t t e n t i o n t o t h e R e f o r m a t i o n i d e a l o f c h a s t e m a r r i a g e ... B e l p h o e b e r e p r e s e n t s v i r g i n i t y b u t s h e i s t w i n - b o r n w i t h Amoret who i s m a r r i e d chastity: "And ' t w i x t them two d i d s h a r e / T h e h e r i t a g e of a l l c e l e s t i a l grace" ( I I I . v i . 4 ) . Despite t h i s d e c l a r e d e q u a l i t y , Belphoebe i s r e l a t i v e l y n e g l e c t e d w h i l s t Amoret i s " t r a i n e d up i n t r u e f e m i n i n i t y ... To be t h ' ensample o f t r u e l o v e a l o n e , / L o d e s t a r o f a l l c h a s t e a f f e c t i o n . " ( I I I . v i . 5 1 - 5 2 ) . 63
Moreover, t h e u n i o n o f c h a s t i t y and l o v e i s c e l e b r a t e d i n Spenser's
famous e x e m p l a r
a negative conception
'of C h a s t i t i e ' , B r i t o m a r t .
of v i r g i n i t y
i n favour 1
expression of 'uncloistered v i r t u e .
But, s i g n i f i c a n t l y , bearing i n
draws h e r p e c u l i a r s t r e n g t h , h e r c h a s t i t y ,
A r t e g a l l . As H a l l e r h a s p o i n t e d
rejected
o f a n a c t i v e and p o s i t i v e
mind t h e P r o t e s t a n t and P u r i t a n R e f o r m e r s ' e n t h u s i a s m Britomart
Spenser
f o r 'wedded l o v e ' , from h e r l o v e f o r
o u t , M i l t o n w o u l d s c a r c e l y have
t o n o t i c e t h a t "what made B r i t o m a r t
so s u f f i c i e n t
i n herself,
failed
so s e c u r e ,
64 so c h a s t e , was m a r r i e d
love".
W h i l e H a l l e r ' s o b s e r v a t i o n r e m a i n s a v a l u a b l e i n s i g h t , we m i g h t q u a l i f y i t by n o t i n g that i n fact
that i t i s her secure expectation of married
s u s t a i n s her.
What d i s t i n g u i s h e s M i l t o n ' s
love
treatment of
185
t h e theme o f m a r r i e d
l o v e and c h a s t i t y i s t h a t by d e f i n i n g v i r g i n i t y
not a s t o t a l a b s t i n e n c e from s e x u a l l o v e , b u t a s f i d e l i t y
t o one
l a w f u l p a r t n e r , E v e i s a b l e t o combine t h e r o l e s o f v i r g i n and b r i d e with daring simultaneity of e f f e c t . view
Some s t r o n g s u p p o r t
l a y t o hand i n C a l v i n ' s a u t h o r i t a t i v e
f o r such a
argument:
Primus gradus c a s t i t a t i s e s t s y n c e r a v i r g i n i t a s : secundus f i d e l e coniugium. Ergo s p e c i e s secunda v i r g i n i t a t i s , e s t matrimonij c a s t a d i l e c t i o . 6 5
C a l v i n ' s d e f i n i t i o n o f a second
kind of v i r g i n i t y
l o v e o f matrimony seems t o p r o v i d e i m p o r t a n t
i n the chaste
additional clues as to the
m o t i v e u n d e r l y i n g M i l t o n ' s c o n t i n u i n g a s s o c i a t i o n o f E v e w i t h a number o f famous m y t h o l o g i c a l maidens, even a f t e r h e r m a r r i a g e
t o Adam, when
she i s no l o n g e r , a t l e a s t i n t h e u s u a l t e c h n i c a l s e n s e o f t h e word, 66 a virgin.
T h i s r e f e r e n t i a l s y s t e m becomes most d e n s e a t c e r t a i n
c r u c i a l p o i n t s i n t h e n a r r a t i v e , and t h e s e , a s I have i n t i m a t e d a p p e a r t o conform t o a p a t t e r n . Raphael
Eve's s u c c e s s i v e encounters
and S a t a n seem t o be c a s t a s o b l i q u e t r i a l s
chastity.
Indeed,
of h e r innocence,
earlier,
w i t h Adam,
or tests of her
E v e ' s c h a s t i t y becomes one o f t h e c h i e f e x p r e s s i o n s and f i g u r e s
which h e r v i r g i n i t y
f o r t h a d i f f e r e n t o r d e r o f meaning i n
i sa spiritual quality as well as a physical
condition. On R a p h a e l ' s wood-nymph, Pomona. through
a r r i v a l i n Eden, E v e i s a s s o c i a t e d w i t h t h e v i r g i n The f i r s t l i n k i s f o r g e d between them
EVe's s p e c i a l r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r "ramos f e l i c i a
(Met. X I V . 6 2 7 ) , and t h i s c o n n e c t i o n e x p l i c i t a l l u s i o n , a s Raphael
indirectly
poma f e r e n t e s "
i s t h e n s t r e n g t h e n e d by a more
a c c o m p a n i e s Adam " t o t h e s i l v a n
lodge"
186
... t h a t l i k e Pomona's a r b o u r s m i l e d W i t h f l o w e r e t s decked and f r a g r a n t s m e l l s ; (V. 377-79)
Y e t c o n s i d e r how t h e p a s s a g e
c o n t i n u e s a s E v e , "Undecked s a v e w i t h
h e r s e l f more l o v e l y f a i r / T h a n wood-nymph":
Stood t o e n t e r t a i n h e r g u e s t from h e a v e n ; no v e i l She needed, v i r t u e - p r o o f , no t h o u g h t i n f i r m A l t e r e d h e r cheek. (V. 380-81;
383-85)
I n h i s comments on v e r s e 384, F o w l e r r e n d e r s " v i r t u e - p r o o f i n v u l n e r a b l e through
h e r v i r t u e " , but immediately
notes
that
... t h e e x p e c t e d meaning on t h e a n a l o g y o f o t h e r s u c h compounds ( e . g . , shot-proof)..-must h a v e occurred to M - proof a g a i n s t v i r t u e . Proof, then, a g a i n s t Raphael, t h e a n g e l i c v i r t u e ( 1 . 3 7 1 ) ?
T h i s remark seems p e r t i n e n t , e s p e c i a l l y
s i n c e t h e r e f e r e n c e t o Raphael
a s " t h e a n g e l i c v i r t u e " h a s o c c u r r e d o n l y a dozen l i n e s p r e v i o u s l y , and
t h e u s e o f t h e compound form i n i t s u s u a l s e n s e i s t o be found
elsewhere
i n Milton's p o e t i c a l works.
E v e ' s meeting
w i t h Raphael
^
i s thus d i s c r e e t l y e s t a b l i s h e d as
some k i n d o f t r i a l o f h e r c h a s t i t y , w h i c h
s h e p a s s e s w i t h no d i s c e r n i b l e
68 d i f f i c u l t y on h e r p a r t . episode
That t h i s i s not a w i l f u l m i s r e a d i n g of the
i s i n p a r t confirmed
" M i n i s t e r e d naked"
by t h e n a r r a t o r ' s e x c l a m a t i o n a s E v e
(V. 444) t o h e r husband and t h e i r a n g e l i c
... I f e v e r , t h e n , Then had t h e sons o f God e x c u s e t o have been Enamoured a t t h a t s i g h t ; (V. 446-48)
guest
187
The
narrator's curious outburst c l e a r l y
opening
to the sixth
alludes to the enigmatic
chapter of Genesis:
And i t came t o p a s s , when men began t o m u l t i p l y on t h e f a c e o f t h e e a r t h , and d a u g h t e r s were b o r n u n t o them, T h a t t h e sons o f God saw t h e d a u g h t e r s of men t h a t t h e y were f a i r ; and t h e y took them wives o f a l l which they chose. (Gen. V I . 1-2)
Moreover, by i n d i r e c t l y
suggesting the p o s s i b i l i t y
of the very
t h i n g t h a t he i s a p p a r e n t l y a t p a i n s t o deny, M i l t o n e n s u r e s t h a t
these
69 l i n e s r e f l e c t g l a n c i n g l y on R a p h a e l the p o s s i b i l i t y cannot
also.
Although
i s m e n t i o n e d o n l y t o be i m m e d i a t e l y
a v o i d s p e c u l a t i n g upon t h e p o s s i b i l i t y
on t h i s o c c a s i o n r e j e c t e d , the reader
o f some k i n d o f l i a i s o n 70
d e v e l o p i n g between a s o n o f God and t h i s d a u g h t e r
o f man, E v e .
For
while Milton p r o t e s t s t h a t i n the h e a r t s of t h e u n f a l i e n : Love u n l i b i d i n o u s r e i g n e d , n o r j e a l o u s y Was u n d e r s t o o d , t h e i n j u r e d l o v e r ' s h e l l . (V. 448-50)
we have a l r e a d y s e e n t h e e f f e c t s work w i t h i n t h e f a l l e n S a t a n . turned
o f ' f i e r c e d e s i r e ' and ' j e a l o u s y ' a t
Observing
Adam and E v e embrace, S a t a n
aside:
F o r envy, y e t w i t h j e a l o u s l e e r m a l i g n E y e d them a s k a n c e , and t o h i m s e l f t h u s p l a i n e d . (Sight h a t e f u l , s i g h t tormenting! Thus t h e s e two I m p a r a d i s e d i n one a n o t h e r ' s arms The h a p p i e r Eden, s h a l l e n j o y t h e i r f i l l .Of b l i s s on b l i s s , w h i l e I t o h e l l am t h r u s t , Where n e i t h e r j o y n o r l o v e , b u t f i e r c e d e s i r e , Among o u r t o r m e n t s n o t t h e least, S t i l l u n f u l f i l l e d with pain of longing p i n e s . (IV.
503-11)
188
And
Adam r e c o g n i s e s S a t a n ' s p l a n " t o d i s t u r b " :
C o n j u g a l l o v e , t h a n w h i c h p e r h a p s no b l i s s E n j o y e d by u s e x c i t e s h i s envy more. (IX.
F l e t c h e r h a s r e m a r k e d upon t h e a p p e a r a n c e
263-64)
of such "strange v e s t i g e s of
v a r i o u s r a b b i n i c a l conceptions of Satan's j e a l o u s y o f Adam"^ t o motivate h i s enmity noted
that
towards
"Yosippon,
t h e human p a i r , and H u t c h e r s o n
t h e A p o c a l y p s i s Moses, B e r e s i t h R a b b i ,
among o t h e r s , s t a t e t h a t S a t a n was m o t i v a t e d c o n j u g a l r e l a t i o n s w i t h Eve."
Although
has b r i e f l y and R a s h i ,
by h i s j e a l o u s y o f Adam's
^
M i l t o n "never q u i t e u s e d t h e s t o r y o f how t h e Sons o f
E l o h i m saw t h e d a u g h t e r s
o f men t h a t t h e y were f a i r
... he o f t e n
r e f e r r e d t o i t " and, a s F l e t c h e r goes on t o o b s e r v e p e r c e p t i v e l y , " I n some c u r i o u s manner s e x u a l d e s i r e e n t e r e d i n t o t h e w a r f a r e between good 73 and e v i l . "
R e f e r r i n g t o t h e s e opening
above), Fowler remarks
lines
from G e n e s i s V I
(quoted
how:
Some e a r l y commentators t o o k t h e s e v e r s e s t o mean that the f a l l e n angels l a y with the daughters of men ( e . g . , P h i l o , Clement o f A l e x a n d r i a and T e r t u l l i a n ) , and M. h i m s e l f a l l o w s u s t o d a l l y w i t h t h i s s u r m i s e i n a n ambiguous p a s s a g e a t i i i 461 f f . 74
Moreover, M i l t o n g i v e s c o u n t e n a n c e Regained,
where i t i s p l a i n l y
to t h i s view
i n Paradise
s t a t e d t h a t the f a l l e n Angels
i n their
75 g u i s e a s c l a s s i c a l gods, l a y w i t h t h e d a u g h t e r s Book X I , t h e d e m y t h o l o g i z i n g book, t h i s Michael, a t t h i s to
o f men.
Although i n
i n t e r p r e t a t i o n i s exploded
by
j u n c t u r e t h e mere m e n t i o n o f t h e myth i s c a l c u l a t e d
s t i m u l a t e an u n d e f i n e d
foreboding
i n the reader.
For while, as
189
S t e i n r i g h t l y observed,
"The s c a t t e r e d h i n t s o f S a t a n ' s s e x u a l r i v a l r y
f o r Eve ... a r e n e v e r a l l o w e d t o become more t h a n h i n t s " , t h e y seem "deliberate
enough" and form an i m p o r t a n t
t h r e a d i n t h e poem's
s u b t l y p r e p a r i n g t h e r e a d e r f o r E v e ' s t e m p t a t i o n and F a l l , i n which
i t i s p l a c e d , and t h e language 76
s e d u c t i o n o f E v e by S a t a n .
i n which
imagery,
the context
i t i s couched:
the
4
190
V
The
Trial
of V i r t u e
E d i t o r s and c r i t i c s a l i k e have s i n g l e d o u t f o r p r a i s e " t h e 77 f r a g r a n t c l o u d o f pagan myths" w i t h w h i c h M i l t o n e n v e l o p s
Eve a s she
w i t h d r a w s from Adam ... l i k e a wood-nymph l i g h t Oread o r dryad, o r o f D e l i a ' s t r a i n , Betook h e r t o t h e groves, but D e l i a ' s s e l f I n g a i t s u r p a s s e d and g o d d e s s - l i k e d e p o r t , Though n o t a s s h e w i t h bow and q u i v e r armed, But w i t h such gardening t o o l s a s a r t y e t rude, G u i l t l e s s o f f i r e had formed, o r a n g e l s b r o u g h t . To P a l e s , o r Pomona t h u s a d o r n e d , L i k e l i e s t s h e seemed, Pomona when s h e f l e d Vertumnus, o r t o Ceres i n h e r prime, Y e t v i r g i n o f P r o s e r p i n a from J o v e . (IX.
However, i t i s a p a s s a g e n a t u r a l l y tended lines,
and F o w l e r
386-96)
not without d i f f i c u l t y .
Attention has
t o f o c u s upon t h e c u r i o u s e m p h a s i s o f t h e l a s t has observed
t h a t i t i s a passage
three
"so d i s c r i m i n a t o r y
78 as t o c o n s i s t mainly
of q u a l i f i c a t i o n s " .
M a r t z comments on t h e
p r e v a l e n t l y O v i d i a n atmosphere a t t h i s p o i n t , b u t c l a i m s t h a t t h e u n i f y i n g f a c t o r among a l l t h e f i g u r e s m e n t i o n e d i s t h a t t h e y a r e a l l 79 " b e n e f i c e n t s p i r i t s and d e i t i e s o f n a t u r e " .
I n t h i s he c o n c u r s
with
P e a r c e , and who C h c o n nr e cf tl ie oc nt s , between Pales, Pomona e raeds .n o t e"dA ltlhteh or be vei oguosd d elsosgeisc"a,l he were
191
... l i k e t o e a c h o t h e r i n t h e s e c i r c u m s t a n c e s , t h a t ^ W e r e handsome, t h a t t h e y p r e s i d e d o v e r g a r d e n i n g and c u l t i v a t i o n o f g r o u n d , and t h a t t h e y a r e u s u a l l y d e s c r i b e d by t h e a n c i e n t p o e t s as c a r r y i n g t o o l s of gardening or husbandry i n t h e i r hands.^0
Y e t t h e s e a r e not perhaps
t h e most r e m a r k a b l e
features that unite
them.
As s o o f t e n i n M i l t o n ' s s i m i l e s , we become aware t h a t
energy
o f t h e l i n e s seems t o l u r k somewhere a l o n g s i d e o r b e h i n d what
is expressly said. apparent it
As t h e s i m i l e u n f o l d s , i t becomes
the r e a l
increasingly
t h a t what t h e f i g u r e s s h a r e i n common i s t h e i r v i r g i n
state;
i s p a r t i c u l a r l y n o t a b l e i n c o n n e c t i o n w i t h Pomona and C e r e s ,
Milton's l i n e s openly a n t i c i p a t e i t s l o s s i n each c a s e .
since
As E v e l e a v e s 81
Adam t o g a r d e n
It virgin (Comus
a l o n e , h e r i n n o c e n c e h i n g e s upon h e r c h a s t i t y .
i s a t t h i s p o i n t t h a t Eve i s d i r e c t l y a s s o c i a t e d w i t h t h e
nymphs o f D i a n a ' s band, and t h e n w i t h t h e "queen o' t h e woods", 1.445) D i a n a h e r s e l f .
" s t e r n frown"
Eve i s l i k e n e d t o t h e r e g a l D i a n a whose
was " f e a r e d " by "gods and men"
order t o emphasize Eve's sudden s u b m i s s i o n t o h e r .
' v i r g i n m a j e s t y ' and t o h e l p e x p l a i n Adam's I t i s a q u a l i t y t h a t commands Adam's
r e s p e c t and d e f e r e n c e and which guard a n g e l i c p l a c e d "
(Comus 11. 445, 444) i n
(VIII.
h e l p s c r e a t e t h e "awe/About h e r , a s a
558-58);
i t i s r e c o g n i s e d by S a t a n , t o o ,
i n h e r " a w f u l brow, more a w f u l t h u s r e t i r e d " ( I X .
537) .
I n d e e d , a s E v e c o n f i d e n t l y s e t s o u t f o r 'the g r o v e s ' 'goddess-like deport' t h e "hidden
with
we may remember t h e E l d e r B r o t h e r ' s a c c o u n t o f
strength" that c h a s t i t y imparts to i t s true adherents:
192
She t h a t h a s t h a t i s c l a d i n c o m p l e t e s t e e l , And l i k e a q u i v e r e d nymph w i t h a r r o w s k e e n May t r a c e huge f o r e s t s , and u n h a r b o u r e d h e a t h s , Infamous h i l l s , and sandy p e r i l o u s w i l d s , Where t h r o u g h t h e s a c r e d r a y s o f c h a s t i t y , No s a v a g e f i e r c e , b a n d i t , or mountaineer W i l l dare to s o i l her v i r g i n p u r i t y .
(Comus 418-26)
But
our
r e s p o n s e t o h i s c o n f i d e n t a s s u m p t i o n t h a t "no
/Hath h u r t f u l power o ' e r q u a l i f i e d by with
true virginity"(Comus
the chastening
For Satan,
too, w i l l
c o m p a r i s o n w i t h D i a n a and
more a m b i v a l e n t a s p e c t p l a y an a c t i v e and "Eve
her
thing
436)
...
must
just
in
momentarily
(Comus 1.
451).
t r a i n accentuates
another
of Eve's v i r g i n a l r o l e , her determination
independent p a r t i n the
l o t h t o be t h o u g h t not
circumspect
be
left
accompany S a t a n
l i k e Comus, i s o n l y
overcome "With sudden a d o r a t i o n , a n d b l a n k awe"
The
431,
r e f l e c t i o n t h a t t h e Lady h a s
t h e d i s g u i s e d Comus, j u s t a s E v e ,
t h e g u i s e of a s e r p e n t .
11.
evil
struggle against
to
Satan:
o r f i r m enough, u r g e s
her 82
going a p a r t , these the
t h e r a t h e r t o make t r i a l
l i n e s from M i l t o n ' s
self-reliant
characteristic Satan
summary of
of her
strength" alone.
'The Argument' may
r e m i n d us
of t h o s e m a r t i a l v i r a g i n e s t h a t f e a t u r e i n h e r o i c
p l a y s upon E v e ' s d e s i r e f o r d i s t i n c t i o n .
s n a t c h a g r e a t d e s t i n y f o r h e r s e l f and
He
v i r t u e t h a n p a s s i v e o b e d i e n c e and
restraint.
u n d e r s t a n d t h e p e c u l i a r f o r c e of S a t a n ' s "dauntless
virtue".
f e a t by
epic.
f o r mankind.
Eating test
I n t h i s context,
seems t o draw i t s
the
which
r e p r e s e n t a t i o n of h i s
This expression
and
presents
t h e a p p l e i s a r g u e d t o be a s i g n of a c t i v e c o u r a g e , a h i g h e r
to her
of
i n d i v i d u a l i s m t h a t i s the ethos of e p i c heroism,
e a t i n g o f t h e a p p l e a s a h e r o i c deed, a d e a t h d e f y i n g she w i l l
Indeed,
we
of can
challenge strength
193
from t h e p r i m a r y s i g n i f i c a t i o n of t h e L a t i n v i r t u s
(L , " m a n l i n e s s ,
manhood, s t r e n g t h , v i g o r , b r a v e r y , c o u r a g e " ) r a t h e r t h a n t h e
secondary
meaning and
perfection,
t h e more u s u a l E n g l i s h s e n s e
high character,
(_L "Goodness, m o r a l /
virtue").
B l e s s i n g t o n has argued
t h a t M i l t o n ' s image o f t h e " f a l l e n f l o w e r
t h r o u g h o u t t h e poem and a s s o c i a t e s Eve w i t h
spreads
the f a l l e n heroes o f t h e c l a s s i c a l
84 e p i c " , b u t as s t e a d m a n has p e r c e p t i v e l y a r g u e d , t h e f a l s e h e r o i c o r d e r have a l r e a d y been d i s c r e d i t e d
standards of the
i n the a c t i o n s of
Satan, 85
and
t h e g l o r y of m a r t i a l h e r o i s m
Moreover, i n t h e s e c o n d it
i s e x t i n g u i s h e d by t h e war
i n heaven.
i n v o c a t i o , w h i c h p r e f a c e s Book I X , M i l t o n makes
p l a i n t h a t the inward
s h o u l d be c o n s i d e r e d "Not
C h r i s t i a n v i r t u e s o f p a t i e n c e and 86
obedience
l e s s b u t more h e r o i c " t h a n deeds o f
physical
valour. Ironically,
t h e n , t h e s e l f - w i l l e d a s s e r t i v e n e s s and
to confront Satan alone which
determination
Eve d i s p l a y s i n t h e g a r d e n i n g
debate,
seems t o s u g g e s t t h a t s h e i s a l r e a d y i n t h e g r i p o f t e m p t a t i o n . it
i s i n t e r e s t i n g to note
s u g g e s t i v e l y observed a l r e a d y had
t h a t , f o r Eve t o have f a l l e n ,
i n h e r mind a c e r t a i n l o v e o f h e r own 87
proud s e l f - p r e s u m p t i o n . B r o t h e r ' s warning. p a s s through v e n t u r e out
i n t h i s connection t h a t Augustine
T h i s i n t u r n may
remind
had
s h e must have
power and a
us o f t h e
He had a f f i r m e d t h a t t h e t r u e v i r g i n may
danger w i t h " u n b l e a c h e d m a j e s t y " , p r o v i d e d " i n p r i d e or presumption"
And
(Comus 11.41*^-30) .
certain
Elder safely
she d i d not
194
A still
more i r o n i c
she i s seen to l a c k of c h a s t i t y " prepares
light
i s c a s t upon E v e ' s d e p a r t u r e , when
t h e " d r e a d bow"
(Comus 11.440, 4 3 9 ) .
of " t h e h u n t r e s s Di&n", t h e T h i s view
o f Eve t h u s w e a p o n l e s s
f o r t h e diminuendo e f f e c t whereby h e r
becomes t h e "nymph-like s t e p " o f some " f a i r
"arms
'goddess-like
virgin"
deport'
( I X . 452)
of
the 88
c o u n t r y s i d e , and
seems t o c o n f i r m h e r
"mistaken
s e l f - c o n c e p t as h e r o i c " .
T h i s p o i n t assumes a d d i t i o n a l s i g n i f i c a n c e when we
recall
o c c a s i o n on w h i c h we
to garden a l o n e .
have o b s e r v e d
Eve w i t h d r a w i n g
the
other
89 Hodge and
A e r s have commented on t h e "images o f m a s c u l i n e
t h a t a t t e n d h e r d e p a r t u r e h e r e , but D i a n a , was
armed w i t h "bow
and
quiver"
( I X . 390)
aggression"
a s w e l l a s Cupid and
and
Apollo,
i n the c u l t of Venus-
V i r g o , D i a n a and Venus s h a r e t h e same weapons. The to
n o t e of f o r e b o d i n g
i s further strengthened
t h e p a s t o r a l f i g u r e o f Pomona, who
sed adunca d e x t e r a f a l c e "
(Met.
similarly
XIV. 6 2 8 ) .
O v i d i a n reminiscence s e r v e s to surround 90 p u r i t y and
s i n i s t e r overtones.
Martz m a i n t a i n s t h a t
i s charged
A l t h o u g h Martz p o i n t s o u t t h a t
t h e a l l u s i o n an ominous t w i s t by r e f e r r i n g
resemblance
"nec i a c u l o g r a v i s e s t ,
Eve w i t h an
h a r m l e s s n e s s " but the a l l u s i o n
by h e r
"atmosphere o f
w i t h o t h e r , more "Milton has
' f l e d Vertumnus'", e v e n i n O v i d ' s Metamorphoses t h i s i s not 91 " a m u s i n g and h a r m l e s s s t o r y " t h a t M a r t z c l a i m s i t t o be.
the
s t r a n d s a r e woven i n t o h e r t a l e , not o n l y i n Vertumnus'
r e a d i n e s s to r e s o r t to f o r c e to secure h i s w i l l , her orchard, a l b e i t
i n the innocuous
l i n e s o f Pomona's s t o r y .
but by p e n e t r a t i n g
g u i s e o f an o l d woman, Vertumnus
performs a symbolic a c t of v i o l a t i o n which i t s e l f closing
given
t o t h e t i m e when, he s a y s ,
she
Darker
this
Indeed,
foreshadows the
the l i n e s i n which
Ovid
0
195
d e s c r i b e s t h e e n c l o s e d g a r d e n i n w h i c h Pomona s h u t s h e r s e l f away, c l e a r l y draw upon t h e a n c i e n t t r a d i t i o n o f t h e h o r t u s c o n c l u s u s a s a symbol o f v i r g i n i t y w i t h s u b t l e t y and economy:
vim tamen a g r e s t u m metuens p o m a r i a c l a u d i t i n t u s e t a c c e s s u s p r o h i b e t r e f ugitcyue v i r i l e s . (Met.
XIV.
635-36)
I n t h e Metamorphoses, O v i d d e s t r o y e d t h e i l l u s i o n i n v i o l a b l e p a s t o r a l world.
While Ovid's
of
an
pastoral settings played
a
d e c i s i v e r o l e i n f i x i n g t h e i d e a l of t h e l o c u s amoenus f o r W e s t e r n literature,
t h e y have o n l y " t h e e x t e r n a l t r a p p i n g s o f p a s t o r a l ,
but
92 not the s p i r i t " . pastoral
O v i d i a n s c e n e s draw upon t h e i d y l l i c
q u a l i t y of
l a n d s c a p e s o f T h e o c r i t u s and V i r g i l , o n l y t o i n v e r t
significance,
so t h a t when d e s t r u c t i v e v i o l e n c e i n v a d e s t h e
t r a n q u i l p a s t o r a l world, s e c l u s i o n proper
i t comes v i t h r e d o u b l e d
to the p a s t o r a l r e t r e a t begins
force. t o shed
The
The
remote
i t s natural expect-
e n c l o s e d q u a l i t y of Pomona's g a r d e n s h o u l d s u g g e s t
and p r o t e c t i o n , b u t when Vertumnus p r o v e s it
i t s usual seemingly
a s s o c i a t i o n s o f p e a c e and r e f u g e i n a sudden r e v e r s a l o f our ations.
the
a b l e to breach her
safety
defences,
s e r v e s t o h e i g h t e n our s e n s e of h e r i s o l a t i o n and h e l p l e s s n e s s .
such a world,
innocence
i s n e v e r p r e s e r v a b l e , and v i r g i n i t y may
p e r s e r v e d a t t h e expense o f r e c o g n i s a b l e human
only
life.
I n r e p r e s e n t i n g S a t a n ' s a s s a u l t on Eden and
on E v e ,
Milton
draws upon O v i d ' s s u b v e r s i o n o f t h e p a s t o r a l v a l u e s o f T h e o c r i t u s Virgil,
and we
f i n d a s i m i l a r l y close thematic
v i o l a t i o n of a v i r g i n a l Indeed,
i t is first
l a n d s c a p e and
and
i n t e r p l a y between t h e
the rape of a female
found i n S a t a n ' s a b r u p t
In
victim.
entrance into Paradise.
be
196
Moreover, S a t a n ' s e v a s i o n o f t h e a n g e l i c g u a r d t h e n a g a i n on t h e n i g h t o f t h e dream t e m p t a t i o n morning o f t h e F a l l ,
help to i n s t i l
on t h i s o c c a s i o n , and and on t h e f a t a l
i n the reader the apprehensive 93
f e e l i n g t h a t Eden i s s i m i l a r l y b a r e o f p r o t e c t i o n , and "exposed" t o sudden a t t a c k , even w h i l e we acknowledge t h a t E v e i s " S e c u r e o u t w a r d f o r c e " and t h a t
" w i t h i n £herselfj/The d a n g e r l i e s "
(IX. 348-49).
As S a t a n e a s i l y f o r c e s an e n t r y i n t o t h e s e e m i n g l y g a r d e n , L e Comte comments on i t s l i k e n e s s , h e r e , t o a
from
inaccessible
94 mons V e n e r i s ,
... a r u r a l mound t h e champaign h e a d Of a s t e e p w i l d e r n e s s , whose h a i r y s i d e s W i t h t h i c k e t o v e r g r o w n , g r o t e s q u e and w i l d , Access denied. ( I V . 134-37)
The
e x p r e s s i o n " A c c e s s d e n i e d " had been u s e d by O v i d t o d e s c r i b e Pomona's
orchard,
"accessus prohibet"
i n a d d i t i o n , L e Comte been u s e d
(Met. X I V . 636) , a s we h a v e s e e n , and,
has pointed out t h a t
"this
language
... had
o f a woman" by M i l t o n h i m s e l f " i n t h e D o c t r i n e and D i s c i p l i n e : 95
'Nor
i s t h a t freedom o f a c c e s s g r a n t e d
Satan seeks devious
I t appears
a g a i n when
' a c c e s s ' t o E v e , b u t h i s p h y s i c a l a p p r o a c h i s now a s
as h i s temptation w i l l
i n w h i c h she g a r d e n s inviting
...'".
be.
The "sweet
r e c e s s of Eve" (IX. 4 5 6 ) ,
a l o n e , may w e l l r e m i n d u s o f o t h e r , 96 " s e d u c t o s r e c e s s u s " o f doomed O v i d i a n v i c t i m s .
As E v e i s g l i m p s e d she forms 'an i r o n i c
fatally
supporting the rose with the myrtus
coniugalis,
"emblem o f t h e dependence o f u n f a l l e n b l i s s upon
97 conjugal v i r t u e " . studium
A l t h o u g h E v e s h a r e s Pomona's i n n o c e n t amor and
f o r gardening,
i t seems s i g n i f i c a n t t h a t , a s F o w l e r had
p r e v i o u s l y observed,
Eve had been d e t e r m i n e d
t o l e a v e Adam f o r t h i s
" p a i r o f p l a n t s a s s o c i a t e d by O v i d w i t h a g o d d e s s ' d e f e n c e o f h e r 98 virtue".
As t h e r o s e s bush r o u n d t o v e i l
Eve " i n a cloud of f r a g r a n c e "
Milton's s u b t l e use of a l l u s i o n r e c a l l s the i n c i d e n t i n the F a s t i , when V e n u s : l i t o r e s i c c a b a t r o r a n t e s nuda c a p i l l o s : I v i d e r u n t s a t y r i , t u r b a p r o t e r v a deam. s e n s i t e t o p p o s i t a t e x i t s u a c o r p o r e myrto. ( F a s t i I V . 141-43)
But the unsuspecting
Eve w i l l
be a s " m i n d l e s s "
( I X . 431) o f t h e
d i s g u i s e d S a t a n and t h e "ambush h i d among sweet
f l o w e r s and s h a d e s "
( I X . 4 0 8 ) , a s t h e unwary Pomona who l i k e w i s e p a i d no heed t o t h e warning
s i g n s which
s h o u l d h a v e h e l p e d t o p e n e t r a t e Vertumnus'
disguise:
a d s i m u l a v i t anum c u l t o s q u e i n t r a v i t i n h o r t o s pomaque m i r a t a e s t " t a n t o " que " p o t e n t i o r ! " i n q u i t paucaque l a u d a t a e d e d i t o s c u l a , q u a l i a numquam v e r a d e d i s s e t anus. (Met.
More o m i n o u s l y s t i l l ,
Eve v o l u n t a r i l y l e a v e s the p r o t e c t i v e
r i n g of her flowers to f o l l o w Satan
"Beyond a row o f m y r t l e s "
As B l a m L r e s and o t h e r r e a d e r s have n o t e d , is
X I V . 656-59)
"Eve's d e c i s i v e
( I X . 627)
'Lead t h e n ' "
"an i r o n i c p h r a s e , s i n c e s h e h a s j u s t r e j e c t e d h e r h u s b a n d ' s
99 so r e c e n t l y " . Moreover, t h e f u l l
guidanc
complexity of the irony attached to
M i l t o n ' s l i k e n i n g o f E v e t o Pomona a t t h e v e r y moment when s h e f l e d 100 Vertumnus now becomes a p p a r e n t . Pomona n e v e r
As e v e r y r e a d e r o f O v i d would know,
f l e d Vertumnus, s h e y i e l d e d t o h i m .
"Hers was n o t a
198
101 simple case of rape", Knott wryly notes. J u s t a s E v e had p r e v i o u s l y f l e d from Adam, a s Daphne f l e d from A p o l l o , s o h e r e s h e i s s e e n , a s Empson o b s e r v e s , (it
"flying
from t h e s o c i e t y o f Adam and w i l l
not f l y
i s a r e p r o a c h a g a i n s t h e r ) from Vertumnus, t h e god o f autumn a n d
102 of t h e F a l l " .
B o t h Adam and S a t a n a r e t h u s i n v o l v e d i n t h i s a l l u s i o n . another
i n d i c a t i o n that Satan w i l l
r i g h t f u l l y h e l d by Adam.
t r y and u s u r p
I t i s
the position that i s
W h i l e i n t h e dream t e m p t a t i o n
"the r e a l 103
r e l a t i o n s h i p between Adam and S a t a n , h i s s u p p l a n t e r , i s made e x p l i c i t " , it
i s a l s o suggested
approaches
i n t h e poem's m y t h o l o g i c a l i m a g e r y .
Eve, Milton
As S a t a n
concedes
... p l e a s i n g was h i s shape, And l o v e l y , n e v e r s i n c e o f s e r p e n t k i n d L o v e l i e r , n o t t h o s e t h a t i n I l l y r i a changed Hermione and Cadmus, o r t h e god in Epidaurus; nor t o which transformed Ammonian J o v e , o r C a p i t o l i n e was s e e n , He w i t h O l y m p i a s , t h i s w i t h h e r who b o r e S c i p i o t h e h e i g h t o f Rome. (IX.
According
t o Empson, t h e f i r s t
i n t o a snake
503-10)
comparison " i m p l i e s t h a t Eve turned
and became S a t a n ' s c o n s o r t " and " t h e l a s t 104
treat the F a l l
two c o m p a r i s o n s
a s a s e x u a l a c t " , w h i l e Rudat h a s r e m a r k e d how
"after
first
c o m p a r i n g Adam t o t h e i m p r e g n a t i n g
J u p i t e r , Milton i n [this]
later
s i m i l e compares S a t a n t o t h e f a t h e r o f t h e gods, namely t o
t h e J u p i t e r who on two o c c a s i o n s h a d t u r n e d i n t o an 105 serpent".
impregnating
199
This e x p l i c i t
l i n k a g e of Satan's
a b e a u t i f u l "enamelled"
( I X . 525)
deception
s e r p e n t , and
of E v e , d i s g u i s e d
as
J u p i t e r ' s seduction
of
O l y m p i a s , and
S c i p i o ' s mother i n t h a t form, may remind us t h a t , i n a 106 l e s s f a m i l i a r myth, r e c o u n t e d by O v i d a l o n e o f t h e Roman p o e t s , J u p i t e r 107 l i k e w i s e " l u s e r i t " P r o s e r p i n a i n the g u i s e of a " v a r i u s s e r p e n s " (Met.
VI. 114). final Eve
And
this,
i n t u r n , may
throw some l i g h t on
l i n e s o f t h e s i m i l e , w i t h w h i c h we
seemed
contentious
s t a r t e d t h i s d i s c u s s i o n , where
"Likeliest"
... t o C e r e s i n h e r p r i m e , Y e t v i r g i n o F f r o s e r p i n a from
Jove. (IX.
W h i l e modern c r i t i c s a r e p r e p a r e d
" s t r a i n s and Bentley,
the
394-96)
t o concede t h a t M i l t o n 108
d i s t o r t s grammar f o r s p e c i a l e f f e c t s " ,
could hardly suppress
e v i d e n t s i g n of the editor's
h i s righteous
sometimes
t h e good D o c t o r ,
indignation at
this
meddling:
B u t what Monster o f a P h r a s e i s t h a t , V i r g i n of P r o s e r p i n a , V i r g i n of her Daughter? Anyone e l s e t h a t was minded t o s p e a k Human language would have s a i d , L i k e s t C e r e s i n h e r p r i m e , n o t Mother y e t o f P r o s e r p i n a by J o v e . 1 0 9
As
1
so o f t e n , B e n t l e y s f u l m i n a t i o n s h e l p t o b r i n g i n t o
some c o m p l e x i t y have been p a s s e d
i n Milton's
thought or e x p r e s s i o n which might
over without
focus otherwise
comment.
B e n t l e y ' s s t r i c t u r e s drew f o r t h t h i s s u g g e s t i v e o b s e r v a t i o n Pearce
who,
a f t e r c o n f e s s i n g i t t o be
"one
i n t h i s whole poem", goes on t o remark:
o f t h e most f o r c e d
from
expressions
200
I have met w i t h some g e n t l e m e n , who t h o u g h t t h a t t h e l a s t o f t h e s e v e r s e s ought t o be r e a d t h u s , - or t o C e r e s i n h e r p r i m e , Y e t v i r g i n , o r P r o s e r p i n a from J o v e
He
adds:
And t h i s r e a d i n g a t f i r s t s i g h t i s v e r y a p t t o p l e a s e and p e r s u a d e one o f i t s g e n u i n e n e s s , b e c a u s e i t f r e e s t h e t e x t from t h a t h a r d e x p r e s s i o n , v i r g i n of Proserpina.
Moreover, a l t h o u g h
R i c k s has p e r e m p t o r i l y
attempts to rephrase
{this} magnificent
P r o s e r p i n a from J o v e ' " , "fluid
syntax",
s u b t l e use of
A l t h o u g h he, 'of
i n t h e poem, and like to
censorious
'Yet V i r g i n o f
suggestive here.
He
Milton's
praise his
Adams h a s d e v e l o p e d
R i c k s , makes no m e n t i o n o f
'or' i n l i n e
" s p e c i a l M i l t o n i c fondness f o r
particularly
compression,
s i n g l i n g out f o r e s p e c i a l m e n t i o n and 111
p o s s i b i l i t y o f emending the
"the
he does p r o c e e d t o draw a t t e n t i o n t o
'or' e l s e w h e r e
point further.
dismissed
396,
this
the
h i s explanation
for
' o r ' a s a c o n n e c t i v e " seems claims that i t
... p e r h a p s d e r i v e s from t h e f r e q u e n t l y u n r e s o l v e d c h a r a c t e r o f M i l t o n ' s a l l e g o r y , m y t h o l o g y and cosmology ... he o f t e n w a n t s us t o keep i n mind ^2 t h r e e or four s w i f t , g l a n c i n g comparisons a t once.
Pearce
f i n a l l y d i s c o u n t s t h e p r o p o s e d e m e n d a t i o n on t h e grounds t h a t
... when we c o n s i d e r t h e m a t t e r f a r t h e r , i t w i l l be found t h a t M i l t o n c o u l d n e v e r have i n t e n d e d t o compare Eve w i t h P r o s e r p i n a , b e c a u s e she had . n o t h i n g t o do w i t h h u s b a n d r y o r g a r d e n i n g , on account of which o n l y t h i s comparison i s i n t r o d u c e d .
201
However, t h e a r e not
arguments w h i c h he a d d u c e s h e r e a g a i n s t t h e amendment
e s p e c i a l l y c o g e n t when we
consider
so many of M i l t o n ' s s i m i l e s , where
and
the
" f a c a d e of
true value
of the
s u p e r f i c i a l point o b s e r v e d , "The
s i m i l e , which l i e s
Miltonic
what i t p r e t e n d s t o be The
case
'more i s meant t h a n meets t h e 114
l o g i c a l connections"
of comparison.
the m e t a p h o r i c a l e f f e c t of
i s p a r e d away t o r e v e a l
considerably
I n d e e d , a s C.
deeper than
S. L e w i s has
s i m i l e does not a l w a y s s e r v e 115 illustrating".
seems f u r t h e r s t r e n g t h e n e d when we
p r o f o u n d i d e n t i f i c a t i o n o f Eve
with Proserpina
to
ear'
the
the wisely
illustrate
r e f l e c t upon
the
established earlier
in
116 t h e poem. the
fair
Moreover, t h r o u g h t h i s a s s o c i a t i o n o f Eve flower
g a t h e r e d by gloomy D i s
(IV. 270-71), the
p l i c a t i o n s of the r e c u r r e n t flower m o t i f i n P a r a d i s e p l a y and
r e f l e c t Eve's l o s s of innocence w i t h
i s a l s o i n t e r e s t i n g to r e c a l l enclosed
g a r d e n and
i n passing
the p l u c k i n g
t o g e t h e r a s e x p l i c i t emblems o f Puellae
of the lost
with
how
greater
sexual
complexity.
the p e n e t r a t i o n
flower
had
im-
L o s t come i n t o
of
the
epithalamium:
ut f l o s i n s a e p t i s secretus n a s c i t u r h o r t i s , ignotus p e c o r i , n u l l o convulsus oratro, quem m u l c e n t a u r a e , f i r m a t s o l , e d u c a t imber m u l t i i l i u m p u e r i , multae Qptavere p u e l l a e : idem cum t e n u i c a r p t u s d e f l o r u i t u n g u i , n u l l i ilium pueri, nullae optavere puellae: s i c v i r g o dum i n t a c t a manet, dum c a r a s u i s e s t ; cum c a s t u m a m i s i t p o l l u t o c o r p o r e f l o r e m , ^ n e c p u e r i s i u c u n d a manet n e c c a r a p u e l l i s .
It
the
been s i m i l a r l y
' v i r g i n p u r i t y ' by
i n t h i s p a s s a g e from C a t u l l u s '
Proserpina,
chorus
brought of
202
T h a t P r o s e r p i n a ' s l o s t v i r g i n i t y was s y m b o l i s e d by O v i d i n t h e 118 flowers lost
i n t h e a b r u p t t r a n s l a t i o n t o t h e U n d e r w o r l d i s made c l e a r
i n the h i g h l y charged
d e s c r i p t i o n of the l o s s a s a
virgineum
(Met. V. 4 0 1 ) . F o r E v e t o o , d e a t h and l o s t v i r g i n i t y
dolorem
seem e q u i p o l l e n t ;
t h e g a r l a n d i n Adam's hand w i t h e r s "and a l l t h e f a d e d r o s e s
shed"
( I X . 893) a s he d i s c o v e r s Eve " d e f l o w e r e d ,
and now t o d e a t h
devote"
(IX. 9 0 1 ) . I n such a context "deflowered"
i s d o u b l e edged, n o t o n l y
does i t p o w e r f u l l y s u g g e s t S a t a n ' s s u c c e s s f u l s e d u c t i o n o f E v e (OED, "Deflower ravish),
I t r a n s , t o d e p r i v e C a woman ~)of h e r v i r g i n i t y ;
to v i o l a t e ,
b u t i t a l s o d e r i v e s a d d i t i o n a l s t r e n g t h from t h e l i t e r a l
meaning o f t h e o r i g i n a l L a t i n v e r b d e f l o r e s c e r e fade, w i t h e r " ) a s i n t h e poignant q u o t e d above.
( L / " t o drop
l i n e s from C a t u l l u s '
blossoms,
epithalamiurvj
M i l t o n t h u s draws t o g e t K e r t h e c o n c r e t e and a b s t r a c t
m e a n i n g s o f t h e v e r b i n t o f r u i t f u l c o n j u n c t i o n , and both have a s u b s t a n t i a l b e a r i n g on o u r i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f t h e s i g n i f i c a n c e o f E v e ' s fall. Whether o r n o t M i l t o n i n t e n d e d d r a w i n g J u p i t e r ' s s e d u c t i o n of h i s daughter, mythological connections
an o v e r t a l l u s i o n t o
P r o s e r p i n a , i n t o t h e web o f
s u r r o u n d i n g S a t a n and E v e , S v e n d s e n i s s u r e l y
r i g h t when he o b s e r v e s t h a t
" S a t a n ' s l u s t h a s been s o e s t a b l i s h e d
earlier sin
i n t h e poem, and i n t h e t r a d i t i o n , t h a t t h e i n f e r e n c e o f s e x u a l 119 i s inescapable" a t t h i s point. This i n t e r p r e t a t i o n i s given
f u r t h e r s u p p o r t when we n o t e , w i t h Cope "The c h o i c e o f s e x u a l i t y a s 120 the chief'image of e v i l a t c r u c i a l p o i n t s " i n the n a r r a t i v e . i n accordance
Indeed,
with B a s i l ' s a l l e g o r i c a l reading of the S c r i p t u r a l
r e c o r d i n g t h e g e n e s i s o f s i n and d e a t h :
passage
"when l u s t h a t h c o n c e i v e d , i t 1
bringeth forth s i n :
and s i n , when i t i s f i n i s h e d b r i n g e t h f o r t h
death",
203
the f i r s t h i s own
s i n i s f i g u r e d through
daughter
Satan's incestuous d a l l i a n c e
with
Sin.
As w e l l a s d i s p l a y i n g
some o f t h e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c
f e a t u r e s of
122 S p e n s e r ' s E r r o r and
P h i n e a s F l e t c h e r ' s H a m a r t i a ., M i l t o n ' s
i f i c a t i o n of s i n i s e v i d e n t l y i n d e b t e d t o O v i d ' s hideous
t r a n s f o r m a t i o n of S c y l l a
person-
account of the
i n t h e Metamorphoses.
Milton takes
p a r t i c u l a r p a i n s t o a l e r t u s t o t h i s p a r a l l e l , n o t o n l y by
distinctly
e
O v i d i a n v e r b a l echoes
(Milton's rendering of
X I V . 6 5 ] a s " C e r b e r i a n mouths" [ P L
II.
" C e r b e r o s r i c t u s " [".Met.
655] b e i n g p e r h a p s
t h e most
o b v i o u s ) , b u t a l s o by h i s open a l l u s i o n t o 'Vexed S c y l l a b a t h i n g i n t h e a. sea that p a r t s / C a l a b r i a I n Ovid's t a l e ,
from t h e h o a r s e T r i n c r i a n s h o r e "
she i s a p a t h e t i c v i c t i m o f C i r c e ' s l u s t
(II.
660-61).
for Glaucus,
but i t seems of more t h a n p a s s i n g i n t e r e s t t h a t , a c c o r d i n g t o S a n d y s : Scylla represents a virgin; who so l o n g a s c h a s t e i n t h o u g h t , and i n body u n s p o t t e d , a p p e a r e s o f an e x c e l l e n t b e a u t y , a t t r a c t i n g a l l e y e s upon h e r , wounding t h e Gods themselves with a f f e c t i o n . B u t once p o l l u t e d w i t h t h e s o r c e r i e s of Circe; t h a t i s , h a v i n g r e n d e r e d h e r maiden honour t o be d e f l o w e r e d by b e w i t c h i n g p l e a s u r e , she i s transformed to a h o r r i d monster.123
The
a l l e g o r i c a l h i s t o r y o f S c y l l a ' s m e t a m o r p h o s i s t h u s seems t o
c o n t r i b u t e a d d i t i o n a l o v e r t o n e s o f meaning w h i c h the c e n t r a l metaphorical tendency
It
i s , then, perhaps
we
have been d i s c u s s i n g
not so s u r p r i s i n g
thematic c o n f i g u r a t i o n i n which which,
which
substantially
support here.
t o d e t e c t t r a c e s of a 124
Eve i s c l o s e l y a l i g n e d w i t h S i n and
a t t h e same t i m e , b r i n g s i n t o p l a y t h e t r a d i t i o n a l
a n t i t h e s i s 125 between Eve and t h e V i r g i n Mary: "Mors p e r Evam: v i t a p e r Mariam." Despite h i s h o s t i l e d e n u n c i a t i o n of the t y p o l o g i c a l correspondences
204
126 drawn by I r e n a e u s between Mary and E v e , M i l t o n was w e l l aware of t h e p o e t i c p o s s i b i l i t i e s o f s u c h p a t t e r n i n g . I n d e e d , on two o c c a s i o n s , Hume r e m a r k s , M i l t o n o p e n l y
... s t y l e s t h e B l e s s e d V i r g i n M a r i e , t h e s e c o n d E v e , who brought f o r t h t h e L o r d o f L i f e who brought l i f e and i m m o r t a l i t y t o t h e s o n s o f t h e f i r s t s i n f u l Eve who brought f o r t h D e a t h . -^7
A. B. Chambers h a s a l s o commented on two t y p o l o g i c a l r e l a t i o n s h i p between t h e T e m p t a t i o n p o i n t s out
a s p e c t s of the
basic
and A n n u n c i a t i o n .
He
that
... s i n e n t e r e d t h e w o r l d when Eve h e a r k e n e d u n t o t h e s e r p e n t ' s words j u s t a s C h r i s t e n t e r e d t h e w o r l d when Mary h e a r k e n e d u n t o G a b r i e l ' s ; [and] s e c o n d l y , t h a t not o n l y C h r i s t b u t a l s o s i n was n o r m a l l y s a i d t o have been c o n c e i v e d and b o r n . 1 2 8
And
i t i s interesting
t h a n one
critic
t o n o t e , i n c o n n e c t i o n w i t h t h i s p o i n t , t h a t more
has drawn a t t e n t i o n t o t h e p a r a l l e l i s m between t h e dream
temptation i n which Satan appears
t o Eve a s "One
shaped
and winged
like 129
one
of t h o s e from h e a v e n "
The
correspondences
drawing
(V. 55) and G a b r i e l ' s A n n u n c i a t i o n t o Mary.
are s t r i k i n g
enough t o s u g g e s t t h a t M i l t o n
upon and e l a b o r a t i n g t h e p a t r i s t i c
tradition,
i n which
Temptation
and A n n u n c i a t i o n were h e l d t o be t y p o l o g i c a l l y
"According
t o one
was the
related.
s t a n d a r d v i e w " , r e c o u n t e d by Chambers,
... when G a b r i e l brought t h e A n n u n c i a t i o n t o t h e V i r g i n , he q u i t e l i t e r a l l y e n u n c i a t e d God's Word: ' t h e Word e n t e r e d Mary's e a r , she c o n c e i v e d , and t h e Word became f l e s h . " P e r aurem," A u g u s t i n e s a i d , " v i r g o impregnabatur". Thereby, Bernard added, t h e " a n t i d o t e " f o r our p o i s o n e d c o n d i t i o n e n t e r e d t h e w o r l d "by t h e same way a s t h e p o i s o n " .
205
L i k e w i s e , t h e s e r p e n t i n e and s e x u a l s y m b o l i s m to
of Satan's
c o r r u p t Eve i n t h e dream t e m p t a t i o n i s made s u f f i c i e n t l y
we e n c o u n t e r him, "'Squat shooting
'venom'
attempt
c l e a r when
l i k e a t o a d , c l o s e a t t h e e a r o f Eve ( I V , 8 0 0 ) , '
(804) i n t o h e r l i k e
semen t h e s e e d o f i l l i c i t
thoughts".^
W h i l e , o f c o u r s e , t h e dream i t s e l f i s no more t h a n a n a d u m b r a t i o n the
Temptation
of
proper, the f r u i t of Satan's symbolic impregnation of
Eve here remains
t h e same, s i n and d e a t h .
206
VI
No e v i l t h i n g ... Hath h u r t f u l power o ' e r t r u e V i r g i n i t y
I n any c a s e , E v e ' s a s s o c i a t i o n w i t h t h e c o m p l i a n t Pomona, h e r 132 p r o m i s c u o u s r e a d i n e s s t o accompany S a t a n and f i n a l l y , t h e most damaging 133 a s s o c i a t i o n of a l l , with the temptress, C i r c e , begin upon h e r
to cast
doubts
1
' s o l i d v i r t u e and f o r c e t h e i r s i g n i f i c a n c e upon d e t a i l s and
e v e n t s w h i c h might o t h e r w i s e have seemed i n n o c e n t enough. only i n r e t r o s p e c t that c e r t a i n half-formed s h a r p l y d e f i n e d and f a l l t h e o u t s e t we c a n n o t
While i t i s
r e s e r v a t i o n s become more
into a p a t t e r n of undeniable
f e e l a l t o g e t h e r easy about t h e s e
importance,
from
apparent
c o n t r a d i c t i o n s i n Eve's nature, which a r e c o n v e n i e n t l y epitomised i n the p a r a d o x i c a l f i g u r e of the
Venus-Virgo.
L e t us look a g a i n a t Eve's departure As she w i t h d r a w s ,
we a r e t o l d ,
from t h e a s t r o n o m i c a l
"A pomp o f w i n n i n g
debate.
graces"
... from a b o u t h e r s h o t d a r t s o f d e s i r e I n t o a l l eyes to wish her s t i l l i n sight. ( V I I I . 61-63)
"She
l e a v e s , " comments S t e i n ,
"under c i r c u m s t a n c e s t h a t e m p h a s i z e (and
c r e a t e the opportunity f o r emphasizing)
a t once h e r g e n u i n e charms, 134
[and] h e r p o t e n t i a l l y d a n g e r o u s c h a r m s " , and R i c k s h a s d e m o n s t r a t e d how
" t h e p o t e n t i a l danger
... i s e x p r e s s e d i n t h e p o t e n t i a l
syntax":
207
At f i r s t , d e s i r e seems a b s o l u t e , and a s s u c h p o t e n t i a l l y d a n g e r o u s and p r o p h e t i c o f t h e F a l l ... t h e h e s i t a t i o n i s m a i n t a i n e d by t h e d e l a y i n g p h r a s e ' i n t o a l l E y e s ' - a f t e r w h i c h , and onLy dS which, i s t h e d e s i r e d e f i n e d a s s t i l l innocent: 'to w i s h h e r s t i l l i n s i g h t ' . 1 3 5
Moreover, t h i s m o t i f o f s e n s u a l t e m p t a t i o n i n t r o d u c e d by M i l t o n i n o u r f i r s t f l a s h e s a t Adam "eyes/Of emphasis added), in
an u n n e c e s s a r y
to
give us pause:
seems d e l i b e r a t e l y
encounter
w i t h Adam and E v e a s s h e
c o n j u g a l a t t r a c t i o n unreproved"
f o rotherwise
"unreproved"
complication.
( I V . 492-93;
would i n v o l v e t h e r e a d e r
I t must, i t seems t o me, be i n c l u d e d
s h o u l d Adam have r e p r o v e d
such g l a n c e s ?
We must
make a c o n s c i o u s e f f o r t t o e x o r c i s e a n y d o u b t s we may have m o m e n t a r i l y e n t e r t a i n e d b e f o r e we c a n c o n c l u d e because
t h a t s u c h g l a n c e s were
i n P a r a d i s e open d e s i r e was s t i l l
important
innocent.
'unreproved'
Moreover, i t i s
t o remember t h e movement i s c o m p l e t e d and t h e p o t e n t i a l
danger h e r e f u l l y inflamed with
r e a l i z e d when, a f t e r e a t i n g t h e a p p l e , b o t h become
" C a r n a l d e s i r e " and b u r n i n l u s t a s Adam "on E v e " :
Began t o c a s t l a s c i v i o u s e y e s , [which] she him As w a n t o n l y r e p a i d . (IX.
The
1013-15)
l i n k between both e p i s o d e s i s f u r t h e r s t r e n g t h e n e d
by t h e s i g n i f -
i c a n t a l l u s i o n on both o c c a s i o n s t o H e r a ' s s u c c e s s f u l s e d u c t i o n o f Zeus on Mount I d a , i n a n a t t e m p t concerns
o f man's d e s t i n y .
t o d i s t r a c t him from t h e l a r g e r
We may r e c a l l
t o o t h a t i n S y l v e s t e r ' s Du
B a r t a s i t i s • " W i t h wanton g l a n c e o f B e a u t i e ' s b u r n i n g 136 "snares hot Youth i n s e n s u a l i t y " .
eye" that
Satan
208
A g a i n , i n t h e e y e s o f G i a m a t t i and Le Comte, h e r d e p a r t u r e "smacks t o o much o f Venus'
'follow-me'" e x i t
i n i n Marino's
Adonis:
I n t o t h e g r e e n and shady c l o i s t e r t h e r e W i t h show o f modesty she now w i t h d r a w s , Now c o v e r s , now r e v e a l s h e r g u a r d e d charms; She, a s h e r own a b d u c t o r , s t e a l s away. She now t u r n s p a l e , t h e n shows h e r p a l l i d l i m b s ; E a c h g e s t u r e seems by c h a n c e , y e t a l l i s a r t . A l o o f n e s s coy and s t u d i e d c a r e l e s s n e s s ^37 G i v e added charm t o h e r f a i r , naked l i m b s .
And
i n d e e d , i n Adam's a c c o u n t o f E v e ' s i n i t i a l r e s p o n s e t o h i s s u i t ,
her
r e s e m b l a n c e t o Marino's
Venus i s even more p r o n o u n c e d .
words c o n t a i n an i r o n i c c o u n t e r p o i n t r t h a t he h i m s e l f
Adam's
i s unaware o f - w h i c h
begins to suggest to the r e a d e r t h a t perhaps Eve's appearance modesty"
(VIII.
501)
i s coy, c a l c u l a t e d and a f f e c t e d .
of
"virgin
F o r she
... would be wooed, and n o t unsought be won, Not o b v i o u s , not o b t r u s i v e b u t r e t i r e d , The more d e s i r a b l e . (VIII.
reminding us t h a t i n P a r a d i s e Regained
503-5)
"virgin majesty"
(P R.
I I . 159)
i s m e r e l y a n o t h e r p l o y t o seduce and e n s n a r e mankind w h i c h t h e d a u g h t e r s of
Eve have
perfected:
S k i l l e d t o r e t i r e , and i n r e t i r i n g draw H e a r t s a f t e r them t a n g l e d i n amorous n e t s . (P_R_ I I . 161-62)
And
again, to those f a m i l i a r w i t h Milton's e a r l y v e r s e , the
d e s c r i b i n g E v e ' s r e t r e a t from Adam, quoted
above, may
comparison w i t h the h a l f - h e a r t e d f l i g h t of a mountain Faunus:
lines
insinuate nymph from
a
Si
209
Atque a l i q u a m c u p i d u s p r a e d a t u r Oreada F a u n u s , C o n s u l i t i n t r e p i d o s dum s i b i nympha p e d e s , Iamque l a t e t , l a t i t a n s q u e c u p i t male t e c t a v i d e r i , Et fugit, et fugiens p e r v e l i t ipsa c a p i .
( E l . V.
W i t h t h i s i n mind, E v e ' s r e s e m b l a n c e
t o "a wood-nymph l i g h t / O r e a d o r
dryad"
( I X . 386-87) i s t r o u b l i n g and ambiguous.
subtly
s u g g e s t , a s Bush h a s n o t e d , 138
u n a w a r e n e s s " but i t may she w i l l
127-30)
her
Not
o n l y does i t
" p h y s i c a l g r a c e and
mental
a l s o be an i r o n i c p o i n t e r t o t h e m o r a l
laxity
show i n r e a d i l y f o l l o w i n g S a t a n .
H a v i n g remarked upon E v e ' s c l o s e a s s o c i a t i o n w i t h F l o r a ,
Knott 139
protests that
"we
could never
s u s p e c t Eve o f F l o r a ' s
However, M i l t o n ' s c u l t i v a t i o n e l s e w h e r e
wantoness".
of such ambivalent
r e g a r d i n g Eve's moral c h a r a c t e r renders her resemblance B e a r i n g i n mind t h a t t h r o u g h o u t
h e r h i s t o r y , F l o r a had
to Flora been
a s a g o d d e s s o f d u b i o u s m o r a l s t a n d a r d s , i t seems l i k e l y had
intended
feelings
regarded
that
s u c h damaging a s s o c i a t i o n s t o form p a r t o f our
suspect.
Milton
response
to t h i s linkage. O v i d h i m s e l f had e x p l a i n e d why frequented
the F l o r a l i a ,
( F a s t i V.
349,
...
meretricia"
good-humouredly r e m i n d i n g
not a s t r a i g h t - l a c e d goddess "non professis"
a "turba
e s t de t e t r i c i s ,
351) , w h i l e A u g u s t i n e
us t h a t F l o r a non
had
e s t de magna
found o c c a s i o n t o
r e m a r k upon t h e m o r a l l i c e n c e w i t h w h i c h t h e games of h e r were c u s t o m a r i l y c e l e b r a t e d :
was
festival
"qui l u d i t a n t o d e v o t i u s , quanto t u r p i u s
K0 celebrari".
More r e c e n t l y ,
open a l l u s i o n tradition
to F l o r a e a r l y
P a t r i c k Hume, commenting upon i n Book V,
had
Milton's
s e e n f i t t o m e n t i o n the:
that:
F l o r a was a Woman of l a s c i v i o u s L i f e , who l e a v i n g a great mass of money, got by her lewdness, t o the C i t y of Rome was honoured w i t h a f e s t i v a l ; and to -^Ul sweeten her Reputation, made the Goddess of f l o w e r s .
210
T h i s t r a d i t i o n had a l s o been " c i t e d a p p r o v i n g l y
by E . K. i n h i s
n o t e s t o S p e n s e r ' s March e c l o g u e " where he r e f e r s t o F l o r a a s "a famous 142 harlot". Milton
thus
succeeds i n implanting
i n the reader's
d o u b t s a b o u t t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f combining c h a s t i t y w i t h D i a n a w i t h Venus, a n d o f p r e s e r v i n g even i n Eden.
sensuousness without s e n s u a l i t y -
enough.
As i s f r e q u e n t l y n o t e d , t h e l e n g t h o f "Her
unadorned g o l d e n t r e s s e s " w h i c h s h e w e a r s " a s a v e i l slender waist"
( I V . 303, 304)
follows
straying
her for a covering
i fthere
shoulders",
X I . 15, where
i s deepened s t i l l
referred to the corruption
that
( I V . 3 0 6 ) , and t h e
i s one, t o B i s h o p H a l l ' s r e p r e s e n t a t i o n
m e r e l y compounds o u r s e n s e
complaining t h a t :
However, a number
by t h e r e f e r e n c e
l i n e t o E v e ' s "wanton r i n g l e t s "
s o u l a s a woman w i t h a " l o o s e 143
impression
or a v e i l " .
have been u n d e r s t a n d a b l y d i s c o n c e r t e d
i n t h e next
allusion,
i n Corinthians
t h a t " i f a woman have l o n g h a i r , i t i s a g l o r y t o h e r :
her h a i r i s given
of c r i t i c s
down t o [ h e r J
i s e v i d e n t l y of symbolic importance,
c l e a r l y a l l u d i n g t o t h e words o f S t . P a u l
for
sexual desire,
Indeed, h i s f i r s t d e s c r i p t i o n o f Eve i s d i s t u r b i n g . I t
begins innocently
he m a i n t a i n s
mind shadowy
of the
l o c k e r r i n g wantonly over h e r
of uneasiness.
f u r t h e r when we r e f l e c t
This disturbing t h a t M i l t o n had
o f t h e Church i n remarkably s i m i l a r
terms,
"Her c h a s t
and modest v o i l e " h a d been " o v e r l a i d w i t h 144 wanton t r e s s e s ... and a l l t h e gaudy a l l u r e m e n t s o f a Whore". A g a i n , H a r d i n g ' s argument t h a t M i l t o n
was s e e k i n g
to create
... i n t h i s s t r a n g e l y t r o u b l i n g d e s c r i p t i o n o f E v e ... t h e r i c h l y ambiguous e f f e c t o f H o r a c e s u n t r a n s l a t a b l e phrase, simplex m u n d i t i i s , i n the famous F i f t h Ode t o P y r r h a . "Unadorned, a d o r n e d t h e most", t h e y e l l o w h a i r e d P y r r h a c o m b i n e s voluptuousness with a s o p h i s t i c a t e d s i m p l i c i t y t o conquer a n d b e t r a y t h e h e a r t s o f men. 145 1
211
conveys still
a d d i t i o n a l d i s t u r b i n g overtones
further.
Remembering M i l t o n ' s
and q u a l i f i e s
"permanent v i e w
our response o f ... s e n s u a l i t y
a s , i f n o t t h e c h i e f o f s i n s , a t l e a s t a s o u r c e and symbol o f most 146 o t h e r s " and t h e l a t e r e m p h a s i s on E v e ' s ' C i r c e a n charm', t h e d i s c r e e t s u g g e s t i o n a t t h e o u t s e t , o f what H a r d i n g
has c a l l e d
"a l u r k i n g ,
147 p o t e n t i a l l y d e s t r u c t i v e s e n s u a l i t y i n Eve" i s c l e a r l y
not without
significance, I n Eden, t h e n , t h e a p p a r e n t l y dissonant v a l u e s o f c h a s t i t y and l o v e come t o g e t h e r f o r a time and a r e h e l d t o g e t h e r h a r m o n i o u s l y
in a
p a t t e r n o f e x c e p t i o n a l g r a c e and i n t e n s i t y , b u t M i l t o n makes u s aware t h a t the t h r e a t of d i s c o r d i s always p r e s e n t . m a n i f e s t a t i o n s a s Venus and D i a n a ,
Although
o r a s o t h e r , r e l a t e d d e i t i e s and
f i g u r e s a s s o c i a t e d w i t h t h o s e two g r e a t g o d d e s s e s , magnify h e r beauty, i m p l i c i t l y provide
splendour
Eve's
primarily serve to
and power, t h e y , a t t h e same
time,
t h e grounds f o r a r r a i g n i n g h e r l a t e r b o t h a s a
c h a r a c t e r and a s a s y m b o l .
From t h e o u t s e t , s h e e n c o m p a s s e s b o t h t h e
p o s i t i v e and t h e p o t e n t i a l l y n e g a t i v e q u a l i t i e s t h a t c h a r a c t e r i z e a s p e c t s o f t h e complex f i g u r e o f V e n u s - V i r g o .
both
T h a t M i l t o n was a b l e t o
make s u c h c o n t r a d i c t o r y f o r c e s work t o g e t h e r i n h e r c h a r a c t e r i s a t i o n accounts
f o r some o f t h e power o f h i s p o r t r a y a l o f E v e and t h e w i d e l y
d i f f e r e n t responses to h e r .
As
s o o f t e n i n P a r a d i s e L o s t , we do n o t f i n d an a r b i t r a r y o r
i n d i s c r i m i n a t e u s e o f m y t h o l o g i c a l s y m b o l i s m , b u t an i n h e r e n t t h e s t r a i n o f w h i c h c a n o n l y be r e l e a s e d w i t h t h e F a l l . s p i r i t u a l v i r g i n i t y of innocence
ambiguity,
While the
c a n n e v e r be r e p a i r e d , t h e s i g n i f i c a n c e
o f M i l t o n ' s a s s o c i a t i o n o f Eve w i t h t h e famous, O v i d i a n e x e m p l a r o f
212
f a i t h f u l married of e p i t h e t here more f i t t i n g
love, should
"chaste Pyrrha"
( X I . 12) and h i s t e l l i n g
not be m i s s e d .
Milton
c o u l d have h i t upon no
a way o f r e p r e s e n t i n g h e r r e c o n c i l i a t i o n
r e c o v e r y o f God's f a v o u r
choice
a f t e r h e r s e d u c t i o n by
Satan.
t o Adam and
213
Notes
1.
S y l v e s t e r ' s Du B a r t a s
I.vi.1044-53.
2.
Dudley R. H u t c h e r s o n ,
3.
c f . J e w i s h t r a d i t i o n w h i c h , w h i l e c o n c e d i n g E v e ' s " b e a u t y and g r a c e " e m p h a s i z e d t h a t s h e "was b u t a s an ape compared w i t h Adam" ( L o u i s G i n z b e r g , The Legends o f t h e Jews [ P h i l a d e l p h i a , 1925] I , p.68 and 60, a s q u o t e d by D. R. H u t c h e r s o n , ' M i l t o n ' s E v e and t h e O t h e r E v e s ' , p.13).
4.
Fasti
5.
D. R. H u t c h e r s o n ,
6.
See Newton's n o t e t o I V . 3 0 5 .
7.
T h y e r ' s note t o IV.304.
8.
D. R. H u t c h e r s o n ,
9.
Newton's n o t e t o V I I I . 4 0 and c f . S p e n s e r , The F a e r i e Queene 4-9.
10.
S p e n s e r , The F a e r i e Queene
11.
The same p o i n t i s made, though Bartas I.vi.1017-23.
12.
S p e n s e r , The F a e r i e Queene
13.
Though i n t h i s c a s e t h e r i v a l s o f f r u i t t r e e s , Pomona.
14.
c f . Remedia A m o r i s ,
' M i l t o n ' s E v e and t h e O t h e r E v e s , ' p.18.
I V . 133-44.
' M i l t o n ' s E v e and t h e O t h e r E v e s ' , p.15.
' M i l t o n ' s E v e and t h e O t h e r E v e s ' , p. 15.
VI.x.21.
V I . x . 2 3 . 1-2, 9.
l e s s d e l i c a t e l y , i n S y l v e s t e r ' s Du
V I . x . 2 3 . 5-6.
711-12.
f l a n k i n g E v e a r e Venus and t h e goddess
214
1
15.
Lindenbaum,
Lovemaking i n M i l t o n ' s Paradise',
p.290.
16.
And
17.
Fowler, note t o VIII.579-85;
18.
Commento I I , p.139.
19.
Fowler, note to V I I I . 5 8 9 - 9 4 ;
20.
Wind, p.109.
21.
ibid.,
22.
F i c i n o , De Amore, I I ,
23.
P u r v i s E . B o y e t t e , ' M i l t o n ' s Eve and t h e N e o p l a t o n i c G r a c e s ' , R e n a i s s a n c e Q u a r t e r l y , XX ( 1 9 6 7 ) , p.341. T h i s i n t e r e s t i n g a r t i c l e seems t o have been i n s p i r e d by Wind's r e a d i n g o f t h e N e o p l a t o n i c s i g n i f i c a n c e o f t h e imagery i n B o t t i c e l l i ' s P r i m a v e r a .
24.
Wind, p.39. c f . S p e n s e r , The F a e r i e Queene, V I . x . 1 5 , where he d e s c r i b e s t h e G r a c e s a s " d a u g h t e r s o f d e l i g h t , / H a n d m a i d e n s o f Venus, who " t o men a l l g i f t s o f g r a c e do g r a u n t , / A n d a l l , t h a t Venus i n h e r s e l f e d o t h v a u n t , / I s borrowed o f them."
25.
See Wind, p.52 and S e n e c a ' s a c c o u n t o f t h e c l a s s i c g r o u p i n g o f t h e G r a c e s , De B e n e f i c i i s I.iii.
26.
Wind, p . 5 2 .
27.
Commento I I I , i i . s e e too p.69.
28.
Lindenbaum c o n s i d e r s we have " v e r y good c a u s e t o c o n s i d e r b o t h t h a t M i l t o n h i m s e l f v i e w e d ["the g i f t o f p r e l a p s a r i a n l o v e " J a s t h e crown of E d e n ' s b l e s s i n g and t h a t he wanted u s t o t h i n k so t o o " ('Lovemaking i n M i l t o n ' s P a r a d i s e ' , p . 2 8 3 ) .
c f . Adam's w o r d s a t I X . 3 0 9 - 1 0 .
xxiv.
p.427.
(ed. G a r i n I I I ,
i , p.524-31), as c i t e d
i n Wind,
p.428.
p.40.
2, a s quoted
i n Wind, p.50.
(ed. G a r i n , p . 5 3 7 ) , a s c i t e d
i n Wind, p.121,
and
215
29.
B o y e t t e , ' M i l t o n ' s Eve and t h e N e o p l a t o n i c Graces', p.341.
30.
Fletcher,
31.
L i e b , The D i a l e c t i c s o f C r e a t i o n ,
32.
T e t r a c h o r d o n ( C o l . I V , p . 7 6 ) . Hume was one o f t h e f i r s t commentators t o r e c o g n i s e t h e s i g n i f i c a n c e o f t h i s c h a p t e r o f S t Paul's L e t t e r t o t h e C o r i n t h i a n s i n h i s note t o IV.290.
33.
Lindenbaum, 'Lovemaking i n M i l t o n ' s
34.
See S y l v e s t e r ' s Du B a r t a s
35.
Cope, The Metaphoric S t r u c t u r e
36.
H a l k e t t , M i l t o n and t h e Idea o f Matrimony, p.122.
37.
Goodman, The" F a l l o f Man, p.2GO, p. 152.
38.
S. A u r e l i i A u g u s t i n i De C i v i t a t e Dei C o n t r a Paganos, w i t h an E n g l i s h t r a n s l a t i o n by George E. McCraken i n t h e Loeb C l a s s i c a l L i b r a r y (1957), X V . x x i i ( I V , pp.542-44).
39.
Bush, John M i l t o n , pp.162-63.
40.
P u r v i s E. B o y e t t e , 'Something More about t h e E r o t i c M o t i v e i n P a r a d i s e L o s t ' , Tulane S t u d i e s i n E n g l i s h XV (1967), p.29.
41.
S t e i n , Answerable S t y l e , p.82.
42.
I t i s w o r t h n o t i n g t h a t i n t h e t h e o l o g i c a l scheme o f t h e poem, Eve i s f i r m l y s e t i n an o r d e r i n g , l i m i t i n g and c o n t r o l l i n g c o n t e x t . The p o r t r a y a l o f h e r beauty as a t h i n g i n i t s e l f - i n d e p e n d e n t , s e l f - a b s o r b e d - begins t o make i t look as though she i s f r e e i n g h e r s e l f from h e r p r o p e r c o n t e x t . Eve i s p r e c i s e l y n o t , and ought n o t t o t h i n k o f h e r s e l f as t h e goddess o f beauty w i t h a l l t h e independent s e l f - a b s o r b t i o n t h a t connotes. See H a z l i t t , 'On t h e C h a r a c t e r o f M i l t o n ' s Eve' f o r some i n t e r e s t i n g o b s e r v a t i o n s on
p.179.
p.149.
P a r a d i s e ' , p.289.
II.i.1.434.
o f 'Paradise Lost', p.82.
216
the way i n which "Eve i s n o t o n l y r e p r e s e n t e d as b e a u t i f u l , b u t w i t h conscious beauty" (The Complete Works o f W i l l i a m H a z l i t t . ed. P. P. Howe [ 1 9 3 0 ] , I V , pp.105-8, emphasis added) . I n h i s commentary on Ovid's account o f t h e melancholy end o f N a r c i s s u s , Sandys draws a p a r a l l e l w i t h another " f e a r f u l example ... o f t h e danger o f s e l f e l o v e i n t h e f a l l o f t h e Angells,- who i n t e r m i t t i n g t h e b e a t i f i c a l l v i s i o n by r e f l e c t i n g upon themselves, and a d m i r a t i o n o f t h e i r owne e x c e l l e n c y , f o r g o t t h e i r dependence upon t h e i r c r e a t o r " (p.160) and D. C. A l l e n has i n d i c a t e d t h e way i n which t h e f a t e s o f Satan and Eve b e g i n t o r e f l e c t upon one another t h r o u g h t h e image o f N a r c i s s u s i n h i s essay, ' M i l t o n ' s Eve and t h e Evening A n g e l s ' , MLN LXXV (1960), pp.108-9.
43.
L u c r e t i u s , De Rerum Natura
I.i.
44.
c f . VIII.405-7.
45.
Goodman, The F a l l o f Man, p.158.
46.
Demetrakopoulos, 'Eve as a C i r c e a n and C o u r t l y F a t a l Woman', p.99.
47.
ibid.
48.
Fowler, note t o IV.694, p.235.
49.
ibid. Fowler concludes t h i s l i s t o f complements w i t h "reason and v i r t u e " , b u t t h i s seems t o push t h e meaning o f t h e passage a l i t t l e too f a r . The m y r t l e i s n o t u s u a l l y used as an emblem o f v i r t u e .
50.
See Fowler's n o t e t o IV.301-8, p.213 and Newton's note t o IV.305.
51.
Fowler, note t o IV.694, p.235.
52.
Sandys, p.74.
53.
Wind, p.73. On p.74, Wind a l s o notes how t h i s v e r s e appears as an a l t e r n a t i v e r e v e r s e d e s i g n on t h e medal o f Giovanna d e g l i A l b i z z i ; the Venus-Virgo i s t h u s 'unfolded' i n t h e Graces, C a s t i t a s P u l c h r i t u d o - A m o r , j u s t as t h e Graces a r e ' i n f o l d e d ' i n t h e VenusVirgo.
217
54.
See Wind, p.75.
55.
Spenser, F a e r i e Queene I V . i v . 9 ; v. 5, 4, 8.
56.
See Leonard F o r s t e r , The I c y F i r e : F i v e S t u d i e s Petrarchism(Cambridge, 1969), pp.122-47.
57.
D a n i e l Rogers, M a t r i m o n i a l l Honour, pp.11-12.
58.
W i l l i a m P e r k i n s , C h r i s t i a n Oeconomie, p.112.
59.
Rogers, M a t r i m o n i a l l Honour, pp.11-12.
60.
Phineas F l e t c h e r , The P u r p l e I s l a n d x.24-25, f r o m The Complete Works o f G i l e s and Phineas F l e t c h e r , ed. F r e d e r i c k S. Boas (Cambridge, 1909),11.
61.
P e r k i n s , C h r i s t i a n Oeconomie, p.11.
62.
Rogers, M a t r i m o n i a l l Honour, p.7.
63.
S i n f i e l d , p.63.
64.
W i l l i a m H a l l e r , ' " H a i l Wedded Love"' i n M i l t o n : Modern Judgements, p.304.
65.
I n s i t i t u t i o C h r i s t i a n a e R e l i g i o n i s I o a n n i s C a l v i n i (Lavsanne, 1576), I V . x i i . 2 8 , p.312.
66.
But c f . Mother Pecheux, 'The Concept o f t h e Second Eve i n P a r a d i s e L o s t ' , where she argues t h a t "The e f f e c t o f t h i s s e r i e s o f r e f e r e n c e s i s r a t h e r " t o f o c u s a t t e n t i o n on what m i g h t be c a l l e d t h e s p i r i t u a l v i r g i n i t y o f Eve" (p.362, emphasis added).
i n European
218
67.
Arcades 1.89, and c f . N o r t h r o p Frye's s u g g e s t i v e comment on t h i s l i n e i n h i s essay, 'The R e v e l a t i o n t o Eve' i n 'Paradise L o s t ' : A T e r c e n t e n a r y T r i b u t e ed. B. Rajan (Toronto, 1969), where he remarks: "A f o r e s t so dense t h a t the (male) sky i s shut o u t , as i n t h e 'branching elm s t a r - p r o o f o f Arcades, may be a symbol o f n a t u r a l v i r g i n i t y , the abode o f Diana" ( p . 2 3 ) .
68.
M i l t o n ' s o b s e r v a t i o n t h a t "Her husband t h e r e l a t e r she p r e f e r r e d / Before the a n g e l " ( V I I I . 5 2 - 5 3 ) seems e s p e c i a l l y r e v e a l i n g i n t h i s context.
69.
A l t h o u g h Raphael seems n o t t o share the g e n e r a l enthusiasm f o r Eve's ' f a i r outside' ( V I I I . 5 6 7 - 6 8 ) , the n a r r a t o r s p e c i f i c a l l y notes t h a t as she d e p a r t s from the d i s c u s s i o n on astronomy " d a r t s o f d e s i r e " are " s h o t / I n t o a l l eyes t o wish her s t i l l i n s i g h t " ( V I I I . 6 2 - 6 3 , emphasis added).
70.
c f . Evans, p.33, where he comments on t h e f u s i o n o f t h e myth o f f a l l o f t h e watcher angels w i t h t h e f a t e o f Eve.
71.
F l e t c h e r , pp.185-86.
72.
D.
73.
F l e t c h e r , pp.184-85.
74.
F o w l e r , note t o XI.621-22, p.595. A u g u s t i n e t o o , i n t r o d u c e s t h e q u e s t i o n "utrum p r a e v a r i c a t o r e s a n g e l i cum f i l i a b u s hominum conc u b u e r i n t " i n De C i v i t a t e Dei I I I . v . ( I p . 2 7 8 ) , and r e t u r n s t o i t a g a i n a t X V . x x i i i ( I V , p.546).
R.
Hutcherson, ' M i l t o n ' s Eve
and
the
the Other Eves', p.20.
y
75.
P R
II.
174-91.
76.
S e v e r a l r e c e n t s t u d i e s have drawn a t t e n t i o n - i f o n l y i n p a s s i n g t o t h e s e x u a l o v e r t o n e s i n Satan's s e d u c t i o n o f Eve. See F l e t c h e r , p. 186; Svendsen, M i l t o n and Science, pp.167-70; H a l k e t t , M i l t o n and t h e Idea o f Matrimony, p.125; D u s t i n H. G r i f f i n , ' M i l t o n ' s E v e n i n g , MS_ V I (1974), pp.259-76, p.265 e s p e c i a l l y ; Thomas H. B l a c k b u r n , " U n c l o i s t e r ' d V i r t u e " : Adam and Eve i n M i l t o n ' s P a r a d i s e ' , MS I I (1970), p.128; M a r s h a l l Grossman, 'Dramatic S t r u c t u r e and Emotive P a t t e r n i n g i n the F a l l ' , MS X I I I (1979), p.204; N o r t h r o p F r y e , 'The R e v e l a t i o n t o Eve', i n 'Paradise L o s t ' : A T e r c e n t e n a r y T r i b u t e , e d . B. Rajan, p.24; M i l o w i c k i and W i l s o n , '"Character" i n 1
1
219
P a r a d i s e L o s t ' , p.82; Wolfgang E. H. Rudat, 'Godhead and M i l t o n ' s Satan: C l a s s i c a l Myth and A u g u s t i n i a n Theology i n P a r a d i s e L o s t ' , MQ XIV (1980), pp.17-21; and, p a r t i c u l a r l y , Le Comte,Milton and Sex,pp.78-81. See a l s o S t e i n , Answerable S t y l e , p.59, where he suggests t h a t M i l t o n ' s a l l u s i o n t o Asmodeus (IV.168) may be an " a n t i c i p a t o r y s u g g e s t i o n o f Satan's l o v e f o r Eve" and Fowler, n o t e t o IX. 489-93, p.467, where he argues t h a t "As w i t h t h e f i r s t ' t e m p t a t i o n , M. comes v e r y near t o p r e s e n t i n g the second as a s e d u c t i o n . " c f . S y l v e s t e r ' s Du B a r t a s , I I . i . 2 . 7 6 - 8 4 and 302-15.
77.
M a r t z , Poet o f E x i l e , p.136.
78.
Fowler, note t o IX.387-92, p.459.
79.
M a r t z , Poet o f E x i l e , p.136.
80.
Pearce, note t o IX.393.
81.
c f . Fowler's note t o IX.270, p.453.
82.
From 'The Argument t o Book I X ' , Fowler, p.433.
83.
IX.694.
84.
B l e s s i n g t o n , 'Paradise L o s t ' and t h e C l a s s i c a l E p i c , p.55 and c f . G i a m a t t i ' s s u g g e s t i o n t h a t " I n t h e d r o o p i n g heads o f t h e f l o w e r s and t h e i m p l i e d f a t e o f Eve t h e r e seems t o be woven a reminscence of t h e melancholy end o f E u r y a l u s ... (Aeneid, I X , 435-437)" (The E a r t h l y P a r a d i s e , note 30, pp.328-29). While n e i t h e r c r i t i c mentions t h e more t e l l i n g a l l u s i o n t o C a t u l l u s , XI.22-24 and L X I I . 39-47 (see p . 2 0 l ) , t h e a s s o c i a t i o n o f Eve w i t h o t h e r h e r o i c c h a r a c t e r s i s s i g n i f i c a n t . A l t h o u g h her independent r o l e i s a n t i c i p a t e d by C a m i l l a and B r i t o m a r t , amongst o t h e r s , Webber's o b s e r v a t i o n t h a t "Paradise L o s t i s t h e f i r s t e p i c i n which t h e a c t i v e h e r o i c r o l e i s shared e q u a l l y by t h e sexes" ('Feminism and P a r a d i s e L o s t ' , p.12) should n o t be o v e r l o o k e d . Note t o o Demetrako p o u l o s ' c o n t e n t i o n t h a t "To M i l t o n a s e l f - r e l i a n t and independent woman i s a g g r e s s i v e l y lewd and l a s c i v i o u s " ('Eve as a C i r c e a n and C o u r t l y F a t a l Woman , p.102). 1
85.
John M. Steadman, M i l t o n ' s Epic C h a r a c t e r s : Image and I d o l (Chapel H i l l , 1959), pp.23-43 and M i l t o n and t h e Renaissance Hero ( O x f o r d , 1967), esp. pp.1-42.
220
86.
IX.14.
87.
A u g u s t i n e , De Genesi ad L i t t e r a m XI.xxx.
88.
Demetrakopoulos, 'Eve as a C i r c e a n and C o u r t l y F a t a l Woman', p.100.
89.
Hodge and Aers, ' " R a t i o n a l B u r n i n g " : M i l t o n on Sex and M a r r i a g e , p. 20.
90.
M a r t z , Poet o f E x i l e , p.137.
91.
i b i d . , p.136.
92.
C h a r l e s Paul Segal, 'Landscape i n Ovid's Metamorphoses', Hermes: E i n z e l s c h r i f t e n , H e f t 23 (Wiesbaden, 1969), p.82. Interesting l i g h t has been c a s t on t h e ambivalence o f f e e l i n g Ovid a t t a c h e s t o n a t u r e i n t h e Metamorphoses by t h i s and another i m p o r t a n t essay, Hugh P a r r y , 'Ovid's Metamorphoses: V i o l e n c e i n a P a s t o r a l Landscape', TAPA XCV (1964), pp.268-82. Martz has a l s o r e c o g n i s e d t h e importance o f t h e i r f i n d i n g s f o r t h e l i g h t t h e y shed on M i l t o n ' s own s u b v e r s i o n o f t h e p a s t o r a l mode (see The Poet o f E x i l e , p.229) and t h i s p a r t o f my argument i s h e a v i l y i n d e b t e d t o t h e i r s t u d i e s . For a d i f f e r e n t v i e w , see G. S t a n l e y K o e h l e r , ' M i l t o n and t h e A r t o f Landscape', MS_ V I I I (1975), p.6, where he f i n d s Eden e n j o y s t h e " s e c l u s i o n p r o p e r t o t h e p a s t o r a l r e t r e a t , " b u t as K n o t t has observed, "The e l e g a i c note ... i n Paradise L o s t where Eden i s r a r e l y seen w i t h o u t ominous shadows belongs t o a more s o p h i s t i c a t e d k i n d o f p a s t o r a l " ('Symbolic Landscape i n Paradise L o s t ' , MS I I [ 1 9 7 0 ] , p . 4 7 ) .
93.
c f . IX.340-41.
94.
Le Comte, M i l t o n and Sex, p.77
95.
ibid.
96.
c f . Met. X I I I . 9 0 2 .
97.
Fowler, note t o IX.426-31, p.463.
98.
Fowler, n o t e t o IX.216-9, p.451.
1
See t o o , C. S. Lewis, A Preface t o 'Paradise L o s t , p.49
221
99.
B l a m i r e s , M i l t o n ' s C r e a t i o n , p.226 and compare Lady i s l i k e w i s e ready t o t e s t t h e s t r e n g t h o f f o l l o w Comus (Comus 11.328-29), i n t h e case o f no e v i d e n c e t h a t she i s aware t h a t her ' t r i a l '
XII.614. While t h e h e r v i r t u e and Eve, we a r e g i v e n has begun.
100.
Commentators have been t r o u b l e d by t h i s v e r s e . I n an a t t e m p t t o answer B e n t l e y ' s o b j e c t i o n " t h a t Eve i s n o t here s a i d t o be l i k e Pomona always, b u t when she f l e d Vertumnus" Pearce argues: M i l t o n ' s meaning i s , t h a t she was l i k e Pomona, n o t p r e c i s e l y a t t h e hour when she f l e d Vertumnus, b u t a t t h a t t i m e o f her l i f e when Vertumnus made h i s addresses t o h e r , t h a t i s when she was a l l i n her p e r f e c t i o n o f beauty as d e s c r i b e d by Ovid ... (note t o IX.393) However, as so o f t e n , B e n t l e y ' s s t r i c t u r e s p o i n t t o some h i d d e n meaning and h e l p t o a l e r t us t o a s i g n i f i c a n c e beyond t h e immediate.
101.
K n o t t , M i l t o n ' s P a s t o r a l V i s i o n , p.119.
102.
Empson, Some V e r s i o n s o f P a s t o r a l , p.185.
103.
See F o w l e r , note t o V.35-37, p.258.
104.
Empson, Some V e r s i o n s o f P a s t o r a l , p.175; see a l s o pp.185-86, where he mentions t h e r a b b i n i c a l t r a d i t i o n which made Satan t h e f a t h e r o f Cain.
105.
Rudat, 'Godhead and M i l t o n ' s Satan: C l a s s i c a l Myth and A u g u s t i n i a n Theology i n P a r a d i s e L o s t ' , p.17. See t o o , Le C o m t e M i l t o n and Sex,PP-79-80 However, Rudat goes on t o d i s c o u n t t h i s p o s s i b i l i t y and t o suggest t h a t t h e s e r p e n t i s , a f t e r a l l , merely a " p h a l l i c symbol" ( p . 1 7 ) . Yet M i l t o n has d e l i b e r a t e l y drawn a t t e n t i o n t o t h e a n c i e n t t r a d i t i o n " t h a t sometimes Serpents have beene i n l o v e w i t h women, m a n i f e s t i n g a l l t h e s i g n e s o f wanton a f f e c t i o n " (Sandys, p.424). Svendsen d i r e c t s us t o Camerarius' The L i v i n g L i b r a r i e as a r e f e r e n c e f o r M i l t o n ' s examples o f t h e amorous i n c l i n a t i o n s o f s e r p e n t s ( M i l t o n and Science, pp.169-70). But t h e r e i s another p o s s i b l e source n e a r e r t o hand i n t h e passage from Sandys, quoted above, which c o n t i n u e s : r
A Serpent was s a i d t o have beene found about Olympia's bed, t h a t n i g h t w h e r e i n she conceaved w i t h Alexander; which gave a c o l o u r t o t h e claime o f h i s descent from J u p i t e r . The l i k e t h e Romans d i v u l g e d o f S c i p i o A f r i c a n u s , b o t h r e p o r t s no doubt b u t p r o c e e d i n g i n p a r t from t h e Serpents amorous i n c l i n a t i o n . (p.424)
222
Moreover, Bush has n o t e d an Ovid-Sandys c o n n e c t i o n i n t h e p r e c e d i n g a l l u s i o n t o "Hermione and Cadmus" ( c f . Met. IV.572-603), w h i l e Fowler p o i n t s o u t t h a t Hermione i s " n o t an O v i d i a n f o r m " ( n o t e t o IX. 505-10, p.469), Bush has observed t h a t i t i s "Sandys r e g u l a r f o r m , i n t e x t and commentary" (Mythology and t h e Renaissance T r a d i t i o n , note 96, p.282).
106.
See H. J . Rose, A Handbook o f Greek Mythology, ( S i x t h e d i t i o n , 1958), p.51.
107.
(L. , " I L i t . , o f c o l o u r and appearance, v a r i e g a t e d , p a r t i - c o l o u r e d " , etc.)
108.
Adams, p.89.
109.
B e n t l e y , n o t e t o IX.393.
110.
Pearce, n o t e t o IX.393.
111.
R i c k s , M i l t o n ' s Grand S t y l e , p.85.
112.
Adams, p.118.
113.
Pearce, n o t e t o IX.393.
114.
C. S. Lewis, A Preface t o 'Paradise L o s t ' , p.42.
115.
ibid.
116.
For a f u r t h e r d i s c u s s i o n o f M i l t o n ' s a s s o c i a t i o n o f Eve w i t h P r o s e r p i n a , see pp. 2 2 7 - 32 an3 pp .243-47.
117.
The poems o f C a t u l l u s w i t h a t r a n s l a t i o n by F.W.Cornish i n C a t u l l u s , T i b u l l u s and P e r v i g i l i u m V e n e r i s i n t h e Loeb C l a s s i c a l L i b r a r y (1913, r e v . and r e p r . 1962),LXII.34-47
118.
P a r r y has drawn a t t e n t i o n t o t h e " v i o l e n t e r o t i c imagery i n which P l u t o ' s descent i n t o Hades i s couched"('Ovid's Metamorphoses: V i o l e n c e i n a P a s t o r a l Landscape', p.275).
223
119.
Svendsen, M i l t o n and Science, p.170.
120.
Cope, The Metaphoric S t r u c t u r e o f 'Paradise L o s t ' , p.80.
121.
See Fowler, note t o 11.727-28, p.125.
122.
See Fowler, note t o 11.650-66, p.120.
123.
Sandys, p.645.
124.
H a r d i n g o f f e r s s t r o n g evidence t h a t suggests M i l t o n i n t e n d e d t h e r e a d e r t o l i n k Eve w i t h S i n from t h e o u t s e t (The Club o f H e r c u l e s , pp.74-75). Consider t o o Empson's argument t h a t M i l t o n a s s o c i a t e s Eve w i t h Sin t h r o u g h the m y t h o l o g i c a l a l l u s i o n t o P r o s e r p i n a (Some V e r s i o n s o f P a s t o r a l , p. 173).
125.
S t . Jerome, E p i s t o l a X X I I . 2 1 from P a t r o l o g i a L a t i n a , e d . J. P. Migne ( P a r i s , 1878-90), X X I I . Col.408, and c f . L i e b ' s c o n c l u s i o n t h a t j u s t as "Satan has f a t h e r e d Death i n S i n ... he has f a t h e r e d death i n Eve" (The D i a l e c t i c s o f C r e a t i o n , p.179).
126.
Of P r e l a t i c a l l Episcopacy
127.
Hume, note t o V.387.
128.
A. B. Chambers, 'Three Notes on Eve's Dream i n P a r a d i s e L o s t ' , PQ XLVI (1946), p.191.
129.
See, f o r example, Svendsen, M i l t o n and Science, p.265; Pecheux, 'The Concept o f t h e Second Eve i n P a r a d i s e L o s t ' pp.359-66; L i e b The D i a l e c t i c s o f C r e a t i o n , p.184; Le Comte, -Milton and Sex, p.75.
130.
Chambers, 'Three Notes on Eve's Dream i n P a r a d i s e L o s t ' , p.191.
131.
See Le Comte, M i l t o n and Sex, p.78.
132.
See K n o t t , M i l t o n ' s P a s t o r a l V i s i o n , p.119.
( C o l . I I I . i , p.94).
224
13 3.
X.884. F o r a c o n s i d e r a t i o n o f some o f t h e i m p l i c a t i o n s o f E v e ' s C i r c e a n r o l e , s e e , f o r example, D e m e t r a k o p o u l o s , 'Eve a s a C i r c e a n and C o u r t l y F a t a l Woman', p.100; G i a m a t t i , The E a r t h l y P a r a d i s e , pp.329-30; Seaman, The Moral Paradox o f ' P a r a d i s e L o s t ' , pp.102-12; B r o d w i n , ' M i l t o n and t h e R e n a i s s a n c e C i r c e ' , p.60.
134.
S t e i n , Answerable S t y l e ,
135.
R i c k s , Milton's
136.
S y l v e s t e r ' s Du B a r t a s
137.
G i a m a t t i , The E a r t h l y P a r a d i s e , pp.321-22; L e Comte, M i l t o n
138.
Bush, John M i l t o n , p . 164.
139.
Knott,
140.
Augustine,
141.
Hume, note t o V.16.
142.
Knott,
143.
See F i s h ,
144.
Of R e f o r m a t i o n
145.
H a r d i n g , The C l u b o f H e r c u l e s ,
146.
Bush, Mythology and t h e R e n a i s s a n c e
147.
H a r d i n g , The C l u b o f H e r c u l e s ,
Milton's
p.91.
Grand S t y l e ,
I.i.658-59.
P a s t o r a l V i s i o n , p.117.
De C i v i t a t e D e i
Milton's
p.98
Il.xxvii.
P a s t o r a l V i s i o n , p.116.
S u r p r i s e d by S i n , pp.92-94.
(Col. I l l . i ,
p.25)
p.72.
p.72.
T r a d i t i o n , p.266.
and Sex,
p.94-95.
225
CHAPTER V I Fruitful
In a recent a r t i c l e ,
Flowers
G. S. Koehler has argued t h a t Paradise
L o s t r e f l e c t s M i l t o n ' s growing "tendency t o f a v o r t r e e s over f l o w e r s in natural description."
He f i n d s t h e i r l a c k o f prominence
i n Eden
p a r t i c u l a r l y remarkable s i n c e "The use o f f l o w e r s as an aspect o f 1 landscape" was
"a f e a t u r e o f h i s e a r l y p o e t r y . "
Koehler a t t r i b u t e s
t h e i r conspicuous absence from t h e l i s t i n g o f f i s h ,
b i r d s , animals,
i n s e c t s and t r e e s a t t h e c r e a t i o n s i m p l y t o a change o f t a s t e on Milton's part:
t h e p o e t no l o n g e r seems " t o f i n d f l o w e r s e f f e c t i v e 2 as p a r t o f a l a r g e r scene," Koehler r e f l e c t s . Though i t must be conceded t h a t , i f t h e i r r e l a t i v e importance were t o be gauged by t h e number o f l i n e s e x c l u s i v e l y devoted t o them, f l o w e r s would n o t appear t o have any major s i g n i f i c a n c e i n the poem, the
p o s s i b i l i t y remains t h a t M i l t o n i s r e s e r v i n g them f o r a more
i m p o r t a n t f u n c t i o n than p u r e l y v i s u a l ornament.
P o e t i c images make
t h e i r impact t h r o u g h i n t e n s i v e r a t h e r t h a n e x t e n s i v e use, becoming f r e i g h t e d w i t h s u g g e s t i v e a s s o c i a t i o n s and emotive power.
And
indeed,
as we have a l r e a d y had o c c a s i o n t o n o t i c e , some o f t h e most memorable passages about l i f e i n Eden c e n t r e upon o r are accompanied by the presence 3 of
flowers. 4 However, these passages
are n o t m e r e l y c e n t r e s o f e m o t i o n a l
f o r c e , t h e y are f o c a l p o i n t s o f n a r r a t i v e and t h e m a t i c importance t o o . M i l t o n ' s h a n d l i n g o f f l o r a l imagery i s b o t h r i c h and complex and, when i t s i m p l i c a t i o n s are f u l l y assessed, i t seems t o p r o v i d e an i n d i s p e n s i b l e
key t o Eve, h e r c h a r a c t e r , r o l e and r e l a t i o n s h i p t o Adam, and t h u s , to
a deeper u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f t h e i r
Fall.
I t r a p i d l y becomes e v i d e n t t h a t f l o w e r s appear w i t h
remarkable
c o n s i s t e n c y i n passages h a v i n g a s p e c i f i c r e l a t i o n t o Eve, h e r person and p r o v i n c e , o r t h e y a r e seen t o form her immediate
environment."*
While Adam tends t o be a s s o c i a t e d w i t h t r e e s , he i s f i r s t glimpsed by Eve
"fair
... and t a l l , / U n d e r a p l a t a n "
(IV.477-78), t h e a s s o c i a t i o n
between Eve and f l o w e r s runs deeper t o t h e p o i n t o f i d e n t i f i c a t i o n and beyond t o metamorphosis: she i s t h e " f a i r e s t " o f f l o w e r s (IX.432) as she i s t h e " f a i r e s t o f h e r d a u g h t e r s " As we have seen, t h e i n i t i a l the
(IV.324).
e f f e c t o f a s s o c i a t i n g Eve w i t h
mater f l o r u r o , F l o r a , and f l o w e r s i n g e n e r a l , i s t o r e n d e r h e r
p h y s i c a l presence more g l o r i o u s t h a n ever. s h i p does more good t h a n harm, deepening
Aesthetically, the r e l a t i o n
r a t h e r than d i m i n i s h i n g our
i m p r e s s i o n o f t r a n s c e n d e n t p h y s i c a l beauty.
Indeed, as we have noted
p r e v i o u s l y , Eve's beauty i s promoted u n t i l i t seems v i r t u a l l y
divine,
her "heavenly f o r m / A n g e l i c " (IX.457-58) i s seen t o be "more l o v e l y f a i r " t h a n t h a t o f t h e " f a i r e s t goddess" (V.380-81), t h e queen o f beauty and l o v e h e r s e l f . However, M i l t o n ' s p r o f o u n d l y a m b i v a l e n t a t t i t u d e t o 'female charm' c o m p l i c a t e s our response the
outset.
T h i s ambivalence
t o t h e a t t r a c t i v e power o f beauty
from
f i n d s e x p r e s s i o n i n t h e image o f t h e
f l o w e r , a u n i f y i n g d e v i c e o f a d m i r a b l e economy, which h o l d s i n a s t a t e of The
suspended e q u i l i b r i u m two aspects o f Eve p l a c e d i n d r a m a t i c c o n f l i c t f l o w e r spans t h e spectrum o f h e r b e i n g : a t one end i t r e p r e s e n t s
Eve i n h e r most p o w e r f u l and e n d u r i n g m a n i f e s t a t i o n as t h e mother
227
goddess; a t the other, and
i t r e p r e s e n t s b e a u t y a t i t s most v u l n e r a b l e
t r a n s i t o r y as Proserpina,
t h e o p p o s i n g f o r c e s meet and Narcissus, beings
w h i l e midway between the two shade i n t o one
t h e most famous of t h e O v i d i a n
another
i n the
extremes, f i g u r e of
metamorphoses o f human
into flowers.
An between Eve
unspoken but and
e m p h a t i c and
N a r c i s s u s i s made w i t h E v e ' s
Narcissus, apparently e x c e p t i o n a l beauty. s i n g l e n e s s and
nonetheless
unforgettable association
first
words i n t h e e p i c .
i n v i o l a b l e , proved v u l n e r a b l e because of h i s Eve r e m i n d s us o f N a r c i s s u s i n h e r p r o u d ,
apparent
self-sufficiency.
As
Narcissus'
proved f a t a l l y a t t r a c t i v e , Eve's d a z z l i n g beauty tends admirers
t o h e r human l i m i t a t i o n s .
l e a d s her to c o n f r o n t h e r b e a u t y and
loveliness
to b l i n d i t s
E v e n t u a l l y , her v i r g i n a l
Satan alone, w h i l e the s h i e l d
c h a s t i t y , prove p i t i f u l l y
inadequate
virginal
hauteur
she r e l i e s f o r such
upon,
an
encounter.
It
i s thus
i m p o s s i b l e t o g i v e an a d e q u a t e r e s t a t e m e n t
s i g n i f i c a n c e of Eve's not
a s s o c i a t i o n with flowers; i t s f u l l
e a s i l y paraphrasable
be
r e s o l v e d by
simply
f a v o u r i n g one
of the other because Milton simultaneously.
We
may
P r o s e r p i n a , another
o f P r o s e r p i n a and
s e t of i m p l i c a t i o n s a t the
i n s i s t s t h a t we
"unsupported f l o w e r "
Eve
a r e aware o f
(IX.432),
At t h i s c r i t i c a l
seem t o c o i n c i d e w i t h o u t
is
expense
both
when the p a r a d o x d i s s o l v e s a s E v e ,
( I V . 2 7 1 ) by a f o r c e from H e l l .
tension,
Moreover, t h i s t e n s i o n c a n n o t
not c h o o s e f i n a l l y between them u n t i l
f a t a l morning o f the F a l l ,
the
import i s
because i t i n c o r p o r a t e s a d i a l e c t i c
a meshing t o g e t h e r of opposing f o r c e s .
of
the like
"gathered"
point, the o u t l i n e s
r e m a i n d e r , and
the
228
i n t e r v e n i n g l i n e s t e m p o r a r i l y p a l e i n t o i n s i g n i f i c a n c e a s we f e e l t h e i n e x o r a b l e p r e s s u r e t h a t has l e d t o t h i s moment o f i d e n t i f i c a t i o n .
M i l t o n was between Eve
and
of t h i s p o e t i c
Proserpina.
However, I b e l i e v e
t h a t the
a s s o c i a t i o n i s even more f a r - r e a c h i n g
r e c o g n i s e d , and
links
significance
than i s
generally
t h a t an a t t e m p t a t a f u l l e r u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f i t s
implications w i l l the
c l e a r l y concerned to forge powerful f i g u r a t i v e
s h a r p e n our
p r e - l a p s a r i a n w o r l d and
appreciation
what was
of the
l o s t with
unique q u a l i t i e s of
innocence.
I
Raptus V i r g i n i s
I n a b r i e f but called
a t t e n t i o n to the
illuminating article, " s u b t l e use"
John E. P a r i s h has
M i l t o n makes o f
already
"Ovid's s t o r y
of
6 the
rape of P r o s e r p i n a "
Nevertheless, others
(Met.
V.385-511) f o r h i s p o r t r a y a l o f
some o f h i s o b s e r v a t i o n s
could
be
s t r e n g t h e n e d by
require
qualification
whilst
a d d i t i o n a l e v i d e n c e from t h e
s i g n i f i c a n t account of the r a p t u s
v i r g i n i s t o be
Eve.
equally
found i n t h e
Fasti
7 (IV.417-620). like
Moreover, h i s main c o n c e r n t o e s t a b l i s h t h a t Eve
t h e mother a s w e l l a s t h e d a u g h t e r and,
i n d e e d , t h a t she
is
"more
8 nearly the
resembles Ceres
...
than P r o s e r p i n a , "
importance of E v e ' s r e l a t i o n s h i p to the
a composite of both P r o s e r p i n a the
flower
and
the
and
Ceres,
f r u i t t h a t bears the
unnecessarily latter.
Eve
t h e v i r g i n and
seed.
diminishes
i s , rather, the
mother,
229
P a r i s h f i n d s t h e a s s o c i a t i o n of P r o s e r p i n a w i t h Eve t o be " c a u t i o u s " on M i l t o n ' s p a r t ; "once h a v i n g
suggested
the
only
resemblance
between P r o s e r p i n a and E v e , he wants t o subdue t h e c o m p a r i s o n , "
Parish
9 maintains. passage
Significantly, Parish f a i l s
to take i n t o account
the
which,by r e p e a t i n g t h e same f l o r a l m o t i f , d r a w s Eve and
t o g e t h e r w i t h an i r r e s i s t a b l e
f i g u r a t i v e movement.
key Proserpina
When t h o s e c e l e b r a t e d
lines: ... Not t h a t f a i r f i e l d Of Enna, where P r o s e r p i n a g a t h e r i n g f l o w e r s Her s e l f a f a i r e r f l o w e r by gloomy D i s Was g a t h e r e d . (IV.268-71)
a r e c o n s i d e r e d i n c o n j u n c t i o n w i t h t h e s e l i n e s from Book I X , a s
Eve
stood:
. . . o f t stooping to support E a c h f l o w e r o f s l e n d e r s t a l k , whose head though Hung d r o o p i n g u n s u s t a i n e d , them she u p s t a y s G e n t l y w i t h m y r t l e band, m i n d l e s s t h e w h i l e , Her s e l f , though f a i r e s t u n s u p p o r t e d f l o w e r , From h e r b e s t p r o p so f a r , and s t o r m s o n i g h .
gay
(IX.427-33)
we
must c o n c l u d e
t h a t M i l t o n i n t e n d s more t h a n t h e mere s u g g e s t i o n o f
a figurative link.
The
l a t t e r passage
v a r i a t i o n of the p a t t e r n e s t a b l i s h e d standing i n their
incomparable
contains a c l e a r l y
i n Book I V .
Such l i n e s ,
e x p r e s s i o n of the pathos
o f l o s s we
are h e l p l e s s to prevent,
compelling
t h a t t h e y m e r i t extended c o n s i d e r a t i o n .
audible
s t u n us w i t h a l y r i c
and
so
out-
poignancy
beauty
so
230
The
l i n e s i n Book I X , t h e n , p r o v i d e an echo s u f f i c i e n t l y
d i s t i n c t t o a l e r t the d i s c e r n i n g reader, w h i l s t p r e s e r v i n g the q u a l i t y o f t h i n g s l e f t u n s a i d which c h a r a c t e r i z e s M i l t o n ' s g r e a t e s t p o e t i c effects.
He guides our i m a g i n a t i o n w i t h an u n o b t r u s i v e p r e s s u r e 10
t h e channels
i n which he proposes i t t o f l o w .
into
Moreover, t h i s
f i g u r a l r e p e t i t i o n c o n f i r m s our s p e c u l a t i o n t h a t t h e importance o f t h e e a r l i e r passage r e s i d e s r a t h e r i n i t s 'subterranean v i r t u e ' than i n 11 i t s surface s i g n i f i c a n c e . b e a u t i f u l landscape o f Ovid's s t o r y , t h e
M i l t o n i s o s t e n s i b l y comparing
one
w i t h a n o t h e r , t h e Garden o f Eden t o t h e s e t t i n g ' f i e l d o f Enna'. " B u t , o f c o u r s e , " as C. S. Lewis
perceptively explains: ... t h e deeper v a l u e o f t h e s i m i l e l i e s i n t h e resemblance which i s n o t e x p l i c i t l y n o t e d as a resemblance a t a l l , t h e f a c t t h a t i n b o t h these p l a c e s t h e young and t h e b e a u t i f u l w h i l e g a t h e r i n g f l o w e r s was r a v i s h e d by a d a r k power r i s e n up from the underworld.12
I t i s customary f o r c r i t i c s and e d i t o r s t o i n d i c a t e t h e i r o n i c e f f e c t o f the a l l u s i o n .
Douglas Bush i n h i s n o t e on t h e passage 13
d e s c r i b e s t h e s i m i l e as "a v e i l e d a n t i c i p a t i o n o f t h e f a t e o f
Eve,"
b u t once h a v i n g acknowledged t h i s g e n e r a l p r o l e p t i c f u n c t i o n , we
are
f a r from e x h a u s t i n g the c o n t e n t and power o f t h e image o r t r a c i n g i t s r e p e r c u s s i o n s and r e v e r b e r a t i o n s t h r o u g h o u t t h e poem.
Milton's
h a n d l i n g o f t h e s t o r y o f P r o s e r p i n a ' s rape i s r i c h and complex; beyond such broad resemblances l i e c e r t a i n s a l i e n t p o i n t s o f c o n t a c t which I intend t o discuss i n t h i s chapter.
231
Eve resembles
P r o s e r p i n a , o f course, i n h e r maidenly
innocence,
l o v e l i n e s s and v u l n e r a b i l i t y , p r o v i d i n g a f o c a l p o i n t f o r o u r f e e l i n g s of
n o s t a l g i a a t a l l t h a t was l o s t w i t h t h e Golden Age and Eden.
r a t h e r general p a r a l l e l s are enforced i n several p a r t i c u l a r s .
These From
a t y p o l o g i c a l p e r s p e c t i v e , P r o s e r p i n a ' s e a t i n g o f t h e pomegranate i n a garden a f t e r h e r a b d u c t i o n by D i s w i t h no t h o u g h t f o r t h e t e r r i b l e consequences o f h e r a c t i o n :
... quoniam i e i u n i a v i r g o s o l v e r a t e t , c u l t i s dum simplex e r r a t i n h o r t i s , poeniceum curva d e c e r p s e r a t a r b o r e pomum. (Met. V.534-36)
has an o b v i o u s f i g u r a l r e l a t i o n t o Eve's p l u c k i n g and e a t i n g t h e apple i n Eden.
Moreover, i t s m y s t e r i o u s s i g n i f i c a n c e cannot be f u l l y
e x p l a i n e d r a t i o n a l l y , b u t remains t h e c o n d i t i o n o f h e r freedom, and u n f u l f i l l e d , condemns her t o remain under t h e power o f t h e l o r d o f the
u n d e r w o r l d , t o "death devote " ( I X . 9 0 1 ) .
I n h i s commentary on t h e
l i n e s o f Ovid quoted above, Sandys observes, i t was
... a f a t a l l l i q u o r i s h n e s s e , which r e t a i n e s her i n H e l l ; as t h e Apple t h r u s t Evah o u t of P a r a d i c e , whereunto i t i s h e l d t o have a relation.14
L i k e Eve's, P r o s e r p i n a ' s l o s s ushered t h e s c y t h e o f d e v o u r i n g t i m e i n t o an a t e m p o r a l w o r l d , h i t h e r t o an i n v i o l a b l e p a s t o r a l u n i n f e c t e d by change, decay and d e a t h . spring
landscape,
I t was t h e n t h a t p e r p e t u a l
(Met. V.391) made way f o r t h e c y c l e o f t h e seasons, and f l o w e r s
were exchanged f o r f r u i t .
232
As t h i s would seem t o i n d i c a t e , M i l t o n draws h e a v i l y upon t h e s t o r y o f t h e r a p t u s v i r g i n i s as a seasonal myth.
The d i v i s i o n o f
P r o s e r p i n a ' s t i m e between t h e upper and lower w o r l d s was h e l d t o account
traditionally
f o r the c y c l e o f the seasons and t h e consequent
v a r i a t i o n s i n the earth's f e r t i l i t y :
l u p p i t e r ex aequo volventem d i v i d i t annum: nunc dea, regnorum numen commune duorum, cum matre e s t ^ o ^ i d e m cum coniuge menses. (Met. V.565-67)
Sandys' g l o s s upon Ovid's l i n e s reads t h u s :
... t h e seed , which i s P r o s e r p i n a , w h i l e t h e sun i s on t h e south o f t h e A e q u i n o c t i a l l , has h i d i n the e a r t h , which i s P l u t o : b u t when he t r a v e l l s through the Northerne signes, i t shouteth up, and growes t o m a t u r i t y ; and t h e n P r o s e r p i n a i s s a i d t o be above w i t h Ceres.15
Moreover, i t i s i n s t r u c t i v e t o n o t e t h a t elsewhere
i n t h e poem
M i l t o n seems t o be d e v e l o p i n g t h e resemblances between P l u t o o r Dis as he i s c a l l e d by Ovid and M i l t o n - and Satan.
Satan d i s c l o s e s marked
a f f i n i t i e s t o t h e O v i d i a n god i n h i s v a r i o u s m a n i f e s t a t i o n s as W i n t e r , 16 L o r d o f t h e Underworld,
Death and
ravisher.
S a t a n , l i k e D i s , when u n s u c c e s s f u l i n h i s b i d f o r supreme a u t h o r i t y i n heaven, concludes i n heaven" (1.263).
i t " B e t t e r t o r e i g n i n h e l l , t h a n serve
L i k e D i s , Ovid's
i n f e r n u s tyrannus 17
Satan e x e r c i s e s a b s o l u t e power as ' t y r a n t ' o f h e l l .
(Met. V.508),
Their respective
realms are lands o f shadow, "opaci ... mundi" (Met. V.507), sed(is)" (1.65).
(Met. V.359), o f "darkness v i s i b l e "
"tenebrosa
(1.63) and " d o l e f u l shades" 18 Besides these o b v i o u s , g e n e r a l correspondences i n s i t u a t i o n
and r o l e , Satan and Dis have c e r t a i n s a l i e n t f e a t u r e s i n common. M i l t o n assigns t o Satan "the g u l f / O f T a r t a r u s " r e c o r d i n g it
how
"open.[ed] wide" i t s " f i e r y chaos" ( V I . 53-55) t o r e c e i v e him and h i s
fellows.
P r e d i c t a b l y , Dis occupies
I V . 6 0 5 ) , b u t more noteworthy
" T a r t a r a " (Met. V.371, 423;
Fasti
seems Ovid's unique l o c a t i o n o f t h e realm
19 of
chaos " p o s s i d e t ... inane chaos" ( F a s t i . I V . 6 0 0 ) .
" u n i v e r s e o f death"
As r u l e r s o f a
(11.622), they are b o t h n a t u r a l l y a l i g n e d w i t h a l l
t h a t i s 'adverse t o l i f e ' .
As Lords o f t h e Underworld t h e y share a
n a t u r a l a f f i n i t y w i t h darkness. Witness Satan's r e v e a l i n g e x c l a m a t i o n , "0 sun
... how
I hate t h y beams" (IV.37) and Ovid's t e l l i n g
observation
... e t r e x pavet i p s e s i l e n t u m , ne p a t e a t l a t o q u e solum r e t e g a t u r h i a t u inmissusque d i e s t r e p i d a n t e s t e r r e a t umbras. (Met.V. 356-58)
A p a t t e r n o f o p p o s i t i o n s thus b e g i n s t o emerge fundamental t o t h e a r c h i t e c t o n i c s o f the poem i n which God to
and Satan address themselves
t h e w o r l d a n t i t h e t i c a l l y : one w i t h v i t a l i z i n g warmth, t h e o t h e r w i t h
deathly
coldness. T h i s and o t h e r r e l a t e d ' c o n t r a r i e s ' grow i n c o m p l e x i t y
p r o l i f e r a t e t h r o u g h o u t the poem.
A n a l y s i n g them i n t o s p e c i f i c p a i r s
of
a n t i t h e s e s does no more t o suggest t h e f u l l
of
M i l t o n ' s achievement than would r e s o l v i n g a m u s i c a l
i n t o i t s c o n s t i t u e n t chords.
The
scope and
complexity composition
symphonic o r c h e s t r a t i o n seems t o o
e x t e n s i v e and i n t r i c a t e t o have been p a i n s t a k i n g l y planned w i t h a predetermined
and
t o conform
scheme; i t g i v e s t h e i m p r e s s i o n r a t h e r o f h a v i n g
been composed by a p o e t i c i m a g i n a t i o n possessed by an o v e r r i d i n g shaping principle.
235
The
i n f l u e n c e o f t h e p o e t i c i d e n t i f i c a t i o n o f Satan w i t h Dis
p e r s i s t s throughout.
I t i s organic, providing a u n i f y i n g point that
g i v e s d r a m a t i c substance and a n i m a t i o n t o t h e fundamental o p p o s i t i o n in
imagery and concept t h a t extends and r a m i f i e s t h r o u g h o u t t h e poem.
The c o n t r a r i e t y o f God
and h i s adversary i s d i s c l o s e d i n t h e t h e m a t i c
o p p o s i t i o n : l i f e and death; l i g h t and dark; f e r t i l i t y and
barrenness;
c r e a t i o n and u n c r e a t i o n , which pervade t h e poem b u t perhaps are g i v e n t h e i r most complete e x p r e s s i o n i n Book V I I (11.236-39), one o f those n o d a l p o i n t s i n t h e n a r r a t i v e web where t h r e a d s o f p r o f o u n d t h e m a t i c importance seem t o converge
and t h e n r a d i a t e away a g a i n as God i n f u s e s
" v i t a l virtue"and"warmth"
... b u t downward purged The b l a c k t a r t a r e o u s c o l d i n f e r n a l Adverse t o l i f e .
In
dregs
these t h r e e l i n e s we f i n d a condensed r e s t a t e m e n t o f God's s o l a r
a c t i o n and an a n t i c i p a t i o n o f h i s p u r g a t i o n o f t h e c o n t a g i o n o f Satan, w h i l e t h e c u m u l a t i v e e f f e c t o f t h e v e r s e - f i l l i n g asyndeton o f t h e f i n a l line
e q u a t i o n o f Satan and D i s . The a p p o s i t e n e s s o f M i l t o n ' s p o e t i c a s s o c i a t i o n o f God
the of the
sun needs l i t t l e f u r t h e r comment. Goodman h a i l s God as t h e "sunne 20 j o y " and M i l t o n h i m s e l f c e l e b r a t e s God as t h e source o f l i g h t i n p r o l o g u e t o Book I I I .
rays direct/Shone f u l l " is
with
Elsewhere such l i n e s as "on h i s Son
with
(VI.719-20) c l e a r l y i l l u s t r a t e t h a t t h e Father
t o be envisaged as r a d i a t i n g grace i n a manner comparable t o t h e 21 way i n which t h e sun e m i t s i t s l i f e - g i v i n g r a y s .
236
A g a i n , i t seems p e r t i n e n t t o take account o f L o l e t t e Kuby's i l l u m i n a t i n g study i n which she argues t h a t M i l t o n o n l y uses " ' c o l d ' and
o t h e r words d e n o t i n g coldness ... w i t h t h e presence o r i n f l u e n c e
o f Satan, and a f t e r t h e F a l l , as a s i g n o f t h e d e v i l ' s i n f e c t i o n o f 22 the m a t e r i a l world."
Of c o u r s e , t h e i d e n t i f i c a t i o n o f Satan w i t h t h e
n o r t h i s n o t M i l t o n ' s own i n v e n t i o n . the north w i t h e v i l , "
Fowler
"The t r a d i t i o n a l a s s o c i a t i o n o f
explains,
goes back t o p a t r i s t i c a p p l i c a t i o n s o f I s . xiv.12-14 t o t h e f a l l o f Satan: 'How a r t thou f a l l e n from heaven, 0 L u c i f e r , son o f the morning! ... For t h o u has s a i d i n t h i n e h e a r t , I w i l l ascend i n t o heaven, I w i l l e x a l t my t h r o n e above t h e s t a r s o f God: I w i l l s i t a l s o upon t h e mount o f c o n g r e g a t i o n , i n t h e s i d e s o f t h e n o r t h . ' 23
Yet M i l t o n ' s r e i t e r a t e d l i n k a g e o f Satan w i t h t h e n o r t h and all
t h a t connotes ( c o l d n e s s , darkness, storms, e t c . ) d i s p l a y s a l l t h e
c o n s i s t e n c y o f a l e i t m o t i v and i s p u t t o p u r p o s e f u l poem.
use t h r o u g h o u t t h e
As Fowler goes on t o observe, "The l o c a l i z a t i o n o f Satan adds 24
p o i n t t o s e v e r a l o t h e r passages such as t h e s i m i l e ... a t i . 3 5 1 f f , " where t h e r e f e r e n c e t o t h e " f r o z e n l o i n s " o f t h e "populous n o r t h " " i s a k i n d o f h o r r i b l e parody o f one o f [ M i l t o n ' s J f a v o u r i t e i d e a s , t h e 25 f e r t i l i t y t h a t comes from God and God's symbol, t h e Son." Indeed, as MacCaffrey m a i n t a i n s , "The i d e a o f barrenness [ i s ] 26 c o n s i s t e n t l y a s s o c i a t e d w i t h death and e v i l i n P a r a d i s e L o s t , " and i t seems s i g n i f i c a n t t h a t w h i l e g e n t l e showers, " f r u c t i f y i n g dews" and 27 t h e sun's " r e s p l e n d e n t r a y s " were r e g u l a r l y employed by t h e emblemists 28 to
s i g n i f y the f e r t i l i z i n g
a c t i o n o f supernal
t h e h e a r t seduced from God by Satan was d e p i c t e d
grace
:
i
n
the soul, ,
as " L o c k ' t up by
237
cloud-browd E r r o u r . "
"These duskie clouds t h a t make so d a r k a n i g h t "
i n t e r p o s e between t h e s o u l and the v i t a l r a y s o f grace t h a t i s s u e
from
30 the "sunne o f r i g h t e o u s n e s s e "
and the " l i g h t o f T r u t h . "
T h i s seems o f p a r t i c u l a r i n t e r e s t when we r e c a l l t h e way which Satan's a s s a u l t on Eve c o n c e i t as Eve
in
i s imaged a f t e r t h e manner o f an emblematic
h e r s e l f , t h e " f a i r e s t unsupported f l o w e r , " i s d i s c o v e r e d
"From her b e s t p r o p so f a r , and storm so n i g h "
(IX.432-33).
For
the
f i r s t t i m e , dark storm clouds gather overhead and besmirch t h e p e r f e c t b l u e sky o f t h e e t e r n a l s p r i n g and t h r e a t e n t o b l o t o u t t h e sun's beams. The mind's eye
i s i n v i t e d t o a n t i c i p a t e t h e v i o l e n c e wreaked by
the
c l o u d b u r s t , t h e d e v a s t a t i o n i t w i l l leave i n i t s wake, t h e d e s t r u c t i o n or t h e p h y s i c a l e f f e c t .
More s p e c i f i c a l l y , we are encouraged t o
v i s u a l i z e a f l o w e r beaten down, i t s b e a u t y r u i n e d , i t s p e t a l s s c a t t e r e d . The
l i n e s d e r i v e something o f t h e i r a f f e c t i v e energy from t h e consequent
t e n s i o n t h a t a r i s e s from l o o k i n g b e f o r e and a f t e r t h e e v e n t t o g e t h e r w i t h t h e accompanying s u g g e s t i o n
o f t h e i r r e p a r a b l e damage t o be
sustained. As Eve
stands c e n t r e - s t a g e
w h i l e Satan l u r k s menacingly i n t h e
p e r i p h e r y o f our v i s i o n , t h e poignancy o f her u t t e r unpreparedness f o r the forthcoming encounter also heightens verse.
t h e emotive q u a l i t y o f t h e
For t h e h e l p l e s s r e a d e r , powerless t o i n t e r v e n e y e t
bitterly
aware o f t h e consequences o f the imminent e n c o u n t e r , must w i t n e s s
the
r e l e n t l e s s onrush o f impending d i s a s t e r , as Turnus can o n l y l o o k on a t t h e i n e x o r a b l e advance o f Aeneas' b l a c k column which approaches:
237 2L
q u a l i s u b i ad t e r r a s a b r u p t o s i d e r e nimbus i t mare p e r medium ( m i s e r i s , h e u , p r a e s c i a longe h o r r e s c u n t corda a g r i c o l i s : d a b i t i l l e r u i n a s a r b o r i b u s stragemque s a t i s , r u e t omnia l a t e ) , ante v o l a n t sonitumque f e r u n t ad l i t o r a v e n t i . (Aeneid
M i l t o n ' s l i n e s are f u r t h e r s u f f u s e d w i t h a f f e c t i v e
XII.451-55)
overtones
by the u n d e r l y i n g c l u s t e r o f a s s o c i a t i o n s which l i n k Eve w i t h P r o s e r p i n a and t h e l a t t e r ' s v i o l e n t a b d u c t i o n by a f o r c e from t h e u n d e r w o r l d .
The
abruptness o f t h e a s s a u l t and t h e c h i a r o s c u r o e f f e c t o f a shadow p a s s i n g over t h e luminous landscape o f perpetuuro v e r are m o t i f s i n b o t h o f Ovid's account o f t h e rape.
predominant
The darkness t h a t a p p r o p r i a t e l y
c l o a k s a power r i s e n from H e l l i s suggested by Ovid's use o f s e l e c t d e t a i l , and a t t e n t i o n i s drawn t o t h i s by Sandys' comments on t h e " b l a c k horses
... s i g n i f y i n g darknesse, b u r n i n g n i g h t , and
conscious 31 t e r r o r s ; w e l l s u i t i n g w i t h t h a t sad Monarch, and monarchy." As D i s 32 urges f o r w a r d h i s dusky steeds, " c a e r u l e i s equis"/ our a t t e n t i o n i s focussed upon t h e i r r e i n s "obscura t i n c t a s f e r r u g i n e habenas" V.403).
(Met.
T h i s p a r t i c u l a r c o l l o c a t i o n , obscura f e r r u g i n e r e a d i l y prompts
r e c o l l e c t i o n o f t h e famous V i r g i l i a n l i n e d e p i c t i n g t h e sun c o v e r i n g his
head w i t h d a r k c l o u d s t o s h i e l d h i m s e l f from t h e o u t r a g e o f Caesar's
murder: i l l e e t i a m e x s t i n c t o m i s e r a t u s Caesare Romam cum caput obscura n i t i d u m f e r r u g i n e t e x i t (Georgics
Such g e n e r a l a s s o c i a t i v e l i n k s seem t o s u s t a i n and
1.466-67)
reinforce
our i m p r e s s i o n o f t h e i n e v i t a b i l i t y o f imminent c a t a s t r o p h e .
Eve
will
bend b e f o r e an i r r e s i s t i b l e e x t e r n a l f o r c e t h a t she cannot w i t h s t a n d
238
alone. the
The i d e n t i f i c a t i o n o f Eve w i t h P r o s e r p i n a i n v e s t s h e r w i t h
poignancy o f t h e l a t t e r ' s predicament, i n t e n s i f y i n g t h e f e e l i n g
t h a t Eve t o o i s an i n n o c e n t v i c t i m o f a c o n s p i r a c y o f f a t e . However, M i l t o n demands t h a t we b o t h compare and c o n t r a s t her s i t u a t i o n w i t h Proserpina's.
U n l i k e P r o s e r p i n a , Eve d e l i b e r a t e l y 33
exposes h e r s e l f t o unnecessary
danger, w i l f u l l y p u t t i n g h e r s e l f a t r i s k .
Moreover, t h e a s s a u l t Eve must w i t h s t a n d i s n o t an a t t a c k by a supern a t u r a l p h y s i c a l f o r c e , b u t a s p i r i t u a l t e m p t a t i o n . As S t - C h r y s o s t o m 34 observes, " t h e D e v i l l may suggest, compell he cannot"; Eve i s , p a r a d o x i c a l l y , b o t h v i c t i m and agent o f t h e t r a g i c p r o c e s s .
The l i n e s
i n which Adam laments h e r l o s s : "Defaced, d e f l o w e r e d , and now t o d e a t h devote" make h e r t h e v i c t i m o f an e v i l e x t e r n a l t o h e r , w h i l e "Rather how has t h o u y i e l d e d t o t r a n s g r e s s / T h e The sacred f r u i t f o r b i d d e n !
s t r i c t f o r b i d d a n c e , how t o v i o l a t e /
(IX.900-4), r e t u r n s t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r
her a c t i o n s t o Eve h e r s e l f . T h i s b r i n g s us t o c o n s i d e r t h e r o l e o f t h e m e t a p h o r i c a l i d e n t i f i c a t i o n o f Eve w i t h t h e f l o w e r s as a h e r a l d o f impending doom, Eve's d e a t h o r t h e s y m b o l i c meaning. the
I n l i n e 901,
M i l t o n encapsulates
e f f e c t s o f t h e f i r s t t h r e e degrees o f d e a t h examined i n d e t a i l i n
De D o c t r i n a C h r i s t i a n a .
Eve i s defaced; M i l t o n g l o s s e s t h i s
first
degree o f d e a t h t h u s i n t h e prose t r a c t and a t t r i b u t e s i t d i r e c t l y t o F a l l : " vji.nde e t m a i e s t a s o r i s humani imminuta, animique 35 t u r p i s demissio s e c u t a e s t . " the
239
Taken t o g e t h e r w i t h d e f l o w e r e d , i t e p i t o m i z e s t h e l o s s o f t h a t primaeva 36 g l o r i a t h a t man w i l l never r e c o v e r i n t h i s w o r l d . Eve's f a l l does n o t l e a d t o immediate p h y s i c a l e x t i n c t i o n o r d i s s o l u t i o n , b u t t o s p i r i t u a l death,
mors s p i r i t u a l i s : " S e c u n d u s m o r t i s
gradus ... E t haec quidem mors lapsum h o m i n i s eodem momento, nedum 37' eodem d i e consecuta
est."
However, by h e r a c t i o n , Eve f o r f e i t s t h e
o r i g i n a l , p r i v i l e g e d c o n d i t i o n o f man, i n which i t was posse non m o r i , she i s t h u s condemned t o d e a t h , t o death devote. death,
Temporal o r b o d i l y
mors c o r p o r a l i s
remains an i n e s c a p a b l e p h y s i c a l f a c t o f l i f e 38 f o r t h e d u r a t i o n o f t h e w o r l d and t h i s i s t h e T e r t i u s m o r t i s gradus. I t seems n o t e w o r t h y t h a t Adam's s t r i k i n g summary o f t h e e x t e n t o f
death's power over Eve appears j u s t a f t e r t h e g a r l a n d o f faded
roses
has become i n t r u t h a w r e a t h f o r Eve. Moreover, i t i s i m p o r t a n t t o remember t h a t t h i s c r i t i c a l a c t o f the drama had opened w i t h t h e c l e a r e s t e x p r e s s i o n o f t h e u n d e r l y i n g i d e n t i f i c a t i o n o f Eve w i t h t h e f l o w e r s t h a t g l o w i n g l y surround her.
As Fowler comments, "The s y n t a x
and images" o f l i n e s 425-31 "have worked t o i d e n t i f y Eve v e r y c l o s e l y w i t h t h e roses
(note t h e ambiguous agreements, and such echoes as
s t o o p i n g / d r o o p i n g ) " and i n l i n e s 432-33, " t h e i d e n t i f i c a t i o n , " as we 39 have n o t e d , " i s made e x p l i c i t . "
Appropriately, then, the fate o f the
f l o w e r s i s i n v o l v e d i n Eve's; t h e y p a r t i c i p a t e i n , and r e - e n a c t h e r fall,
as t h e emphatic
plummeting
movement o f t h e a l l i t e r a t i v e "Down
s u g g e s t s , a n t i c i p a t i n g t h e heavy a l l i t e r a t i o n o f l i n e 901.
dropped"
Eve g l i m p s e d as a f l o w e r suddenly b l a s t e d by t h e v i o l e n t
onset
o f a s t o r m may a l s o remind us o f another p o w e r f u l e v o c a t i o n o f doomed innocence
t o w h i c h t h i s image seems t o bear, a t l e a s t , a f i g u r a l
240
40 resemblance. M i l t o n ' s e a r l y essay i n the mythopoeic manner, •On t h e Death o f a F a i r I n f a n t Dying o f a Cough, b e g i n s :
O f a i r e s t f l o w e r no sooner blown b u t b l a s t e d , Soft s i l k e n primrose fading t i m e l e s s l y , Summer's c h i e f honour, i f t h o u hadst o u t l a s t e d Bleak w i n t e r ' s f o r c e t h a t made t h y blossom d r y . (11.1-4)
I n the succeeding stanza, i t i s a l l e g e d t h a t W i n t e r has f o l l o w t h e example o f " g r i m A q u i l o h i s c h a r i o t e e r " who rape the A t h e n i a n damsel g o t " I t i s Ovid who
attempted t o "By
boisterous
(11.8-9).
t e l l s t h i s s t o r y (Met. V I . 6 8 2 - 7 1 3 ) , and
account would appear t o have p r o v i d e d
a l i k e l y model f o r t h e
movement o f M i l t o n ' s poem, stanzas I - I I I . t a l e , t h e N o r t h Wind i s n a t u r a l l y p o r t r a y e d
his first
As t h e p r o t a g o n i s t i n Ovid's as a monarch h i m s e l f ,
t h e p o e t f r e q u e n t l y emphasizes t h e c o l d n o r t h e r l i n e s s a p p r o p r i a t e t h i s wind-god as g e l i d u s t y r a n n u s (Met. V.711).
and to
Ovid f u r t h e r
a c c e n t u a t e s h i s vehement and w i n t r y aspect when t h e god
reveals
i n t e n t i o n o f r e s o r t i n g t o v i o l e n t means t o secure h i s w i l l ,
his
such f o r c e
b e i n g consonant w i t h h i s i d e n t i t y as t h e n o r t h e r l y g a l e s which
assault
the e a r t h i n i c y , w i t h e r i n g b l a s t s :
apta m i h i v i s e s t : v i t r i s t i a n u b i l a p e l l o , vi. f r e t a c o n c u t i o nodosaque r o b o r a v e r t o induroque n i v e s e t t e r r a s g r a n d i n e p u l s o . (Met.
VI.690-92)
However, the n a r r a t i v e s i t u a t i o n o u t l i n e d i n t h e f i r s t
three
stanzas o f M i l t o n ' s e a r l y poem more c l o s e l y resembles t h e rape o f P r o s e r p i n a by Dis and o f Eve
by Satan, s i n c e t h e outcome i n each case
i s t h e same, t h e female v i c t i m i s consigned t o t h e power o f death. A l t h o u g h these g e n e r a l p a r a l l e l s i n s i t u a t i o n may n o t seem v e r y r e m a r k a b l e , t h e y a r e r e i n f o r c e d by marked s i m i l a r i t i e s i n image and detail. Let the
us l o o k more c l o s e l y a t c e r t a i n o p e r a t i v e e x p r e s s i o n s i n
f i r s t l i n e s o f t h e poem.
Perhaps t h e most s t r i k i n g element i s t h e
r i c h extended metaphor o f t h e dead g i r l imaged as a f l o w e r w i t h e r e d by the
i c y t o u c h o f W i n t e r , which i s d e a t h .
The p o r t r a i t o f W i n t e r may
p o s s i b l y a n t i c i p a t e t h a t o f t h e r e g a l Death, who " w i t h h i s mace p e t r i f i c , c o l d and d r y " (X.294), a f f l i c t s (X.297) a f t e r t h e F a l l . p r i n c e o f darkness" character
n a t u r e " w i t h Gorgonian
rigor
Begotten i n t h e image o f h i s f a t h e r , " t h e
(X.382), Death d i s c l o s e s a n o t h e r f a c e t o f Satan's
so o f t e n concealed b e h i n d t h e mask o f h e r o i c grandeur.
The dead c h i l d was t h e ' f a i r e s t f l o w e r ' as was Eve h e r s e l f u n t i l b l i g h t e d by t h e b a n e f u l i n f l u e n c e o f s i n and d e a t h i n c a r n a t e i n Satan.
Both blooms f a d e : one " t i m e l e s s l y , " Al
(1.2) o r
"unseasonably"
as t h e e d i t o r s g l o s s i t ; t h e o t h e r o u t s i d e o f t h e f a m i l i a r process o f t i m e , y e t i r o n i c a l l y , by so d o i n g she g r a n t s access t o t h e s c y t h e o f d e v o u r i n g t i m e , t o w i n t e r and t o r a p a c i o u s d e a t h , those f o r c e s which 42 g a t h e r a l l subsequent f l o w e r s .
The image o f f l o w e r s f a d i n g t h u s has a
c u r i o u s resonance and r e v e r b e r a t i v e power, i n t r o d u c i n g a t r a i n o f a s s o c i a t e d i d e a s and images. Indeed, from a s l i g h t l y d i f f e r e n t p e r s p e c t i v e , Fowler
observes
The image d e r i v e s i c o n o g r a p h i c a l p r e c i s i o n f r o m the f a c t t h a t r o s e s were a symbol o f human f r a i l t y or t h e m u t a b i l i t y o f happiness. 43
L e t us expand t h i s p o i n t .
E a r l i e r i n t h e poem, M i l t o n draws upon t h e
t r a d i t i o n t h a t t h e rose which grew i n Eden was " w i t h o u t t h o r n "
(IV.256)
when man f e l l f r o m grace t h e rose a c q u i r e d t h e t h o r n s o f s i n , k e e p i n g i t s beauty and f r a g r a n c e as reminders o f t h e l o s t p a r a d i s e . The r o s e ' s e x q u i s i t e b u t t r a n s i e n t beauty became p r o v e r b i a l i n t h e works o f c l a s s i c a l and C h r i s t i a n w r i t e r s a l i k e .
Associated w i t h
f l e e t i n g t i m e , t h e rose was a g e n e r a l symbol o f evanescence, e s p e c i a l l y o f man's y o u t h , beauty and happiness.
I t t h u s became a memento m o r i
t o men doomed t o d i e t h a t t h e y s h o u l d make use o f t h e s h o r t t i m e a l l o t t e d t o them, an image t o g i v e p o i n t t o t h e carpe diem t o p o s .
As
Ovid observes: F l o r a "monet a e t a t i s s p e c i e , dum f l o r e a t u t i , / c o n t e m n i spinam cum c e c i d e r e r o s a e "
( F a s t i V. 353-54), w h i l e i n t h e same v e i n ,
Comus admonishes t h e l a d y :
I f you l e t s l i p t i m e , l i k e a n e g l e c t e d rose I t w i t h e r s on t h e s t a l k w i t h l a n g u i s h e d head. (Comus 11.743-44)
Though P a r i s h draws a t t e n t i o n t o a p o s s i b l e l i n k between t h e 44 e m o t i o n a l l y charged l i n e s i n which Adam and P r o s e r p i n a drop f l o w e r s , he r e c o g n i s e s t h a t M i l t o n f i t t i n g l y r e s e r v e s f o r Eve P r o s e r p i n a ' s 45 lament f o r t h e l o s t f l o w e r s .
He a l s o d i r e c t s o u r a t t e n t i o n t o t h e way
i n which M i l t o n s k i l f u l l y t r a n s p o s e s t h e power o f Ovid's c e l e b r a t e d l i n e s t o h i s own v e r s e : ... e t u t summa. vestem l a n i a r a t a i i o r a , • c o l l e c t i f l o r e s t u n i c i s cecidere r e m i s s i s , tantaque s i m p l i c i t a s p u e r i l i b u s a d f u i t annis, haec quoque v i r g i n e u m m o v i t i a c t u r a dolorem. (Met. V. 398-401)
243
These h a u n t i n g l i n e s , which so f i n e l y i n t e n s i f y t h e pathos o f her l o s s , were l i k e w i s e remembered by Shakespeare when he made P e r d i t a exclaim:
... 0 P r o s e r p i n a For t h e f l o w e r s now t h a t , f r i g h t e d t h o u l e t s ' t From D i s ' s wagon! 46
fall
M i l t o n h i m s e l f draws upon t h e pathos o f Ovid's l i n e s and reworks t h e s e n t i m e n t s t h e r e i n b r i e f l y , p o i g n a n t l y and u n f o r g e t t a b l y when Eve, a f t e r l e a r n i n g t h a t she i s t o be e x p e l l e d f r o m Eden, e x c l a i m s :
0 unexpected s t r o k e , worse t h a n o f d e a t h ! Must I t h u s leave thee Paradise? .../... 0 f l o w e r s , T h a t never w i l l i n o t h e r c l i m a t e grow, My e a r l y v i s i t a t i o n , a n d my l a s t A t even, which I bred up w i t h t e n d e r hand From t h e f i r s t opening bud, and gave ye names, Who now s h a l l r e a r ye up t o t h e sun .. . (XI.268-69; 273-78)
Joseph Addison d i s c e r n i n g l y s i n g l e d o u t t h i s speech f o r e s p e c i a l p r a i s e . He f o u n d , " t h e s e n t i m e n t s a r e n o t o n l y p r o p e r t o t h e s u b j e c t , b u t have something
i n them p a r t i c u l a r l y s o f t and womanish."
Yet w i t h P a r i s h we
m i g h t have expected Addison t o r e c o g n i s e t h e source o f t h a t
something."
Even so, I f e e l P a r i s h f a i l s t o i d e n t i f y t h e source o f t h e emotion conveyed i n these l i n e s and t o gauge i t a c c u r a t e l y . from P a r a d i s e , " he remarks,
b u t t o Eve -
"Expulsion
" i s c e r t a i n l y n o t a s t r o k e worse t h a n d e a t h , 48
so l i k e P r o s e r p i n a ! - i t seems so." For "The f l o w e r s
she drops," he m a i n t a i n s , a r e "a t r i v i a l l o s s by a d u l t s t a n d a r d s " 49 though " t o h e r a t t h i s moment [ t h e y p r o v i d e ] a f u r t h e r cause f o r g r i e f . "
To t a k e t h e l a s t p o i n t f i r s t , so v e r y t r i v i a l .
Proserpina's loss i s not r e a l l y
I n Ovid t o o , t h e l o s t f l o w e r s may be regarded as a
comprehensive symbol,
'where more i s meant t h a n meets t h e e a r . ' Most
o b v i o u s l y t h e y suggest a whole way o f l i f e , an i n n o c e n t , c a r e f r e e g i r l hood spent w i t h s i m p l e , l i k e - m i n d e d companions.
This l i f e s t y l e i s
thoroughly encapsulated i n t h e f l o w e r - g a t h e r i n g e x p e d i t i o n .
Ovid
s e l e c t s f o r p a r t i c u l a r emphasis t h e c h i l d l i k e p l e a s u r e and a b s o r p t i o n of P r o s e r p i n a and her companions i n t h e f o l l o w i n g l i n e s from t h e F a s t i
t o t f u e r a n t i l l i c , q u o t habet natura,, c o l o r e s p i c t a q u e d i s s i m i l i f l o r e n i t e b a t humus, quam s i m u l a s p e x i t , "comites a c c e d i t e " d i x i t " e t mecum p l e n o s f l o r e r e f e r t e sinus." praeda p u e l l a r e s animos p r o l e c t a t i n a n i s , e t non s e n t i t u r s e d u l i t a t e l a b o r , pars thyma, p a r s rorem, p a r s m e l i l o t o n amat. p l u r i m a l e c t a r o s a e s t , s u n t e t s i n e nomine f l o r e s ; i p s a crocos tenues l i l i a q u e a l b a l e g i t , carpendi studio p a u l a t i m longius i t u r , e t dominam casu n u l l a secuta comes. x
(IV.429-44)
S i g n i f i c a n t l y , i n t h e l i n e s which p r e f a c e h e r lament f o r t h e f l o w e r s , P r o s e r p i n a c a l l s upon t h e companions o f h e r y o u t h from whom she has been f o r c i b l y t o r n , b u t she c r i e s most u r g e n t l y f o r h e r mother
... dea t e r r i t a maesto e t matrem e t c o m i t e s , sed matrem s a e p i u s o r e clamat ... A
(Met. V.396-98)
The sudden v i o l e n c e o f h e r j o u r n e y t o t h e Underworld r e f l e c t s t h e abruptness o f these r i t e s o f passage; she must exchange t h e r o l e s o f maid and daughter f o r those o f w i f e and queen. Ceres t h i s 'new' P r o s e r p i n a :
Arethusa describes t o
245
i l i a quidem t r i s t i s neque adhuc i n t e r r i t a v u l t u , sed r e g i n a tamen, sed o p a c i maxima mundi , sed tamen i n f e r n i p o l l e n s matrona t y r a n n i ! " (Met. V.506-8)
M i l t o n has s u b t l y r e s t a t e d t h e f e e l i n g t h a t accompanies a sudden, v i o l e n t wrench f r o m one sphere o f l i f e t o a n o t h e r , b u t has d e l i b e r a t e l y transposed i t t o another key. who
I am s u r p r i s e d t h a t P a r i s h ,
i s so concerned t o demonstrate t h a t Eve " i s more l i k e t h e mother 50
[ C e r e s ] t h a n t h e daughter [ P r o s e r p i n a ] , " appears.not t o n o t i c e t h e fundamental d i f f e r e n c e between t h e two.
Eve i s n o t p r e s e n t e d w i t h
t h e g i r l i s h s i m p l i c i t a s which i s c l e a r l y t h e key n o t e o f Ovid's p o r t r a y a l of Proserpina. M i l t o n composes a s k i l f u l v a r i a t i o n upon t h i s theme, one which i s more i n a c c o r d w i t h Eve's f e r t i l e and mature r o l e as mater
florum.
Even Fowler seems t o o v e r l o o k t h i s i m p o r t a n t d i s s i m i l a r i t y when he c l a i m s t h a t Eve i s " c a r e f u l l y p o r t r a y e d as t h e g a t h e r e r and g u a r d i a n 51 o f f l o w e r s . " T h i s a s s e r t i o n i s i m p r e c i s e and t h e i n a c c u r a c y i s s i g n i f i c a n t ; Eve i s never seen g a t h e r i n g f l o w e r s .
Though o c c a s i o n a l l y
accorded a v i r g i n a l r o l e , she i s n o t assigned t h e m a i d e n l y , b u t g i r l i s h , o c c u p a t i o n o f p i c k i n g f l o w e r s ; she i s o n l y d e p i c t e d i n a n u r t u r i n g r and p r o t e c t i v e a t t i t u d e towards them.
The " a b o r e t s and
flowers/
Embordered on each bank" a l l g i v e evidence o f t h e c a r i n g "hand o f Eve" (IX.437-38). However, when o p e n l y a l l u d i n g t o t h e f a t e o f P r o s e r p i n a i n Book IV, M i l t o n does appear t o i n v i t e us t o share t h e i r o n i c p e r s p e c t i v e from which Ovid so f r e q u e n t l y r e g a r d s h i s v i r g i n a l c h a r a c t e r s .
Ovid
246
o f t e n makes i r o n i c p l a y o f t h e r e v e r s a l o f r o l e s whereby t h e v i r g i n huntress - h u n t i n g being another h e r s e l f t h e hunted, t h e p r e y .
' t y p i c a l ' maidenly o c c u p a t i o n - becomes
I n t h e same way,
P r o s e r p i n a , i s h e r s e l f g a t h e r e d by D i s . the
the gatherer of f l o w e r s ,
Similarly, Milton highlights
t r a g i c i r o n y o f Eve's s i t u a t i o n a t t h e p o i n t when her f a t a l
w i t h Satan i s imminent.
I n t e n t upon her t a s k o f s u p p o r t i n g her
she i s o b l i v i o u s t o a l l e l s e , even t h e p r e c a r i o u s n e s s o f her p o s i t i o n : "mindless t h e w h i l e / H e r s e l f , though f a i r e s t flower"
(IX.431-32).
i s so engrossed
encounter flowers,
own
unsupported
So t o o , P r o s e r p i n a , s m i t t e n by s t u d i u m c a r p e n d i ,
i n g a t h e r i n g t h e praeda i n a n i s , t h a t she i m p e r c e p t i b l y
abandons t h e p r o t e c t i v e r i n g o f her companions and t h u s a l l o w s h e r s e l f t o become t h e p r i z e o f D i s . Y e t , i t i s i n s t r u c t i v e t o note i n t h i s c o n n e c t i o n how a b l y M i l t o n c o n t r o l s t h e p e r s p e c t i v e from which we view t h e events o f t h e poem. By the
t i m e we read t h e passage c o n t a i n i n g Eve's lament i n
Book X I , we
are
a l r e a d y b e g i n n i n g t o p e r c e i v e t h a t t h e r e i s t o be some compensation f o r the
l o s s t h a t has been s u s t a i n e d .
'without thorn' w i l l f u l f i l
Mary t h e v i r g i n mother and
t h e promise o f v i r g i n innocence
rose
and
fruitful
motherhood, w h i l e Eve h e r s e l f w i l l l e a v e b e h i n d t h e s y m b o l i c a l l y f e r t i l e r o l e s o f mater f l o r u m and frugum g e n e t r i x t o become mother o f mankind. S t i l l , as her m o u r n f u l words e x p r e s s i v e l y i l l u s t r a t e , Eve, i s n o t i m m e d i a t e l y r e c o n c i l e d t o her new
l i k e Proserpina,
r o l e and p r o s p e c t i v e
environment
1
i n an u n f a m i l i a r w o r l d , ' f o r f e i t t o d e a t h . I n Book" IX and by f a r t h e g r e a t e r p a r t o f Book X, though, n a t u r a l l y accents l o s s more t h a n u l t i m a t e r e s t o r a t i o n . p r e f e r t o a l t e r t h e emphasis o f P a r i s h ' s c o n c l u s i o n .
I would
Milton
thus
He c l a i m s t h a t :
247
"Though w a n t i n g
t o evoke t h e p a t h o s o f t h e s t o r y o f P r o s e r p i n a ,
Milton CO
i n t e n d s t o s t r e s s f r u i t f u l motherhood more t h a n r a v i s h e d s i n c e " b e f o r e dawn o f t h e n e x t day" through
t h e g r a c e o f God,
a f t e r the F a l l ,
innocence,"
he a r g u e s ,
"Eve,
h a s been r e s t o r e d t o h e r o r i g i n a l r o l e
- or
53 t o one
even more e x a l t e d " as a t y p e o f t h e v i r g i n mother, Mary.
t h i s i s t r u e , i t i s n o t a l l t h a t m i g h t be s a i d .
T h i s l i n e of
t o o e a s i l y d i s c o u n t s t h e tone and
passages i n the
v e n i n g p o r t i o n o f t h e poem w h i c h
atmosphere o f join
While
interpretation inter-
t o g e t h e r w i t h an i n e x o r a b l e movement
to underscore the u t t e r l y n e g a t i v e e f f e c t s of the F a l l a t t h i s p o i n t . Our i n t e r e s t i n t h e o p t i m i s t i c counter-movement w h i c h g a t h e r s s t r e n g t h towards
t h e c l o s e o f t h e poem, t h e p r o n o u n c e d rhythm i n t h e
54 f i n a l books o f " f a l l i n g and r i s i n g a g a i n , o f s o r r o w and
j o y , " must n o t
be a l l o w e d t o o b s c u r e t h e f a c t t h a t a t a n a r r a t i v e l e v e l t h e poem r e c o r d s an i r r e p a r a b l e l o s s . o u t t h e hope t h a t d e a t h may
Though e v e n t u a l l y t h e poem c e r t a i n l y p a r a d o x i c a l l y become t h e door t o l i f e ,
Book I X , and a l m o s t t h r o u g h o u t Milton.
The
Book X,
t h i s a s p e c t i s n o t d w e l t on
image o f t h e f a d e d r o s e s i s a p o w e r f u l r e m i n d e r
and d e a t h a r e now
that
holds in by life
l i n k e d w i t h an i n d i s s o l u b l e bond, and t h e l o s t f l o w e r s
55 become an e n d u r i n g symbol o f a l l t h a t was
l o s t with the
Fall.
248
II Forfeit
to Death
L e t us look a g a i n a t the s i m i l e have a l r e a d y o b s e r v e d
how
this simile
i n Book I V , l i n e s 268-71.
affords a fine
i n s t a n c e of
We the
homology between t e r m s w h i c h Whaler found t o be c h a r a c t e r i s t i c o f Milton's simile. ences
When c l o s e l y examined, i t y i e l d s
i n w h i c h E n n a p a r a l l e l s E d e n , P r o s e r p i n a E v e , and
However, so f a r we the
a number o f
correspond-
Dis Satan.
have n e g l e c t e d t o m e n t i o n t h e c o n c l u d i n g l i n e s o f
simile:
... w h i c h c o s t C e r e s a l l t h a t p a i n To s e e k h e r t h r o u g h t h e w o r l d . (IV.
How to
a r e we
the mother?
pair?
t o e x p l a i n t h i s s h i f t o f i n t e r e s t from t h e
And,
how
a r e we
to i d e n t i f y
C r i t i c s have found i t d i f f i c u l t
and h a v e , i t seems t o me, explanations.
271-72)
a t how
term o f t h e
final
t o answer t h e s e q u e s t i o n s f u l l y ,
only succeeded
L e t us l o o k f i r s t
the second
daughter
i n p r o v i d i n g us w i t h p a r t i a l Whaler a d d r e s s e s h i m s e l f t o the
56 problem. Having d u l y noted
the f i r s t
t h r e e "happy homologues", he
somewhat p e r p l e x e d l y :
But what o f C e r e s ? The p o e t l e t s C e r e s wander through e l e v e n s p l e n d i d m o n o s y l l a b l e s without so much a s a s u g g e s t i o n o f a homologue u n l e s s i t be w i t h God h i m s e l f .
inquires
s
249
Whaler i s f i n a l l y and
f o r c e d to conclude
t h a t the mention of C e r e s '
search i s a l o g i c a l digression a r i s i n g
accorded
to t h i s p a r t of the s t o r y .
assumed t o " g r a t i f y our memory and However, h i s t e n t a t i v e s u g g e s t i o n C e r e s and
God
pretation
s i n c e favoured
from t h e e m p h a s i s O v i d
Thus t h e r e f e r e n c e c o u l d keep our
a t t e n t i o n from
be
scattering."
o f a p o s s i b l e c o r r e s p o n d e n c e between
i s i n d i c a t i v e o f one by
grief
o f t h e two
major l i n e s of
inter-
critics.
K. M. Swaim, f o r i n s t a n c e , c o n f i d e n t l y a s s e r t s t h a t a s p a r a l l e l s Eden, P r o s e r p i n a Eve, D i s Satan
... C e r e s
- by
"Enna
suggestion
57 and
medieval t r a d i t i o n - [ p a r a l l e l s ] C h r i s t , " while Christopher R i c k s ,
a l b e i t more c a u t i o u s l y ,
concludes:
C e r e s ' p a i n does p e r h a p s s u g g e s t t h e t e r r i b l e p a i n t h a t comes i n t o t h e w o r l d a f t e r t h e F a l l , and t h e c o n j u n c t i o n o f t h i s w i t h t h e word " c o s t " p e r h a p s s u g g e s t s though i t does not s t a t e - t h e s u f f e r i n g o f C h r i s t . 58
So
too K.
W.
Gransden's observation t h a t " ' a l l
that pain' i s often
s a i d t o be moving b e c a u s e i t makes us t h i n k o f C h r i s t ' s p a i n " reasonable
s i n c e the emphatic, monosyllabic
(1.3) i s u n d o u b t e d l y r e c a l l e d by
But although o f our
response
seems
movement o f " a l l our
woe"
" a l lthat pain"(IV.271).
Gransden r e a d i l y a l l o w s t h a t t h i s should
form p a r t
t o t h e l i n e s i n q u e s t i o n , he p r e f e r s t o r e a d
" a l lthat
p a i n , " a s i f i t were s a i d i n a d i s m i s s i v e v o i c e , an a l l u s i o n t o " f u s s about n o t h i n g
w h i c h t a k e s up
the
so many h u n d r e d s o f l i n e s i n
59 Metamorphoses V and
Fasti
u n l i k e l y , u n l e s s we
a r e to imagine Milton
this
IV."
However, I f e e l t h i s
s t o r y of l o s s i s merely fabulous,
and
is a
little
i m p l i c i t l y a s s e r t i n g thereby: t h e p a i n mere f i c t i o n ,
but
250
I am r e l a t i n g t h e t r u e account o f our g r e a t l o s s .
Still,
such a
d i s p a r a g i n g i n t o n a t i o n would r u i n t h e e x q u i s i t e b e a u t y o f t h e e a r l y p a r t o f t h e s i m i l e which so many c r i t i c s and e d i t o r s have Moreover, t h i s would n o t conform w i t h M i l t o n ' s
praised.
p r a c t i c e elsewhere o f
e x p l o i t i n g r a t h e r than s i m p l y e x p l o d i n g O v i d i a n myth. A t t h i s p o i n t , i t may be i n s t r u c t i v e t o remember t h a t when r e g a r d e d from a t y p o l o g i c a l p e r s p e c t i v e ,
c e r t a i n pagan myths were h e l d
t o r e f l e c t t r u t h , though d i m l y and i n d i s t o r t e d o u t l i n e .
Whether o r
n o t l i t e r a l l y u n t r u e , a myth c o u l d s t i l l be s y m b o l i c a l l y
appropriate
and
capable o f d i s p l a y i n g p r e f i g u r a t i v e s i g n i f i c a n c e .
a t l e a s t p a r t l y engaged upon t r a n s f o r m i n g 60 myth i n t o an image o f C h r i s t i a n t r u t h .
M i l t o n seems
an e m o t i o n a l l y
charged pagan
Both P r o s e r p i n a and Eve become t o 'death d e v o t e ' a f t e r s u f f e r i n g from t h a t same
' f a t a l l l i q u o r i s h n e s s e , ' b u t t h e i n t e r c e s s i o n o f Ceres,
a p p e a l i n g t o J u p i t e r , on t h e one hand, and t h e Son's appeal t o t h e F a t h e r on t h e o t h e r , ensure t h a t " t h e b i t t e r n e s s o f d e a t h / I s p a s t " ( X I . 1 5 7 ) f o r P r o s e r p i n a and Eve. severity o f the penalty.
Mercy i s extended, m i t i g a t i n g t h e
I n b o t h cases l o s s i s combined w i t h e v e n t u a l
reunion, tragedy w i t h u l t i m a t e
triumph.
Viewed i n t h i s way, t h e r e s p e c t i v e begin t o f a l l
f a t e s o f P r o s e r p i n a and Eve
i n t o t h e f a m i l i a r p a t t e r n o f l o s s and r e s t i t u t i o n ,
whereby episodes from pagan myth and O l d Testament h i s t o r y seem t o p r e f i g u r e t h e release o f the C h r i s t i a n soul from death. 61
We may t h u s
t r a c e a d e f i n i t i o n o f s a l v a t i o n t h a t e v o l v e s t h r o u g h "shadowy t y p e s t o t r u t h " and " f l e s h t o s p i r i t "
( X U . 3 0 3 ) , from a p h y s i c a l
event t o one t h a t i s i n w a r d and o f s p i r i t u a l s i g n i f i c a n c e .
external The
progression
i s cumulative
midway a l o n g may,
and
the r e s t o r a t i o n o f Eve
seems t o l a y
t h i s continuum, p a r t a k i n g o f b o t h k i n d s o f r e l e a s e . We
t h e r e f o r e , d e t e c t t h e emergence of a t r i p a r t i t e t y p o l o g i c a l
framework:
Pagan myth
And,
(ectype), Hebraic
h i s t o r y (type), Christian
a s a n a t u r a l c o r o l l a r y t o t h i s , we
of mediation
e f f e c t e d by,
i n ascending
may
a l s o i s o l a t e three
o r d e r , C e r e s , t h e Son
A t t h i s p o i n t , i t would seem c o n v e n i e n t dimly
d i s c e r n e d presence
m i n g l e s w i t h and meaning. closely:
of another
types
and
Christ.
t o r e f l e c t upon t h e
m y t h i c a l e c t y p e whom E v e
e v e n t u a l l y subsumes a t a s u b t e r r a n e a n
meets,
l e v e l of p o e t i c
T h e i r r e s p e c t i v e o u t l i n e s , when t r a c e d , a r e f o u n d t o match she
i s another
f i g u r e " F o r f e i t to Death"
example o f t r a g i c w a s t e and
l o s s , b u t one
Death's c l u t c h e s a f t e r the b r i e f e s t I mean, o f c o u r s e ,
The
who
reunion
(X.304),
p o s s i b i l i t y of there being
h a v e o f t e n commented upon M i l t o n ' s
must r e m a i n f o r e v e r i n
w i t h h e r g r i e v i n g husband.
a submerged a l l u s i o n t o several factors.
l i f e - l o n g preoccupation
c a s u a l r e f e r e n c e t o h i s use o f t h e t a l e
v a r i o u s works o f c r i t i c i s m on M i l t o n .
Critics with
ranges
of Orpheus i n a way
the
P e r h a p s t h e most s i g n i f i c a n t
of P a r a d i s e L o s t ,
t h a t suggests
of
attachment
C. A l l e n ' s t e l l i n g r e m a r k : "From t h e f l a t s o f
f i r s t P r o l u s i o n through the l a t e r a c c e n t s the legend
the
i s scattered in
t h e s e p a s s i n g acknowledgements t o t h e s t r e n g t h o f M i l t o n ' s t o t h i s myth i s D.
another
Eurydice.
Orphean myth i s c o n s i d e r a b l y e n h a n c e d by
myth, and
fulfillment (antitype)
the
Milton
self-identification.
252
As t h e t y p e o f t h e p o e t b e t r a y e d by a h o s t i l e w o r l d , h i s words l o s t i n the
ingens clamor
(Met. X I . 15-16) o f t h e mob, M i l t o n o v e r t l y
i d e n t i f i e s h i m s e l f w i t h Ovid's
" T h r e i c i u s v a t e s " (Met. XI.2) i n t h e
p r o l o g u e t o Book V I I when he c a l l s upon h i s Muse t o
... d r i v e f a r o f f t h e barbarous dissonance Of Bacchus and h i s r e v e l l e r s , t h e race Of t h a t w i l d r o u t t h a t t o r e t h e T h r a c i a n b a r d I n Rhodope, where woods and r o c k s had e a r s To r a p t u r e , t i l l t h e savage clamour drowned Both harp and v o i c e . (VII.32-37) 63 M i l t o n had p r e v i o u s l y employed t h e e x p r e s s i o n "barbarous
dissonance"
t o d e s c r i b e t h e d i n made by Comus and h i s band (Comus. 1.549) who are t h u s a p p o s i t e l y - s i n c e Comus i s s a i d t o be t h e son o f Bacchus - l i k e n e d 64 t o t h e f u r i o u s Maenads who a t t a c k Orpheus. Moreover, a l t h o u g h h i s ears i are n o t a t t u n e d t o t h e words o f t h e s p i r i t , Comus i s y e t h e l d i n r a p t u r e by t h e beauty o f t h e Lady's song as t h e b e a s t s were charmed by t h e v o i c e o f Orpheus. Of more s i g n i f i c a n c e t o Paradise L o s t s t r u c t u r a l l y and t h e m a t i c a l l y , i s t h e s t o r y o f Orpheus' doomed l o v e f o r E u r y d i c e .
The a r c h e t y p a l t a l e
o f l o v e and premature l o s s , i t i s a c c r e d i t e d by c e r t a i n c r i t i c s w i t h a t a c i t b u t n o n e t h e l e s s p o w e r f u l i n f l u e n c e upon t h e shape and f e e l i n g o f a poem, w r i t t e n w h i l e M i l t o n was composing P a r a d i s e L o s t , t h e moving and d e e p l y p e r s o n a l n i n e t e e n t h sonnet.
Indeed, 7. C. U l r e i c h has
c l a i m e d t h a t " M i l t o n ' s i d e n t i f i c a t i o n w i t h Orpheus d e f i n e s t h e e m o t i o n a l 65 c o n t e n t o f t h e poem."
The scene i n t h e c l o s i n g c o u p l e t : "But 0 as t o
embrace me she i n c l i n e d / I waked, she f l e d , and day b r o u g h t back my night"/
(11.13-14), d e s p i t e t h e p a r t i a l r e v e r s a l o f r o l e s - f o r i t i s
253
his
dead w i f e who would embrace him - i n e v i t a b l y r e c a l l Orpheus'
f o r f e i t u r e o f E u r y d i c e , as d e s c r i b e d by Ovid i n t h e Metamorphoses:
nec p r o c u l a f u e r u n t t e l l u r i s margine summae: h i e , ne d e f i c e r e t , metuens avidusque v i d e n d i f l e x i t amans o c u l o s , e t p r o t i n u s i l i a r e l a p s a e s t . bracchiaque intendens prendique e t prendere c e r t a n s nil n i s i cedentes i n f e l i x a r r i p i t a u r a s , iamque i t e r u m moriens non e s t defconiuge quicquam questa suo (quid enim n i s i se q u e r e r e t u r amatam?) supremunnc^ue"vale," quod iam v i x a u r i b u s i l l e a c c i p e r e t , d i x i t r e v o l u t a q u e r u r s u s eodem e s t . (Met.X.55-63)
Thus Ovid concludes Eurydice."
t h e t r a g i c t a l e o f Orpheus and h i s " h a l f - r e g a i n e d
6 6
S i g n i f i c a n t l y , M i l t o n glimpses h i s w i f e i n a d r e a m - v i s i o n , h i s account b e g i n n i n g : "Methought I saw my l a t e espoused s a i n t Adam t o o f i r s t the
while
sees Eve i n a s i m i l a r , d r e a m - l i k e s t a t e as he r e c o u n t s
episode t o Raphael: " A b s t r a c t i n a t r a n c e methought I saw ..." 67
(VIII.462).
These d i s t i n c t echoes i n s i t u a t i o n and e x p r e s s i o n appear
i n passages o f f i r s t person n a r r a t i v e and seem e s p e c i a l l y n o t a b l e when c o n s i d e r e d i n c o n j u n c t i o n w i t h t h e outcome i n each case.
As r e a l i t y
o b t r u d e s upon s l e e p , M i l t o n s u f f e r s an O r p h e u s - l i k e f o r f e i t u r e o f h i s wife of
perhaps an i m p l i c i t comment upon t h e f r u s t r a t i n g
limitations
t h e f a l l e n w o r l d - w h i l e Adam i n P a r a d i s e wakes t o f i n d h i s dream
reality.
Adam reaches o u t t o embrace n o t an i n s u b s t a n t i a l , evanescent
shade o r s p i r i t , b u t a t a n g i b l e , r a d i a n t b e i n g , "such asJ[ he ] saw h e r in [ h i s ]
dream" ( V I I I . 4 8 2 ) .
Yet f i r s t he has t o endure a temporary
l o s s which p r o v e s s u r p r i s i n g l y comparable t o t h a t o f Milton's,and t h u s , i n d i r e c t l y , t o t h a t o f Orpheus.
254
Adam m o v i n g l y conveys h i s sudden p a i n and emptiness upon h e r unexpected l o s s i n these l i n e s :
She d i s a p p e a r e d , and l e f t me d a r k , I waked To f i n d her, o r f o r ever t o d e p l o r e Her l o s s , and o t h e r p l e a s u r e s a l l a b j u r e . (VIII.477-80)
The
imagery and movement o f t h e f i r s t l i n e c o n t a i n s a u d i b l e echoes o f 68
t h e f i n a l l i n e s o f Sonnet XIX. dramatic
Moreover, Adam's e x p r e s s i o n
d e c i s i o n t o deny h i m s e l f a l l t h e forms o f p l e a s u r e
of h i s that
p a r a d i s e c o u l d o f f e r i f she were n o t r e s t o r e d t o him, seems t o suggest Orpheus' s i m i l a r r e n u n c i a t i o n . The p u r p o r t o f these l i n e s seems a t f i r s t g l a n c e p e r p l e x i n g , the p a i n i n f l i c t e d ,
gratuitous.
Why should M i l t o n , a l b e i t
briefly,
d e l i b e r a t e l y suggest t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f a t r a g i c outcome, o v e r l a y i n g i t w i t h o v e r t o n e s t h a t l i n k i t w i t h o t h e r m a r r i a g e s t h a t w i l l end i n premature s e p a r a t i o n ?
I t seems r e a s o n a b l e t o i n f e r , remembering
M i l t o n ' s p r a c t i c e elsewhere, t h a t he i s t a c i t l y a n t i c i p a t i n g t h a t c r i t i c a l moment i n t h e poem when Adam w i l l l o s e Eve a second t i m e ; he w i l l r i s k f a l l i n g i n t o t h e hands o f d e a t h w i t h h e r t h a n endure
life
without her. A g a i n , t h e r e i s a s l i g h t r e v e r s a l o f r o l e s : i t i s t h e woman who breaks t h e s o l e c o n d i t i o n o f freedom and l i f e .
Unlike
who submits t o her f a t e p a s s i v e l y and u n c o m p l a i n i n g l y ,
Eurydice,
Adam d e s p e r a t e l y
seeks t o u n d e r s t a n d why she has f a i l e d t o conroly w i t h t h e c o n d i t i o n , f
demanding o f Eve: ... how h a s t thou y i e l d e d t o t r a n s g r e s s The s t r i c t f o r b i d d a n c e , how t o v i o l a t e The sacred f r u i t f o r b i d d e n ! (IX.902-4)
255
As once b e f o r e he woke t o f i n d t h e b r i g h t n e s s o f P a r a d i s e
eclipsed
w i t h o u t t h e r a d i a n t presence o f Eve, a g a i n Adam cannot envisage
living
alone i n ' w i l d woods f o r l o r n . ' But Adam's i n i t i a l r e a c t i o n t o "The f a t a l t r e s p a s s done by Eve", p a r a l y s i s o f body and "inward s i l e n c e " o f mind as he
"Astonied
s t o o d and b l a n k " (IX.889-95) r e c a l l s t h e benumbing shock e x p e r i e n c e d by Ceres when she f i n a l l y l e a r n s t h e t r u t h b e h i n d P r o s e r p i n a ' s disappearance, Her response
t h a t she has been c l a i m e d by t h e L o r d o f t h e Underworld.
i s l i k e w i s e conveyed t h r o u g h an image o f p e t r i f i c a t i o n :
Mater ad a u d i t a s s t u p u i t ceu saxea voces attonitaeque diu s i m i l i s f u i t . (Met. V. 509-10)
E s p e c i a l l y noteworthy i s M i l t o n ' s choice o f 'astonied', which, like
' a t t o n i t a e ' , heads t h e l i n e i n which i t appears.
I n h i s note t o
l i n e 890, Bush g i v e s "dazed" as an e q u i v a l e n t , b u t s i n c e M i l t o n ' s fondness
f o r p l a y i n g w i t h t h e etymology o f L a t i n a t e words i s so
n o t o r i o u s , t h i s g l o s s seems t o d e p a r t u n n e c e s s a r i l y from t h e d e r i v a t i o n of
t h e word.
Besides t h e obvious r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h ' a t t o n i t u s , ' hence
' t h u n d e r s t r u c k , ' 'astony' was o f t e n h e l d t o be d e r i v e d from and was used "as p e t r i f i e d "
(OED).
'stoney'
Thus i t appears a t l e a s t p o s s i b l e
t h a t through t h e connotative value o f 'astonied'
M i l t o n has
e c o n o m i c a l l y condensed i n t o one word b o t h o f Ovid's^ images conveying shock. But a s * w e l l as r e c a l l i n g t h e stunned s i l e n c e w i t h which Ceres r e c e i v e d t h e news o f P r o s e r p i n a ' s f a t e , Adam, s t r u c k senseless by t h e initial
shock o f f i n d i n g Eve " l o s t " and " t o d e a t h devote"
(IX.901,902)
256
a l s o resembles
Orpheus i n h i s dazed b e w i l d e r m e n t a t d i s c o v e r i n g
E u r y d i c e wrested from him a second t i m e by d e a t h :
Mon a l i t e r s t u p u i t gemina nece c o n i u g i s Orpheus, quam t r i a q u i t i m i d u s , medio p o r t a n t e c a t e n a s , c o l l a c a n i s v i d i t , quem non pavor ante r e l i q u i t , quam n a t u r a p r i o r saxo p e r corpus oborto. (Met.X.64-67)
Moreover, i t seems i n t e r e s t i n g t o note i n p a s s i n g t h e remarkable s i m i l a r i t y between t h e p o r t r a y a l o f P r o s e r p i n a g a t h e r i n g f l o w e r s w i t h her gay, young companions, as d e p i c t e d g r a p h i c a l l y by Ovid i n t h e Metamorphoses and t h e F a s t i , and t h a t o f E u r y d i c e i n t h e f i r s t of
'A snake k i l l e t h E u r y d i c e ,
1
lines
one o f a number o f s h o r t poems modelled 69
upon s t o r i e s from t h e Metamorphoses b e l i e v e d by Hugh Candy, amongst o t h e r s , t o have been composed i n M i l t o n ' s e a r l y y o u t h , i n s p i r e d by his
a r d e n t a d m i r a t i o n f o r t h e L a t i n p o e t , where t h e scene i s s e t t h u s : W h i l s t E u r y d i c e amongst t h e Naiades Under t h e shaddow o f t h e v e r d a n t t r e e s Excerp't t h e t r e m b l i n g f l o w e r s amongst t h e g r a s s grown h i g h w i t h t i m e .. . 70
These g e n e r a l p a r a l l e l s seem more s i g n i f i c a n t when we r e c a l l t h a t Ovid's account o f t h i s episode i s d e l i b e r a t e l y t e r s e and s p a r i n g o f detail:
e x i t u s a u s p i c i o g r a v i o r : nam nupta p e r herbas dum nova naiadum t u r b a c o m i t a t a vagatur, o c c i d i t i n t a l u m s e r p e n t i s dente r e c e p t o . (Met.X.8-10)
257
Noteworthy t o o i s t h e p u r p o s e f u l b u t meandering p r o g r e s s o f t h e snake towards E u r y d i c e , "who w i t h moeanders towards h e r d o t h r e e l e "
(1. 5 )
which may a n t i c i p a t e t h e devious approach o f Satan, i n s e r p e n t f o r m , towards Eve. A g a i n , t h e f o l l o w i n g l i n e , " T i l l he h i s t e e t h had fastened t o her heele"
(1.6)
may suggest, whether
or n o t , t h e terms o f t h e curse pronounced
coincidentally
upon t h e snake i n Eden:
Between thee and t h e woman I w i l l p u t Enmity, and between t h i n e and h e r seed; Her seed s h a l l b r u i s e t h y head, t h o u b r u i s e h i s h e e l (X.179-81)
The fundamental correspondences
between E u r y d i c e and Eve a r e
c l e a r l y d i s c e r n i b l e : E u r y d i c e d i e s a f t e r b e i n g b i t t e n i n t h e h e e l by a snake w h i l e b e i n g pursued by a would-be r a v i s h e r ;
Satan combines
71 the r o l e s o f r a v i s h e r
and s e r p e n t .
A l t h o u g h no d i r e c t r e f e r e n c e i s
t o be found t o t h e t a l e o f E u r y d i c e i n P a r a d i s e L o s t , when t h i s myth i s c o n s i d e r e d w i t h M i l t o n ' s open use o f t h e Proserpina-Ceres m o t i f t o which i t has c e r t a i n obvious a f f i n i t i e s - i t may seem o f some t h e m a t i c and s t r u c t u r a l s i g n i f i c a n c e . Notably, i t e a s i l y f a l l s i n t o the t r i p a r t i t e p a t t e r n o f the progressive d e f i n i t i o n o f salvation previously
discussed; a mediator
i n t e r c e d e s on b e h a l f o f those ' F o r f e i t t o Death.'
I n each i n s t a n c e ,
l i f e o r r e s u r r e c t i o n had been c o n d i t i o n a l upon a b s t i n e n c e o f some k i n d ; i n each case t h i s c o n d i t i o n had been broken. failure to f u l f i l fatal.
For Orpheus, t h e
t h e terms o f E u r y d i c e ' s c o n d i t i o n a l r e l e a s e p r o v e d
As t h e young M i l t o n may have expressed i t , E u r y d i c e ' s r e t u r n
i s granted:
258
C o n d i t i o n e d he see her n o t w i t h h i s eyes T i l he Avernus p a s t : b u t ' s wandring s i g h t ^ Breaketh t h i s law, and so he l o s t her q u i t e .
Ceres, on t h e o t h e r hand, by i n t e r c e d i n g w i t h J u p i t e r on b e h a l f o f h e r d a u g h t e r , ensures t h e p a r t i a l r e s t o r a t i o n o f P r o s e r p i n a t o t h e 1
s u n l i t w o r l d , d e s p i t e her f a t a l l l i q u o r i s h n e s s e . *
But Eve's r e l e a s e
from t h e c l u t c h e s o f Death i s envisaged upon two d i s t i n c t l e v e l s : on t h e p h y s i c a l l e v e l i t t o o i s o n l y p a r t i a l , f o l l o w i n g Adam and Eve's p r a y e r s o f repentance Death i s "Defeated
i n t e r c e p t e d by t h e Son and b r o u g h t t o t h e F a t h e r ,
o f h i s s e i z u r e many days/Given .
on t h e s p i r i t u a l l e v e l , t h e redemptive
o f grace"
sacrifice of Christ,
(XI.254-55)
freely
a l l o w i n g h i m s e l f t o f a l l i n t o t h e power o f Death, "Redeem£s them] q u i t e from Death's r a p a c i o u s c l a i m " (XI.258).
C h r i s t ' s words a r e o f a
diviner
73 strain,
and h i s h a r r o w i n g o f H e l l would have " q u i t e s e t free/jthe] h a l f 74 r e g a i n e d E u r y d i c e . " ( L ' A l l e g r o 1.149-5Q). Some r e a d e r s would n a t u r a l l y f e e l uneasy about t o o p r e c i s e a p o e t i c e q u i v a l e n c e between Ceres and C h r i s t t h a t such an emphasis on her
m e d i a t o r i a l r o l e seem t o imply. Ricks i s e s p e c i a l l y wary o f p u s h i n g t h e
relationship maintains t h a t
t o o f a r , and s e n s i b l y advocates a degree o f c a u t i o n . He here
... p r e c i s e correspondence must s u r e l y be t h o u g h t t o g i v e way t o l o o s e r s u g g e s t i v e n e s s . Ceres cannot be C h r i s t , i n t h e sense i n which Eve i s P r o s e r p i n a ; t h e most obvious t h i n g i s t h a t t h e sexes a r e wrong.
But w h i l e R i c k s '
second p o i n t , t h a t t o o simple an e q u a t i o n o f Ceres
w i t h C h r i s t i s " i n t o l e r a b l e " because "Eve i s h e r s e l f l a t e r e x p l i c i t l y 75 compared t o Ceres," a l s o seems v a l i d , i t a l s o seems a t l e a s t s u g g e s t i v e
259
t h a t Eve i s h e r s e l f assigned a C h r i s t - l i k e , m e d i a t o r i a l r o l e l a t e r i n t h e poem. I t seems u s e f u l t o remember C o l l e t t ' s t i m e l y w a r n i n g
that
"Whaler's system o f one-for-one e q u a t i o n s f o r t h e d e t a i l s o f t h e s i m i l e s 76 demands a r i g i d i t y t h a t obscures p a r t o f t h e meaning" by f u r t h e r d i s c u s s i o n and t h o u g h t . degrees o f correspondence
and
foreclosing
We s h o u l d t h e n a l l o w f o r d i f f e r i n g
f o r t h e p o e t i c i d e n t i f i c a t i o n o f Ceres
w i t h C h r i s t t o form o n l y one p o s s i b l e l e v e l o f s i g n i f i c a n c e .
Whilst
Ceres i n her m e d i a t o r y and s u f f e r i n g r o l e i n some ways a n t i c i p a t e s C h r i s t , a more f l e x i b l e approach m i g h t a l s o view her as another image o f Eve
herself. Indeed, C o l l e t t has argued t h a t Eve i s "a composite b o t h o f t h e 77
i n n o c e n t P r o s e r p i n e and t h e s o r r o w i n g Ceres," t h a t i s P r o s e r p i n a i s t h e p r e - l a p s a r i a n , and Ceres t h e p o s t - l a p s a r i a n Eve.
While t h i s i s a
s u g g e s t i v e p o i n t , we must n o t f o r g e t t h a t Eve, i n a l l her p r i m a l g l o r y , seemed " L i k e l i e s t ... t o Ceres i n her p r i m e " i n mind, l e t us now
(IX.394-95).
c o n s i d e r M i l t o n ' s d i r e c t comparison
Ceres and a t t e m p t t o a s c e r t a i n i t s s i g n i f i c a n c e .
The
With t h i s
o f Eve
with
simile's
importance i s undoubtedly a c c e n t u a t e d by i t s p o s i t i o n i n t h e n a r r a t i v e , o c c u r i n g a t a c r u c i a l stage i n t h e a c t i o n as Eve
i s about t o leave Adam
and innocence behind her. The
s i m i l e g a i n s f u r t h e r emphasis, as we have seen, from t h e
unusual terms o f t h e comparison,
f o r Eve resembles
Ceres when she
was
" i n her prime/Yet v i r g i n , " and i f t h e r e a d i n g i s c o r r e c t , " o f P r o s e r p i n a from Jove"
(IX.395-96).
Fowler g l o s s e s "prime" t h u s : " i n
her b e s t t i m e ; b e f o r e t h e l o s s o f P r o s e r p i n a b r o u g h t cares and
suffering
260
(
78
upon her."
T h i s would seem t h e n , t o be an ' i n v e r t e d ' use o f t h e Ceres
f i g u r e t o suggest Eve's p r e - l a p s a r i a n r a t h e r than p o s t - l a p s a r i a n condition.
Moreover, as Empson has p o i n t e d o u t i n a b r i l l i a n t
note
on t h e passage,"the v e r y r i c h n e s s o f t h e garden makes i t heavy w i t h autumn.
Ceres when v i r g i n o f t h e queen o f H e l l was a l r e a d y i n h e r f u l l 79
f r u i t f u l n e s s upon t h e w o r l d . "
Ill Flowers and t h e i r
Fruits
Empson's comment s i g n a l s another l e v e l o f meaning t h a t we may c o n v e n i e n t l y e x p l o r e here, e s p e c i a l l y s i n c e i t would seem t o p r o v i d e an i n t e r e s t i n g v a r i a t i o n upon a t h e m a t i c p a t t e r n we have a l r e a d y discussed
i n r e l a t i o n t o Eve.
We have p r e v i o u s l y examined t h e t r i p t y c h
d e p i c i t i n g Eve i n h e r t h r e e - f o l d aspect as v i r g i n , b r i d e and mother, and we concluded
t h a t a l t h o u g h t h i s t r i a d i c s t r u c t u r e seemed t o suggest
a c u m u l a t i v e process - t h e f i r s t phase r e p r e s e n t i n g a s t a t e t h a t was p o t e n t i a l r a t h e r t h a n a c t u a l , t h e second b e i n g p a r t i a l r a t h e r t h a n complete, t i l l
b o t h a r e f u l f i l l e d i n t h e f i n a l stage o f t h e p r o g r e s s i o n
- t h e t h r e e aspects were n o t w h o l l y d i s c r e t e o r merely s e q u e n t i a l , b u t p r o f o u n d l y complementary. T h i s r e a d i n g would seem t o accord w i t h t h e unique q u a l i t y
that
M i l t o n i n s i s t s d i s t i n g u i s h e s Eden from t h e f a l l e n w o r l d , what we may c a l l t h e p r o s p e c t o f e n d u r i n g s i m u l t a n e i t y . L e t us e n l a r g e upon t h i s point.
I n t h e f a l l e n w o r l d , t h e c o n d i t i o n s o f t h e seasons a r e m u t u a l l y
e x c l u s i v e : s p r i n g must be exchanged f o r autumn, autumn f o r w i n t e r .
261
Time, whether r e g a r d e d as l i n e a r or c y c l i c a l , i s a p o s t l a p s a r i a n dimension
when change i n v o l v e s l o s s o r even d e a t h .
Eve's p r i m a l
s t a t e t h u s p e r f e c t l y r e f l e c t s t h a t o f t h e p a r a d i s a l Garden i n which the
f r e s h , f l o r a l beauty o f " s p r i n g / P e r p e t u a l ... w i t h v e r n a n t f l o w e r s "
(X.678-79) combined w i t h t h e l u x u r i a n t f r u i t f u l n e s s o f " A l l piled"
autumn
(V.394). The f l o w e r s and f r u i t are t h u s n o t two p o i n t s spaced a l o n g a
continuum, b u t a r e found t o g e t h e r o u t s i d e t h e process o f seasonal change.
P r o s e r p i n a , t h e young maiden, i s seen by O v i d a g a i n s t a
b a c k c l o t h o f perpetuum v e r , surrounded by s p r i n g f l o w e r s i n her n a t i v e element, w h i l s t her mother, Ceres, as frugum g e n e t r i x suggests t h e r i p e f r u i t f u l n e s s o f autumn.
I n t h i s way,
(Met. V.490), t h e composite
image o f Eve as b o t h P r o s e r p i n a and Ceres, maiden and mother, can be h e l d t o r e p r e s e n t t h e d i s t i n c t i v e q u a l i t y o f Eden which Eve shares as p r e s i d i n g s p i r i t o f a Garden where " s p r i n g and autumn/Danced hand i n / hand"(V.394-95).
Indeed, as we s h a l l see, t h e i r f a t e and
fecundity
prove i n e x t r i c a b l y bound t o g e t h e r . However, some c r i t i c s t o Eve b e f o r e t h e F a l l .
the
tend t o overlook t h e f e r t i l e r o l e assigned
K o e h l e r , f o r i n s t a n c e , i n s i s t s t h a t "As 80
f l o w e r was no l o n g e r i n Eve's sphere."
f a i l s t o s u s t a i n such an a s s e r t i o n .
fruit,
Yet t h e t e x t o f t h e poem
N a t u r a l l y , I would n o t w i s h t o
deny t h a t M i l t o n emphasises Eve's e s p e c i a l r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h
flowers.
Even so, we cannot i g n o r e t h e number o f r e f e r e n c e s which f o l l o w i n r a p i d s u c c e s s i o n i n Book V and which u n m i s t a k a b l y i n d i c a t e t h a t f r u i t s a l s o t o be c o n s i d e r e d w i t h i n t h e scope o f Eve's p r o v i n c e .
Particularly
n o t a b l e i s t h e way i n which Eve n a t u r a l l y assumes t h e i n s t r u c t i o n o f
are
262
Adam upon t h e d i f f e r e n t q u a l i t i e s o f t h e f r u i t s around them, and
the
open comparison o f Eve w i t h Ovid's p r o t e c t o r e s s o f f r u i t t r e e s , Pomona. T h i s movement o f a s s o c i a t i o n c u l m i n a t e s i n h e r appearance i n t h e g u i s e o f b o t h frugum g e n e t r i x and mater f l o r u m as- she d e p a r t s from her bower " t h a t l i k e Pomona's arbour s m i l e d " (V.378) t o t e n d b o t h t h e " f r u i t s and f l o w e r s " t h a t f i l l her " n u r s e r y "
(VIII.44; 46).
I t m i g h t be argued t h a t these r e f e r e n c e s are merely i n c l u d e d 81 t o i l l u s t r a t e more f u l l y Eve's domestic
r o l e , b u t , as i f t o c o n f i r m
t h a t t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p runs deeper, Raphael, o b s e r v i n g t h e f r u i t s has p i l e d h i g h on t h e "ample square" explicit
the unmistakable
Eve
(V.393) o f t h e t a b l e , makes
c o r r e l a t i o n between her d e s t i n e d f r u i t f u l n e s s
and t h a t o f t h e Garden, embodied i n t h e f r u i t s heaped b e f o r e them: H a i l , mother o f mankind, whose f r u i t f u l womb S h a l l f i l l t h e w o r l d more numerous w i t h t h y sons Than w i t h these v a r i o u s f r u i t s t h e t r e e s o f God Have heaped t h i s t a b l e . (V.388-91)
As Raphael's e x c l a m a t i o n r e v e a l s , Eve's f r u i t f u l n e s s i s i m p l i c i t i n the
l u x u r i a n t abundance o f t h e Garden.
the
teeming l i f e o f t h e w o r l d .
She
i s v i r t u a l l y pregnant
with
Yet K. M. Swaim c o n t i n u e s t o m a i n t a i n 82
t h a t " f r u i t i s a postlapsarian category." However, t h e p o t e n t i a l i t y f o r f r u i t f u l n e s s i s c e r t a i n l y g r e a t e r a f t e r t h e P a l l than b e f o r e i t .
no
Indeed, Adam and Eve had been
charged b e f o r e t h e F a l l w i t h two, p o s i t i v e commands which were e s s e n t i a l l y complementary:
t o dress t h e garden and keep i t
and t o i n c r e a s e and m u l t i p l y . sense.
I n s h o r t , t o be f r u i t f u l i n t h e
fullest
E a r l y i n Book V, i n a passage m u l t i l a y e r e d and r e p l e t e w i t h
263
suggestiveness for
which
( 1 1 . 2 0 9 - 2 n ) , Adam a n d Eve a r e g l i m p s e d p e r f o r m i n q t h e f u n c t i o n
t h e y were c r e a t e d .
Their actions, as well as ensuring the
f e r t i l i t y o f t h e Garden, s y m b o l i c a l l y e n a c t t h e j o i n i n g o f f e m a l e t o t h e male i n m a r r i a g e ,
and t h u s l o o k f o r w a r d
womb, t h e numerous progeny o f w h i c h w i l l a race of worshippers" existence.
to the f r u i t
fill
of Eve's
t h e world and " r n u l t i p l y
( V I I . 6 3 0 ) , t h e d e s i r e d end o f t h e i r
prelapsarian
The f r u i t o f t h e Garden'and t h e f r u i t o f E v e ' s womb a r e
thus again unmistakably
correlative.
Moreover, i t seems s i g n i f i c a n t t h a t i t i s H i s o b s e r v a t i o n o f Adam a n d E v e t h u s t e n d i n g t h e Garden w h i c h d i r e c t l y moves God t o p i t y man's i g n o r a n c e and prompts Him t o send H i s m e s s e n g e r , R a p h a e l , t o enlighten t h e i r ignorance of the e v i l happiness.
f o r c e which w i l l t h r e a t e n t h e i r
This use of juxtaposition, implying a causal
relationship,
would seem t o s u p p o r t t h e v i e w t h a t , a t t h i s j u n c t u r e , man's activities act
gardening
were a p e r f e c t p h y s i c a l c o u n t e r p a r t t o p r a y e r and a p o s i t i v e
o f worship. It
seems a n a c h r o n i s t i c , t h e n , when s p e a k i n g o f t h e e a r t h l y
P a r a d i s e , t o speak,
a s K. M. Swaim h a s done, o f t h e " m e r e l y m a t e r i a l
82a. garden"
s i n c e M i l t o n a f f i r m s t h a t u n t i l t h e F a l l , no c l e a r - c u t
dichotomy e x i s t e d between t h e p h y s i c a l and t h e s p i r i t u a l . and
'Flesh'
' s p i r i t ' d i d not s i g n i f y mutually e x c l u s i v e , d i s p a r a t e realms o f
b e i n g , r a t h e r t h e y w e r e , i t seems, t o be r e g a r d e d a s s t a t e s i n degree fluid
differing
r a t h e r t h a n k i n d , p l a c e d upon an o r d e r l y b u t n o n e t h e l e s s
c o n t i n u u m on w h i c h b e i n g and becoming t e n d t o merge.
p o s s i b i l i t y of interanimation
The
between c o n t i g u o u s o r d e r s o f b e i n g , and
t h e v i s i o n o f t h e cosmos a s one, m a s s i v e ,
l i v i n g organism
reaching
264
t o w a r d s God,
a r e a l l g r a p h i c a l l y conveyed by R a p h a e l ,
upon c e l e s t i a l m a t t e r s ,
through a simple but
the
significant
spokesman and
effective
image.
R a p h a e l i n d i c a t e s t h e p r o c e s s o f s u b l i m a t i o n whereby, [may] by
up
to s p i r i t
likening
work, i n b o u n d s / P r o p o r t i o n e d t o e a c h
"body
kind"
i t t o t h e p r o c e s s whereby a p l a n t e v o l v e s t h r o u g h
s t a g e s of growth, each p a r t being
(V.478-79) different
i n t e g r a l to the composition
of
the
whole:
... So from Springs lighter More a i r y , l a s t S p i r i t s odorous
the root, t h e g r e e n s t a l k , from t h e n c e t h e b r i g h t coosu/VHnate f l o w e r breathes.
the leaves
(V.479-82)
The
image, t h e n ,
conveying
i s n o t m e r e l y employed by R a p h a e l a s a v e h i c l e
abstract
i d e a s ; i t does not
something e l s e , but
simply stand for or r e p r e s e n t
i s a concrete, l i v i n g
p r i n c i p l e Raphael seeks to i l l u s t r a t e . i s not only symbolized
through i t ,
for
example o f t h e
The
dynamic
process to which i t r e f e r s
b u t embodied i l l i t .
I t i s interesting 83
to note here, so d e p l o r e d
i n p a s s i n g , t h a t the "confusion of matter
by Dr. J o h n s o n i n R a p h a e l ' s
c a n be e l s e w h e r e instilling
i n t h e n a r r a t i v e one
fresh l i f e
account
of the b a t t l e
of i t s p r i n c i p a l
i n t o the t r a d i t i o n a l conception
naturae or Great Chain of Being, upon w h i c h t h e u n i v e r s e was
with
i n heaven,
strengths, of the
scala
t h e f u n d a m e n t a l , o r g a n i z i n g image
structured.
S i n c e no d i s c r e p a n c y e x i s t e d between t h e p h y s i c a l their
spirit"
facts
s p i r i t u a l meaning, t h e r e i s no need even t o impose upon
the c e n t r a l a c t i v i t y
in Paradise, s p i r i t u a l
significance.
For
and gardening, unfalien
265
man,
the s p i r i t u a l values
through,
o f l i f e were c o n c e n t r a t e d
t h e p h y s i c a l medium.
p h y s i c a l Paradise, s p i r i t u a l values
then
within
t o be
which i t s e l f
reflected
w e r e i n t e r n a l i z e d , and
g r a f t e d on
the references
another,
to
an
i n n e r harmony o f
a w i d e g u l f was
the s p i r i t .
'fruit'
and
disclosed
Spiritual
t o the simple, o r i g i n a l
stock
being,
conceptions
and
'seed' i n t h e f i n a l
thus,
books,
resides
d i s t i n c t o r d e r o f meaning.
This i m a g e r y may
i s n o t t o suggest t h a t the v e i n o f meaning i n p r e l a p s a r i a n be
exhausted a t t h e s u r f a c e , b u t r a t h e r t h a t i t conveys
a b s t r a c t i d e a s o n l y as a n a t u r a l p a r t o f t h e l i t e r a l and sense.
expressed
However, w i t h t h e l o s s o f t h e e x t e r n a l ,
b e t w e e n t h e l i f e o f t h e s e n s e s and had
i n , and
The
d i s t i n g u i s h i n g q u a l i t y of p r e l a p s a r i a n imagery, then,
the remarkable, sustained expression
immediate
of i t .
c o n s o n a n c e b e t w e e n t h e i d e a and
the
is
concrete
Thus, t h e macrocosm, o r p e r h a p s more a c c u r a t e l y ,
the
'mesocosm' o f t h e G a r d e n i s c a r e f u l l y c o n t r i v e d t o e x e m p l i f y ,
and
i n t e r p r e t the microcosm, or l i t t l e
w o r l d o f man.
echo
T h a t each i s
t h e a f f i r m a t i o n o f t h e o t h e r e x p l a i n s t h e f l u e n c y o f movement b e t w e e n external nature is
i t s own
place
o r t h e g a r d e n and only a f t e r the
the inner being
Fall,
84 f r u i t f u l , " K. lines
M.
w h e r e b y "Eve
o p t i m i s t i c view of
i s deflowered"
( I X . 901)
Swaim f e e l s , u n l i k e Empson, t h a t
395-96 o f Book I X " i s on
The
mind
Fall.
However, i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h h e r Fortunate
o f man.
the
t o become
t h e emphasis i n
the u n r e a l i z e d f r u i t f u l p o t e n t i a l
of
85 t h e goddess" Ceres. primary original
Yet
i t seems r e a s o n a b l e t o assume t h a t , as
p l o t o f t h e e p i c c e n t r e s on e a r t h l y p e r f e c t i o n and
the
the loss o f p r i m a l happiness
harmony, M i l t o n w o u l d , a t t h i s
and
critical
266
j u n c t u r e , enhance t h e b l i s s f u l p r o s p e c t man.
And i t seems l i k e l y ,
stage
i n t h e n a r r a t i v e , a s Eve leaves f o r her f a t a l
Satan,
then,
that l a y i n store for unfalien
t h a t he would c h o o s e t h i s
crucial
encounter
t o i n t e n s i f y o u r s e n s e o f l o s s by s h a r p l y p o s i n g ,
with
through the
p r e s e n t a t i o n o f a f r u i t f u l C e r e s , u n s c a r r e d by s o r r o w and s u f f e r i n g , the p a i n l e s s path but
t o f r u i t f u l n e s s , o r i g i n a l l y o f f e r e d t o man by God,
l o s t t o him t h r o u g h s i n .
deliberate,
albeit
temporary, e x l u s i o n of P r o s e r p i n a
associations of pain, invokes
t r a n s i e n c e , w i n t e r and d e a t h
- from t h e p i c t u r e .
unrealised; trajectory.
T h i s r e a d i n g would a l s o a c c o u n t
- and t h u s o f t h e h e r name
The a l t e r n a t i v e p o s s i b i l i t y
t h e p a t t e r n o f human l i f e
remains
i n the
pattern:
Spring
Summer/Autumn
virgin
Winter
nymph
crone
t h i s p a t t e r n demonstrates, the c r i t i c a l
the conditions t h a t obtain before upon t h e d i s p a r a t e n a t u r e
86 w i t h God. T h i s i s p r o f o u n d l y
by w h i c h
man
fruition"( I I I .
significant
assumption t h a t Milton
distinction
and a f t e r t h e F a l l
of the paths
same f i n a l d e s t i n a t i o n o f " G o d l i k e
uncritical
a new
Eve introduces a progression
t h a t i n v o l v e s age and d e c a y , moving i n e x o r a b l y t o w a r d d e a t h
As
inevitably
i s a b r u p t l y p r o p e l l e d along
Satan's premature g a t h e r i n g o f
familiar, tripartite
f o r the
largely
between
centre
may r e a c h t h e
307 ) , o f u n i o n
s i n c e i t b e l i e s t h e common,
subscribed unreservedly
to the perilous
87 doctrine of the f e l i x It
culpa.
i s important
same b o t h b e f o r e
t o remember t h a t man's f i n a l g o a l r e m a i n s t h e
and a f t e r t h e F a l l .
Michael
r e v e a l s to the f a l l e n
Adam how, a f t e r S a t a n and " h i s p e r v e r t e d w o r l d "
h a v e been
dissolved :
267
From t h e c o n f l a g r a n t mass, p u r g e d a n d r e f i n e d , New h e a v e n s , new e a r t h , a g e s o f e n d l e s s d a t e F o u n d e d i n r i g h t e o u s n e s s and p e a c e and l o v e , To b r i n g f o r t h f r u i t s j o y and e t e r n a l b l i s s . (XII.548-51)
And
i n these
l i n e s , man
i s c l e a r l y appointed
f i n a l d e s t i n y f o r e t o l d t o him envisaged
by Raphael b e f o r e t h e F a l l .
by M i l t o n , t h e p r i m a l P a r a d i s e
remained i n prospect R a p h a e l had
o n c e more t o t h a t
was
r e l a t e d t o Adam a n d
the f u t u r e promotion
Eve
For
not absolute,
a g r e a t e r h a p p i n e s s t o w h i c h man the Father's
same, as
thus
there
might
aspire.
pronouncement o r d a i n i n g
o f m a n k i n d ; he p r e s c r i b e d t h a t t h e y w o u l d
remain
i n Eden o n l y
... t i l l b y d e g r e s s o f m e r i t r a i s e d T h e y o p e n t o t h e m s e l v e s a t l e n g t h t h e way Up h i t h e r , u n d e r l o n g o b e d i e n c e t r i e d , And e a r t h be c h a n g e d t o h e a v e n , a n d h e a v e n t o e a r t h , One k i n g d o m , j o y a n d u n i o n w i t h o u t end. (VII.157-61)
M i l t o n , as we
have n o t e d ,
f o r f e i t e d w i t h the F a l l : r e f i n e m e n t and t u r n e d , he
i s c a r e f u l t o s u g g e s t w h a t man
the g r a d u a l , g e n t l e metamorphic process
e v e n t u a l t r a n s l a t i o n and
apotheosis
as,
w o u l d have made a " w i n g e d a s c e n L t ] / E t h e r e a l "
"all
the f i g u r e d e l i n e a t i n g the e v o l u t i o n of a p l a n t admirably
it
i s t o be
as a n a t u r a l and
easy, though,
cultural
i m a g e s make c l e a r , b y no means e f f o r t l e s s ,
process,
utterly
devoid
o f t h e p a i n and
change t h a t i n v o l v e s a k i n d o f d e a t h the consequent i n v a s i o n o f death of
" m o r t a l change"
i n t o every
horti-
transformatory with
After the F a l l ,
aspect
spirit"
illustrates,
as o t h e r
suffering associated
or loss.
to
of
(V.497-99).
As
conceived
has
of l i f e ,
and
this
type
(X.273) becomes i n h e r e n t i n t h e v e r y n a t u r e o f t h i n g s ,
268
and
i s e s p e c i a l l y e v i d e n t , as we s h a l l o b s e r v e , i n t h e c o n d i t i o n s
affecting endure
fruitfulness.
I n t h e p o s t l a p s a r i a n w o r l d , t h e n , man m u s t
an a g o n i z i n g s t r u g g l e " i n s h a r p t r i b u l a t i o n "
many f a c e s o f d e a t h b e f o r e h i s e n d e a v o u r s
At
may b e a r
(XI. 6 3 ) , c o n f r o n t i n g t h fruit.
t h i s p o i n t we m u s t b r i e f l y p a u s e t o m e n t i o n t h e t r u l y
d i a b o l i c c u n n i n g o f S a t a n who, b y b u i l d i n g h i s s p e c i o u s a r g u m e n t s proportion carefully his
and h i e r a r c h y o f b e i n g — m a t t e r s which Raphael
h a d so
s t r e s s e d a n d e x p l a i n e d t o Eve a s w e l l a s t o Adam - c o u c h e s
t e m p t a t i o n o f Eve i n t e r m s so d e v i l i s h l y n e a r t h e t r u t h .
by r e c a l l i n g , b u t s u b t l y d i s t o r t i n g , of
upon
mankind,
Satan d e v i o u s l y d e f i n e s
Moreover,
t h e nature o f t h e promised
elevation
' d e a t h ' t o f u r t h e r h i s own p u r p o s e s ,
a s s u r i n g Eve:
So y e s h a l l d i e p e r h a p s , b y p u t t i n g o f f Human, t o p u t o n g o d s , d e a t h t o be w i s h e d , Though t h r e a t e n e d . (IX.713-15)
S a t a n t h u s d i s c l o s e s a s u b t l e p e r v e r s i o n o f t h e e n d o f human e x i s t e n c e , t h e g o a l f r o m w h i c h he i s s e d u c i n g h e r . Eve
t h a t she may a n t i c i p a t e
Raphael,
b r i n g s us back forced
In
"The
t h e gradual r i p e n i n g process o u t l i n e d by
and s e i z e i m m e d i a t e l y i n h e r grasp t h e f r u i t
"long obedience
of
He s u g g e s t s t o
tried"
(VII.159).
The f r u i t
o f a l i f e by
t h u s " h a r s h l y p l u c k e d " (XI. 537)
t o t h e f l o w e r s o f i n n o c e n c e shed
i n a premature
process
f r u i t f u l n e s s w i t h w h i c h we b e g a n t h i s p a r t o f o u r i n q u i r y .
her interesting a r t i c l e ,
e f f e c t o f storms on f l o w e r s . "
K. M. Swaim p e r c e p t i v e l y 88
analyses
According t o her d e f i n i t i o n ,
s t o r m i s "a v i o l e n t b o m b a r d m e n t o f f r u c t i f y i n g
rain,
an a t t a c k
a
that
270
the
Fall,
t h e promised
future offered
through the evolution o f a plant, the
t o mankind . , s i g n i f i c a n t l y
"by g r a d u a l s c a l e s u b l i m e d , "
r o o t t o t h e c u l m i n a t i n g " f l o w e r s and t h e i r
reveals t h e process continual rebirth
t o be one o f r e n a i s s a n c e
fruits"
not
In ensure
a w o r l d i n which
barrenness
t h e u n i q u e l y tempered c l i m a t i c c o n d i t i o n s
and i n f e r t i l i t y .
about by t h e i n v a s i o n (X.593), b r i n g
i n themselves,
end o f p a r a d i s e ,
o f s i n a n d d e a t h , who, " W i t h t r a v a i l
t o b i r t h a new w o r l d i n w h i c h
foster growth
leading only to
The s t o r m may t h u s be s e e n t o a n t i c i p a t e
d i s r u p t e d t o produce v i o l e n t extremes.
impede i t .
i n the
a n d p h y s i c a l G a r d e n , t h e w i t h e r i n g b l a s t s o f a s t o r m m u s t be
consequences o f t h e a b r u p t and p r e m a t u r e
general
f l o w e r s do
for fruit.
r e g a r d e d a s w h o l l y b a n e f u l and n o x i o u s
to
i n which
present
t h e s i m u l t a n e i t y o f t h e f l o w e r i n g and f r u i t i n g processes
spiritual
the
resurrection,
taking place i n the continuous unfolding
have t o be r e l i n q u i s h e d
from
(V.479-82),
rather than
c h a r a c t e r i s t i c o f t i m e i n u n f a l i e n Eden, a p r o c e s s
figured
t h e balance
brought difficult"
has been
The u n i f o r m c l i m a t e d e s i g n e d
i s now c h a r a c t e r i z e d b y h a r s h e x t r e m e s t h a t mar a n d
Milton grimly catalogues the dramatic e f f e c t o f t h i s
dislocation: ... The s u n Had f i r s t h i s p r e c e p t so t o move, s o s h i n e , As m i g h t a f f e c t t h e e a r t h w i t h c o l d a n d h e a t Scarce t o l e r a b l e , and f r o m t h e n o r t h t o c a l l Decrepit w i n t e r , from the south t o b r i n g S o l s t i t i a l summer's h e a t . (X.651-56)
The
' w a n d e r i n g p l a n e t s ' a r e i n s t r u c t e d how
noxious
e f f i c a c y and
stars are
when t o j o i n / I n
t o form c o n j u n c t i o n s :
synod unbenign,"
so t o o t h e
"Of fixed
taught:
T h e i r i n f l u e n c e m a l i g n a n t when t o s h o w e r , Which o f them r i s i n g w i t h t h e sun, o r f a l l i n g , Should prove tempestuous. (X.660-64)
Moreover, these
changes i n t h e n a t u r e o f t h e h e a v e n l y
bodies
wrought:
L i k e change on sea and l a n d , s i d e r a l b l a s t , V a p o u r , a n d m i s t , and e x h a l a t i o n h o t , C o r r u p t and p e s t i l e n t . (X.693-95)
Gentle breezes,
"vernal airs"
and
the "whispering s o f t "
Zephyr,
who
92/ made "ease m o r e e a s y , " a r e e x c h a n g e d f o r i n t e m p e r a t e g a l e s
as
... f r o m t h e n o r t h Of Norumbega, and t h e Samoed s h o r e , B u r s t i n g t h e i r b r a z e n dungeon, armed w i t h i c e And snow and h a i l and s t o r m y g u s t and f l a w , B o r e a s and C a e c i a s and A r g e s t e s l o u d And T h r a s c i a s r e n d t h e woods and s e a s u p t u r n ; W i t h adverse b l a s t u p t u r n s them f r o m t h e s o u t h N o t u s and A f e r b l a c k w i t h t h u n d e r o u s c l o u d s F r o m S e r r a l i o n a ; t h w a r t o f t h e s e as f i e r c e F o r t h r u s h t h e L e v a n t and t h e p o n e n t w i n d s E u r u s and Z e p h i r w i t h t h e i r l a t e r a l n o i s e , S i r o c c o and L i b e c c h i o , t h u s b e g a n Outrage from l i f e l e s s t h i n g s . (X.695-707)
O v i d more c o n c i s e l y r e c o r d s s u c h a r a d i c a l c h a n g e t o adverse
conditions that militate
following the loss of Proserpina.
against growth The
and
extreme,
fruitfulness
land i s cursed:
272
f e r t i l i t a s t e r r a e l a t u m v u l g a t a p e r orbem f a l s a i a c e t : primis segetes m o r i u n t u r i n h e r b i s , e t mode- s o l n i m i u s , n i m i u s modo c o r r i p i t i m b e r ; s i d e r a q u e v e n t i q u e n o c e n t , ... ... l o l i u m t r i b u l i q u e f a t i g a n t t r i t i c e a s messes e t i n e x p u g n a b i l e gramen. (Met.
Such d i f f i c u l t
V.481-86)
c o n d i t i o n s and t h e "noysome weeds" w h i c h
t h e ground may w e l l remind u s o f t h e t e r m s o f t h e s e n t e n c e upon Adam and E v e by t h e Son, w h i c h on b o t h t h e l i t e r a l
infest
pronounced
and m e t a p h o r i c a l
l e v e l s o f meaning c e n t r e upon t h e a g o n i z i n g s t r u g g l e f o r f r u i t f u l n e s s i n t h e new c o n d i t i o n s t h a t w i l l o b t a i n i n t h e f a l l e n w o r l d .
The o t i u m
a o f Adam's
'sweet' and ' p l e a s a n t ' g a r d e n i n g
labour
i s a garden which
n a t u r a l l y t e n d e d t o o v e r a b u n d a n c e i s r e p l a c e d by o n e r o u s t o i l , ground now c u r s e d t o b r i n g f o r t h "Thorns and t h i s t l e s (X.203-4).
tilling
.../Unbid"
By a common p r o c e s s o f m e t a p h o r i c t r a n s f e r e n c e , t h e s e were
93 g e n e r a l l y h e l d " t o argue t h e weeds o f man's mind," t h e v i c e s w h i c h a r e a s "weedes g r o w i n g i n o u r owne g a r d e n i s s u i n g from t h e c o r r u p t e d
roote
94 of our n a t u r e . " F o r h e r p a r t , E v e was 'to m u l t i p l y a r a c e o f w o r s h i p p e r s ' t h e e a s e w i t h w h i c h she e f f o r t l e s s l y g a t h e r e d (V.323).
ripe fruit plucked, "In
" A l l seasons/ripe f o r use"
C h i l d r e n , we a r e e n c o u r a g e d t o i m a g i n e , would d e v e l o p
t o a d a p t an image u s e d [they
i r o n i c a l l y by M i l t o n
sorrow f o r t h . "
l a t e r i n t h e poem,
d r o p ] . . . o r be w i t h e a s e / G a t h e r e d ,
f o r [ l i f e ] mature"
(X/.535-37).
'Harshly plucked,'
t h e pangs o f l a b o u r .
"Hope n o t , "
with
till, "like
not harshly
Now s h e must b r i n g h e r c h i l d r e n
t h e y w i l l be t o r n from h e r i n
S y l v e s t e r ' s C h r i s t admonishes E v e ,
273
... t h y f r u i t s o e a s i l y t o b r i n g f o r t h As now t h o u s l a y s t i t : h e n c e f o r t h e v e r y B i r t h S h a l l t o r t u r e thee w i t h thousand s o r t s o f p a i n Each a r t r i e , sinew, m u s c l e , j o y n t and v e i n , Shall f e e l his p a r t ; besides f o u l vomitings, Prodigious longings, thoughtfull languishings W i t h change o f c o l o u r , swoons a n d many o t h e r s .
While Sylvester
i n s i s t s on f u r n i s h i n g us w i t h an e x h a u s t i v e
the extremity o f her t r a v a i l ,
M i l t o n i s content
t o suggest
account o f obliquely-
.96 t h i s aspect o f forced To
insist,
fruitfulness.
t h e n , w i t h o u t due q u a l i f i c a t i o n ,
on t h e f o r t u n a t e
97 outcome o f t h e F a l l , strive against
t h a t " f r u c t i o s i o r c u l p a quam i n n o c e n t i a , " i s t o
t h e c u r r e n t o f f e e l i n g evoked by t h e i n i t i a l
on
" a l l o u r woe" a n d t h e " l o s s o f Eden"
to
Book I X a n d t h e r e l e n t l e s s e p i s o d e s o f d e a t h a n d d i s a s t e r i n M i c h a e l ' s
survey o f t h e h i s t o r y o f mankind. the
(1.3-4), t h e t r a g i c
emphasis invocation
Of c o u r s e , t h i s i s n o t t o d e n y t h a t
s t r a n d o f o p t i m i s m has i t s p r o p e r p l a c e
i n t h e n a r r a t i v e web, b u t
p u r s u a n c e o f o n l y one l i n e o f m e a n i n g t o t h e e x c l u s i o n o f o t h e r s
that
l e a d i n v e r y d i f f e r e n t d i r e c t i o n s may r e s u l t i n a r a t h e r p e r v e r s e reading
o f events.
T h u s , K. M. Swaim i s l e d t o a r g u e t h a t Adam a n d
E v e ' s p u n i s h m e n t , " t h e s w e a t o f t h e d e l v i n g Adam's b r o w " a n d t h e " p a i n s o f Eve's c h i l d b e a r i n g " make w o r k a n d l o v e processes despite
" r i c h e r a n d more
fruitful
[ t h e ^ a p p a r e n t change f o r t h e w o r s e , t h r o u g h t h e
98 a d d i t i o n o f t h e dimensions o f p a i n , sorrow and g u i l t . " The
e f f e c t s o f Satan's a c t i o n a r e u t t e r l y n o x i o u s and i r r e m e d i a b l e
in
t h e m s e l v e s , r e s u l t i n g i n b a r r e n n e s s and d e a t h i n t h e Garden as w e l l
as
i n E v e , a s t h e w o r l d was b l i g h t e d b y t h e l o s s o f P r o s e r p i n a .
Adam s l o w l y r e a l i z e s , d e a t h i s " n o t one s t r o k e
... b e r e a v i n g
As
s e n s e " (X. 80^-10);
274
life and
i n t h e f a l l e n w o r l d h a s become "a l o n g d a y ' s d y i n g "
(X.964),
M i l t o n makes t h e same p o i n t i n De D o c t r i n a C h r i s t i a n a :
I n c o r p o r e autem l a b o r e s , aerumnae, m o r b i , q u i d a l i u d s u n t , n i s i c o r p o r a l i s , quae d i c i t u r , m o r t i s p r a e l u d i a ? 99
Yet
ultimately,
t h i s x r e s u l t s i n an e v e n g r e a t e r c e l e b r a t i o n o f t h e
r e s t o r a t i v e p o w e r o f God's g r a c e . the p o t e n t i a l i t y
For w i t h t h e p l a n t i n g o f t h e seed,
f o r f r u i t f u l n e s s a n d new l i f e i s r e s t o r e d , a n d a l l t h e
e v i l s t h a t f o l l o w e d c l o s e l y i n t h e t r a i n o f Satan, S i n and Death, and were a s p e c t s o f t h e i r power, s t o r m s , w i n t e r and d e a t h i t s e l f , subsumed i n t o t h e d i v i n e r h y t h m o f g r o w t h , w h e r e b y e v i l g o o d , b e c o m i n g p a r t o f t h e now d i f f i c u l t
become
i s turned t o
seasonal process
'of
pinching
100 c o l d and s c o r c h i n g
heat,'
w h e r e b y f l o w e r s m u s t g i v e way f o r f r u i t :
... e l s e h a d t h e s p r i n g P e r p e t u a l smiled...with v e r n a o t f l o w e r s . (X.678-79)
I would thus
like
According t o her theory, whereby f l o w e r s y i e l d fruit
storms a r e a necessary p a r t o f t h e process
to fruit.
I w o u l d p r e f e r t o s a y t h a t we h a v e
i n s p i t e o f t h e storms, b u t a t the cost o f f l o w e r s .
eloquently t e s t i f y in
t o a l t e r M i s s Swaim's p o i n t s o f e m p h a s i s .
the nature
Paradise.
t o the irremediable residue
Lost
o f s u f f e r i n g now
flowers inherent
o f t h i n g s , f o l l o w i n g t h e premature end o f t h e e a r t h l y
Moreover, since
c o n d i t i o n o f mind, they t h e F a l l a n d Eve.
t h i s c o n d i t i o n was n o l e s s a p l a c e
focus
than
o u r n o s t a l g i a f o r a l l t h a t was l o s t
a with
275
Notes
1.
George S. K o e h l e r , p.11.
2.
ibid.
' M i l t o n and
the A r t of Landscape',
MS
VIII
(1975),
1
3.
I n h e r a r t i c l e / F l o w e j r s F r u i t and S e e d : A R e a d i n g o f Pa.3r3.dise L o s t ' , MS V ( 1 9 7 3 ) , p.157, K a t h l e e n M. Swaim h a s a r g u e d : " F l o w e r s g i v e Eden i t s unique q u a l i t y , d e s c r i b i n g a sensuous p h y s i c a l world o f w o n d e r f u l b e a u t y and f r e s h n e s s , b u t o f f e r i n g a l s o a number o f a b s t r a c t i d e a s " .about t h e s t a t e o f i n n o c e n c e . Moreover, a s J o s e p h Duncan p o i n t s o u t , " M i l t o n ' s P a r a d i s e ... i s more f l o w e r y , more w i l d and much more f r a g r a n t t h a n V i r g i l ' s E l y s i u m " ( M i l t o n ' s E a r t h l y P a r a d i s e : A H i s t o r i c a l S t u d y o f Eden [ M i n n e a p o l i s , 1972] , p.32). F o r t h e i n f l u e n c e o f t h e O v i d i a n l o c u s arooenus on M i l t o n ' s p a r a d i s e , s e e p.13 5.
4.
See: I V . 269-70, 333-34, 451, 690-703, 772-773; V. 379-80; V I I I . 44-47; I X . 218-19, 425-33, 838-41, 892-93, 901, 1037-42; X I . 27381.
5 •
c f . Swaim, ' F l o w e r s , F r u i t and
6.
See J o h n E . P a r i s h , ' M i l t o n and X L V I I ( 1 9 6 7 ) , p.332.
f
S e e d ' , p.161.
t h e Rape o f P r o s e r p i n a ' , ES
P a r i s h q u i b b l e s o v e r t h e e x t e n t o f O v i d i a n i n f l u e n c e on Book I V 11.268-69, d e c l a r i n g : " O v i d ' s d e s c r i p t i o n , however, i s n o t r e a l l y o f a f i e l d " ('Milton and t h e Rape o f P r o s e r p i n a ' , p . 3 3 3 ) , and i n C l a s s i c a l Myth and Legend i n R e n a i s s a n c e D i c t i o n a r i e s (Chapel H i l l , 1 9 5 5 ) , DeWitt T. S t a r n e s and E r n e s t W. T a l b o t h a v e r a i s e d a s i m i l a r o b j e c t i o n . They m a i n t a i n t h a t " i n O v i d P r o s e r p i n a i s g a t h e r i n g l i l i e s i n a b e a u t i f u l 'grove': no f i e l d i s m e n t i o n e d " and, t h e r e f o r e , M i l t o n may have been i n f l u e n c e d by " O r t e l i u s ' map, i n w h i c h 'Enna' i s marked w i t h t h e l e g e n d 'Campus E n n e n s i s ' " o r by " t h e v e r y f i r s t l i n e s i n S t e p h a n u s ' a c c o u n t o f P r o s e r p i n a " : i
P r o s e r p i n a , I o v i s e t C e r e r i s f i l i a , quae cum i n campus E n n a e i s f l o r a l e g e r e t , a P l u t o n e r a p t a e s t .
276
This challenge requires further consideration. I n t h e Metamorphoses, O v i d p l a c e s P r o s e r p i n a i n a g r o v e o u t s i d e t h e c i t y o f Henna: "Haud p r o c u l H e n n a e i s ... a moenibus a l t a e " (Met.V. 3 8 5 ) , and we might argue t h a t M i l t o n i s l i k e w i s e u s i n g ' f i e l d * i n a g e n e r a l s e n s e t o i n d i c a t e a r u r a l a s opposed t o an u r b a n s e t t i n g (OED 2 , "The c o u n t r y a s opposed t o a town o r v i l l a g e " ) . But t h i s i s t o exaggerate the d i f f i c u l t y . The p r o b l e m seems t o stem d i r e c t l y from c o n f i n i n g a t t e n t i o n t o o n l y one o f O v i d ' s v e r s i o n s o f t h e tale. B o t h a r e l o c a t e d a t Henna, b u t i n t h e F a s t i , we f i n d O v i d s e t t i n g t h e s c e n e t h u s : " e s t c u l t o f e r t i l i s Henna s o l o " ( I V . 422) , w h i l e , even more s u g g e s t i v e l y , a r e t h e l i n e s w h i c h b e g i n h i s account of Ceres' desperate search f o r her daughter:
sic
dea
nec r e t i n e t g e m i t u s e t c o n c i t a c u r s u
f e r t u r e t a campis i n c i p i t ,
Henna. t u i s . ( F a s t i IV. 461-62; added)
emphasis
Such r e f e r e n c e s from t h e F a s t i s h o u l d a d e q u a t e l y a c c o u n t f o r M i l t o n ' s r e f e r e n c e t o the " f i e l d / O f Enna" (IV. 2 6 8 - 6 9 ) . However, i t i s i n t e r e s t i n g t o n o t e t h a t i n Book I X t h e s e t t i n g f o r S a t a n ' s i n i t i a l a s s a u l t upon Eve a s he l u r k s " h i d among s w e e t f l o w e r s and s h a d e s " ( 1 . 4 0 8 ) h a s more i n common w i t h t h e s c e n e o f t h e r a p e a s O v i d o u t l i n e s i t i n t h e Metamorphoses. T h e r e O v i d d i r e c t s our a t t e n t i o n to the b r i g h t l y coloured f l o w e r s t h a t c o n t r a s t with the s h a d e c a s t by t h e o v e r h a n g i n g b r a n c h e s a s two o f t h e most d i s t i n c t i v e f e a t u r e s of the scene: " f r i g a r a dant rami, t y r i o s humus umida f l o r e s " (Met. V. 3 9 0 ) . I n both c a s e s , then, the s e t t i n g seems t o h a v e s y m b o l i c s u g g e s t i v e n e s s , t a c i t l y a n t i c i p a t i n g t h e o v e r w h e l m i n g o f t h e b r i g h t f l o w e r by t h e w o r l d o f p e r p e t u a l shadow, a s d a r k n e s s t h r e a t e n s to c u t o f f the f l o w e r s from the l i f e - g i v i n g sunlight. C o n s i d e r too Martz' g e n e r a l o b s e r v a t i o n t h a t "both of O v i d ' s g r e a t t r e a s u r i e s o f a n c i e n t myth t e n d t o c o h e r e w i t h i n t h e context" of Milton's a l l u s i o n s (Poet o f K v i 1 p p.227). r
8.
P a r i s h , 'Milton
9.
ibid.
and
t h e Rape of P r o s e r p i n a ' ,
10.
cf.CS. L e w i s , A P r e f a c e t o
11.
See p. 72..
12.
C.
S. L e w i s , A P r e f a c e
to
p.334.
' P a r a d i s e L o s t ' , pp.44-45.
'Paradise L o s t ' , p.43.
277
13-
Note t o I V . 268-72.
14.
S a n d y s , pp.256-57.
15.
ibid.,
16.
F o r D i s a s r a p t o r s e e Met. V. 395-96 and 4 0 2 - 3 . a s p e c t s o f t h e O v i d i a n D i s s e e Met. I V . 436-38.
17.
cf.
18.
And n o t e t o o , b o t h e s p y t h e i r v i c t i m s when on a s o l i t a r y of r e c o n n a i s s a n c e t o s a f e g u a r d t h e s e c u r i t y o f h e l l .
19.
cf.
20.
Goodman, The F a l l 6 f Man,
21.
cf.
22.
L o l e t t e Kuby, 'The World i s H a l f t h e D e v i l ' s : Cold/Warmth i n P a r a d i s e L o s t ' , ELN, XL. i i . (Summer 1 9 7 4 ) , p.184.
23.
F o w l e r , n o t e t o V. 689, p.301.
p.260.
For the other
I . 348 and I V . 394.
mission
I . 251-52.
p.152.
I I . 585-86.
Imagery
24.
ibid.
25.
MacCaffrey,
26.
ibid.,
27.
C h r i s t o p h e r H a r v e y , S c h o l a C o r d i s o r The H e a r t o f i t S e l f e , gone away from God; b r o u g h t back a g a i n e tcr him, and i n s t r u c t e d by him i n 47 Emblems (1647) , Embleme 29, CORDIS I R R I G A T I O 1.27, p.118, E p i g r . 2 9 , p.117; Embleme 16, CORDIS EMOLLITIO 1.27, p.66.
' P a r a d i s e L o s t ' a s 'Myth', p.129.
p.126.
278
28.
F o l l o w i n g J . M. Steadman, " L i k e T u r b u l e n c i e s " : The T e m p e s t as A d v e r s i t y Symbol' i n M i l t o n ' s E p i c C h a r a c t e r s : Image and I d o l ( C h a p e l H i l l , 1962) pp.90-101, G a y l e E . W i l s o n h a s a r g u e d t h a t M i l t o n drew upon emblems " t o add d e p t h t o h i s p o r t r a y a l o f c h a r a c t e r s and h e i g h t e n h i s themes i n P a r a d i s e R e g a i n e d . " See 'Emblems i n P a r a d i s e R e g a i n e d ' , Mg V I (1972) p.77. More r e c e n t l y , S h a h l a Anand h a s drawn a t t e n t i o n t o "The e m b l e m a t i c c h a r a c t e r o f many v e r b a l p i c t u r e s i n P a r a d i s e L o s t . " See "Of C o s t l i e s t Emblem": ' P a r a d i s e L o s t ' and t h e Emblem T r a d i t i o n , p.27.
29.
Henry Vaughan, ' R e g e n e r a t i o n ' 11.6-8, from a c o l l e c t i o n o f poems c l e a r l y i n f l u e n c e d by t h e e m b l e m a t i c t r a d i t i o n , S i l e x S c i n t i l l a n s i n The Works o f Henry Vaughan, ed. L. C. M a r t i n ( O x f o r d , 1 9 5 7 ) .
30.
George W i t h e r u s e s t h e argument t h a t w h i l e "The Ground b r i n g s f o r t h a l l n e e d f u l l t h i n g s ; / ... from t h e sunne t h i s v e r t u e s p r i n g s " t o i l l u s t r a t e the a c t i o n o f g r a c e "from t h e Sunne o f R i g h t e o u s n e s s e " upon t h e s o u l . See A C o l l e c t i o n o f Emblemes Book I I r e p r i n t e d i n E n g l i s h Emblem Books v o l . X I I , ed. J o h n Hordan (Menston, 1 9 6 8 ) , p.104.
31.
S a n d y s , p.253.
32 .
P e r h a p s t h e p o e t i c use o f t h e a d j e c t i v e c a e r u l e u s s h o u l d be b r i e f l y noted i n p a s s i n g . V i r g i l i n the Aeneid used i t to s u g g e s t t h e p i t c h d a r k n e s s o f a storm c l o u d w h i c h e c l i p s e s daylight:
!
o l l i c a e r u l e u s supra a s t i t i t imber noctem hiememgue f e r e n s e t i n h o r r u i t unda
tenebris
(V.
10-11)
33.
See
K n o t t , M i l t o n ' s P a s t o r a l V i s i o n , p.119.
34.
"S. C h r y s . sup. Matth.", F r a n c i s Q u a r l e s , The T h i r d Book o f Emblems from The Complete Works ,ed. A. B. G r o s a r t (New Y o r k , 1967; r e p r i n t o f 1880-81 e d i t i o n ) , I I I , p.69.
35.
Pe P o e t . I . x i i
36 .
ibid.,
37.
i b i d . , p.204.
p.208.
(Col.XV, p . 2 0 4 ) .
279
38.
ibid.,
I . xxii,p.214.
39.
Note t o I X . 432-33; F o w l e r , p.463.
AO.
c f . K n o t t , M i l t o n ' s P a s t o r a l V i s i o n , p.120.
41.
See,
42.
Note t o o , t h e massed t r o o p s o f f a l l e n a n g e l s , " t h e f l o w e r o f h e a v e n " ( I . 316) s t a n d b e f o r e S a t a n , " T h e i r g l o r y w i t h e r e d " (1.612) l i k e " b l a s t e d " t r e e s upon a h e a t h . As M a c C a f f r e y p o i n t s o u t : " t h e c o m b i n a t i o n o f s p l e n d o u r and d e s o l a t i o n ... l i k e t h e f a l l e n l e a v e s , shows t h a t w i t h e r i n g and d e a t h a r e t h e i n e v i t a b l e r e s u l t s o f e v i l " ( ' P a r a d i s e L o s t ' a s Myth, p . 1 2 7 ) . Moreover, a s ' F a l c o n e r o b s e r v e s i n h i s E s s a y on M i l t o n ' s I m i t a t i o n s o f t h e A n c i e n t s :
f o r example, C a r e y ' s n o t e t o
1.2.
1
t h e f a l l i n g o f a Shower o f L e a v e s from t h e T r e e , i n a Storm o f Wind, v e r y w e l l r e p r e s e n t s t h e Dej e c t i o n o f t h e A n g e l s from t h e i r former C e l e s t i a l M a n s i o n s ; and t h e i r f a d e d S p l e n d o u r wan ( I V . 810) i s f i n e l y e x p r e s s e d by t h e p a l e n e s s and w i t h e r e d n e s s of the Leaves. ( q u o t e d by R i c k s , M i l t o n ' s Grand S t y l e , And
p.124)
c f . I X . 892-93.
43-
Note t o I X . 426-31; F o w l e r , p.463.
44.
Parish,
45.
ibid.,
46.
The W i n t e r ' s T a l e I V . i v . 116-18, from The New A r d e n E d i t i o n o f Works o f S h a k e s p e a r e , ed. J . H. P. P a f f o r d ( 1 9 6 3 ) .
47.
Parish,
48.
ibid.
49.
ibid.,
' M i l t o n and
t h e Rape o f P r o s e r p i n a ' , p.334.
p.335.
' M i l t o n and t h e Rape o f P r o s e r p i n a ' , p . 3 3 5 .
p.334.
the
280
50.
ibid.
51.
Note t o I X . 901; F o w l e r ,
52.
Parish,
53.
ibid.
54.
ibid.
p.490.
' M i l t o n and t h e Rape o f P r o s e r p i n a ' , p.334.
55.
As Kermode m a i n t a i n s : " t h e s e n s e o f l o s s i s k e e n e r by f a r t h a n t h e a p p r e h e n s i o n o f t h i n g s u n s e e n , t h e remote p r o m i s e o f r e s t o r a t i o n " ('Adam U n p a r a d i s e d ' , p . 1 2 1 ) .
•>*>•
James W h a l e r ,
57.
K. M. Swaim, ' F l o w e r s , F r u i t and S e e d ' , p.161.
58.
R i c k s , M i l t o n ' s G r a n d S t y l e , pp.125-26. S e e tocRosemond Tuve, A l l e g o r i c a l I m a g e r y : Some M e d i e v a l Books and t h e i r P o s t e r i t y , ( P r i n c e t o n , 1 9 6 6 ) , p.228.
59.
K. W. Grans&en, ' P a r a d i s e L o s t and t h e A e n e i d ' E C X V I I (1967), p.282.
60.
Consider recent studies of the typological p a t t e r n i n g of Milton's l a s t s o n n e t : J . C. U l r e i c h , ' T y p o l o g i c a l S y m b o l i s m i n M i l t o n ' s S o n n e t X X I I I ' , MQ V I I I ( 1 9 7 4 ) , pp.7-10; K u r t H e i n z e l m a n , ' " C o l d C o n s o l a t i o n " : The A r t o f M i l t o n ' s L a s t S o n n e t " , MS X ( 1 9 7 7 ) , pp.111-26; J o h n S p e n c e r H i l l , ' " A l c e s t i s from t h e G r a v e " : Image and S t r u c t u r e i n S o n n e t X X I I I ' , MS X ( 1 9 7 7 ) , pp.127-40. J . C. U l r e i c h h a s p o i n t e d o u t t h a t w h i l e " M i l t o n d o e s n o t make e x t e n s i v e u s e o f c o n v e n t i o n a l t y p e s ... t h e a s s u m p t i o n s o f t y p o l o g i c a l t h e o r y c a n be u s e d t o i l l u s t r a t e M i l t o n ' s s y m b o l i c p r a c t i c e " ('The T y p o l o g i c a l S t r u c t u r e o f M i l t o n ' s I m a g e r y ' , MS V [ 1 9 7 3 ] , p.69) .
61.
'The M i l t o n i c S i m i l e ' , PMLA XLVI
( 1 9 3 1 ) , pp.1060-61.
For a d i s c u s s i o n of Milton's poetic use of the theory of " t y p o l o g i c a l e v o l u t i o n " s e e D. C. A l l e n , ' M i l t o n and t h e D e s c e n t to L i g h t ' , JEGP LX ( 1 9 6 1 ) , p.614.
281
62 .
ibid.,
p.618.
63.
See J . w.
64.
M i l t o n draws upon O v i d ' s a c c o u n t o f t h e d e a t h (Met.XI. 1-19) i n l i n e s 58-63 o f L y c i d a s .
65.
J . C. U l r e i c h , p.9.
66.
L'Allegro,
67 .
Dr. P e a r c e was one o f t h e f i r s t t o r e c o g n i s e h e r e " s o m e t h i n g o f t h e same way of t h i n k i n g t h a t M i l t o n u s e s i n h i s S o n n e t on h i s deceas'd w i f e . " See a l s o , K u r t H e i n z e l m a n , " C o l d C o n s o l a t i o n " : The A r t o f M i l t o n ' s L a s t S o n n e t ' , p.117 and Le Comte, M i l t o n and Sex, pp.40-42.
Hales,
' M i l t o n and O v i d ' ,
MP
I
(1903-4),
of the
poet
' T y p o l o g i c a l Symbolism i n M i l t o n ' s S o n n e t
XXIII',
1.150.
1
68.
So numbered i n C a r e y ' s e d i t i o n o f M i l t o n ' s S h o r t e r Poems. For o t h e r p o s s i b l e e c h o e s h e r e s e e 'Appendix I , t h e Sun and t h e Moon.'
69.
Hugh Candy, Some Newly D i s c o v e r e d
Stanzas.
70.
117, 'A Snake k i l l e t h e u r y d i c e ' , 11.1-3 i n Candy, Some Newly D i s c o v e r e d S t a n z a s , p.159.
71.
See Le Comte, M i l t o n and
72.
118,11.6-8 i n Candy, Some Newly D i s c o v e r e d
73.
ibid.,
74.
As D. C. A l l e n h a s p o i n t e d o u t : "The h i s t o r y o f Orpheus a s a pagan t y p e of C h r i s t c a n be t r a c e d f o r many c e n t u r i e s ... C h r i s t i a n s h a l l o w e d Orpheus f o r h i s h a l f - s u c c e s s a s a s a v i o u r o f men and f o r h i s f r u s t r a t e d a t t e m p t t o l e a d a s o u l out of H e l l ' s d a r k n e s s . " ('Milton and t h e D e s c e n t t o L i g h t ' , p . 6 1 9 ) .
?
Sex,
p.80.
S t a n z a s , p.160.
1.4.
5 • , R i c k s , M i l t o n ' s Grand S t y l e ,
pp.125.
282
76.
C o l l e t t , p.93.
77.
ibid.
78.
Note t o I X . 395, F o w l e r ,
79.
W i l l i a m Empson, Some V e r s i o n s o f P a s t o r a l , p.185.
80.
Koehler,
81.
See M a r c i a p.12.
' K i n s h i p and t h e R o l e o f Women i n P a r a d i s e
Lost',
82.
K. M. Swaim, ' F l o w e r s , F r u i t and S e e d : A R e a d i n g o f P a r a d i s e p.159.
Lost',
82a..
i b i d . , p.172; e m p h a s i s added.
p.461.
' M i l t o n and t h e A r t o f L a n d s c a p e , ' p.15.
Landy,
83.
Dr, J o h n s o n ,
L i v e s o f the E n g l i s h Poets
I , p.185-
84.
K. M. Swaim, ' F l o w e r s , F r u i t and S e e d : A R e a d i n g o f P a r a d i s e p.155.
85.
i b i d . , p.161.
Lost',
See Thomas H. B l a c k b u r n , ' P a r a d i s e s L o s t and Found: The Meaning and F u n c t i o n o f t h e " P a r a d i s e w i t h i n " i n P a r a d i s e L o s t ' , MS V (1973), pp.191-212. F o r a d i f f e r e n t v i e w s e e A r t h u r 0. L o v e j o y , • M i l t o n and t h e P a r a d o x o f t h e F o r t u n a t e F a l l ' , ELN I V (1937), p.163, where he c o n c l u d e s t h a t "Adam's s i n - and a l s o , i n d e e d , t h e s i n s o f h i s p o s t e r i t y w h i c h i t ' o c c a s i o n e d ' - were t h e c o n d i t i o s i n e qua non b o t h -of a g r e a t e r m a n i f e s t a t i o n o f t h e g l o r y o f God and o f i m m e a s u r a b l y g r e a t e r b e n e f i t s f o r men t h a n c o u l d c o n c e i v a b l y have been o t h e r w i s e o b t a i n e d . "
I n f a c t , t h e o n l y e x p r e s s i o n o f t h e p a r a d o x i s p u t i n t o t h e mouth of Adam who c o n f e s s e s h i m s e l f s t i l l " f u l l o f doubt" w h e t h e r t o " r e p e n t " o r " r e j o i c e " ( X I I . 473-76). S e e Kermode, 'Adam U n p a r a d i s e d ' , pp.102-3.
88.
K. M. Swaim, ' F l o w e r s , F r u i t and S e e d : A R e a d i n g o f P a r a d i s e L o s t ' , p.162.
283
89.
i b i d . , p.162.
90.
ibid.
91.
i b i d . , p.159.
92.
i v . 264; I V . 326-30.
93.
Goodman, F a l l o f Man, p.114.
94.
ibid.
95.
S y l v e s t e r ' s Du B a r t a s
96.
B u t c f . t h e m o n s t r o u s a c c o u n t o f t h e b r e a c h i n g o f s i n ' s womb a t I I . 778-85 and 796-80O.
97.
S t . Ambrose, De J a c o b 6. 21, a s q u o t e d by A r t h u r 0. L o v e j o y i n ' M i l t o n and t h e P a r a d o x o f t h e F o r t u n a t e F a l l ' , p.172.
98.
K. M. Swaim, ' F l o w e r s , F r u i t and S e e d : A R e a d i n g p.160.
99.
De P o e t . I . X I I I
100.
I I . i . 2. 460-67, p.111.
of Paradise Lost',
( C o l . XV, p.214).
I t i s t h u s t r u e t o s a y a s G e o f f r e y Hartman h a s done t h a t " t h e hand o f S a t a n i s u l t i m a t e l y i n d i s t i n g u i s h a b l e from t h e w i l l o f God" ( ' M i l t o n ' s C o u n t e r p l o t ' , ELH XXV [ l 9 5 8 ] , p . 7 ) .
284 CHAPTER V I I
"The
V i n e and Her E l m : "
M i l t o n ' s E v e and t h e T r a n s f o r m a t i o n
Recent
w i t h "something l i k e a T u r k i s h contempt o f f e m a l e s
subordinate beings."^
The i m p o r t a n c e
Milton e v i d e n t l y attached t o
E v e ' s r o l e i n t h e Garden i s now r e c o g n i s e d . to
Motif
c r i t i c i s m h a s d i s p o s e d o f t h e o l d t r u i s m t h a t M i l t o n was
a m i s o g y n i s t i c poet as
o f an O v i d i a n
L i k e Adam, E v e i s s e e n
be a n image o f God t h e " s o v e r e i g n p l a n t e r " ( I V . 6 9 1 ) who " s h a r e s and 2
participates
i n t h e f u l l r a n g e o f human a c t i v i t i e s and
Milton's treatment
achievements."
o f Adam and E v e ' s r e l a t i o n s h i p
however, and r e f u s e s t o be n e a t l y f i x e d and f o r m u l a t e d . s u b t l e t o a d m i t o n l y one l i n e o f i n t e r p r e t a t i o n .
Indeed,
i s complex I t i s too we a r e n o t
a l l o w e d t o r e s t c o n t e n t w i t h any one s i n g l e f o r m u l a t i o n .
While i t i s
t r u e t h a t Milton o f t e n r e f e r s t o t h e couple
seem t o
i n terms t h a t
i n d i c a t e t h e i r a b s o l u t e e q u a l i t y , sometimes s t r e s s i n g t h e i r as
distinct
separateness
i n d i v i d u a l s , a t other times suggesting t h a t they a r e
complementary h a l v e s o f a s i n g l e c o m p o s i t e whole, t h i s i s c l e a r l y n o t 3 t h e whole t r u t h .
He a l s o p l a c e s them i n a h i e r a r c h i c a l
o f g r e a t e r and l e s s e r , There God
relationship
s u p e r i o r and i n f e r i o r .
i s no d e n y i n g
t h e f o r c e of the o f t quoted l i n e ,
o n l y , s h e f o r God i n him" (IV.299) o r t h e s t a t e m e n t
Eve were "Not e q u a l , a s t h e i r
s e x n o t e q u a l seemed"
t h e r e f e r e n c e s t o Adam's " A b s o l u t e (IV.499) o b d u r a t e l y remain,
rule"
"He f o r
t h a t Adam and
(IV.296).
Similarly,
( I V . 3 0 1 ) and " s u p e r i o r l o v e "
making t h e i r p r e s e n c e
felt.
Y e t they
h a r d l y o f f s e t t h e e f f e c t o f a number o f " e m o t i o n a l l y c h a r g e d
outbursts
285
on
t h e p a r t o f t h e n a r r a t o r " w h i c h c a s t doubt upon h e r
i n f e r i o r i t y and
c o m p l i c a t e our r e s p o n s e
P e t e r Lindenbaum so a b l y a r g u e s ,
t o Eve
relative
from t h e o u t s e t .
"What i s most r e m a r k a b l e
As
about
these
o u t b u r s t s , what i n e f f e c t draws our a t t e n t i o n t o them so s t r o n g l y , i s t h a t t h e n a r r a t o r ' s v o i c e i n them i s so d i f f e r e n t
from h i s v o i c e
4 elsewhere
i n t h e poem."
There w i t h two
seems no e s c a p i n g t h e c o n c l u s i o n t h a t we
very d i f f e r e n t a t t i t u d e s to Eve.
experience
The
are
confronted
d i f f i c u l t y we
i n r e c o n c i l i n g t h e d e r i s o r y remark t h a t Adam f e l l ,
overcome w i t h female
charm"
may "fondly
(IX.999), with the manifest d e l i g h t i n
E v e ' s charms s o s t r o n g l y i n e v i d e n c e
elsewhere
enough and
T h e s e d i r e c t e f f e c t s a r e , however,
need not d e t a i n u s h e r e .
i n t h e poem, i s
u s e f u l i n d i c a t o r s on t h e s u r f a c e l e v e l o f t h e n a r r a t i v e o f an l y i n g t e n s i o n w h i c h l i e s c o i l e d a t t h e h e a r t o f t h e e p i c and only r e s o l v e d w i t h the e a t i n g of the
My
Milton's this
i s reflected
l i n k a g e of E v e w i t h t h e v i n e has
commonly n o t e d . together
i n which
i n M i l t o n ' s h a n d l i n g of the v i n e
i d e n t i f i c a t i o n proves
underwhich i s
apple.
p a r t i c u l a r p u r p o s e i s t o t r a c e t h e way
ambivalence
this motif.
l o n g been r e c o g n i s e d ,
t o be more complex and
o p p o s i n g a s p e c t s o f Eve J a n u s - l i k e .
hand, i t becomes a symbol of E v e ' s a c t i v e and c e l e b r a t i o n o f her b e a u t y and
but
s u g g e s t i v e than i s
The v i n e i s a c o m p o s i t e image, an a x i s w h i c h
t h e s e two
obvious
On
the
holds one
i n d e p e n d e n t power, a
f r u i t f u l n e s s , on t h e o t h e r , i t p r o c l a i m s
h e r w e a k n e s s , h e r dependence on Adam and v u l n e r a b i l i t y w i t h o u t
his
5 supporting presence. m e r e l y r e j e c t i n g one
The
r e a d e r ' s dilemma c a n n o t
be
r e s o l v e d by
s e t of i m p l i c a t i o n s i n favour of the other;
we
286
a r e n e i t h e r i n v i t e d nor
permitted
t o c h o o s e between them u n t i l
morning o f t h e F a l l .
We
in
t h i s very opposition
dramatic c o n f l i c t ,
p r o p e l l i n g the
must s i m p l y
accept
t h a t the two playing
are
i t s part
the
placed in
a c t i o n to i t s c r i s i s .
Significantly,
the v i n e motif f i r s t
t o t h e human p a i r , "The statement of the
a p p e a r s w i t h our
most famous, a p p a r e n t l y
i n e q u a l i t y of the
5a s e x e s " . The
t h e most
introduction
unequivocal
passage evolves
from 6
v i s u a l d e s c r i p t i o n i n t o an a c c o u n t o f E v e ' s r e l a t i o n s h i p t o Adam, h e r "golden
tresses" ... i n wanton r i n g l e t s waved As t h e v i n e c u r l s h e r t e n d r i l s , w h i c h i m p l i e d S u b j e c t i o n , but r e q u i r e d w i t h g e n t l e sway, And by h e r y i e l d e d , by him b e s t r e c e i v e d . (IV.305-09)
These l i n e s are i n keeping with d e f i n i t i o n s of the m a r i t a l r e l a t i o n s h i p evolved that
by
"The
6
other first
Reformers. * Dutie
D a n i e l Rogers argued uncompromisingly
o f t h e Wife
[is]
Subjection"
and
William
Whately
I similarly
declared:
Whosoever t h e r e f o r e d o t h d e s i r e o r p u r p o s e t o bee a good w i f e , o r t o l i v e c o m f o r t a b l y , l e t h e r s e t downe t h i s c o n c l u s i o n w i t h i n h e r s o u l e : Mine h u s b a n d i s my s u p e r i o r , my b e t t e r : he h a t h a u t h o r i t i e and r u l e o v e r me, n a t u r e h a t h g i v e n i t him, h a v i n g framed our b o d i e s t o t e n d e r n e s s e , mens t o more h a r d n e s s ; God h a t h g i v e n i t him, s a y i n g t o our f i r s t mother E v a h ; Thy d e s i r e s h a l l be s u b j e c t t o t h i n e husband, and hee s h a l l r u l e o v e r t h e e . 8
Others revealed
i n t h e i r w r i t i n g the t e n s i o n c h a r a c t e r i s t i c of the
age
i in
w h i c h male a u t h o r i t y e x i s t e d u n e a s i l y w i t h
"Collateral
d e a r e s t a m i t y " , f o r a s Adam demanded, "Among u n e q u a l s what sort"?
(VIII.426,
383-84).
love,
and
society/Can
287
It
i sa difficulty
admitted
he found o n l y a " s m a l l i n e q u a l i t y
by W i l l i a m Gouge
who c o n c e d e d
... b e t w i x t man and w i f e
goes on t o a r g u e t h e i n t e r d e p e n d e n c e
o f t h e sexes
that
. And Gouge
thus:
Though t h e man be a s t h e head, y e t i s t h e woman a s t h e h a r t , w h i c h i s t h e most e x c e l l e n t p a r t o f t h e body n e x t t o t h e head, f a r r e more e x c e l l e n t t h a n a n y o t h e r member under t h e h a r t , and a l m o s t e q u a l l t o t h e head i n many r e s p e c t s , and a s n e c e s s a r y a s t h e head.9
So t o o Goodman had e x p l a i n e d t h a t i t was f o r t h e s a k e o f o r d e r
that
"between man and w i f e t h e r e must be a s u p e r i o r " :
... though s h e be made o f t h e r i b s , and e v e r y way e q u a l l a s touching her c o n d i t i o n , but f o r h e r beauty and c o m e l i n e s s e f a r e x c e l l i n g man, y e t i n government she i s i n f e r i o r and s u b j e c t t o man.10
The
married couple
s h o u l d be, he c o n c l u d e d ,
a s "one s o u l e and one
mynde, a s t h e y were made one f l e s h . "1
M i l t o n ' s p o s i t i o n h e r e seems n e a r e s t t o W i l l i a m P e r k i n s ' d e s c r i p t i o n o f "A c o u p l e " a s
.. t h a t whereby two p e r s o n s s t a n d i n g i n m u t u a l l r e l a t i o n s h i p t o e a c h o t h e r , a r e combined a s i t were i n one. And o f t h e s e two, t h e one i s a l w a i e s h i g h e r , and b e a r e t h r u l e , t h e o t h e r i s l o w e r and yeeldeth subjection.12
But a s S i n f i e l d
has pointed o u t :
288
T h i s sounds c l e a r b u t i t b u i l d s i n c o n f l i c t . The w i f e i s t o r e c e i v e t h e r e s p e c t due t o a n e q u a l p a r t n e r , b u t a l s o t o be s u b o r d i n a t e . I t was d i f f i c u l t i n p r a c t i c e t o d e c i d e where a f f e c t i o n a t e t r u s t and s h a r e d r e s p o n s i b i l i t y s h o u l d g i v e way t o male a u t h o r i t y ... 13
It
i sa strain
t h a t Adam and E v e f e e l
too, e s p e c i a l l y
s i n c e woman's
s u b j e c t i o n t o man i s " a l a w o n l y u n e q u i v o c a b l y e s t a b l i s h e d by t h e L o r d after the F a l l . "
Indeed, D. P. H a r d i n g
1 4
w h i l e i n IV.306-9, "Each d e s c r i p t i v e d e t a i l observes,
i s , " as
" s u b o r d i n a t e t o one, l a r g e , i n f o r m i n g
idea -
t h e dominant p o s i t i o n o f man i n t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p between Adam and E v e " , we need n o t r e a d v e r y s e a r c h i n g l y t o become aware o f c e r t a i n tensions i n the passage.
Eve's
unresolved
' s u b m i s s i o n ' , a s L . W. Hyman h a s
r e m a r k e d , "does n o t remove t h e i m p u l s e
t o w a r d s i n d e p e n d e n c e ; and we
a r e reminded t h a t t h e seeds o f c o n f l i c t a r e i n h e r e n t i n P a r a d i s e . " ^ Moreover, t h e h i e r a r c h i c a l s u c c i n c t l y here, proves central
scheme a p p a r e n t l y s e t f o r t h s o c l e a r l y and
t o be q u a l i f i e d a s w e l l a s d e f i n e d by t h e
image o f t h e i r m a r r i a g e ,
t h e wedding o f t h e v i n e t o h e r e l m .
L e t u s l o o k more c l o s e l y a t t h e s c e n e w h i c h u n f o l d s a s Adam and Eve
s e t a b o u t " t h e i r morning's r u r a l work" i n t h e G a r d e n and a r e
observed
by God employed
... where any row Of f r u i t - t r e e s over-woody r e a c h e d t o o f a r T h e i r pampered boughs, and needed hands t o c h e c k F r u i t l e s s embraces: o r they l e d t h e v i n e To wed h e r elm; s h e s p o u s e d a b o u t him t w i n e s Her m a r r i a g e a b l e arms, and w i t h h e r b r i n g s Her dower, t h e a d o p t e d c l u s t e r s , t o a d o r n His barren leaves. (V.212-19)
289
T h i s passage episode
i l l u s t r a t e s Milton's a b i l i t y
and h o l d
i t up
as a m i r r o r to r e f l e c t
a r e a s o f meaning w i t h o u t
a c c o r d between t h e
This interpretation
an a n a l y s i s o f t h e f i g u r a t i v e l e v e l :
As
1
'wedded l o v e ,
the passage
human c o u p l e
from t h e g a r d e n e r s
are transformed
they are themselves
couple through
seems c o n f i r m e d
"dower"),
with remarkable
t o the garden i n l i n e
precision
215,
the
the
elm
e m b l e m a t i c a l l y i n t o t h e v i n e and
tending.
T h i s m e t a m o r p h o s i s i s p a r t of a s e t of complex v a r i a t i o n s key words and
images w i t h which M i l t o n c o n s t r u c t s a r c h e s t h a t
large a r e a s of the n a r r a t i v e , encouraging
the r e a d e r to look
s i g n i f i c a n c e beyond t h e immediate and draw t o g e t h e r r e l a t e d i n t o a p a t t e r n of converging
significance.
l i n e s a r e s u b t l e , numerous and d e n s e .
The
Indeed,
they c l e a r l y
similar
upon
span for a
passages
r a m i f i c a t i o n s of
c o m p a r i s o n w i t h t h e d e s c r i p t i o n o f Eve i n Book I V w h i c h was distinctly
by
w i t h i t s heavy
("wed", " s p o u s e d " , " m a r r i a g e a b l e " ,
r e - e n a c t s t h e i r c o u r t s h i p and m a r r i a g e
the f o c u s s h i f t s
It is
e x p e r i e n c e of t h e p r e v i o u s n i g h t , e x p r e s s e d
t h e harmony o f t h e i r a c t i o n s .
ritually
obvious
I t i s t h u s , most o b v i o u s l y ,
i n d i c a t i v e o f t h e newly r e s t o r e d p e a c e and
i n s i s t e n c e on
less
of h e r d i s q u i e t i n g dream and Adam's
e x p l a n a t i o n of i t to her.
a f t e r the d i v i s i v e
certain
symbolic
c a u s i n g the n a r r a t i v e t o p a u s e u n d u l y .
l o c a t e d s h o r t l y a f t e r Eve's account comforting
to include a
these
invite couched i n
terms. 18
The
e m b l e m a t i c image o f t h e s t u r d y elm
and
the c l i n g i n g
thus u n d e r l i n e s Milton's p r o t r a y a l of the f i r s t marriage,
vine
and i s
a p p a r e n t l y t h e means by w h i c h he would t r a n s l a t e i n t o g r a p h i c v i s u a l 19 terms the a b s t r a c t " H i e r a r c h i c a l c o n c e p t i o n " of a r e l a t i o n s h i p i n
290
which
"Eve's
[dependence^
on Adam i s c e n t r a l . "
T h a t i t i s employed
p r i m a r i l y t o s y m b o l i s e a r e l a t i o n s h i p o f s u p p o r t and dependence would seem t o be c o n f i r m e d by t h e more e x p l i c i t metaphor o f t h e f l o w e r and h e r prop i n Book I X ( l i n e s 432-33), and a p p e a r s t o g a i n f u r t h e r
support
from M i l t o n ' s e a r l i e r u s e o f t h e v i n e - e l m f i g u r e i n h i s p a m p h l e t Of Reformation t h e Church
i n England,
where he a r g u e s f o r t h e s e l f - s u f f i c i e n c y o f
thus:
I am n o t o f t h e o p i n i o n t o t h i n k e t h e C h u r c h a Vine i n t h i s r e s p e c t , because, a s they take i t , she c a n n o t s u b s i s t w i t h o u t c l a s p i n g about t h e Elme o f w o r d l y s t r e n g t h , and f e l i c i t y , a s i f t h e h e a v e n l y C i t y c o u l d not support i t s e l f e without the props and b u t t r e s s e s o f s e c u l a r A u t h o r i t i e . 2 1
I n any c a s e , we a r e s u f f i c i e n t l y p r e p a r e d f o r a more p r o f o u n d s u g g e s t i v e n e s s and t h a t
layer of
" t h i s t r o p e r e l a t e s E v e t o Adam, a s v i n e t o 22
elm," by t r a d i t i o n a l p o e t i c u s a g e .
"The v i n e - p r o p
one o f t h e most famous p i e c e s o f h o r t i c u l t u r a l
3
elm"^ remained
l o r e p r e s e r v e d from
23a Roman t i m e s , a s K e s t e r Svendsen
reminds
us.
Virgil,
f o r example,
i n a few e x p l a n a t o r y l i n e s p r e f a c i n g t h e G e o r g i c s , had p r o c l a i m e d h i s i n t e n t i o n t o i n s t r u c t t h e r e a d e r when t o j o i n t h e v i n e t o t h e e l m 24 ("ulmis . . . a d i u n g e r e u i t i s "
1.2).
More p e r t i n e n t l y ,
t h e elm i s wedded t o t h e v i n e i t s u p p o r t s i s , " " v e r y a n c i e n t : Horace Odes I I . x v . 4 25 i t s f a m i l i a r i t y for granted."
"The i d e a
that
a s Fowler observes,
[and Odes IV.v.29-3oJ
already take
However, i t seems we a r e i n d e b t e d t o C a t u l l u s f o r r e v e r s i n g the c o n v e n t i o n a l approach. first
As P. Demetz n o t e s , " i t was C a t u l l u s who
s u g g e s t e d t h e i n t i m a t e u n i o n o f m a r i t a l e l m and b r i d a l v i n e a s
26 a p o e t i c image o f b l i s s f u l m a r r i a g e . "
Perceiving i t s potentiality
291
f o r i l l u s t r a t i n g human r e l a t i o n s h i p s , C a t u l l u s u s e s t h e v i n e ' s evident
dependence upon t h e elm a s an exemplum t o f u r t h e r
o f t h e c h o r u s o f young men
i n h i s Epithalamium.
t h e argument
The I u v e n e s a r e a n x i o u s
t o i m p r e s s upon t h e c o n t e n d i n g c h o r u s o f d e t e r m i n e d v i r g i n s t h e e s s e n t i a l b e n e f i t s o f m a r r i a g e f o r a woman: u t v i d u a i n nudo v i t i s quae n a s c i t u r a r v o numquam s e e x t o l l i t , numquam mitem e d u c a t uvam sed tenerum prono d e f l e c t e n s pondere c o r p u s iam iam c o n t i n g i t summum r a d i c e f l a g e l l u m ; hanc n u l l i a g r i c o l a e , n u l l i c o l u e r e i u v e n c i . a t s i f o r t e eademst ulmo c o n i u n c t a m a r i t a , multi i l l a m agricolae, multi coluere iuvenci: s i c v i r g o dum i n t a c t a manet, dum i n c u l t a s e n e s c i t ; c a r a v i r o magis e t minus e s t i n v i s a p a r e n t i . (LXII,
It
i s i n t e r e s t i n g t o note i n p a s s i n g
48-57)
t h a t i n The Comedy o f E r r o r s ,
Shakespeare's only use of the vine-prop topos, the f i g u r e to i l l u s t r a t e
the v i n e ' s
u t t e r dependence upon t h e elm;
i s employed
significantly,
no i n d i c a t i o n i s g i v e n t h a t t h e r e v e r s e m i g h t i n some s e n s e be o r e v e n t h a t t h e v i n e h e r s e l f may have v a l u a b l e exchange f o r s u c h s u p p o r t .
2 7
gifts
true,
to offer i n
Adriana, mistaking Antipholus of Syracuse
f o r h i s t w i n b r o t h e r , h e r husband, a d d r e s s e s him a s t h e s t a l w a r t
tree
t o w h i c h s h e , t h e weak v i n e , must c l i n g f o r s u p p o r t :
Come, I w i l l f a s t e n on t h i s s l e e v e o f t h i n e ; Thou a r t an elm, my husband, I a v i n e , Whose w e a k n e s s , m a r r i e d t o t h y s t r o n g e r s t a t e , Makes me w i t h t h y s t r e n g t h t o communicate. 2R ( A c t I I . i i . 173-76)
The v i n e - e l m - f i g u r e would seem, t h e n , t h e n a t u r a l emblem t o c r y s t a l l i z e the
h i e r a r c h i c a l r e l a t i o n s h i p between t h e f i r s t man
Demetz c o n c l u d e s , t h e wedding o f t h e v i n e
and woman, and t h u s
t o t h e elm i s :
292
... a m a r r i a g e h i e r a r c h y dear b e a u t i f u l , and t h e s t r o n g and h i s mind s h o u l d
w h i c h embodies the t r u e m a r i t a l t o M i l t o n ' s mind: a s t h e p l i a n t , f e r t i l e vine g l a d l y submits to d o m i n a t i n g elm, a good w i f e , t o remain subordinated t o her husband.
I n Book I V , t h e v i n e - l i k e E v e , charmingly but
compliant,
i n Book V,
different.
The
Milton
Milton's
a l l that i s submissive,
s o f t and
i s seen
to
yielding,"^
be 0
i s presenting a relationship that i s subtly
hierarchical
a s w e l l a s d e f i n e d by
once j o i n e d t o h e r elm,
the
conception
i s now
substantially
qualified
image.
l i n e s i n Book V, w i t h t h e i r e m p h a s i s upon an
exchange 3
of g i f t s ,
the v i n e ' r e q u i r i n g s u p p o r t
i n r e t u r n , are c l o s e r of the vine-elm
and
g i v i n g adornment and
i n f e e l i n g t h o u g h t and
expression to Ovid's
f i g u r e as i t appears i n h i s account
wooing o f t h e f a i r g a r d e n e r and herself
lines
i n Book I X , l i n e s 391-S5.
initial
again,
i s explicitly
r e s i s t a n c e to the idea of marriage
Pomona, t o
l i k e n e d i n Book Experiencing
from t h i s
V, some
i n d e p e n d e n t young
maiden, Vertumnus u s e s t h e example o f t h e f r u i t f u l wedding o f t h e and
elm
to advance h i s
use
o f Vertumnus'
goddess o f f r u i t - t r e e s ,
whom, s i g n i f i c a n t l y , E v e 377-81, and
fruit"
suit:
ulmus e r a t c o n t r a s p e c i o s a n i t e n t i b u s u v i s : quam s o c i a postquam p a r i t e r cum v i t e p r o b a v i t , "at s i s t a r e t " a i t "caelebs sine palmite truncus, n i l p r a e t e r frondes, quare peteretur, haberet; h a e c quoque, quae i u n c t a e s t , v i t i s r e q u i e s c i t i n ulmo: s i non n u p t a f o r e t , t e r r a e a c c l i n a t a i a c e r e t ; t u tamen exemplo non t a n g e r i s a r b o r i s h u i u s c o n c u b i t u s q u e f u g i s n e c t e coniurtgere c u r a s . " (Met.
XIV.661-68)
vine
293
I n s t e a d of merely elm,
emphasizing
O v i d ' s u s a g e seems d e s i g n e d
the r e l a t i o n s h i p .
t h e v i n e ' s dependence upon t h e
to s t r e s s the r e c i p r o c a l
I t i s i n t i m a t e d t h a t a man
nature
and woman s h o u l d ,
t h e i r f r u i t f u l c o u n t e r p a r t s i n n a t u r e , use complementary g i f t s advantage.
O v i d goes e v e n
f u r t h e r t h a n t h i s by s u g g e s t i n g
t h e elm's i n c o m p l e t e n e s s w i t h o u t t h e v i n e .
of like
to mutual
implicitly
By e m p h a t i c a l l y r e f e r r i n g
t o t h e elm s i n e p a l m i t e a s a t r u n c u s r a t h e r t h a n an a r b o r , he i s a b l e t o draw s u b t l y on t h e c o n n o t a t i o n s of t h e a d j e c t i v e w h i c h d e s c r i b e something i m p e r f e c t i n i t s e l f , o f , something e s s e n t i a l . Svendsen f i n d s ,
"The
And
i s used
to
l a c k i n g i n , or being d e p r i v e d
i t i s i n t e r e s t i n g to note
that Kester
s y m b o l i c a c t " o f wedding t h e v i n e t o t h e
elm
32 " c o n f i r m s Adam's i n c o m p l e t e n e s s w i t h o u t While e l m ' s shady
Eve."
O v i d does concede t h a t w i t h o u t h i s f e m a l e l e a v e s would s t i l l
d e l i b e r a t e l y a n s w e r i n g him
be o f i n t r i n s i c
worth,
on t h i s p o i n t , d e n i e s e v e n
companion t h e M i l t o n , as i f this
attribute
t o be o f any v a l u e by d i s p a r a g i n g l y r e f e r r i n g t o t h e e l m ' s l e a v e s a s ' b a r r e n ' , an e p i t h e t p a r t i c u l a r l y damning i n a w o r l d f u l n e s s i s t h e summum bonum. [the Garden] multiply"
and keep i t "
(VII.396),
i n which
I n God's commands t o t h e c o u p l e
( V I I I . 3 2 0 ) , and
"Propagation
t o "Be
fruit"to
till
f r u i t f u l [ and]
i s what i s u r g e d " ,
following His
33 own
"prolific
example."
r a t h e r b a d l y upon Adam; commended and, implication,
Regarded i n t h i s way, t h e elm's h e i g h t and
though f o r m a l l y a t r e e , he
little
more t h a n a l i f e l e s s
the l i n e s
s t r e n g t h a r e not
i s rendered here, post.
reflect
by
even
294
T h i s i s not
a t a n g e n t i a l complexity.
r e c a l l t h a t Adam i s f i r s t Fowler claims and
he
that this
continues,
g l i m p s e d by Eve
I t may
be
timely
"Under a p l a t a n "
i s b e c a u s e "the p l a n e was
to
(IV.478).
34
a symbol o f C h r i s t " ,
" T h i s a s s o c i a t i o n seems more p r o b a b l e t h a n
those
35 who
made t h e p l a t a n
t r e e a symbol o f e r o t i c l o v e . "
However, M i l t o n
i s almost c e r t a i n l y mining another v e i n of a s s o c i a t i o n h e r e : c o n t r a s t s the bachelor (Odes I I . x v . 4 - 5 ) ;
while
r e f e r s to the barren apparently
Virgil,
planes,
t h e elm
to the married
elm
i n t h e G e o r g i c s , more d a m a g i n g l y
Virgil,
Quintilian,
s i m i l a r l y c o n t r a s t s the
t h a t weds t h e v i n e ,
Institutio Oratoria Whether o r not
caelebs"
" s t e r i l e s p l a t a n i " ( 1 1 . 7 0 ) , and
e c h o i n g Horace and
p l a t a n [us] " w i t h his
plane, "platanus
Horace
"mar i t [a]
"steril^isj
ulm [us] " i n
(Vill.iii.8).
we
s h o u l d a s s i g n much i m p o r t a n c e t o t h i s
the p i c t u r e of the v i n e ' s r i p e f r u i t f u l n e s s c e r t a i n l y t a k e s
detail,
i t s place
amongst a s i g n i f i c a n t c o n s t e l l a t i o n o f images s u b s t a n t i a l l y l i n k i n g the
f e m i n i n e p r i n c i p l e , and
f u l n e s s , v i t a l i t y and
Eve
life.
We
i n p a r t i c u l a r , t o abundance, have a l r e a d y
o b s e r v e d how
fruit-
references
t o the c o u p l e ' s expected f r u i t f u l n e s s tend t o c l u s t e r around r a t h e r t o t h e e x c l u s i o n of Adam, and a t i o n s o f an u n d e r l y i n g o f Eden and how,
"The
Eve
f e m i n i n e and
that there are recurrent
a f f i n i t y between t h e abundance and
herself.
I n d e e d , S. A.
exotic plant
Eve
fertility
Demetrakopoulos h a s
l i f e bursting
remarked
f o r t h upon t h e
emphasizes the a c t i v e f r u i t f u l n e s s of f e m i n i t y . S u b s u m i n g o f F l o r a , O v i d ' s Mater F l o r u m , and and
Pomona, "the Goddesse o f
t h e i r f r u i t f u l p r o d u c t i o n s , " " ^ Eve
maintaining
its fertility
and
becomes t h e g e n i u s
infusing vibrant
intim-
life
the
Earth roles
Hortyards loci,
i n t o the
plants.
38
29 5
We have s e e n t o o how t h e p a s s a g e i n Book I V ( l i n e s ostensibly
d e m o n s t r a t i n g "How b e a u t y i s e x c e l l e d by manly g r a c e / A n d
wisdom, w h i c h a l o n e i s t r u l y f a i r " superior
492-500),
(IV.490-91) and t h u s how Adam i s
t o E v e " i n t h e p r i m e end/Of n a t u r e "
(VIII.540-41)
;
evolves
39 i n t o something q u i t e
different.
The v i n e - e l m f i g u r a t i o n s t r i k e s
the
impact;
e x i s t s some d e g r e e o f t e n s i o n
reader with l i k e
there
between t h e image and t h e n a r r a t i v e a s s e r t i o n i t i s supposed t o complement. gradually
The h i e r a r c h i c a l scheme s e t f o r t h so c l e a r l y and p r e c i s e l y ,
d i s s o l v e s b e f o r e our e y e s , b l u r r e d
by a m b i g u i t y .
e a s i l y e c l i p s e s t h e elm w h i c h a p p e a r s c u r i o u s l y c o l o u r l e s s All
the poetic
energy i n the d e s c r i p t i o n
l e d t o h e r elm, s h e t a k e s passive
i n contrast.
upon t h e v i n e ;
once
t h e i n i t i a t i v e by a c t i v e l y i n s i n u a t i n g t h e
e l m i n t o h e r e n t w i n i n g arms and c l a s p i n g him i n a c l o s e ,
amorous embrace.
the
centres
The v i n e
The l i n e s t h u s form, a s L . L e r n e r r e m a r k s , "one o f 39a
most s t r i k i n g l y s e x u a l
passages i n Paradise
Lost."
A g a i n , we
c a n n o t a s c r i b e t o t h e o p e r a t i o n o f mere c h a n c e t h e way i n w h i c h l i n e s prompt r e c o l l e c t i o n o f t h e s i m i l a r t a b l e a u Eve
i s discovered
those
i n Book I V , where
" h a l f e m b r a c i n g " Adam a s s h e " l e a n e d " upon him
(IV.494). Even s o , here too, subtly pull an
a subliminal
sounding a warning note:
exerted
w i l l Adam a l l o w t h e g r a v i t a t i o n a l
by E v e ' s p o w e r f u l p r e s e n c e t o r e d u c e him t o t h e s t a t e o f
orbiting satellite,
an a t t e n d a n t moon" ( V I I I . 1 4 9 ) ?
seem t o f e e l t h a t M i l t o n i s e x p r e s s i n g
m y s t e r i o u s female f o r c e
Other
critics
more s e r i o u s m i s g i v i n g s " a t t h i s 40
... w h i c h i s b o t h y i e l d i n g and o v e r p o w e r i n g . "
In a b r i e f but stimulating observes:
counter-movement i s i n i t i a t e d ,
discussion
of t h e vine motif,
Giamatti
296
H e r e , as i n t h e p a s s a g e on Eve's h a i r i n Book I V , t h e main p o i n t i s t h e proper r e l a t i o n o f male t o f e m a l e ; f o r t h e " i m p l i ' d / S u b j e c t i o n " o f woman t o man ( I V , 3 0 8 - 3 0 9 } i s e c h o e d b y t h e way t h e v i n e i s l e d t o wed t h e e l m . B u t a g a i n , a s M i l t o n i m p l i e s s o m e t h i n g o v e r t l y , he c o v e r t l y i m p l i e s i t s opposite. The s e n s u a l i t y o f t h a t c u r l i n g h a i r , t h e c l o s e embrace o f t h o s e t w i n i n g v i n e s : i s t h e r e s o m e t h i n g p o t e n t i a l l y d a n g e r o u s imaged i n t h e l a n d s c a p e , s o m e t h i n g w i t h i n t h a t woman . . . [ t j j i o s e g o l d e n t r e s s e s , those t e n d r i l s , c e r t a i n l y imply s u b j e c t i o n ,b u t whose? Who w i l l h o l d " g e n t l e sway" ( I V . 3 0 8 ) ? 4 1
Similarly, for
D. P. H a r d i n g
he c o n c l u d e s ,
seems t o c o n s i d e r
this
image d o u b l e - e d g e d ,
"the c u r l e d t e n d r i l s imply s u b j e c t i o n i t i s t r u e ,
b u t a l s o t h e k i n d o f e n c r o a c h m e n t w h i c h may e n s n a r e a n d d e s t r o y a s 42 well,"
an i n t e r p r e t a t i o n w h i c h d o e s g a i n s u p p o r t
observation that Milton "insist[s]
again
f r o m Le Comte's
and a g a i n "
that
"golden
hair
43 is
a net."
I s t h e r e , t h e n a more s i n i s t e r
connection
l u x u r i a n c e o f Eve's h a i r a n d t h e " m a n t l i n g v i n e "
between t h e 44 (IV.258-60)? I t
seems a t l e a s t w o r t h r e m e m b e r i n g t h a t t h e n a t u r a l a t t r i b u t e s o f t h e 'vine-prop'
elm, constancy,
f i r m n e s s and s t r e n g t h , were p a s s e d
over
45 in was
silence.
The p r o p i t s e l f
yields t o the pressure
s u p p o s e d t o s u p p o r t , o r , a s S. A. D e m e t r a k o p o u l o s p u t s
feminine
f o r c e s o f t h e garden f i n a l l y
o v e r w h e l m Adam:
l o n e l y embodiment o f t h e m a s c u l i n e p r i n c i p l e It
i t i s i n t e r e s t i n g t o speculate
episodes.
emblematically
t h e f r a i l and 46
level of the action,
h a v e a n i m p o r t a n t b e a r i n g u p o n t h e moment o f
Indeed,
t h e vine-elm
constituting
these
s e q u e n c e c o u l d be h e l d t o r e - e n a c t
t h e a c t i o n i n t h e e a r l i e r passage.
w i t h t h e v i g n e t t e o u t l i n e d above:
crisis,
upon t h e p o s s i b l e s i g n i f i c a n c e o f
t h e c o n s t a n t , • even p a r a l l e l p r o g r e s s i o n o f e v e n t s two
i t , "The
i n Eden."
w o u l d seem t h e n , t h a t a t a s u b t e r r a n e a n
both i n c i d e n t s w i l l and
o f thevine i t
T h i s had
concluded
a s t h e s c e n e Eve h a d c o n j u r e d u p o f
297
her
initial
dependence
r e l u c t a n c e t o be l e d t o Adam f a d e s , s h e d i s c l o s e s h e r o n , a n d a d h e r e n c e t o h i m , a n d as a t o k e n o f h e r s u b m i s s i o n ,
r e s t s upon h i m i n a h a l f - e m b r a c e
as " v i t i s
r e q u i e s c i t i n ulmo" (Met.
XIV.665).
Eve h a s j u s t f i n i s h e d r e c o u n t i n g t o Adam how she h a d b e e n l y i n g beside
a p o o l , v a i n l y engaged i n o f f e r i n g
h e r own i n s u b s t a n t i a l r e f l e c t i o n .
found
' s o f t embraces' t o
Her g u i d e h a d t h e n r a i s e d h e r f r o m 1
t h i s r e c u m b e n t p o s e a n d l e d h e r t o w h e r e she c o u l d d e s c r y t h e f a i r and t a l l ' her
f i g u r e o f Adam who w a s , h e n c e f o r t h , t o be h e r ' g u i d e ' a n d
'best prop'.
God's ' r e - d r e s s i n g ' o f Eve t o a n u p r i g h t
seems o f e s p e c i a l s i g n i f i c a n c e
i n a poem i n w h i c h
stance
t h e r e i s so much 47
p l a y upon t h e w i d e r m o r a l In
implications o f physical posture.
b o t h t h e c l a s s i c a l a n d C h r i s t i a n t r a d i t i o n , man's e r e c t
s t a t u r e was h e l d t o be t h e d i f f e r e n t i a t i n g , not
external attribute
which
o n l y s e t h i m a p a r t f r o m t h e a n i m a l k i n g d o m he was t o r u l e , b u t
a l s o l i n k e d h i m w i t h h i s C r e a t o r , b e i n g i n some way e x p r e s s i v e o f H i s 48 "image, n o t i m p a r t e d t o t h e b r u t e " a d d e d t h a t Eve s h a r e s
this
(VIII.441).
image w i t h Adam.
I t n e e d h a r d l y be
M i l t o n makes t h i s
point
u n e q u i v o c a l l y when t h e F a t h e r s h i f t s f r o m t h e g e n e r a l s i n g u l a r t o t h e plural
f o r m i n H i s e x h o r t a t i o n t o t h e Son: L e t u s make now man i n o u r i m a g e , man I n o u r s i m i l i t u d e , a n d l e t them r u l e ... a n d f i l l t h e e a r t h .
( V I I . 5 1 9 - 3 1 ; emphasis
in
accordance w i t h t h e f o r m u l a used i n Genesis:
added)
And God s a i d , l e t u s make man i n o u r own i m a g e , a f t e r o u r l i k e n e s s : and l e t them have d o m i n i o n ... o v e r a l l t h e e a r t h ... So God c r e a t e d man i n h i s own i m a g e , i n t h e image o f God c r e a t e d he h i m ; m a l e a n d f e m a l e c r e a t e d he t h e m . (Gen.
Indeed, distinguished
i n our f i r s t
1.26-27)
i n t r o d u c t i o n t o Adam a n d E v e , t h e y a r e
from t h e other l i v i n g
creatures surrounding
telling
emphasis, as b e i n g :
Godlike
e r e c t , " who " I n n a k e d m a j e s t y
them w i t h
"Two o f f a r n o b l e r shape e r e c t a n d t a l l , / seemed l o r d s o f a l l "
(IV.288-90).
Man's u p r i g h t g a i t , t h e r e f o r e , e l e v a t e s h i m a b o v e t h e o t h e r c r e a t u r e s o f t h e e a r t h , i n d i c a t i n g h i s s o v e r e i g n t y o v e r them. Fowler
As
observes:
The i d e a t h a t man's u p r i g h t p o s t u r e d i s t i n g u i s h e s him f r o m o t h e r a n i m a l s , and i n d i c a t e s h i s s p e c i a l d e s t i n y was a commonplace o f h e x a e m e r a l l i t e r a t u r e . I t had t h e a u t h o r i t y o f v a r i o u s c l a s s i c a l a u t h o r s ( P l a t o , T i m . 90A; C i c e r o , De n a t . d e o r . i i . 5 6 ; etc);^ b u t O v i d ' s v e r s i o n (Met, i . 76-86) i s c l o s e s t t o M.'s.
For
i n Ovid's account,
as Sandys o b s e r v e s , "man was [ a l s o ] made w i t h
an e r e c t e d l o o k e t o a d m i r e t h e g l o r y o f t h e C r e a t o r . " ^ r e n d e r i n g o f t h e p u r p o s e o f man's c r e a t i o n r e a d s
0
Ovid's
thus:
5
S a n c t i u s h i s a n i m a l me«">itisque c a p a c i u s a l t a e * " d e e r a t adhuc e t quod d o m i n a r i i n c e t e r a p o s s e t : n a t u s homo e s t , s i v e h u n c d i v i n o s e m i n e f e c i t ille o p i f e x r e r u m , mundi m e l i o r i s o r i g o , s i v e r e c e n s t e l l u s seductaque nuper ab a l t o a e t h e r e c o g n a t i r e t i n e b a t semina c a e l i . quam s a t u s I a p e t o , m i x t a m p l u v i a l i b u s u n d i s , f i n x i t i n e f f i g i e m moderantum c u n c t a deorum, p r o n a q u e cum s p e c t e n t a n i m a l i a c e t e r a t e r r a m , os h o m i n i s u b l i m e d e d i t c a e l u m q u e v i d e r e i u s s i t e t e r e c t o s ad s i d e r a t o l l e r e v u l t u s . (Met.
1.76-86)
299
The close;
p a r a l l e l s i n t h o u g h t and e x p r e s s i o n a r e e x c e p t i o n a l l y
Milton
stresses almost p r e c i s e l y
t h e same p o i n t s
when R a p h a e l
o b s e r v e s how on t h e s i x t h d a y :
T h e r e w a n t e d y e t t h e m a s t e r w o r k , t h e end. Of a l l y e t d o n e ; a c r e a t u r e who n o t p r o n e And b r u t e as o t h e r c r e a t u r e s b u t e n d u e d With s a n c t i t y o f reason,might erect His s t a t u r e , and u p r i g h t w i t h f r o n t serene Govern t h e r e s t , s e l f - k n o w i n g , and f r o m t h e n c e Magnanimous t o c o r r e s p o n d w i t h h e a v e n , B u t g r a t e f u l t o a c k n o w l e d g e whence h i s g o o d Descends, t h i t h e r w i t h h e a r t and v o i c e and eyes D i r e c t e d i n d e v o t i o n t o adore And w o r s h i p God s u p r e m e , who made h i m c h i e f Of a l l h i s w o r k s . (VII.505-16)
S i n c e Sandys e m p h a s i z e s "how man ... o n l y
o f a l l t h a t hath
life
51 erects
h i s l o o k e s i n t o heaven,"
significance
o f Milton's
"might erect/His his Erection
i t i s i n t e r e s t i n g t o ponder t h e
curiously
stature."
a m b i g u o u s e x p r e s s i o n t h a t man
Bentley's abrupt expostulation,
"As i f
w e r e s u p e r a d d e d t o h i s Form b y h i s own C o n t r i v a n c e ; n o t 52
o r i g i n a l l y made s o b y h i s C r e a t o r , " ambiguity i n these l i n e s .
Milton's
r e a d e r t o i n t e r p r e t man's e r e c t response t o h i s c r e a t i o n ,
draws a t t e n t i o n t o t h e p o s s i b l e c h o i c e o f words here a l l o w s t h e
stature
as c o n d i t i o n a l
thus exemplifying
upon h i s
proper
t h e wider freedom o f moral
a c t i o n a s c r i b e d t o man b y a God who e x p r e s s l y c r e a t e d h i m " S u f f i c i e n t to
have s t o o d , t h o u g h f r e e t o f a l l " The
significance
a p p a r e n t i f we r e c a l l life
of this
(III.99).
l i n e o f i n t e r p r e t a t i o n becomes
t h a t when d e s c r i b i n g
her i n i t i a l
a n d t h e w o r l d a b o u t h e r a s she f o u n d h e r s e l f
shade o f f l o w e r s "
reaction t o
"reposed/Under a
( I V . 4 5 1 - 5 2 ) , Eve o u t l i n e s a s e t t i n g w h i c h seems t o
300
demand c o m p a r i s o n w i t h t h e c o r r e s p o n d i n g
s e c t i o n i n Book V I I I
Adam, i n t u r n , g i v e s an a c c o u n t o f h i s f i r s t
moments o f
where
consciousness:
... As new waked f r o m s o u n d e s t s l e e p S o f t o n t h e f l o w e r y h e r b I f o u n d me l a i d . (VIII.253-54)
The u n d e r l y i n g a r t i s t i c
design
seems e v i d e n t :
M i l t o n compels us t o 53
compare a n d c o n t r a s t t h e i r r e s p e c t i v e r e s p o n s e s . impulse
i s t o l o o k up " S t r a i g h t t o w a r d
ward endeavouring," tall
tree.
"up [ h e j s p r u n g , "
Adam's
heaven," and t h e n ,
first "As t h i t h e r -
and " u p r i g h t / S t o o d " l i k e
E v e , l i k e Adam, c o n t e m p l a t e s
a
fair,
t h e sky, b u t t h e sky
r e f l e c t e d down i n t o a p o o l w h i c h
she has l a i n b e s i d e
waters.
o f s u g g e s t i o n m u s t be t o t r o u b l e t h e
reader
The e f f e c t o f t h i s
w i t h , as y e t , h a l f - f o r m e d d o u b t s a b o u t Eve's s u f f i c i e n c y t o
stand alone. vation
line
t o gaze i n t o i t s
This i s supported
that,
by Janet
Adelman's p e r c e p t i v e
"The n e w l y c r e a t e d Eve f i n d s h e r s e l f
obser-
l y i n g down a n d
p r e s u m a b l y must s t a n d up t o g e t t o t h e p o o l , b u t M i l t o n t h i s movement:
we see h e r l y i n g down, t h e n
suppresses 54 l y i n g down a g a i n . "
i
ft E l a i n e B. " S a f e r m a i n t a i n s t h a t we s h o u l d h a v e "no t r o u b l e a p p l y i n g " the
masculine
s i n g u l a r p r o n o u n i n "God's s t a t e m e n t
j u s t and r i g h t , / S u f f i c i e n t to
t o have s t o o d , though
Adam, b u t a l s o t o Eve ( i . e . ,
h e r s e l f goes on t o a r g u e ,
... ' I made h i m
free t o f a l l '
t o o u r f i r s t p a r e n t s ) " b u t , a s she
"echoes o f h i e r a r c h i c a l
o r d e r seem t o w o r k 55
a g a i n s t s u c h a r e a d i n g o f Eve's s u f f i c i e n c y t o s t a n d . "
While
D e m a t r a k o p o u l d s ' comment, "The n a t u r a l l y e r e c t m a l e p o s t u r e naturally [Eve'sJ"^ plainly i n c i d e n t f o r us. which,
unless
Before
not only
S. A.
i s n o t so
spells out the significance of the
being
l e d t o h e r ' e l m ' , Eve i s l i k e
the vine
i t i s held erect, displays i t s natural propensity t o
301
trail
upon t h e g r o u n d , t o " c r e e p " o r " c r a w l , "
iaceret"
(Met.
Eve
"terrae
acclinata
XIV.666).
a l s o resembles
t h e u n t e n d e d v i n e i n n e e d i n g someone
check' h e r ' f r u i t l e s s embraces'. "Eve's u n t u t o r e d f e e l i n g s ,
like
As J . M. Evans p e r c e p t i v e l y
'to observes,
the n a t u r a l growth o f t h e p l a n t s
a r o u n d h e r , do n o t g r o w i n t h e r i g h t d i r e c t i o n
s p o n t a n e o u s l y . I t
is
another l i n e o f
interesting
t o note i n connection with t h i s ,
s u g g e s t i o n c o n t a i n e d w i t h i n Adam a n d Eve's d i f f e r i n g and c r e a t i o n . own of
D. C. A l l e n h a s r e m a r k e d
responses
t h a t Eve's a t t r a c t i o n
r e f l e c t i o n may n o t o n l y be d e s i g n e d t o s u g g e s t t h e u n h a p p y Ovid's N a r c i s s u s , b u t also t o i n s i n u a t e
to life t o her fate
i n t o t h e r e a d e r ' s mind a
c o m p a r i s o n b e t w e e n Eve a n d t h o s e a n g e l s who " f e l l
i n love with
them-
59 s e l v e s , a n d n e g l e c t e d God"
alluding t o the Christian tradition
"when t h e a n g e l s w e r e c r e a t e d t h e y l o o k e d f i r s t s u r p r i s e d a t t h e i r own e x i s t e n c e . the and
of
a t themselves,
Then some l o o k e d u p w a r d a n d f o u n d
source o f c r e a t i o n i n t h e word. 60 sank i n t h e i r own d a r k n e s s . " So
that
Others f e l l
i n love with
t o o , i t d o e s n o t seem s o l e l y due t o c h a n c e t h a t
themselves
t h e wedding
t h e v i n e t o t h e e l m f o l l o w s Eve's d a l l i a n c e w i t h S a t a n , whom s h e
a l l o w s , a l b e i t o n l y f o r t h e d u r a t i o n o f t h e dream, t o s u p p l a n t t h e p o s i t i o n Adam now h o l d s a s h e r " g u i d e " (V.91) a n d t o d r a w h e r away from h i s p r o t e c t i o n and s u p p o r t .
The l i k e l y
r e s u l t o f such a subs-
titution
i s made s u f f i c i e n t l y c l e a r b y t h e e n s u i n g e v e n t s o f t h e d r e a m
itself.
Having
encourages urges,
i s o l a t e d Eve f r o m Adam's s u p p o r t i n g p r e s e n c e ,
t h e growth o f discontent w i t h i n her.
Satan
" T a s t e t h i s , " he
302
...and be h e n c e f o r t h among t h e gods Thy(self a goddess, not t o e a r t h c o n f i n e d . (V.77-78)
She,
a s p i r i n g upward, a p p a r e n t l y o v e r r e a c h e s h e r s e l f and,
d e p r i v e d of h e r
'guide',
s i n k s down a g a i n t o e a r t h .
d e s c r i b i n g the e x p e r i e n c e , r e l a t e s :
"up
when
As Eve
herself,
t o t h e c l o u d s / W i t h him
I flew"
... w o n d e r i n g a t my f l i g h t and change To t h i s h i g h e x a l t a t i o n ; s u d d e n l y My g u i d e was gone, and I , me t h o u g h t , sunk down, And f e l l ... (V.86-87; 8 9 - 9 2 )
Eve
falls,
true
but o n l y i n t o s l e e p ; n e x t t i m e h e r s e p a r a t i o n from h e r
'guide' and
'prop' w i l l
result
i n more c o m p l e t e
Both e p i s o d e s e x e r c i s e a p r o l e p t i c
ruin.
function, anticipating
and
61 p r e p a r i n g f o r t h e coming t r a g e d y .
Of c o u r s e , a s i s commonly
noted,
t h e d e m o n i c a l l y i n s p i r e d dream e n a c t s t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s o f E v e ' s more n e a r l y t h a n t h e e a r l i e r for
man
was
by S a t a n
not to f a l l (III.130).
i n c i d e n t of
Narcissistic
an
of [ t h e i r ]
maker f a i r "
i n v a l u a b l e i n s i g h t i n t o how Eve, as y e t s i n l e s s ,
(IX-5 3 8 )
, f u r n i s h e s Satan
and
with
b e s t t o frame h i s d r e a m - t e m p t a t i o n .
wakes i n f e a r and,
recoiling
from t h e
Her
innocence
t h u s s y m b o l i c a l l y r e - a f f i r m e d by t h i s embrace and a l s o by
fruitful
the
"Fairest
' o f f e n c e ' o f h e r dream, i n s t i n c t i v e l y c l i n g s t o Adam. is
"deceived"
s o , E v e ' s a c c o u n t o f h e r e x p e r i e n c e by
pool, with i t s i n t i m a t i o n of her preference for the resemblance
indulgence,
"Self-tempted, s e l f - d e p r a v e d , " but
Even
fall
the
l o v i n g embrace t h a t t h e v i n e b e s t o w s upon h e r elm,
i m p l i e s , as Fowler puts i t , t h a t they "are r e u n i t e d a f t e r
the
which
division
303
of
Eve's d r e a m . "
literal
Despite
and f i g u r a t i v e
t h e s e scenes o f r e c o n c i l i a t i o n on t h e
level,
a n d Adam's s u p p o s e d l y
e x p l a n a t i o n o f t h e dream's o r i g i n , and
foreboding
enveloping
assumes a more d i s t i n c t
It
Eve
reassuring
t h e gathering cloud o f uncertainty
gradually loses
i t s amorphousness and
shape a n d c h a r a c t e r .
seems o f e s p e c i a l s i g n i f i c a n c e ,
t h e r e f o r e , t h a t Adam a n d
Eve a r e n o t o n l y o b s e r v e d w e d d i n g t h e v i n e t o h e r e l m b u t a r e f i r s t discovered
engaged i n t h e o t h e r i m p o r t a n t t a s k o f t h e v i n e - d r e s s e r ,
pampinatio, t h e lopping o r trimming Brown h a s d e t e c t e d
o f superfluous
growth.
h e r e "a s e r i e s o f m u t e d a m b i g u i t i e s
t h e p u n on 'embraces'".
The e f f e c t o f t h i s ,
James
[which] precede
he a r g u e s
... i s t h a t " t r e e s " o r " b o u g h e s " a c c e p t a b l y p o s s e s s the m o b i l i t y , t h em o t i v a t i o n , t h e moral r e s p o n s i b i l i t y o f s e x u a l l y d r i v e n c r e a t u r e s ; Adam a n d Eve a r e no l o n g e r m e r e l y g a r d e n k e e p e r s , b u t h a v e become guardians o f m o r a l i t y i n a world ominously pref i g u r i n g t h e i r own w e a k n e s s e s . 6 4
M o r e o v e r , b y d e s c r i b i n g t h e b o u g h e s o r 'arms' o f t h e f r u i t - t r e e s a s " p a m p e r e d " , M i l t o n seems t o i n t r o d u c e s i m u l t a n e o u s l y supportive chains
o f connotation.
On t h e one h a n d , s i n c e from
'pamper' was a n a c c r e d i t e d d e r i v a t i o n
t h e L a t i n pampinus, a t e n d r i l o r v i n e - s h o o t , ^
M i l t o n a l r e a d y has i n mind t h e v i n e the
line
two m u t u a l l y
that directly
i t w o u l d seem
that
- w h i c h he m e n t i o n s e x p l i c i t l y i n
f o l l o w s - a s one o f t h e f r u i t - t r e e s
i n need o f
66 pruning. over-indulge
On t h e o t h e r h a n d , t h e v e r b
' t o pamper' s i g n i f i e s " t o
(a p e r s o n ) i n h i s t a s t e s a n d l i k i n g s g e n e r a l l y "
We h a v e a l r e a d y o b s e r v e d how, i n t h e f i r s t
use o f t h e v i n e
Book I V , E v e ' s h a i r i s l i k e n e d t o t e n d r i l s w h i c h
' i n wanton
(OED).
figure i n ringlets
304
wave' r e q u i r i n g
'subjection,'
t h i s v e r y d e s c r i p t i o n t h u s becomes
s u b t l y enmeshed w i t h Adam's c r e a t i v e r o l e a s g a r d e n e r .
F o r we h a v e
n o t e d w i t h S. A. D e m e t r a k o p o u l o s how, " D e s c r i p t i o n s o f t h e e a g e r l y breeding
garden correspond
significantly,
t o d e s c r i p t i o n s o f E v e , " a n d , p e r h a p s more
how "Eve i s more c l o s e l y a s s o c i a t e d w i t h t h e w a n t o n 67
fertility
o f t h e g a r d e n t h a n i s Adam."
The requires,
"wanton g r o w t h " therefore,
o f t h e p l a n t s "Tending t o w i l d "
(IX.211-12)
"constant c r e a t i v e o r d e r i n g , " w i t h o u t which,
as 68
B. K. L e w a l s k i m a i n t a i n s , t h e G a r d e n " w i l l John Evelyn's
address t o h i s reader
seems o f i n t e r e s t h e r e .
revert t o wilderness."
i n t h e i n t r o d u c t i o n t o t h e Kalendar
He m a i n t a i n s
that:
As P a r a d i s e ( t h o u g h o f God's own P l a n t i n g ) h a d n o t b e e n P a r a d i s e l o n g e r t h a n t h e Man was p u t i n t o i t , t o Dress i t and keep i t ; s o , n o r w i l l o u r G a r d e n ( a s n e a r as we c a n c o n t r i v e t h e m t o t h e r e s e m b l a n c e o f t h a t b l e s s e d Abode) r e m a i n l o n g i n t h e i r p e r f e c t i o n , unless they are also c o n t i n u a l l y cultivated.
And
he g o e s o n t o w a r n "how i n t o l e r a b l e
a confusion w i l l
succeed a
69 small neglect" Adam's t a s k , t h e n , demands v i g i l a n c e
and d i s c i p l i n e , ^
i n c l u d e t h e p r u n i n g o f any d e s i r e f o r d i s t i n c t i o n
0
and must
and p r e - e m i n e n c e on
Eve's p a r t a n d t h e r e d i r e c t i o n o f h e r b a c k t o h i s s i d e , s h o u l d to
reach
b e y o n d h i m . The a p p l i c a t i o n o f t h i s
she a t t e m p t
l i n e o f suggestion i s
only f u l l y
d i s c l o s e d a f t e r t h e event
has
proved
remiss
Eve
a p p a r e n t l y t r i e s t o gauge h e r s p h e r e o f a c t i o n a n d Adam a l l o w s h e r
to
overreach
when i t becomes e v i d e n t t h a t Adam
i n h i s conduct towards
herself,
Eve.
I n t h e gardening
f a t a l l y withdrawing herself
from h i s
debate,
support.^
305
As
E v a n s p u t s i t , "The v i n e i s [ h e r e ] t r y i n g t o d i s e n g a g e h e r s e l f from 72
the e l m , "
w h i l e M a r c i a Landy e x p l a i n s , " t h e f a c t t h a t s h e succumbs, a s
Adam i m p l i e d
s h e m i g h t , u n d e r s c o r e s h e r need f o r g u i d a n c e and p r o t e c t i o n . "
However, i t h a s been p e r s u a s i v e l y a r g u e d , p e r h a p s most by L . W. Hyman, t h a t t h e t r a g i c power o f t h i s c r u c i a l fact that there
i s no r i g h t answer t h a t Adam c o u l d
need f o r o b e d i e n c e i s a s s t r o n g
deeply f e l t
and i r r e c o n c i l a b l e . "
scene " l i e s
have
a s t h e need f o r freedom 75 Nevertheless,
forcibly i n the
given."The ... both a r e
B. K. L e w a l s k i h a s
d e m o n s t r a t e d t h a t Adam would n o t n e c e s s a r i l y h a v e had t o r e s o r t t o h i s power o f a b s o l u t e enlarges
command ( I X . 1 1 5 6 ) t o r e s o l v e t h e d i s p u t e .
upon t h e p o i n t
She
thus:
We a r e g i v e n e a r l y on a model o f how Adam's l e a d e r s h i p s h o u l d p r o p e r l y f u n c t i o n s o a s t o p r e s e r v e and enhance E v e ' s freedom o f c h o i c e , p e r s o n a l g r o w t h , and r e s p o n s ibility. T h i s i s a t the scene o f Eve's p r e s e n t a t i o n t o Adam when s h e t u r n s from him b a c k t o t h e f a i r e r image o f h e r s e l f i n t h e w a t e r , and Adam p r o c e e d s t o u r g e h i s c l a i m f i r m l y and r a t i o n a l l y ... I n t e r m s o f t h i s model we c a n s e e what went wrong i n t h e m a r i t a l dispute. Adam n o t o n l y c e a s e d t o p r e s s h i s own c a s e f o r c e f u l l y and r a t i o n a l l y ... . b u t a t l e n g t h he v i r t u a l l y senfe*away ... ( I X . 3 7 0 - 7 5 )
If horticultural the best advice
l o r e may be a p p l i e d t o human a f f a i r s , V i r g i l
i n t h a t p a r t i n h i s f a r m i n g manual d e v o t e d ,
significantly,
to v i n i c u l t u r e :
Ac dum p r i m a n o u i s a d o l e s c i t f r o n d i b u s a e t a s , parcendum t e n e r i s , e t dum s e l a e t u s ad a u r a s p a l m e s a g i t l a x i s p e r purum i m m i s s u s h a b e n i s , i p s a a c i e nondum f a l c i s temptanda, s e d u n c i s c a r p e n d a e manibus f r o n d e s i n t e r q u e l e g e n d a e . i n d e u b i iam u a l i d i s amplexae s t i r p i b u s ulmos e x i e r i n t , turn s t r i n g e comas, turn b r a c c h i a tonde ( a n t e r e f o r m i d a n t f e r r u m ) , turn d e n i q u e d u r a e x e r c e i m p e r i a e t ramos compesce f l u e n t i s . (Georgics
gives
11.362-70)
306
The pliant, she
moral
is plain:
submissive
Eve
Adam c a n
a f f o r d t o be
lenient
" t h a t f e a r e d t o have o f f e n d e d "
(V.135),
d i s p l a y s i n c r e a s i n g assertiveness i n the gardening
check t h i s u n r u l y growth.
I t i s interesting
t h e p r i m a r y m e a n i n g o f "coma" h a i r " and
(Georgics
t o note
towards
debate,
the
b u t when he
should
too i n passing
that
11.368) i s " t h e h a i r o f t h e
head,
o n l y by p o e t i c t r a n s f e r e n c e d o e s i t come t o mean " l e a v e s " o r
"foliage"fL). This
seems s u g g e s t i v e when we
b e t w e e n t h e l u x u r i a n c e o f Eve's h a i r and
recall the
the i m p l i e d connection
'mantling v i n e
s i g n i f i c a n c e t h i s comes t o assume d u r i n g t h e c o u r s e
I n a d d i t i o n , we
may
remember t h a t when Eve
1
and
of the epic.
takes her
l e a v e o f Adam
t o garden a l o n e , t h e passage f o l l o w s t h e s t r u c t u r a l p a t t e r n i n g o f p o r t r a i t o f Pomona t o whom, m o r e o v e r , she
the
is explicitly
likened:
Ovid's Eve,
... D e l i a ' s s e l f I n g a i t s u r p a s s e d and g o d d e s s - l i k e d e p o r t , T h o u g h n o t as she w i t h bow and q u i v e r a r m e d , But w i t h such g a r d e n i n g t o o l s as a r t y e t r u d e , G u i l t l e s s o f f i r e had f o r m e d , o r a n g e l s b r o u g h t . To P a l e s , o r Pomona t h u s a d o r n e d , L i k e l i e s t she seemed, Pomona when she f l e d V e r t u m n u s , ... (IX.388-95)
That M i l t o n
intends the reader
by
the d i s t i n c t l y
in
t h e Metamorphoses by w h i c h
t o r e c a l l Ovid's account i s
a u d i b l e echoes o f t h i s
introductory
he p r o c l a i m s h i s
confirmed
s k e t c h o f Pomona
indebtedness:
r u s amat e t r a m o s f e l i c i a poma f e r e n t e s ; nec i a c u l o g r a v i s e s t , sed a d u n c a d e x t e r a f a l c e , qua modo l u x u r i e m p r e m i t e t s p a t i a n t i a p a s s i m b r a c c h i a c o n p e s c i t ... (Met.
XIV.627-30)
307
M i l t o n ' s open a l l u s i o n t o t h i s p a s s a g e t h e i r o n i c e f f e c t o f t h e camouflaged
i s not perhaps
a s important as
allusion h i s lines contain. For,
by an i n e v i t a b l e e x t e n s i o n o f t h e c o m p a r i s o n
between E v e and Pomona,
the reader r e c a l l s the s i g n i f i c a n t d e t a i l t h a t the gardening tool Pomona arms h e r s e l f w i t h i s t h e p r u n i n g - h o o k d e s i g n e d t o c h e c k l u x u r i a n t growth.
The v i n e - e l m t o p o s t h u s draws t o g e t h e r
that
over-
related
p a s s a g e s i n t o a p a t t e r n o f c o n v e r g i n g s i g n i f i c a n c e and s h e d s l i g h t on future
developments.
Virgil's
f i r m c o u n s e l would have been approved
spokesman, R a p h a e l .
by t h e d i v i n e
He u r g e s Adam t o
... weigh w i t h h e r t h y s e l f ; Then v a l u e : o f t t i m e s n o t h i n g p r o f i t s more Than s e l f esteem, grounded on j u s t and r i g h t W e l l managed; o f t h a t s k i l l t h e more t h o u know'st, The more s h e w i l l acknowledge t h e e h e r h e a d . (VIII.570-74)
Raphael
argues:
s e l f - k n o w l e d g e and a p r o p e r e v a l u a t i o n o f s e l f a r e
e s s e n t i a l f o r them b o t h i f t h e y a r e t o c o n t i n u e t o a c t by t h e i r
first
lesson that
alone
'beauty i s e x c e l l e d by manly grace/And
is truly fair.'
wisdom, w h i c h
As we have s e e n , Adam f i n d s i t i m p o s s i b l e t o f o l l o w
R a p h a e l ' s d e c e p t i v e l y e a s y f o r m u l a f o r managing h i s r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h Eve.
Until
a f t e r t h e F a l l , moreover, t h e a w a r e n e s s
o f mutual
need i s
77 much more a c u t e l y e x p e r i e n c e d by Adam.
This i sevident i n the i n i t i a l
v i g n e t t e o f E v e a s N a r c i s s u s , b u t a s Rauber o b s e r v e s :
308
... n o w h e r e more p a t h e t i c a l l y t h a n i n t h e d i s c u s s i o n l e a d i n g up t o t h e i r p a r t i n g . After confessing h i s t o t a l d e p e n d e n c e upon Eve - " I f r o m t h e i n f l u e n c e o f t h y l o o k s r e c e a v e / A c c e s s i n e v e r y v e r t u e ..." Adam b r e a k s o u t d e s p a i r i n g l y , "Why s h o u l d s t t h o u n o t l i k e sense w i t h i n t h e e f e e l / W h e n I am p r e s e n t . . . ? " (IX.309ff), 7 8
7 9/ F o r Adam t o o l a c k s t o t a l
s u f f i c i e n c y w i t h o u t Eve. whole,
As t h e v i n e a n d
elm
t o g e t h e r form a composite
so " t h e u n i o n o f m a l e a n d f e m a l e
...
a p p r o a c h e s t h e s u f f i c i e n c y o f God a n d r e p a i r s t h e ' u n i t y 80
defective'
o f man a l o n e w i t h o u t woman." B u t Adam, a s c r i t i c s
a r e wont t o i n f o r m u s , i s more t h a n
inclined
t o d e i f y Eve, t o a t t r i b u t e t o h e r t h e g o d l i k e s e l f - s u f f i c i e n c y
that
p r i o r t o h e r c r e a t i o n he h a d r i g h t l y r e s e r v e d f o r t h e i r Maker
alone,
81 "so a b s o l u t e Her
she s e e m [ e d ] / A n d i n h e r s e l f c o m p l e t e "
a i r o f s e l f - r e l i a n c e , most s t r o n g l y i n evidence
occasions
when she v e n t u r e s t o g a r d e n
by h e r s e l f ,
illusion,
however, as t h e N a r c i s s u s e p i s o d e
(VIII.547-48).
on b o t h
i s founded
those upon an
i n t i m a t e s , and b e t r a y s a
d a n g e r o u s l a c k o f s e l f - k n o w l e d g e on h e r p a r t .
Having
b e e n l e d b y God
t o Adam, s h e j u d g e s h i m b y t h e o n l y s t a n d a r d s h e h a s y e t f o r m e d , a n d f i n d s him wanting. Eve
Her b e a u t y
thereafter
t e n d s t o b l i n d b o t h Adam a n d
h e r s e l f t o a j u s t a p p r a i s a l o f h e r own l i m i t a t i o n s
and t h e i r
mutual
dependence. T h i s v i e w i s e n d o r s e d b y t h e way i n w h i c h , u n t i l t h e m o r n i n g o f t h e F a l l , Adam a n d Eve f o r m a d e s c r i p t i v e , d r a m a t i c , f i g u r a t i v e 82 and
even s y n t a c t i c u n i t y .
and
t w o o f t h e s e o c c u r r e n c e s , as we h a v e a l r e a d y s e e n , a p p e a r t o p r e s a g e
the F a l l
directly.
her encounter b o t h doomed.
Only
t h r e e times are they observed
At the figurative
w i t h Satan i s never
level,
i n doubt.
at least,
apart,
t h e outcome o f
Once s e p a r a t e d , t h e y a r e
309
"Who
can deny," S t e l l a R e v a r d
demands, " t h a t when she
departs
from Adam on t h e f a t a l morning she seems p a r t i c u l a r l y v u l n e r a b l e t o 83 harm?"
The
r e a d e r cannot
h e l p but r e c a l l
t o g a r d e n a l o n e when she a p p e a r s like'
s t a t u r e , not
the f i r s t
t i m e Eve
a m a j e s t i c f i g u r e of t r u l y
l e s s but more t h a n e q u a l , and wonder.
'goddess-
Having
p r o c e e d e d t h u s f a r i n d i r e c t l y w i t h h i n t s and
i n t i m a t i o n s of
i n s u f f i c i e n c y , M i l t o n now
a t t e n t i o n upon h e r
inadequacy.
Eve
openly
f o c u s e s our
i s d i s c o v e r e d s e l f - a b s o r b e d i n h e r own 84 t h r e a t or danger.
o b l i v i o u s of any
departs
Eve's
world,
... o f t s t o o p i n g t o s u p p o r t E a c h f l o w e r o f s l e n d e r s t a l k , whose head though Hung d r o o p i n g u n s u s t a i n e d , them she u p s t a y s G e n t l y w i t h m y r t l e band, m i n d l e s s t h e w h i l e , Her s e l f , though f a i r e s t u n s u p p o r t e d f l o w e r , From h e r b e s t prop so f a r , and s t o r m so n i g h . (IX.427-28;
Raphael's
uneasiness proves warranted.
s u f f i c i e n c y w h i c h she n e v e r
"That
l o s e s " proves
430-33)
f e e l i n g of i n n e r
t o be,
gay
a s Rauber
self-
observes,
85 "one
o f h e r g r e a t m y s t e r i e s and
are encouraged to f e e l
a l s o her f a t a l weakness."
t h a t p r o p e r l y p r u n e d and
would have been a b l e t o w e a t h e r t h e s t o r m , 11.360.)
we
the v i n e
"contemnere u e n t o s "
(Georgics
8 6
T h i s b r i e f l y but d e l i c a t e l y executed the
supported
And
s k e t c h o f Eve g l i m p s e d
' f a i r e s t u n s u p p o r t e d f l o w e r ' amongst h e r f l o w e r s p o s s e s s e s ,
the vine-elm
figure i t parallels
the p u r e l y p i c t o r i a l . what has p r e c e d e d
The
so c l o s e l y , o t h e r q u a l i t i e s
like
beside
image g a t h e r s t o g e t h e r t h e s i g n i f i c a n c e
and p r e p a r e s
f o r what f o l l o w s .
t o t h e p e a c e f u l r u r a l a c t i v i t i e s o f Book V,
as
of
Moreover, i n c o n t r a s t
which o n l y i n c i d e n t a l l y
gave
310
us a sense o f unease, cultural; point.
t h e image h e r e i s no l o n g e r p r i m a r i l y
i t i sexplicitly
l i n k e d w i t h t h e imminent t r a g e d y a t e v e r y
The drama, a s c r i t i c s
many m i r r o r s .
have so o f t e n n o t e d ,
Again, u n l i k e the e a r l i e r
i sreflected i n
image, t h e metaphor o f t h e
f l o w e r w i t h o u t h e r prop s u g g e s t s a l m o s t e x c l u s i v e l y E v e ' s and
infirmer
sex"
for
her collapse
(X.956) . 'exposed'
horti-
"frailty
I n t h i s way, t h e s e l i n e s n o t o n l y p r e p a r e by Adam t o t h e oncoming
'storm', b u t a l s o
l o o k f o r w a r d t o t h e more p a s s i v e and u n a s s u m i n g , b u t no l e s s
important,
r o l e E v e i s t o p l a y when, "much-humbled" ( X . 1 8 1 ) , s h e f r e e l y c o n f e s s e s h e r dependence on him i n terms t h a t a r e c l e a r l y s i g n i f i c a n t study, acknowledging emphasis
for this
Adam t o be h e r " o n l y s t r e n g t h and s t a y "
(IX.538;
added).
As t h e e m p h a s i s
now f a l l s upon E v e ' s i n c o m p l e t e n e s s w i t h o u t
Adam, t h e image o f t h e v i n e l a n g u i s h i n g w i t h o u t h e r " s t r e n g t h and s t a y " seems s i n g u l a r l y a p p r o p r i a t e . of
focus i s n e c e s s a r y to render the scene s t r a n g e l y f a m i l i a r .
h a s remarked how
Moreover, o n l y a m i n u t e
adjustment Summers
how " M i l t o n i n t r o d u c e d E v e ' s s p e e c h w i t h a d e s c r i p t i o n o f
she,
... w i t h T e a r s t h a t c e a s ' d n o t f l o w i n g , And t r e s s e s a l l d i s o r d e r ' d , a t h i s f e e t F e l l humble, and e m b r a c i n g them, b e s o u g h t H i s p e a c e ... (X.910-913)
T h a t p h y s i c a l d e p i c t i o n , " he o b s e r v e s , " w i t h i t s s p e c i f i c of
t h e ' T r e s s e s discompos'd'
tears
(V.129-135)
(V.10), t h e 'imbracing'
... had c h a r a c t e r i z e d E v e ' s e a r l i e r
87 s h e r e p e n t e d m e r e l y h e r dream o f s i n . "
Tillyard
recollection
( V . 2 7 ) , and t h e appearance
when
t o o h a s commented
311
u p o n t h e way
i n which
this earlier
s h a d o w i n g o f t h e human m o t i o n s and
continued l i f e
which
s c e n e seems t o s e r v e
of s i n , repentance,
as
"a
fore-
forgiveness i n love
a r e p l a y e d o u t b e t w e e n Adam and
Eve
on
the
88 h e r o i c s c a l e i n Book
X."
These o b s e r v a t i o n s f o r m a v a l i d one
o f t h e ways i n w h i c h
other related of
i n c i d e n t s and
significance.
pertinent
are s t i l l
making fewer
The
wedding o f t h e v i n e t o her elm
n a t u r a l p e n d e n t t o t h e scene w h i c h parallels
so c l o s e l y ,
t o Adam a f t e r
fall.
the
s c e n e and
Summers'
her prop,
the present
forms,
as we
and
the
passage.
have seen, a
d i r e c t l y p r e c e d e d i t and
which i t
r e s t a t i n g emblematically the r e c o n c i l i a t i o n
the d i v i s i v e experience
the
-for t h e y s t o p s h o r t o f
a l l u s i o n t o t h e image o f t h e v i n e and
w e i g h t o f a s s o c i a t i o n t h i s b r i n g s t o b e a r on
Eve
demands u p o n
a t t h e b e g i n n i n g o f Book V i s more e x t e n s i v e t h a n e i t h e r
critical
of
a larger pattern
serve, f o r the p a r a l l e l between t h i s
o r T i l l y a r d ' s r e a d i n g s w o u l d seem t o s u g g e s t / the
commentary upon
scene p r o m p t s r e c o l l e c t i o n s
draws them t o g e t h e r i n t o
H o w e v e r , we
l i n e s than they w i l l one
this central
and
of
o f t h e dream t e m p t a t i o n
and
I t i s i n t e r e s t i n g t o speculate whether the reappearance o f
the
vine-elm m o t i f betokens a s i m i l a r
That M i l t o n
significance
intends the reader
here.
to recall
these
complementary 89
s c e n e s seems c o n f i r m e d Eve's w o r d s a t XL 176
by
several interesting points of contact.
are noteworthy
not only for
the v o l t e
c o n t a i n , t h e r e v e r s a l o f h e r c o n v i c t i o n i n h e r own which
l e d her
away f r o m Adam's p r o t e c t i o n and
assertion of v i r g i n a l fortuitous
coincidence
face
self-sufficiency,
support
i n an
active
i n d e p e n d e n c e , b u t a l s o b e c a u s e i t seems t h a t here
Eve
they
no
submissively likens herself to a
312
p l a n t i n need o f s u p p o r t and r e s t r a i n t . Touched by her p r o s t r a t i o n b e f o r e him, Adam " u p r a i s e d her soon" 90 (X.946).
Adam's r e - d r e s s i n g
o f Eve t o an u p r i g h t
stance i s an a c t i o n
t h a t speaks l o u d e r and r e v e r b e r a t e s more p o w e r f u l l y
t h a n any p r o s a i c
s t a t e m e n t o f t h e p r o p e r r e l a t i o n s h i p o f s u p p o r t and dependence, a u t h o r i t y and s u b j e c t i o n The dynamic t e n s i o n
t h a t must now e x i s t between them, c o u l d do.
t h a t c o m p l i c a t e d our a t t i t u d e t o Eve's r e l a t i o n s h i p
t o Adam, embodied n o t o n l y i n t h e n a r r a t i v e a c t i o n b u t i n t h e complex patterning
o f i d e a s , images, v a l u e s and f e e l i n g s , i s now
This u l t i m a t e r e s o l u t i o n paradoxically Stripped
involves
resolved.
l o s s and
gain.
o f her m y t h o l o g i c a l p r e t e n s i o n s and s e l f - a s s u r a n c e , Eve's
h e r o i c s t a t u r e as 'goddess humane' i s exchanged f o r t h e h u m i l i t y and self-abnegation essential
f o r Christian salvation.
As Sharon C.
Seelig
has argued, here "Eve t y p i f i e s t h e v i r t u e s necessary f o r any human's 91 salvation: dependence, h u m i l i t y and p e n i t e n c e . " Thus "Eve i s n o t merely Milton's
i d e a l o f womanhood b u t t h e p a t t e r n
f o r a l l mankind
92 a f t e r the F a l l . " Indeed, Mahood's g e n e r a l o b s e r v a t i o n t h a t " t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p between man and woman was f o r M i l t o n , as f o r t h e p o e t s o f many 93 centuries,
a symbol o r shadow o f t h a t between God and t h e s o u l "
seems
c o n f i r m e d by t h e way i n which t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p o f s u p p o r t and dependence between f a l l e n man and woman i s seen t o r e f l e c t t h e p r o p e r r e l a t i o n s h i p between f a l l e n Man and God.
Eve's " l o w l y p l i g h t / i m m o v a b l e t i l l
peace
o b t a i n e d from f a u l t / A c k n o w l e d g e d and d e p l o r e d , " c l e a r l y l o o k s f o r w a r d t o f a l l e n Mankind " i n l o w l i e s t p l i g h t r e p e n t a n t " emphasis added).
(X.937-39, X I . 1 ;
313
Moreover, t h i s p a r a l l e l i s m i n t u r n throws l i g h t on the inconsistency
between l i n e s 1087
o f Book XI which has
and
1099
troubled editors.
f o r w a r d by commentators such as Pearce by Fowler t h a t by s a y i n g Adam and stood"
Eve
i n Book X and
The 94
and
apparent
the f i r s t
t r a d i t i o n a l defence i s p u t 95
Greenwood
and
repeated
" i n l o w l i e s t p l i g h t repentant
( X I . 1; emphasis added)"["£]here i s no l i t e r a l c o n t r a d i c t i o n
' p r o s t r a t e ' a t X.1099, s i n c e stood means 'remained' by M i l t o n ' s
usage elsewhere.
line
However, w h i l e
of
as demonstrated
t h i s l i n e o f argument
c l e a r s M i l t o n o f i n c o n s i s t e n c y , i t l a y s him open t o t h e more s e r i o u s charge o f
insensitivity.
T h e i r c l e a r l y p h y s i c a l p r o s t r a t i o n a t X.1087 and
1099,
emphasized
97
l a t e r by t h e i r resemblance t o D e u c a l i o n and s t o o d , e n c o u r a g i n g us t o take i t l i t e r a l l y . "Milton's
sense o f p r o p r i e t y may
Pyrrha, exerts pressure As Shumaker has
on
suggested
have been s a t i s f i e d by p r o s t r a t i o n
98
followed
by manly e r e c t n e s s "
, e s p e c i a l l y s i n c e t h i s would c o n t i n u e
t h e p a r a l l e l i s m between t h e scene o f Adam's f o r g i v e n e s s o f Eve God's f o r g i v e n e s s o f mankind.
As Adam r a i s e s Eve
i n token of h i s
r e c o n c i l i a t i o n t o her, M i l t o n here e f f e c t s t h e q u i e t m i r a c l e r e g e n e r a t i o n c f mankind a f t e r the F a l l as man by
and
of
the
i s h e l d e r e c t once more
God. The
invested
emblematic image o f the p l a n t and
i t s s u p p o r t t h u s becomes
w i t h t h e o l o g i c a l s i g n i f i c a n c e as i t merges w i t h t h e
C h r i s t i a n emblem o f God,
the prop o f t h e f a l l e n , as t h e F a t h e r h o l d s
o u t the promise t h a t mankind "yet once more ... by me " :
traditional
s h a l l stand"
"Upheld
314
By me u p h e l d , t h a t he may know how f r a i l H i s f a l l e n c o n d i t i o n i s , and t o me owe A l l h i s d e l i v e r a n c e , and t o none b u t me.
99
(III.178-82)
The
emphatic a n t i m e t a b o l e u n d e r l i n e s t h e s t r e n g t h o f h i s s u p p o r t ,
man's dependence and t h e new c o n d i t i o n s t h a t o b t a i n i n t h e f a l l e n w o r l d where man i s n o t ' s u f f i c i e n t t o s t a n d ' a l o n e . connotative value o f t h e Ovidian and
I n t h i s way, t h e
image o f t h e ' v i n e - p r o p
elm' expands
deepens i n a s s o c i a t i o n w i t h , and i s f i n a l l y absorbed i n t o , C h r i s t i a n
truth.
I n d e e d , mankind i s i n s t r u c t e d i n t h e Schola
Cordis:
Thou c a n s ' t n o t s t a n d W i t h o u t a p r o p t o bou] b o u l s t e r , and t o s t a y t h e e . To t r u s t t o t h i n e owne s t r e n g t h would soon b e t r a y
thee.
Thus M i l t o n ' s use o f t h e f i g u r e o f t h e v i n e and t h e elm seems n o t o n l y t o a n t i c i p a t e t h e F a l l b u t a l s o t h e movement towards 101
regeneration.
Although
" f r u i t l e s s hours"
t h e elm's 'barren l e a v e s '
may p r e f i g u r e t h e
( I X . 1 1 8 ^ ) , which Adam and Eve spend a p a r t a f t e r t h e
F a l l , i n Leading t h e v i n e t o wed h e r elm ,
M i l t o n p r e p a r e s f o r Adam
and Eve's r e c o n c i l i a t i o n and t h e c o n t i n u a t i o n o f t h e human race 102
their children,
while the f r u i t f u l vine
103
through
looks forward t o t h e i r 104
redemption t h r o u g h t h e "seed o f woman" ( X I I . 3 7 9 ) .
315
Notes
1.
Dr. Johnson, L i v e s o f t h e E n g l i s h Poets I , p.157, Even i n an avowedly f e m i n i s t s t u d y o f t h e r o l e o f women i n Paradise L o s t , Marcia Landy has r e a d i l y conceded t h a t i n h i s " t r e a t m e n t o f male and female r o l e s " M i l t o n was "a r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s e v e n t e e n t h - c e n t u r y P r o t e s t a n t p o e t " ; see ' K i n s h i p and t h e Role o f Women i n Paradise L o s t ' , p.5. However, t h e charge o f misogyny has been r e v i v e d r e c e n t l y i n S. K. G i l b e r t ' s essay, ' P a t r i a r c h a l P o e t r y and Women Readers: R e f l e c t i o n s on M i l t o n ' s Bogey', pp.368-82. But see Joan Malory Webber's r e p l y i n 'The P o l i t i c s o f P o e t r y : Feminism and Paradise L o s t ' , pp.3-24.
2.
B. K. L e w a l s k i , ' M i l t o n on Women - Yet Once More', p.3. I n t h i s f i n e essay L e w a l s k i takes i s s u e w i t h Landy's c o m p l a i n t s about t h e l i m i t a t i o n s o f t h e female r o l e i n Paradise L o s t . See t o o 'The Hand o f Eve: I n g r e d i e n t s o f V i r t u e ' i n Diane K. McColley's r e c e n t work, M i l t o n ' s Eve, pp.110-39.
3.
Kathleen M. Swaim has remarked on t h e c o m p l e x i t y o f M i l t o n ' s p o r t r a y a l o f Adam and Eve, "Throughout t h e poem Adam and Eve sometimes combine t o p r o v i d e one r u n g o f t h e h i e r a r c h i a l l a d d e r ; a t o t h e r t i m e s t h e y a r e c a r e f u l l y d i s t i n g u i s h e d " ("Hee f o r God o n l y , Shee f o r God i n Him: S t r u c t u r a l P a r a l l e l i s m i n Paradise L o s t , p . 1 2 4 ) . See a l s o t h e ' P o l i t i c s o f P o e t r y ; Feminism ~and Paradise L o s t , pp.13-15 and 'The Renaissance Idea o f Androgyny', • p.6,where M. R. F a r r e l l makes a s i m i l a r p o i n t .
4.
Peter Lindenbaum, 'Lovemaking i n M i l t o n ' s P a r a d i s e , p.289. W h i l e e x o n e r a t i n g M i l t o n f r o m t h e charge o f misogyny/ c r i t i c s c o n t i n u e t o f o l l o w S i r W a l t e r R a l e i g h i n s t r e s s i n g t h e p r o f o u n d ambivalence o f M i l t o n ' s a t t i t u d e t o women, a response compounded o f f a s c i n a t i o n and f e a r f u l n e s s i n w h i c h " t h e power o f Beauty was a magnetism t o be d i s t r u s t e d f o r i t s v e r y s t r e n g t h " ; see M i l t o n ( 1 9 0 0 ) , pp.145-46.
5.
I am e x t e n d i n g a s u g g e s t i v e o b s e r v a t i o n o f Don P a r r y N o r f o r d ' s t h a t "woman i s a t once g r e a t e r and l e s s e r , s t r o n g e r and weaker, than man" ('The S e p a r a t i o n o f t h e World P a r e n t s i n Paradise L o s t ' , M i l t o n S t u d i e s , X I I [19781, p . 3 ) .
5a.
D. Aers and B. Hodge, ' " R a t i o n a l B u r n i n g " : M i l t o n on Sex and M a r r i a g e ' , p.22.
6.
c f . L i e b , The D i a l e c t i c s o f C r e a t i o n , pp.71-72.
1
316
6a.
See W i l l i a m and M a l l e v i l l e H a l l e r , 'The P u r i t a n A r t o f Love' i n H u n t i n g t o n L i b r a r y Q u a r t e r l y V (1941-42), pp.235-72; W i l l i a m H a l l e r , ' H a i l Wedded Love' r e p r i n t e d i n M i l t o n : Modern Judgements,, ed. A l a n Rudrum (1969), pp.296-312 and 'Who Bids A b s t a i n ? ' , S i n f i e l d , pp.49-70.
7.
D a n i e l Rogers, M a t r i m o n i a l l H o n o u r
8.
W i l l i a m Whatley, B r i d e Bush (1617), pp.189-90.
9.
W i l l i a m Gouge, Of D o m e s t i c a l ! D u t i e s (1626), p.273.
10.
Goodman, The F a l l o f Man,
11.
i b i d . , p.438.
12.
W i l l i a m P e r k i n s , C h r i s t i a n Oeconomie (1609), p.10.
13.
S i n f i e l d , p.65.
14.
W i l l i a m P e r k i n s , C h r i s t i a n Oeconomie, p.130 and c f . Genesis I I I . 16 and S A 11.1053-60.
15.
D. p. H a r d i n g , The Club o f H e r c u l e s , p.69.
16.
L. W. Hyman, The Q u a r r e l W i t h i n : A r t and M o r a l i t y i n M i l t o n ' s P o e t r y (1972),p.44. c f . Webber's p o i n t t h a t "Even Eve's words unargued I obey', by c a l l i n g a t t e n t i o n t o t h e p o s s i b i l i t y of argument, b o t h demonstrate and and deny t h e s t r a i n ".of t h e i r twoness , i n 'The P o l i t i c s o f P o e t r y : Feminism and P a r a d i s e L o s t ' , p.14.
(1642), p.253.
p.253.
1
17.
L. D. L e r n e r , 'The M i l t o n i c S i m i l e ' , E_£ IV (1954)., p.305.
18.
I n h i s i n t e r e s t i n g a r t i c l e , 'The Elm and t h e V i n e : Notes Toward the H i s t o r y o f a M a r r i a g e Topos', PMLA L X X I I I (1958), p.526 , P. Demetz p o i n t s o u t t h a t , "Andrea A l c i a t i Emblematum Quatuor (Augsburg, 1531) p r i n t s t h e elm-and-vine image under t h e t i t l e ' A m i c i t i a e t i a m p o s t mortem durans' (Steyner, A 6 ) " . Although Shalha Anand emphasizes "The emblematic c h a r a c t e r o f many v e r b a l p i c t u r e s i n Paradise L o s t " ( p . 2 1 ) , she f a i l s t o m e n t i o n t h e v i n e elm f i g u r e i n her r e c e n t work, "Of C o s t l i e s t Emblem": 'Paradise L o s t ' and t h e Emblem T r a d i t i o n .
317
19.
C. S. Lewis, A Preface t o 'Paradise L o s t ' , p.73.
20.
E l a i n e B. S a f e r , ' " S u f f i c i e n t t o Have Stood": Eve's R e s p o n s i b i l i t y i n Book I X ' , MQ V I (December 1982), p.100.
21.
Of R e f o r m a t i o n i n England
22.
A. B. G i a m a t t i , The E a r t h l y P a r a d i s e and t h e Renaissance Epic p.323. I n h i s i n v a l u a b l e s t u d y o f M i l t o n ' s Imagery and t h e V i s u a l A r t s : The I c o n o g r a p h i c T r a d i t i o n i n t h e Epic Poems ( P r i n c e t o n , 1978) , Roland Mushat Frye has p o i n t e d o u t t h a t " r a t h e r g e n e r a l a s s o c i a t i o n s o f t h e f e m i n i n e v i n e w i t h t h e masculine t r e e had been d i r e c t l y connected, i n t h e v i s u a l a r t s , w i t h t h e s t o r y o f t h e f i r s t p a r e n t s l o n g b e f o r e M i l t o n w r o t e P a r a d i s e L o s t " (p.247).
23.
Edmund Spenser, The F a e r i e Queen
23
K e s t e r Svendsen, M i l t o n and Science , p. 133.
24.
Q u o t a t i o n s from t h e L a t i n t e x t o f V i r g i l are t a k e n from t h e Opera, ed. R. A. B. Mynors ( O x f o r d , 1972) .
25.
Note t o V. 215-19, Fowler, p.269; emphasis added.
26.
Demetz, 'The Elm and t h e Vine: Notes Towards t h e H i s t o r y o f a Marriage Topos', p.521.
27.
T h i s q u o t a t i o n from C a t u l l u s i s t a k e n f r o m C a t u l l u s T i b u l l u s P e r v i g i l i u m Veneris .
28.
W i l l i a m Shakespeare, The Comedy o f E r r o r s , i n t h e Arden Shakespeare, ed. H. Cunningham (1907), p.42.
29.
Demetz, 'The Elm and t h e V i n e : Notes Towards t h e H i s t o r y o f a Marriage Topos', p.528.
(Col. I I I .
i ,pp.22-23).
I . i . 8.
and
318
30.
So t o o J . H a l k e t t emphasizes: "the a s s o c i a t i o n o f t h e 'female' v i n e w i t h dependence and s u b m i s s i o n on t h e one hand, and w i t h f r a i l t y r e q u i r i n g g e n t l e n e s s and submission on t h e o t h e r ; see M i l t o n and the Idea o f Matrimony, p . l o 4 . - • .- ,
31.
Summers, The Muse's Method, p.84.
32.
Svendsen, M i l t o n and Science, pp.133-34.
33.
Le Comte, M i l t o n and Sex, p.87.;
34.
For a d i f f e r e n t v i e w see McColley, M i l t o n ' s Eve, p.81.
35.
Note t o I V . 478, Fowler, p.223.
36.
S. A. Demetrakopoulos, 'Eve as a C i r c e a n and C o u r t l y F a t a l Woman', p.103.
37.
Sandys, p.661.
38.
c f . K n o t t , M i l t o n ' s P a s t o r a l V i s i o n , p.114.
39.
See pp. 131-32.
39a.. L e r n e r , 'The M i l t o n i c S i m i l e ' , p.305.
40.
J. B. Broadbent, p.97.
'Paradise L o s t ' :
I n t r o d u c t i o n (Cambridge,
1972),
41.
G i a m a t t i , The E a r t h l y P a r a d i s e and t h e Renaissance E p i c , p.324. Compare t h e d e s t r u c t i v e embrace o f Salamacis: " i n p l i c a t u t ... / ... s o l e n t hederae longos i n t e x e r e t r u n c o s " (Met. I V . 362-65).
42.
Frye a l s o notes a s i m i l a r l y d i s t u r b i n g ambivalence i n t r e a t m e n t s o f t h e v i n e m o t i f i n t h e M e d i c i t a p e s t r i e s and i n t h e C r e a t i o n o f Eve by Andrea Pisano. I n Pisano's r e l i e f : "The e n t w i n e d v i n e may suggest t h e m e r c i e s o f C h r i s t (and i t i s C h r i s t here who c r e a t e s Eve). I n a more s i n i s t e r sense i t foreshadows t h e f a m i l i a r shape
0
319
of t h e s e r p e n t c o i l e d about t h e Tree o f Knowledge"; see M i l t o n ' s Imagery and t h e V i s u a l A r t s , pp.147-48. See a l s o R i c k ' s d i s c u s s i o n o f t h e s i g n i f i c a n c e o f Eve's "wanton r i n g l e t s " and "the 'wantonness' o f Eden" i n h i s m a s t e r l y s t u d y , M i l t o n ' s Grand S t y l e p.112. But see t o o S t a n l e y F i s h ' s view o f t h e r e a d e r ' s i n t e r p r e t a t i v e dilemma here i n S u r p r i s e d by S i n ,pp.92-105.
43.
Le Comte, M i l t o n and Sex, p.7.
44.
The l u x u r i a n t g r o w t h o f t h e v i n e i s s i n g l e d o u t f o r e s p e c i a l mention a g a i n a t V I I . 320.
45.
c f . M a r t z comments on I V . 11. A l t h o u g h he goes on t o observe t h a t "the p r i m e impact here i s n o t t h e o l o g i c a l " , Martz m a i n t a i n s that:
1
The v o i c e o f p i t y here seems t o draw o u t a l l t h e i m p l i c a t i o n s o f t h a t word f r a i l : n o t s i m p l y t h e b a s i c meaning " l i a b l e t o break o r t o be b r o k e n " ("free t o f a l l " ) , b u t a l l t h e w e i g h t o f a l l t h e o t h e r meanings o f t h e word: " e a s i l y crushed o r d e s t r o y e d , " "weak, s u b j e c t t o i n f i r m i t i e s , w a n t i n g i n power, e a s i l y overcome," o r worse y e t , " m o r a l l y weak; unable t o r e s i s t t e m p t a t i o n ; h a b i t u a l l y f a l l i n g i n t o t r a n s g r e s s i o n " . We may w e l l ask: how can a man be made s u f f i c i e n t t o have s t o o d though f r a i l ? (Poet o f E x i l e , p.106)
46.
s . A. Demetrakopoulos, 'Eve as a C i r c e a n and C o u r t l y F a t a l Woman', p.lOO.
47.
See N. J . Jones, '"Stand" and " F a l l " as Images o f P o s t u r e i n P a r a d i s e L o s t ' , M S _ V I I I , pp.221-46 and c f . R i c k s ' i n t e r e s t i n g d i s c u s s i o n o f t h e s i g n i f i c a n c e o f " r e d r e s s " a t I X . 219 ( M i l t o n ' s Grand S t y l e , p . 1 4 6 ) .
48.
Consider how M i l t o n makes use o f t h i s d i s t i n c t i o n f o r h i s own ends ( I X . 4 9 5 - 5 0 3 ) .
49.
Note t o V I I . 505-11, Fowler, p.387. F u r t h e r d i s c u s s i o n o f t h i s p o i n t can be found i n S i s t e r M. Corcoran, M i l t o n ' s 'Paradise L o s t ' w i t h Reference t o t h e Hexaemeral Background (Washington D.C., 1 9 4 5 ) , p.44 f f . See t o o A r n o l d W i l l i a m s (The Common E x p o s i t o r , pp.202-3,
320
b u t f o r a more d e t a i l e d c o n s i d e r a t i o n o f t h e i n f l u e n c e o f t h e O v i d i a n passage on C h r i s t i a n t h o u g h t see H a r d i n g , M i l t o n and t h e Renaissance O v i d , p.25.
50.
Sandys, p.58.
50a. Note Satan's parody ( I X . 602-5).
51.
Sandys, p.58.
52.
Noted by Empson, Some V e r s i o n s o f P a s t o r a l , p.178.
53.
c f . Murray W. Bundy, ' M i l t o n ' s Prelapsa.tian Adam' , r e p r i n t e d i n M i l t o n : Modern Judgements, ed. A l a n Rudrum, p.159; and Don P a r r y N o r f o r d ' s , '"My Other H a l f " : The Coincidence o f Opposites i n P a r a d i s e L o s t ' , MLQ XXXVI (1975) pp.26-27.
54.
J a n e t Adelman, ' C r e a t i o n and t h e Place o f t h e Poet i n Paradise L o s t i n The A u t h o r i n H i s Work: Essays on a Problem i n C r e a t i o n ed. L o u i s L. Martz and Aubrey W i l l i a m s (New Haven, 1978) , p . 6 1 . 1
/
55.
E. S a f e r , ' " S u f f i c i e n t t o have Stood": Eve's R e s p o n s i b i l i t y i n Book. I X ' , p.12.
56.
S. A. Demetrakopoulos, 'Eve as a C i r c e a n and C o u r t l y F a t a l Woman', p.104.
57.
P L
58.
Evans, p.253.
5 9.
John Donne, Sermons, ed. Simpson and P o t t e r ( B e r k e l e y , 1957), I I I , 254, as quoted by D. C. A l l e n i n ' M i l t o n ' s Eve and t h e Evening Angels', MLN LXXV (1960), p.109.
60.
i b i d . , p.108.
61.
For a d i f f e r e n t r e a d i n g o f b o t h episodes see F i s h , S u r p r i s e d by S i n , pp.217-25 and Diane K. McColley, 'Eve's Dream', MS X I I (1978), pp.25-46.
62.
Note t o V. 215-19; F o w l e r , p.269.
IV.259; Comus 1.294.
321
64.
J. Brown, 'Eight Types o f Puns', PMLA LXXI (1956), pp.16-7. See too B. K. L e w a l s k i ' s s u g g e s t i v e comments: "The poem's imagery i d e n t i f i e s Adam and Eve n o t o n l y as gardeners b u t a l s o as p a r t o f t h e Garden ... Much o f t h e work Adam and Eve p e r f o r m i n Eden i s an image o f the work t h e y s h o u l d accomplish i n t h e p a r a d i s e w i t h i n " ('Innocence and Experience i n M i l t o n ' s Eden', i n New Essays on'Paradise L o s t ' , ed. Thomas Kranidas ( B e r k e l e y , 1977] , p . 9 3 ) . Elsewhere she p o i n t s o u t t h a t "The A r e o p a g i t i c a had d e s c r i b e d p r i m a l man's n a t u r e i n v e r y s i m i l a r terms - as comprised o f p a s s i o n s and c a p a c i t i e s f o r p l e a s u r e which are p o t e n t i a l l y dangerous b u t which are a l s o t h e v e r y m a t e r i a l s f o r growth i n v i r t u e i f p r o p e r l y 'tempered':
... wherefore d i d [God} c r e a t p a s s i o n s w i t h i n us, p l e a s u r e s round about us, b u t t h a t these r i g h t l y temper'd are t h e v e r y i n g r e d i e n t s o f v e r t u ? ('Innocence and Experience i n M i l t o n ' s Eden', p.94)
As H a l k e t t concludes, "Marriage r e f l e c t s t h e sensuousness and o r d e r o f t h e Garden i t s e l f ... i t i s a s i g n o f t h e f u l l humanity o f man, o f h i s reason, w i l l , emotions and a p p e t i t e s o p e r a t i n g i n harmony" ( M i l t o n and t h e I d e a o f Matrimony, p.109). Though, as S t e i n remarks, " M i l t o n does n o t accept a s t r i c t d u a l i s m , which would have Eve l i t e r a l l y female p a s s i o n ... and Adam m a s c u l i n e reason" ("Eve's reason u n d e r c u t s a simple i d e n t i f i c a t i o n o f woman w i t h n a t u r e o r emotion" as F a r r e l l has observed [The Renaissance Idea o f Androgyny', p . 1 3 ] ) "the p o t e n t i a l c o n f l i c t o f p a s s i o n and reason i s p a r t o f M i l t o n ' s scheme" ( p . 7 0 ) . Broadbent has argued t h a t "This i s an anachronism l i k e M i l t o n ' s p s y c h o l o g y , because n e i t h e r t h e garden nor t h e microcosm o r t h e macrocosm i t r e p r e s e n t s s h o u l d need p r u n i n g o r weeding i n innocence" (Some Graver S u b j e c t : An Essay on 'Paradise L o s t ' , [1960] , p.177). But as G i a m a t t i m a i n t a i n s , " i f t h e garden i s t o be a t r u e r e f l e c t i o n o f t h e f i r s t c o u p l e , i t must r e f l e c t a l l t h a t i s w i t h i n them; i t must a l s o i n c l u d e t h a t p o t e n t i a l i t y f o r change, change f o r b e t t e r or change f o r the worse, w h i c h i s p a r t o f t h e i r n a t u r e " (The E a r t h l y Paradise and the Renaissance E p i c , p.299). More r e c e n t c r i t i c i s m has gone f u r t h e r s t i l l i n d r a w i n g o u t the i m p l i c a t i o n s o f t h e correspondence between t h e g r o w t h o f t h e e x t e r n a l garden and t h e p a r a d i s e w i t h i n o f u n f a l l e n Adam and Eve t o demonstrate t h a t M i l t o n d i d n o t conceive o f p r e l a p s a r i a n l i f e as an easy and e f f o r t l e s s s t a t e o f f r o z e n p e r f e c t i o n . For f u r t h e r d i s c u s s i o n o f the d i f f i c u l t y and c o m p l e x i t y o f ' u n f a l l e n e x p e r i e n c e ' see: Evans, pp.242-71; B. K. L e w a l s k i , 'Innocence and
322
Lxperience i n M i l t o n ' s Eden,' pp.86-117, John S. D i e k h o f f ' 'Eve's Dream and t h e Paradox o f F a l l i b l e P e r f e c t i o n ' , M i l t o n Q u a r t e r l y IV (1970), pp.5-7; Thomas H. B l a c k b u r n , ' " U n c l o i s t e r ' d V i r t u e " : Adam and Eve i n M i l t o n ' s P a r a d i s e ' , MS H I (1971), pp.119-37; Martz, 'The Power o f Choice " i n Poet o f E x i l e , pp.127-41; Lindenbaum, 'Lovemaking i n M i l t o n ' s P a r a d i s e ' , pp.29899; F a r r e l l , 'The Renaissance Idea o f Androgyny', pp.12-14; McColley, M i l t o n ' s Eve, p.119. 7
65.
As Newton e x p l a i n s , "The p r o p r i e t y o f t h i s e x p r e s s i o n w i l l b e s t be seen by what J u n i u s says o f t h e etymology o f t h e word pamper. The French word pampre, o f t h e L a t i n pampinus, i s a v i n e - b r a n c h f u l l o f l e a v e s : and pamprer, he says, i s a v i n e y a r d overgrown w i t h s u p e r f l u o u s leaves and f r u i t l e s s branches." Fowler t o o comments on t h i s secondary p l a y f i r s t remarked by Newton (note t o V. 214, p.269).
66.
The l u x u r i a n t g r o w t h o f t h e v i n e i s t w i c e s i n g l e d o u t f o r mention as we have seen: I V . 258-60 and V I I . 320.
67.
S. A. Demetrakopoulos, 'Eve as a C i r c e a n and C o u r t l y F a t a l Woman', p.103.
68.
B. K. L e w a l s k i , ' M i l t o n on Women - Yet Once M o r e , p.7.
69.
John Evelyn Sylva ... t o which i s annexed ... Kalendarium Hortense; Or. Gard'ners Almanac: D i r e c t i n g what he i s t o do monethly t h r o u g h o u t the Year ( F a c s i m i l e o f 1664 ed. ; Menston. 1972).
70.
I n M i l t o n ' s eyes " d i s c i p l i n e " had a v i t a l r o l e t o p l a y i n m a i n t a i n i n g " t h e s t a t e ... o f t h e b l e s s e d i n P a r a d i s e " and " t h e new Jerusalem", b e i n g "not o n l y t h e removal o f d i s o r d e r , b u t i f any v i s i b l e shape can be g i v e n t o d i v i n e t h i n g s , t h e v e r y v i s i b l e shape and image o f v e r t u e . " See The Reason o f Church-Government, I . i . ( C o l . I I I . i . , p.185).
71.
Both f a i l here i n t h e i r m a r i t a l d u t i e s as conceived by P e r k i n s . The f i r s . t d u t y o f a w i f e , he argued, was " t o submit her s e l f e t o her husband; and t o acknowledge and reverence him as her head i n a l l t h i n g s " (p.130), w h i l e t h e husband was t o show h i s l o v e " i n p r o t e c t i n g her from danger" (p.124). "Hence i t f o l l o w e t h " , he c o n c l u d e d , " t h a t t h e woman i s n o t t o t a k e l i b e r t i e o f w a n d r i n g , and s t r a y i n g abroad from her owne house, w i t h o u t t h e man's
1
323
knowledge and c o n t e n t " ( C h r i s t i a n Oeconomie, pp.131-32). And c f . N. R. Jones' assessment o f t h e s i t u a t i o n : "Adam i s a t f a u l t i n s u b j e c t i n g h i m s e l f t o Eve, she i s a t f a u l t i f she does n o t s u b j e c t h e r s e l f t o him", ('"Stand" and " F a l l " as Images o f Posture i n Paradise L o s t ' , p.237). B u t t h e Son's demands a t X. 145-56 cannot be answered u n e q u i v o c a l l y b e f o r e t h e F a l l .
72.
Evans, p.274.
73.
Landy, ' K i n s h i p and t h e Role o f Woman i n Paradise L o s t ' , p. 11. I n c o n n e c t i o n w i t h t h i s , i t i s i n t e r e s t i n g t o observe how Adam, i n h i s a t t e m p t t o persuade Eve n o t t o s t r a y from h i s s i d e ( I X . , 265-69), argues t h a t h i s presence "shades and p r o t e c t s h e r " (emphasis added). S i g n i f i c a n t l y , M i l t o n now seems t o be a t t r i b u t i n g a more p o s i t i v e f u n c t i o n t o the elm's " b a r r e n l e a v e s " . So t o o , remembering t h e e a r l i e r a l l u s i o n t o t h e p l a t a n ( I V . 478) , i t i s i n t e r e s t i n g t o note P a t r i c k Hume's remark t h a t i t was "so named from t h e b r e a d t h o f i t s Leaves, TTAc^TVS Gr. b r o a d , a Tree u s e f u l f o r i t s e x t r a o r d i n a r y Shade: Jamque Ministrantem Plantanum p o t e n t i b u s umbram. Geor. 4". see a l s o Harry B l a m i r e s ' comments on I X . 434-35: "the word 'Covert' was used e s p e c i a l l y i n l a w 'of a m a r r i e d woman: under t h e c o v e r , a u t h o r i t y , o r p r o t e c t i o n o f her husband* (O.E.D.)" i n M i l t o n ' s C r e a t i o n , p. 221
74.
Hyman, The Q u a r r e l W i t h i n , p.60
75.
i b i d . , pp.57-58.
76.
L e w a l s k i , ' M i l t o n on Women - Yet Once M o r e , p.13. So t o o Rogers had g i v e n s i m i l a r advice t o t h e husband i n d i f f i c u l t y "not t o i n s u l t , t h r e a t e n , and domineer over her as a Lord ... b u t by a l l l o v i n g waies t e n d e r l y t o draw h e r , and convince her by t h e s t r e n g t h o f reason" ( M a t r i m o n i a l l Honour, p.265).
77.
As S t e l l a P. Revard has p o i n t e d o u t , "the n o t i o n o f t h e human b e i n g as i n c o m p l e t e i s not f i r s t noted by Eve, b u t by Adam" ,see 'Eve and t h e D o c t r i n e o f R e s p o n s i b i l i t y i n Paradise L o s t ' , PMLA LXXXVIII (1973), p.74. And c f . N o r f o r d , 'The S e p a r a t i o n o f t h e World Parents i n Paradise L o s t ' , p. 12.
78.
Rauber, 'The Metamorphoses o f Eve', pp.68-69
1
324
79.
C r i t i c a l c o n t e n t i o n has tended t o c e n t r e upon t h e q u e s t i o n o f Eve's s u f f i c i e n c y o r i n s u f f i c i e n c y w i t h o u t Adam, a t t r i b u t i n g more o r l e s s s i g n i f i c a n c e t o t h e i r s e p a r a t i o n i n Book IX. The c o n t r o v e r s y c o n t i n u e s . Notable a d d i t i o n s t o t h e debate i n c l u d e : John C. U l r e i c h , ' " S u f f i c i e n t t o Have Stood": Adam's r e s p o n s i b i l i t y i n Book IX', MQ V ( 1 9 7 1 ) , pp.38-42;. E . B. Safer , " S u f f i c i e n t t o Have Stood": Eve's R e s p o n s i b i l i t y i n Book I X ' , p p . 1 0 - 1 4 ; Diane K. McColley, "Free W i l l and Obedience i n t h e S e p a r a t i o n Scene o f P a r a d i s e Lost', SEL X I I ( 1 9 7 2 ) , p p . 1 0 3 - 2 0 ; K. M. Swaim, 'Hee f o r God Only, Shee f o r God i n Him" . - S t r u c t u r a l P a r a l l e l i s m i n Paradise L o s t ' . p p . 1 3 6 - 3 8 ; M. R. F a r r e l l , 'The Renaissance I d e a o f Androgyny' pp.15-16'and D. K. McColley,. '"Summon A l l " : The S e p a r a t i o n Colloquy' i n M i l t o n ' s E v e , p p . 1 2 1 - 4 9 . But as Webber h a s p e r c e p t i v e l y concluded, "The whole r e l a t i o n s h i p between Adam and E v e , i n f a c t , i s a f f e c t e d by t h i s s t r e s s between s e l f - s u f f i c i e n c y and mutual need ... e i t h e r p o s i t i o n , o v e r i n d u l g e d , becomes d e s t r u c t i v e , and balance i s hard t o m a i n t a i n ' ('The P o l i t i c s o f P o e t r y ; Feminism and Paradise Lost', p . 1 2 ) .
80.
P u r v i s E. B o y e t t e , 'Something More About E r o t i c Motive i n P a r a d i s e L o s t ' , Tulane S t u d i e s i n E n g l i s h XV, 1 9 6 7 , p . 2 8 . On t h i s p c i n t see a l s o R i c k s , M i l t o n ' s Grand S t y l e , p.62 and A. G. George, M i l t o n and t h e Nature o f Man: A D e s c r i p t i v e Study o f 'Paradise L o s t ' i n Terms o f t h e concept o f Man as t h e Image o f God 0.975) , p p . 6 5 - 7 4 .
81.
For t h e s i g n i f i c a n c e o f M i l t o n ' s use o f " a b s o l u t e " here see Aers and Hodge, ' " R a t i o n a l B u r n i n g " : M i l t o n o n Sex and M a r r i a g e ' , p.25.
82.
See J . B. Broadbent, Some Graver S u b j e c t , p p . 1 3 8 - 9 0 .
83.
S. Revard, 'Eve and t h e D o c t r i n e o f R e s p o n s i b i l i t y i n P a r a d i s e L o s t ' , p.74.
84.
See B. K. L e w a l s k i , p.94.
85.
Rauber, 'The Metamorphoses o f Eve',
86.
c f . Goodman's i n s i s t e n c e on t h e husband's r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s t o h i w i f e : "hath God made her t h e weaker v e s s e l ? t h e n she wants t h e p r o t e c t i o n o f her husband; she t h e more i m p o t e n t and weaker o f c o u n s e l l ? then ought she t o be i n s t r u c t e d and t a u g h t by h e r husband" (The F a l l o f Man, p.257).
'Innocence and Experience i n M i l t o n ' s Eden',
pp.64-65.
325
87.
Summers, The Muse's .Method, p. 1/8.
88.
ibid.,
89.
See H a l k e t t , M i l t o n and t h e Idea o f Matrimony, p.133, where he a l s o notes how X. 942, coming a f t e r X. 911, makes a " v i s u a l pun" on "the word ' d i s t r e s s ' (X. 942)".
90.
So too Empson argues t h a t " M i l t o n i n t e n d s i t t o be c l e a r t h a t God would not r e g a r d her as r e p e n t a n t u n t i l Adam had r e d i r e c t e d her impulses" ( M i l t o n ' s God, p.172).
91.
Sharon C. S e e l i g , 'Our General Mother: The P a t t e r n f o r Mankind', a paper g i v e n a t t h e c o n v e n t i o n o f t h e N o r t h e a s t MLA, 8-10 A p r i l 1976, an a b s t r a c t o f which i s p u b l i s h e d i n MQ X [1976J , p.27. I t i s a p a t t e r n r e c o g n i s e d by Satan t o o , c f . IV. 79-81.
92.
This i s
p.74.
a l s o the
g e n e r a l t h r u s t o f Swaim's a r t i c l e ,
God o n l y , Shee f o r God L o s t ' , pp.121-50.
i n Him":
"Hee
for/
S t r u c t u r a l P a r a l l e l i s m i n Paradise
93.
M. M. Mahood, ' M i l t o n ' s Heroes' r e p r i n t e d i n M i l t o n : Modern Judgements,ed. A l a n Rudrum (1969), pp.263-64.
94.
I n h i s note t o X I . i . Pearce observes:
Dr. B e n t l e y t h i n k s t h a t the a u t h o r i n t e n d e d i t r e p e n t a n t k n e e l e d , because i t i s s a i d i n v e r . 150, and i n X. 1099, t h a t they kneeled and f e l l p r o s t r a t e : b u t stood here has no o t h e r sense than t h a t o f were. So i n i i . 55, stand i n arms s i g n i f i e s are i n arms. I n t h e same sense s t e t i t and fcgTq are o f t e n used by t h e L a t i n s and Greeks.
95.
S i m i l a r l y , Greenwood argues:
Stood h e r e , and i n v e r . 14., h a t h no r e l a t i o n t o t h e p o s t u r e , b u t t o t h e a c t i t s e l f , and t h e continuance o f i t . Standing i n arms i s n o t o n l y being armed or h a v i n g armour on, b u t b e i n g i n arms w i t h a determined r e s o l u t i o n n o t t o l a y them down w i t h o u t endeavouring t o a t t a i n some end proposed. Thus stood p r a y i n g means, not o n l y t h a t t h e y prayed or were p r a y i n g , b u t they persevered i n t h e i r d e v o t i o n s ... (quoted i n Newton, 8 t h ed.
1778)
326
96.
Note t o X I . i . , F o w l e r , p.563. As Fowler remarks h e r e , i t i s i n t e r e s t i n g t o n o t e t h a t "The a p p a r e n t c o n t r a d i c t i o n i s t r e a t e d as a d e l i b e r a t e paradox by John E. P a r i s h i n E n g l i s h M i s c e l l a n y , ed. M. Praz, XV (Rome, 1 9 6 4 ) , 89-102. Adam and Eve a r e p r o s t r a t e i n s i n , b u t r a i s e d by r e g e n e r a t i o n " .
97.
C
98.
99.
f.
Met.I.375-76.
Wayne Shumaker, Unpremeditated Verse: F e e l i n g and P e r c e p t i o n i n 'Paradise L o s t ' ( P r i n c e t o n , New J e r s e y ; 1 9 6 7 ) , p.198. We may n o t e t o o t h a t p r o s t r a t e i s g e n e r a l l y used o f something n o r m a l l y e r e c t as "a t r e e " o r "person" (OED), and c f . X I . 758-59 where Adam f a l l s i n t o d e s p a i r " t i l l g e n t l y reared/By t h e a n g e l on [ h i s ] f e e t [he] s t o o d ' s t a t l a s t " .
C
f . P a t r i c k Hume's g l o s s on "How f r a i l " ( I I I . 1 8 0 ) , which reads "how unable t o s u p p o r t i t s e l f ... o f f r a g i l i s , L a t . e a s i l y broken".
100.
C h r i s t o p h e r Harvey, Schola C o r d i s , Emblem 37, p.172.
101.
Taken t o g e t h e r w i t h t h e a l l u s i o n t o t h e s t e r l i s p l a t a n u s , t h e elm's " b a r r e n l e a v e s " may w e l l suggest C h r i s t ' s c u r s i n g o f t h e b a r r e n f i g t r e e i n Matthew XXI. 19. I am i n d e b t e d t o Anthony Low f o r t h i s s u g g e s t i o n .
102.
Commenting on V. 215, Broadbent observes t h a t by " l e a d i n g ' t h e Vine t o wed h e r Elm'" i t i s " as i f [ Adam and Eve w e r e ] r e a r i n g c h i l d r e n and g i v i n g them i n m a r r i a g e " (Some Graver S u b j e c t , p . 1 7 7 ) .
103..
Roland F r y e observes t h a t i n one t r a d i t i o n o f J u d a i c and p r i m i t i v e C h r i s t i a n a r t t h e v i n e was a s s o c i a t e d w i t h t h e Tree o f L i f e and "the v i n e and i t s grapes became s y m b o l i c o f s a c r i f i c e and r e d e m p t i o n t h r o u g h C h r i s t " , M i l t o n ' s Imagery and t h e V i s u a l A r t s , p.247 P a r a l l e l s between t h e r o l e and speech o f Eve and t h e Son have been d e t e c t e d by Summers, The Muse's Method, pp.176-85 and Pecheux i n 'The Second Adam and t h e Church i n P a r a d i s e L o s t ' ELH XXXIV ( 1 9 6 7 ) , p.173.
104 .
c f . K a t h l e e n M. Swaim, 'Flowers, F r u i t and Seed: A Reading o f P a r a d i s e L o s t ' , pp.155-76, esp. p.159, where she n o t e s "seed and a n t i c i p a t i o n o f h a r v e s t dominates t h e f i n a l books."
i
CHAPTER V I I I
327 The
A f t e r the F a l l
M e t a m o r p h o s i s o f Ovid
M i l t o n ' s u s e of O v i d i a n imagery i n h i s p o r t r a y a l
of Eve s u b t l y c h a n g e s .
By l i k e n i n g Eve t o P y r r h a M i l t o n p o i n t s t o t h e
change i n E v e h e r s e l f , h e r l o s s o f a c t i v e , new
found s u b m i s s i v e n e s s and h u m i l i t y .
independent
power and h e r
As a n a t u r a l c o r o l l a r y o f E v e ' s
more p a s s i v e and u n a s s u m i n g r o l e , Adam and E v e no l o n g e r f e e l P r o f e s s o r Webber h a s c a l l e d " t h e s t r a i n o f t h e i r resemblance
what
twoness^and
their
t o D e u c a l i o n and P y r r h a a c c e n t u a t e s t h e c l o s e n e s s of t h e i r
marital relationship
"each being
the o t h e r ' s only a v a i l a b l e
companion,
1 h e l p e r and c o m f o r t Fall as
i n the midst
of complete d e s o l a t i o n " .
t h e n , E v e becomes f u l l y d e f i n e d by h e r r e l a t i o n s h i p
A f t e r the t o Adam, and
a n e x e m p l a r y w i f e s h e i s l i k e P y r r h a , " S o f t , modest, meek, demure".^ However, n o t o n l y does E v e ' s meekness and p a t i e n c e become t h e
p a t t e r n of C h r i s t i a n h e r o i s m ^ f u l f i l l e d mother, Mary, b u t , through
the mediation
by C h r i s t and h i s V i r g i n o f O v i d i a n myth, h e r ' s o f t n e s s '
assumes a t r a n s c e n d e n t v a l u e , e n s u r i n g h e r r e c o n c i l i a t i o n Kan.'s r e c o n c i l i a t i o n to
t o God and r e g e n e r a t i o n t o l i f e .
t o Adam,
Milton's
allusion
O v i d ' s myth o f D e u c a l i o n and P y r r h a ' s r e g e n e r a t i o n o f t h e human r a c e
appears
i n a theologically s i g n i f i c a n t context, taking i t s place i n
the p r o g r e s s i v e d e f i n i t i o n o f s a l v a t i o n found i n t h e f i n a l books a s we a s c e n d 'by t y p e s and shadows' from t h e f i r s t
judgment and r e g e n e r a t i o n of
mankind to t h e L a s t Judgment and t h e f i n a l
resurrection into
eternal
life. M i l t o n ' s u s e o f O v i d i a n f a b l e h e r e i s e x c e p t i o n a l l y r i c h and complex. It
i s n o t d i s m i s s e d a s pagan myth and t h e r e f o r e l i t e r a l l y
untrue
( i n d e e d , he g r a n t s O v i d ' s
account
is
e x t e r n a l and p h y s i c a l p r e f i g u r a t i o n o f a n
i t treated as a merely
inward
spiritual
reality.
some b a s i s i n h i s t o r i c a l f a c t ) , n o r
Milton's use of t y p o l o g i c a l p a t t e r n i n g a l l o w s
him t o suggest, what he does n o t i n f a c t say, t h a t D e u c a l i o n P y r r h a ' e r e v i v a l o f the human r a c e t h r o u g h t h e m i r a c u l o u s
and
softening
of stones i s a v a l i d analogue o f C h r i s t i a n r e g e n e r a t i o n .
W i t h t h e F a l l t h e ambivalence
inherent i n our perception of
Eve
and i n h e r r e l a t i o n s h i p t o Adam d i s s o l v e s and w i t h i t the s t r a t e g i c use o f O v i d i a n imagery
t o c r e a t e such r i c h l y a m b i v a l e n t
effects.
Shorn o f i t s m y t h o l o g i c a l g l o r y , t h e ' v i r g i n m a j e s t y * o f Eve
rapidly
evaporates and she i s soon d i s c o v e r e d w i t h Adam as Columbus f o u n d "the A m e r i c a n . . / W i t h f e a t h e r e d c i n c t u r e , n a k e d e l s e and The most immediate e f f e c t o f a s s o c i a t i n g the newly
wild"(IX. 1116-1?)
fallen pair
with
near naked savages, f i r s t o n l y by i m p l i c a t i o n ( I X . 1 1 0 0 - 1 1 ) , b u t then by a more o v e r t l i n k a g e ( I X . 1 1 1 5 - 1 8 ) " ? i s t o demote them from t h a t •pre-eminence* they have enjoyed above t h e r e s t o f mankind. u n i q u e p o s i t i o n they have now ground...with
This
" l o s t , b r o u g h t down/To d w e l l on even
[ t h e i r ] sons" ( X I . 5 4 7 - 8 ) .
"[T]his reduction i n perspective
f r o m t h e s p l e n d i d gods and goddesses t o naked savages i s " , as
Collett
has remarked, " n o t u n l i k e the d i m i n u t i o n o f t h e f a l l e n Angels from Earth's
G i a n t Sons t o s m a l l D w a r f s " and, he s h r e w d l y comments elsewhere,
"There i s no more dramatic way
t o p o r t r a y the s t a r k c o n d i t i o n of
d e p r i v a t i o n they have come t o " . ^
To t h e s e p e r c e p t i v e o b s e r v a t i o n s ,
I would j u s t l i k e t o add t h a t t h e l i n e s r e f l e c t more h a r s h l y on t h a n Adam.
Eve's f a l l from innocence
"seems more complete
s h o c k i n g than Adam's, because", K n o t t s u g g e s t s , "she
Eve
and more
has been so
fully
7
i d e n t i f i e d w i t h the beauty of Paradise'*. more n e a r l y u n i t e d the p o l e s
of a
Moreover, i t was
paradox
as
she
who
'goddess humane'.
' A f f e c t i n g godhead' she l o s e s a l l p r e t e n s i o n s t o ' g o d d e s s - l i k e d e p o r t ' and even o r d i n a r y human d i g n i t y .
32° I t i s o n l y through t h e i r a s s o c i a t i o n w i t h the Ovidian f i g u r e s , D e u c a l i o n and P y r r h a , t h a t Adam and Eve r e g a i n a measure o f t h e i r
Q l o s t s t a t u r e , a l b e i t on a more modest human s c a l e
ooo y e t t h e i r p o r t Not o f mean s u i t o r s , n o r i m p o r t a n t l e s s Seemed t h e i r p e t i t i o n , t h a n when t h e a n c i e n t p a i r I n f a b l e s o l d , less ancient y e t than these, D e u c a l i o n and chaste P y r r h a t o r e s t o r e The r a c e o f mankind drowned, b e f o r e t h e s h r i n e Of Themis stood devout„ (XI.8=14)
Outwardly
t h e s i m i l e works t o r e s t o r e t h e i r d i g n i t y , b u t i n w a r d l y and
metaphorically i t establishes t h e i r regeneration. deeper m e t a p h o r i c a l meaning t h a t we w i l l
I t i s with
this
be p r i m a r i l y concerned.
Since t h i s i s the f i r s t and o n l y t i m e a f t e r t h e P a l l t h a t M i l t o n uses a m y t h o l o g i c a l s i m i l e t o d e s c r i b e Adam and Eve, t h e c o n t e x t i n s i s t s Y
t h a t t h e comparison c a r r i e s a g r e a t d e a l o f i m a g i n a t i v e w e i g h t . e t t h e passage has been s t r a n g e l y n e g l e c t e d ;
a t b e s t , i t haB been customary t o
acknowledge t h e a p p r o p r i a t e n e s s o f t h e p a r a l l e l and pass on w i t h or
no comment.
respect.
little
The r e a c t i o n s o f Newton and Pearce a r e t y p i c a l i n t h i s
While Newton e n t h u s i a s t i c a l l y e x c l a i m s , 'The Poet c o u l d n o t
have thought o f a more a p t S i m i l i t u d e t o i l l u s t r a t e h i s s u b j e c t and p l a i n l y f e t c h ' d i t from Ovid's M e t . I . 5 1 8 * .
Pearce a t t e m p t s t o answer
B e n t l e y ' s s t r i c t u r e s on t h e " p a t c o m p a r i s o n o f D e u c a l i o n and P y r r h a t o our Adam and Eve"by a r g u i n g t h a t :
The Case o f D e u c a l i o n and P y r r h a ( a s r e p r e s e n t e d by the Heathen P o e t s ) was t h e o n l y one t h a t i n any r e m a r k a b l e Way resembled t h a t o f Adam and Eve and t h e r e f o r e the Poet c o u l d h a r d l y f a i l t o b r i n g i t i n by Way of Comparison.
More r e c e n t l y , Wayne Shumaker i s , t o
my knowledge, t h e o n l y c r i t i c
who has made any a t t e m p t a t a more d e t a i l e d a n a l y s i s , r e c o r d i n g c e r t a i n i m p l i c i t b u t p r e v i o u s l y u n e x p l o r e d c o n n e c t i o n s between t h e two scenes i n Paradise L o s t and t h e Metamorphoses,
Most o b v i o u s l y , as Shumaker argues:
the comparison i s r e l e v a n t j^'as v i s u a l image"] because D e u c a l i o n and P y r r h a a l s o a r e [ l i k e Adam and Eve J t h e s o l e human f i g u r e s i n t h e landscape, because each p a i r has p r o s t r a t e d i t s e l f , and because t h e a t t i t u d e o f each bespeaks e n t r e a t y ,
A second and r e l a t e d p a r a l l e l i s m o f s i t u a t i o n " noted by Shumaker i s t h a t
l i k e t h e B i b l i c a l p a i r , D e u c a l i o n and P y r r h a were a t the moment o f p r a y i n g t h e o n l y two human beings on earth.
While a t h i r d p o i n t o f c o n t a c t ;
A l t h o u g h t h x u s t out o f prominence ... has t o do w i t h s i m i l a r i t y o f r e s u l t ... Adam and Eve [ l i k e D e u c a l i o n and P y r r h a ) a l s o pray i n a r u i n e d w o r l d , f o r M i l t o n r e g a r d s t h e i r s i n as no l e s s c a t a s t r o p h i c t h a n D e u c a l i o n ' s f l o o d ; and t h e i r p r a y e r a l s o e f f e c t s a kind of restoration.
Such s o l i d correspondences seem t o p r o v i d e s u b s t a n t i a l grounds f o r j u s t i f y i n g an i n v e s t i g a t i o n i n t o s u b t l e r e f f e c t s , e s p e c i a l l y s i n c e , as Grose and o t h e r r e a d e r s have n o t i c e d , t h e i n i t i a l
p o i n t o f comparison
* i n t h e s i m i l e s o f P a r a d i s e Lost accounts f o r o n l y p a r t o f t h e i r e f f e c t , s c h e m a t i c a l l y t i g h t though most o f them a r e " . ^
total
For we have
o f t e n had o c c a s i o n t o observe t h e 'subterranean v i r t u e ' o f M i l t o n ' s O v i d i a n a l l u s i o n s , t h a t t h e i r deeper v a l u e r e s i d e s i n what i s n o t e x p r e s s l y s t a t e d as a resemblance a t a l l . A l t h o u g h Summers has r e c o g n i s e d t h e " " r e c o n c i l i a t i o n between man and woman" t o be t h e necessary " p r o l o g u e and t y p e o f t h e e n s u i n g 1
r e c o n c i l i a t i o n between man and God", -the way i n which t h e v e r b a l and thematic correspondences between t h e two scenes a r e supported and e n r i c h e d by M i l t o n ' s h i g h l y o r i g i n a l use o f t h e O v i d i a n myth o f D e u c a l i o n and P y r r h a has n o t been e x p l o r e d .
While a s a t i s f a c t o r y
r e a d i n g o f t h e two scenes i s c l e a r l y n o t dependent upon our r e c o g n i t i o n 12
of
t h e p a r t O v i d i a n myth p l a y s h e r e ,
o u r awareness o f t h e way i n
331
which the r e v e r b e r a t i o n s o f c e r t a i n - key words draw a t t e n t i o n t o an u n d e r l y i n g m e t a p h o r i c a l complex, which i n t u r n suggests an i m p o r t a n t p o e t i c e q u a t i o n between the r o l e o f Eve and t h a t o f t h e Son, i s c o n s i d e r a b l y h e i g h t e n e d by such an u n d e r s t a n d i n g .
These are l a r g e
c l a i m s b u t I hope a c l o s e r e a d i n g o f the r e s p e c t i v e scenes i n t h e Metamorphoses and Paradise L o s t w i l l s u p p o r t t h i s i n t e r p r e t a t i o n and h e l p towards a more conscious a p p r e c i a t i o n o f how s i m p l e words and images may take on the resonance and power we a s s o c i a t e w i t h metaphor and
symbol. I n h i s s e n s i t i v e account
o f Ovidis r e n d e r i n g of the s t o r y o f 12a
D e u c a l i o n and P y r r n a i n the Metamorphoses
(Met.I.$13-ft 5 ) , F r a n k e l has
a l e r t e d us t o the presence o f " e c h o - l i k e r e c u r r e n c e s
M
that
"accentuate
c e r t a i n aspects o f t h e i a b l e s which o t h e r w i s e may be l o s t i n t h e s w i f t s u c c e s s i o n o f d e t a i l s " and which may " p o i n t toward t h e deeper s i g n i f i c a n c e below t h e r u n n i n g sequence o f e v e n t s " . ^
The presence o f
such a p a t t e r n o f s i g n i f i c a n t r e p e t i t i o n s i n t h e s t o r y o f D e u c a l i o n and P y r r h a i s t r a c e d by F r a n k e l w i t h such care t h a t we can do no b e t t e r t h a n quote him d i r e c t l y : ... b e f o r e D e u c a l i o n and Pyxrha by t h e i r devout t o u c h cause the s o i l ( t e r r e n a 408), and c o l d stone o f Mother E a r t h t o s o f t e n and bend, they k n e e l down on t h e s o i l , s h y l y k i s s t h e c o l d stone o f t h e temple s t e p s ( 5 7 6 ) , and pray t h a t the w r a t h o f t h e gods may s o f t e n and bend (378). The n o t i o n s , and indeed the words, r e p e a t themselves P'Remollescunt and f l e c t i t u r f r o m l i n e 378 are taken up py . m o l l i r i , m o l l i t a i n l i n e 402, and by f l e c t i t u r which i s p r o j e c t e d back i n t o 408 by v i r t u e of t h e c o n t r a s t t o f l e c t i n e q u i t i n 409"]» and by t h i s s u b t l e d e v i c e Ovid t i e s up t h e y i e l d i n g mercy o f t h e r e l e n t i n g ( m i t i s s i m a 380) gods w i t h t h e y i e l d i n g and r e l e n t i n g ( m i t i o r a n a t u r a 403) o f t h e elements when the m e r c i f u l m i r a c l e i s performed and mankind r e v i v e d from i t s m e r i t e d d e s t r u c t i o n . Both s t u b b o r n anger and s t u b b o r n m a t t e r are.conquered ( v i c t a 378) by t h e p i o u s and l o v i n g c o u p l e .
The l i t e r a l and f i g u r a t i v e meanings o f t h e o p e r a t i v e words i n t h i s metamorphosis:
r e m o l l e s c e r e ( L " l L i t . , t o become s o f t a g a i n , grow
soft, soften";
" I I Fig.B.
forms;
7
To be moved, influenced") and i t s r e l a t e d
f l e c t e r e ( L , " I L i t . , t o bend*, " t u r n " ;
I I I Fig.B.Esp. o f
332 opinion or w i l l , (L,"
Lit.,
t o bend, p r e v a i l upon, s o f t e n , appease");
m i l d , mellow"; " I I Fig.,
vibrate together.
and m i t i s
m i l d , s o f t , g e n t l e , l e n i e n t * ) thus
T u r n i n g t o Paradise L o s t we f i n d
that Milton contrives
a comparable e f f e c t , u s i n g words w i t h a s i m i l a r u n o b t r u s i v e energy t h a t r e c a l l t h e O v i d i a n account by t h e i r v e r y p h r a s i n g . To pursue t h i s p o i n t i n more d e t a i l , l e t us t u r n t o where Eve t r i e s t o approach Adam ( X . 8 6 5 f f ) .
"That he i s s t i l l u n r e g e n e r a t e i s 15
shown", as M a r j o r i e Hope N i c h o l s o n m a i n t a i n s , "by t h e v i o l e n c e o f h i s vocabulary" here.
Eve's s o f t words ( X . 8 6 5 ) and h e r t e a r s ( X . 9 1 0 ;
move Adam who has t u r n e d from h e r i n anger ( X . 9 0 9 ) t o r e l e n t
957)
(X.940).
16
These " s o f t words" t a k e n t o g e t h e r w i t h h e r " t e a r s " we become aware o f , and respond t o , t h e l i t e r a l
gently i n s i s t
that
meaning o f " r e l e n t " ,
d e r i v e d from t h e o r i g i n a l L a t i n r o o t , " t o bend, become s o f t a g a i n , s o f t e n " 17
( F. r e + RE- 7 + L. 1 en t a r e bend, med. L. s o f t e n * ' ) . ,r
Adam's b i t t e r q u e s t i o n i n g o f d i v i n e p r o v i d e n c e ... 0 why d i d God, C r e a t o r w i s e , t h a t peopled h i g h e s t heaven With s p i r i t s m a s c u l i n e , c r e a t e a t l a s t T h i s n o v e l t y on e a r t h , t h i s f a i r d e f e c t Of n a t u r e , and n o t f i l l t h e w o r l d a t once With men as a n g e l s w i t h o u t f e m i n i n e , Or f i n d some o t h e r way t o g e n e r a t e Mankind? T h i s m i s c h i e f had n o t t h e n b e f a l l e n .... (X.888-95)
i s now answered and what seemed t o him i n c h o a t e i n God's d e s i g n i s f u l l y divulged. for
As Eve was formed p r e - e m i n e n t l y f o r s o f t n e s s and Adam
c o n t e m p l a t i o n , so t o o by a n a t u r a l e x t e n s i o n o f terms i n t h e e q u a t i o n
by c o n t r a p o s i t i o n , he was formed f o r hardness, she f o r a f f e c t i o n o r feeling (IV.295-98).
Indeed, when Eve f i r s t beholds Adam she i s aware
t h a t he i s "Less w i n n i n g s o f t , l e s s a m i a b l y m i l d " ( I V . 4 7 9 ) t h a n h e r s e l f . While "Ve see f r e q u e n t s i g n s o f Adam's o r Eve's p a r t i c u l a r q u a l i t i e s t u r n i n g up i n t h e o t h e r :
j u s t as Adam a c q u i r e s sweetness, 1Q
Eve demonstrates t h e power o f c o n t e m p l a t i o n ^
as we approach Eve's
333 f a t a l encounter with Satan we a r e made t o f e e l t h a t the male and female p r i n c i p l e s a r e fundamentally d i f f e r e n t and p r o p e r l y d i s t i n c t , 1
and t h a t any b l u r r i n g of the two w i l l have f a t a l consequences.
Adam a
sudden y i e l d i n g i n the gardening debate i s i r o n i c a l l y counterpointed by the fira„ measured movement of the n a r r a t o r ' s comment. "So spake the p a t r i a r c h of mankind" (DC.376), which a p p a r e n t l y confirms Adam's r i g h t f u l l e a d e r s h i p , and by what immediately f o l l o w s .
The jagged
>v
rhythm c r e a t e d by the s u c c e s s i v e q u a l i f i c a t i o n s , bufe E v e / P e r s i s t e d , y e t submiss, though l a s t , r e p l i e d " (IX.376-77) e n a c t s m i m e t i c a l l y the opposing elements ominously a t work i n Eve.
" She i s " , a s R i c k s 19
a s t u t e l y observes, "stubborn but sweet ••• obdurate but s o f t " . By the same token, too much'sof tness-' i n Adam i s p o t e n t i a l l y dangerous s i n c e i t may e q u a l l y d i s t u r b the proper e q u i l i b r i u m i n their relationship.
"As always," P r o f e s s o r Webber reminds u s , "Adam
90 and Eve's v u l n e r a b i l i t i e s a r e opposite t o one another.''
Indeed, i n
h i s judgment of the f a l l e n p a i r the Son openly blames Adam because "Thou d i d s t
r e s i g n thy manhood" (X.148), w h i l e Michael a l s o a t t r i b u t e s
21 man's c o n t i n u i n g f a l l to h i s "effeminate s l a c k n e s s " (XI.634)t
*
r e v e a l i n g emphasis which seems to draw upon the n e g a t i v e connotations 2 1
o f m o l l e s c e r e * ( L / I I Fig.B
To become e f f e m i n a t e , STOW unmanly")
and u n d e r l i n e s the complementary b a s i s o f t h e i r r e l a t i o n s h i p . Such a d i f f e r e n t i a t i o n of the sexes i s , o f c o u r s e , a commonplace
22 of s i x t e e n t h and seventeenth-century thought our own day.
which has p e r s i s t e d to
I t i s the unquestioned assumption behind York's denunci-
a t i o n of Queen Margaret, where h i s words e x p r e s s a h o r r i f i e d
realization
that w h i l e she i s "seen to bear a woman's f a c e " her a c t i o n s deny her female sex: Women a r e s o f t , milde, p i t i f u l and f l e x i b l e . Thou s t e r n e , indurate, f l i n t i e , rough, r e m o r s e l e s s .
334
I n M i l t o n ' s scheme t h i s d i s t i n c t i o n has a t r a n s c e n d e n t
meaning,^
P a r a d o x i c a l l y , Eve's s o f t n e s s , t h e v e r y q u a l i t y t h a t r e n d e r s h e r t h e "weaker" ( l X . 3 8 3 ) o f t h e two, more y i e l d i n g and more e a s i l y i n f l u e n c e d and
swayed, and t h e r e f o r e more v u l n e r a b l e t o t h e t e m p t a t i o n s o f Satan,
makes h e r i n t u r n more r e a d i l y r e c e p t i v e t o the m o l l i f y i n g of
p r e v e n i e n t grace
(XI.3-4)
effects
which works t h r o u g h Eve's ' t e a r s ' and
' s o f t words' t o s o f t G n 'the stony''
J
i n Adam's h e a r t .
Conversely,
Adam, once f a l l e n , i s more s u s c e p t i b l e t o t h e h a r d e n i n g o f t h e h e a r t (ill.200)
o r s p i r i t u a l p e t r i f i c a t i o n t h a t a f f l i c t s Satan.
Indeed, we
have a l r e a d y been p r e p a r e d f o r t h e p o s i t i v e i n f l u e n c e e x e r t e d by Eve's ' s o f t n e s s ' by t h e episode which p r e f a c e s Satan's t e m p t a t i o n o f h e r : Eve's "heavenly f o r m / A n g e l i c , b u t more s o f t and f e m i n i n e " ( l X . 4 5 7 - 5 8 , r
26
emphasis added)
a t l e a s t t e m p o r a r i l y " b e r e a v e d " even t h e o b d u r a t e
Satan o f " H i s f i e r c e n e s s " and " t h e f i e r c e i n t e n t i t b r o u g h t " 62),
(IX.461-
so we may w e l l expect h e r s o f t n e s s t o assuage Adam's " f i e r c e
passion ' (X.865) completely. I n t h e w o r l d o f metamorphoses t h e r e i s l i t t l e d i f f e r e n c e between 28 m e n t a l and p h y s i c a l hardness;
M i l t o n extends
t h i s analogy
t o make t h e
s p i r i t u a l c o n d i t i o n o f t h e f a l l e n and t h e i n c i p i e n t e f f e c t s o f regeneration immediately apprehensible.
That t h i s i s n o t m e r e l y a
c a s u a l t u r n o f e x p r e s s i o n on M i l t o n ' s p a r t , n o r a s i n g l e random s i m i l a r i t y between t h e two t e x t s , i s r e i n f o r c e d by t h e way i n which the
p a t t e r n repeats i t s e l f .
As i n the Metamorphoses t h e e a r t h l y and
heavenly p l a n e s o f t h e a c t i o n a r e drawn t o g e t h e r i n one cosmic movement. Thus ' s o f t e n e d ' Adam no l o n g e r d e s p a i r s b u t t r u s t s t h a t God w i l l l i k e w i s e extend h i s f o r g i v e n e s s and " r e l e n t " and " t u n y F r o m h i s d i s p l e a s u r e " ( X . 1 0 9 3 - 9 4 ) , when approached w i t h p r a y e r s and t e a r s . Moreover, as t h e vantage p o i n t now moves upward t o t h e heavenly p e r s p e c t i v e we see " t h e s t o n y " has been removed f r o m t h e i r h e a r t s
(XI.3-4).
335 As G^d b e h o l d s them " s o f t e n e d and w i t h t e a r s " r e p e n t i n g t h e i r s i n ( X I . 1 1 0 - 1 1 ) , he r e l e n t s i n t u r n , and ensures too " r i g o r o u s l y urged" ( X I . 1 0 9 ) ,
t h a t t h e i r sentence i s n o t
appearing t o t h e i r inward, s p i r i t u a l 1 _
v i s i o n " p l a c a b l e and milcL/Bending h i s e a r " ( X I . 1 5 5 2 ) o
However, t h i s
i s a s l i g h t , b u t s i g n i f i c a n t s o v e r s i m p l i f i c a t i o n o f t h e sequence o f events t h a t u n f o l d i n Heavehj
b e f o r e Man
t h e F a t h e r t o ' s o f t e n ' , "Now (XI.30-31).
f i n d s f o r g i v e n e s s , t h e Son must u r g e
t h e r e f o r e bend t h i n e ear/To s u p p l i c a t i o n "
I t i s i n t e r e s t i n g t o s p e c u l a t e upon t h e s i g n i f i c a n c e o f
t h i s s u g g e s t i v e e x t e n s i o n of t h e h a r d - s o f t dichotomy
t o Heaven i t s e l f .
I n d e e d , many r e a d e r s have r e a d i l y agreed w i t h M a r j o r i e Hope N i c h o l s o n ' s conclusion thats
One a s p e c t o f M i l t o n ' s Godhead i s an Old Testament God o f J u s t i c e , and sometimes o f w r a ^ ; t h e o t h e r i s a New Testament God o f mercy and love.
W h i l e r e c e n t c r i t i c i s m has endeavoured t o prove
t h a t such a v i e w , though
t e m p t i n g , i s a d i s t o r t i o n o f t h e t e x t which c l e a r l y d e s c r i b e s b o t h j u s t i c e 29 and mercy, w r a t h and l o v e as a s p e c t s o f t h e F a t h e r as o f t h e
Son,
n e v e r t h e l e s s , i n t h e a c t u a l d r a m a t i s a t i o n o f the scenes i n Heaven, t h e i n f l e x i b l e demands o f j u s t i c e a r e v o i c e d a l m o s t e x c l u s i v e l y by t h e F a t h e r , w h i l e t h e s o f t e r a t t r i b u t e s o f m i l d n e s s and compassion a r e i n v a r i a b l y r e s e r v e d f o r t h e Son.
I n h i s speeches t h e F a t h e r ' s
concern
f o r t h e c l a i m s o f r e t r i b u t i v e j u s t i c e and h a r s h means t o d i s c i p l i n e mankind seem much more i n evidence t h a n
h i s l o v e and mercy, and
the
Son's s u c c e s s i v e p l e a s f o r l e n i e n c y on Man's b e h a l f " s e r v e o n l y " , as Evans has p o i n t e d o u t , " t o emphasize t h e F a t h e r ' s u n y i e l d i n g
severity".^
Even though t h e F a t h e r ' s speech ( I I I . 1 6 8 - 2 1 6 ) f i n a l l y moves "beyond t h e e x a c t i o n s o f l a w " t o c r e a t e "a w o r l d i n which c h a r i t y becomes an i m a g i n a t i v e f a c t as w e l l as a t h e o l o g i c a l p r i n c i p l e " as Rajan's f i n e a n a l y s i s s h o w s , ^ y e t t h e r e l e n t l e s s n e s s o f "He must d i e " ( i l l . 2 0 9 ) ,
w i t h h i s whole p o s t e r i t y
" t h e clenched d e c i s i v e n e s s " o f "Die he o r j u s t i c e
m u s t " ( I I I . 2 1 0 ) and t h e "hammer-like movement" o f "The
rigid
satisfaction,
336 d e a t h f o r d e a t h " ( I I I , , 2 1 2 ) where, as P a t r i c k h i s n o t e on t h e v e r s e , "The word R i g i d seems an u n r e l e n t i n g s a t i s f a c t i o n t o b e made t o t i e R i g i d u s L a t . h a r d , s t i f f " , o b d u r a t e l y remain felt o
Hume f i r s t observed i n t o imply a s t i f f n e s s , A l m i g h t y J u s t i c e ... making t h e i r presence
We may even b e g i n t o e n t e r t a i n the d i s c o n c e r t i n g s u s p i c i o n t h a t the
F a t h e r b e a r s some resemblance t o Satan i n h i s r i g i d
fixity.
I n d e e d , i t i s i n t e r e s t i n g t o pause and r e f l e c t upon S i n f i e l d ' s p e r c e p t i v e , i f p r o v o c a t i v e , c o n s i d e r a t i o n o f the d e f i c i e n c i e s o f M i l t o n ' s God and t h e l i k e n e s s he shares w i t h Satang
The r e a d e r who admires M i l t o n * s i n t e l l e c t and v e r b a l g i f t w i l l be on t h e l o o k o u t f o r h i n t s o f a s o f t e n i n g o f t h e i m p l i c a t i o n s o f t h e t y r a n n i c a l d e i t y . The n o t i o n t h a t M i l t o n ' s sympathies a r e w i t h Satan i s no h e l p , f o r Satan i s e n t i r e l y l i k e God. They b o t h c o n c e i v e an i m p l a c a b l e e n m i t y towards those who i n f r i n g e what t h e y t a k e t o be t h e i r r i g h t s ; they both make p r o u d , r i g o r o u s , l e g a l i s t i c and e q u i v o c a l speeches of s e l f j u s t i f i c a t i o n . The d i f f e r e n c e i s t h a t God i s r i g h t and Satan i s wrong; o r i n Hobbesian t e r m s , God i s more p o w e r f u l . M i l t o n may empathize w i t h Satan, b u t i t does n o t h e l p him t o see beyond a p u n i t i v e e t h i c .
I f we cannot expect even such an o r i g i n a l t h i n k e r a s M i l t o n t o t r a n s c e n d his
h i s t o r i c a l c o n t e x t e n t i r e l y , we do n o t expect him t o be a p a s s i v e
reflector of i teither.
I cannot h e l p f e e l i n g t h a t t h e F a t h e r i s somehow
s i l e n t l y r e p r o a c h e d by t h e poet i n t h e Son's generous,
self-effacing
l o v e f o r Man, i n t h e same way as Adam i s p u t to shame by Eve's s e l f l e s s " i m p u l s i v e g e n e r o s i t y i n w i s h i n g t o t a k e a l l t h e punishment upon h e r s e l f " . ' I t has been s a i d t h a t i n Milton's p a t r i a r c h a l u n i v e r s e woman i s f i r s t f o u n d i n H e l l , then on E a r t h but never i n H e a v e n . ^
Y e t the s o f t
of feminine q u a l i t i e s of the Son ore placed i n dramatic c o n t r a s t to t h e hard or masculine a t t r i b u t e s of the Father,'"' and t h e two a s p e c t s o f the Godhead only a t t a i n t h e i r h i g h e s t p e r f e c t i o n together a s a transcendent union of c o n t r a r i e s .
The Father completes h i m s e l f i n the Son as Adaa
i s completed by Eve.
The F a t h e r i s c o l l e a g u e with the SOB, J u s t i c e
w i t h mercy, hard with soft^aa Adam should remain c o l l e a g u e w i t h E v e , i n t e l l e c t w i t h emotion,,
As Son P a r r y N o r f o r d e x p l a i n s . "The c h a i n o f
337 b e i n g i n P a r a d i s e L o s t may be seen as a s e r i e s o f m i r r o r s t h r o u g h which the
D i v i n e Image i s r e f l e c t e d and d i f f u s e d " and t h i s c h a i n " i s s u p p o r t e d 36
by i n n u m e r a b l e balances o f c o n t r a r y t e n s i o n s " . the
The r e l a t i o n s h i p o f
sexes t h u s n a t u r a l l y r e f l e c t s t h e p r i m a r y r e l a t i o n s h i p between t h e
F a t h e r and t h e Song
as t h e F a t h e r i s t o t h e Son,
so i s Adam t o Eve,
and t h i s c o r r e l a t i o n i n t u r n prepares u s f o r t h e b o l d p o e t i c e q u a t i o n o f Eve w i t h t h e Son and, i n more muted at
f o r m , Adam w i t h t h e F a t h e r , f o u n d
t h e c l o s e o f Book X and b e g i n n i n g o f Book X I ,
Indeed, t h e r e are
few p r e c e d e n t s f o r Eve's d e c i s i v e r o l e i n t h e r e d e m p t i v e 37
process
envisaged h e r e by M i l t o n , " On t h e o t h e r hand, Satan whose "obdured b r e a s t " ( I I . 5 6 8 ) i s s t r u c k by t h e "mace p e t r i f i c " and "Gorgonian r i g o r " o f s p i r i t u a l d e a t h , e n t i r e l y lacks t h i s countervailing softening influence.
And so i t i s i n Satan
t h a t t h e process o f s p i r i t u a l p e t r i f i c a t i o n i s most f u l l y
realized.
As Mary Y.Hoffman has observed: As much as i s Satan's mind " f i x t " and u n r e g e n e r a t e , j u s t as much i s h i s h e l l a h e l l o f p r o c e s s , o f e n d l e s s l y r e c a p i t u l a t i n g the f a l l and h a r d e n i n g one's h e a r t a g a i n s t the p o s s i b i l i t i e s o f r e d e m p t i o n .
Satan's h a r d e n i n g o f h i s h e a r t i s enacted most c l e a r l y i n t h e s o l i l o q u y which opens Book I V
(11.32-113) and forms t h e grounds f o r Marchant's
r e j e c t i o n o f Dr.Newton's a t t e m p t t o emend l i n e
39:
I cannot be o f Dr Newton's o p i n i o n t h a t r e p e n t h e r e i s a b e t t e r word t h a n r e l e n t . Satan i s a l l a l o n g r e m a r k a b l e f o r h i s obdurate Hatred and u n r e l e n t i n g M a l i c e t o t h e A l m i g h t y ... f o r never s i n c e he r e b e l l ' d , d i d he once g i v e Satan L i b e r t y t o r e f l e c t on t h e h o r r i d N a t u r e o f h i 8 Offence; b u t now t h e g l o r i o u s O b j e c t s t h a t a r e i n h i s view, which b r i n g f r e s h i n t o h i s memory t h e happy and e x a l t e d S t a t i o n from which he f e l l ; the R e f l e c t i o n on h i s own monstrous I n g r a t i t u d e , w h i c h s t i n g s him t o the H e a r t ; and the sense o f h i s p r e s e n t c o n d i t i o n , which was unspeakably m i s e r a b l e , a l l t o g e t h e r s o f t e n him i n t o a wish t h a t he had n e v e r o f f e n d e d i n t h e manner he had done; t h a t h i s H e a r t r e l e n t s , which i s t h e f i r B t s t e p towards Repentance.
However,"when r e s o r s e l e d n o t t o r e p e n t a n c e b u t t o hardened p e r s i s t e n c e "
e a r l i e r readers
,(
would recognise",
as Fowler e x p l a i n s , " t h a t a
new
39 phase i n damnation had
been r e a c h e d S a t a n
l i k e the " o b d u r a t e K i n g " ( X I I . 2 0 5 ) who "as
hardens h i s r e s o l v e
"Humbles h i s ° •>» h e a r t "
only
to
ice/More hardened a f t e r thaw" ( X I I . 1 9 3 - 9 4 ) . Of c o u r s e , the heart l i k e "marble i c e / B o t h c o l d and h a r d " ^
was
a f a m i l i a r m o t i f t h a t f e a t u r e d i n the work o f those emblemists concerned w i t h t r a n s l a t i n g t h e l i f e o f the s p i r i t i n t o p h y s i c a l terms„ While t h i s s i m i l a r i t y has
l e d Mary Hoffman t o c o n c l u d e t h a t M i l t o n ' s
t r e a t m e n t o f Satan's h a r d h e a r t e d n e s s i s " v e r y s u g g e s t i v e Vaughan's
1
emblem t o S i l e x S c i n t i l l a n s ( 1 6 5 0 ) " , ^
o f Henry
she s e n s i b l y
cautions
a g a i n s t the assumption of s p e c i f i c i n d e b t e d n e s s on M i l t o n ' s p a r t , a t t r i b u t i n g the resemblance r a t h e r t o a shared c u r r e n c y
of
ideas.
Rosemary Freeman's argument i n her f i n e study o f E n g l i s h Emblem Books supports
t h i s view.
She m a i n t a i n s
that:
[Though] i n t h e c o n v e n t i o n s on which they were based, they were o b v i o u s l y more s u i t e d f o r t h e e x p r e s s i o n of C a t h o l i c t h a n of P r o t e s t a n t r e l i g i o u s i d e a s ... The t r e a t m e n t o f the themes, however they may be r e p r e s e n t e d i n t h e e n g r a v i n g s , remains e s s e n t i a l l y Protestant.
Indeed, t h e image of t h e hardened h e a r t d e r i v e s u l t i m a t e l y from a t e x t which was The
of c r u c i a l i m p o r t a n c e t o R e f o r m a t i o n
theology.
l i n e s quoted above ( X I I . 1 9 2 - ^ 4 ) p l a i n l y a l l u d e t o t h e sequence
i n Exodus ( I X - X I V ) where i t i s r e p e a t e d l y stated
t h a t i t was
God
4
hardened Pharaoh's h e a r t againBt t h e I s r a e l i t e s , " * which St.Paul i n t e r p r e t e d t o mean t h a t God
"has
and draws a t t e n t i o n t o the way" Erasmus a d m i t t e d
Sinfield
w i t h P r o t e s t a n t teachings
Luther stressed
the
[latter]
r e p r o b a t i o n are s h e e r l y God's d e c i s i o n
he cites
on s a l v a t i o n text
t h a t i t seems t o l e a v e n o t h i n g t o c h o i c e " ( L u t h e r
Erasmus, p.64/*, w h i l e •'For C a l v i n i t a f f o r d e d key and
had
mercy upon whomever he w i l l s , and
hardens the h e a r t of whomever he w i l l s " (Romans I X . 1 8 ) . both these passages i n c o n n e c t i o n
who
and and
evidence t h a t e l e c t i o n
( I n s t i t u t e s , I l l . x x i i . 11 ) "
4 4
I n Paradise L o s t , however, M i l t o n emphasizes t h e i n c l u s i v e n e s s of God's
be
o f f e r to " s o f t e n stony h e a r t s " ( i l l . 1 8 9 ) , only those who
e x c l u d i n g from mercy
" n e g l e c t and s c o r n " h i s "day of grace";
i t i s thus
only those who a r e obdurately "hard" that w i l l be "hardened more" ( I I I . 1 9 8 - 2 0 2 ) *
0 0
o
Milton thus draws upon these resonant s c r i p t u r a l
echoes to provide a B i b l i c a l framework f o r h i s own symbolic s t r u c t u r e . C r i t i c s f r e q u e n t l y v o i c e doubts as to the wisdom of i n c l u d i n g the F a t h e r a s a speaking c h a r a c t e r i n the epic and
g
more f r e q u e n t l y
and, understandably perhaps, express disappointment a t the bareness 46 of s t y l e and sentiment a t t r i b u t e d to him.
Through God
the F a t h e r ,
a s I r e n e Samuel e x p l a i n s s o e o the omniscient v o i c e of the omnipotent moral law speaks what i s £and what w i l l be, we might add] • Here i s ... the nature of things expounding i t s e l f i n order to present f a c t and p r i n c i p l e unadorned. ' 4
N e v e r t h e l e s s , i t i s because the Father speaks with such unelaborated s i m p l i c i t y that we must understand h i s i n t e n t i o n to s o f t e n or harden the stony h e a r t s of the f a l l e n a s l i t e r a l l y t r u e , and the p l a i n d i r e c t n e s s of h i s words ( a t I I I . 185-202) thus prepare us f o r those s u b t l e , deeper and l e s s e a s i l y detachable images of f a l l e n Man's s p i r i t u a l experience that l i e j u s t beneath the n a r r a t i v e s u r f a c e l a t e r i n the poem, which we have been d i s c u s s i n g here. S i n c e the "eye of God does not see t h i n g s m e t a p h o r i c a l l y but i n t h e i r e s s e n t i a l natures a s Adam saw the n a t u r e s of the animals 4
when he named them", ^ h i s words do not merely l i k e n
' s p i r i t u a l to
c o r p o r e a l forms" but r e f l e c t an immediate, i n t u i t i v e
apprehension
of f a l l e n Man'B s p i r i t u a l c o n d i t i o n .
Although i t s f u l l import i s
s c a r c e l y r e a l i z e d a t t h i s p o i n t , when considered together with M i l t o n ' s dramatization of the F a l l and i t s aftermath, the F a t h e r ' s pronouncement proves to be an unexpectedly p r e c i s e r e n d e r i n g of the experience and s t a t e of s p i r i t u a l death on the one hand, and the m o l l i f y i n g , r e - c r e a t i v e e f f e c t s of grace on the o t h e r . Even here where Milton r e l i e s most h e a v i l y upon s c r i p t u r a l m a t e r i a l to s u b s t a n t i a t e "the t h e o l o g i c a l p r i n c i p l e s from which the redemptive a c t i o n of h i s poem proceeds'*, Marts has d e t e c t e d !
360 ... echoes o f t h e h e a v e n l y c o n f e r e n c e i n the opening book o f t h e Metamorphoses, as angry Zeus c o n s u l t s w i t h a l l t h e gods about t h e - d e s t r u c t i o n o f t h e human r a c e and i t s regeneration,.
T u r n i n g back t o t h e c l o s i n g l i n e s o f Book X and t h e opening l i n e s o f Book X I w i t h which we began t h i s d i s c u s s i o n , t h e f i r s t stage o f t h e F a t h e r ' s promise t o r e g e n e r a t e mankind i B f u l f i l l e d i n t h e i n w a r d change t h a t t a k e s p l a c e i n Adam and Eve and which i s s y m b o l i z e d , w i t h c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s u b t l e t y and i n d i r e c t i o n on M i l t o n ' s p a r t , i n t h e r e c r e a t i o n o f t h e human r a c e by D e u c a l i o n and Pyrrha,,
I n d e e d , Ovid's
f a b l e had l o n g been i n v e s t e d w i t h such C h r i s t i a n s i g n i f i c a n c e and a l l e g o r i s e d as a
symbol o f c o n v e r s i o n , as F o w l e r p o i n t s o u t , c i t i n g
Sandys a s h i s a u t h o r i t y :
God i s s a i d i n t h e G o s p e l l t o be a b l e o f stones t o r a i s e up c h i l d r e n u n t o Abraham: t h e sence n o t u n l i k e , though d i v i n e r : meaning t h e i n g r a f t i n g o f t h e G e n t i l e s i n t o h i s f a i t h hardned i n s i n n e t h r o u g h i g n o r a n c e and custome. So t h e g i v i n g us h e a r t s o f f l e s h j - i n s t e e d o f those o f s t o n e i s meant by our c o n v e r s i o n .
Moreover, t h e c o n t e x t in which M i l t o n o p e n l y r e f e r s us t o Ovid's myth p o i n t s d e c i s i v e l y towards such an i n t e r p r e t a t i o n . I n t h e p r e c e d i n g l i n e s , M i l t o n makes e x p l i c i t what i s i m p l i c i t h e r e , p r e p a r i n g us f o r the t r a n s f o r m a t i o n o f a pagan image i n t o t h e p r e f i g u r a t i o n o f C h r i s t i a n truth.
I n h i s g l o s s on l i n e s 3-5 P a t r i c k Hume d e s c r i b e s how p r e v e n i e n t
grace "made a r e l e n t i n g Tenderness, l i k e t h e F l e s h o f a newborn Babe grow i n t h e i r H a r t s , i n s t e a d o f t h e i r s t u b b o r n Hardness*', and goes on t o i n t e r p r e t t h i s change s p e c i f i c a l l y i n terms o f C h r i s t i a n r e g e n e r a t i o n :
The Conversion o f a S i n n e r , i s i n S c r i p t u r e - P h r a s e s t y l e d , Regeneration, a N e w - b i r t h ; Regeneratio.. L a t . Our S a v i o u r d i s c o u r s e d w i t h Nicodemus, John 5.3. Except § man be b o m a g a i n he cannot see t h e kingdom o f God. 1
5
With our t h o u g h t s thus d i r e c t e d t o t h e i n w a r d change e x p e r i e n c e d by Adam and Eve as a type o f C h r i s t i a n r e b i r t h i n which "HOMO INTERIOR VETERE AB0LITO ... VELUTI CREATURA NOVA ET DEO R E G E N E R A T O R w e cannot m i s s the
341 symbolic s i g n i f i c a n c e encountered here i n t h e r e - c r e a t i o n o f mankind by D e u c a l i o n and P y r r h a .
As t h e stones thrown by D e u c a l i o n and P y r r h a
m i r a c u l o u s l y s o f t e n t o become the new r a c e o f Men,
O v i d i a n myth becomes
a r i c h extended metaphor f o r t h e process o f i n w a r d s p i r i t u a l r e g e n e r a t i o n 53 i n f a l l e n Man
0
The c e n t r a l m e t a p h o r i c a l tendency
t h a t c h a r a c t e r i s e s the l a s t
two
books as a whole a l s o s u p p o r t s t h e f o r c e o f t h i s r e a d i n g as does t h e e x t e n s i o n o f t h e emblematic
s i g n i f i c a n c e o f t h e Garden as an image o f 54
Man's s p i r i t u a l l i f e i n t h e passage t h a t a l m o s t i m m e d i a t e l y follows,, T h i s e l a b o r a t e h o r t i c u l t u r a l metaphor s u p p l i e s a new b u t r e l a t e d s e t o f a s s o c i a t i o n s which h o l d s out t h e hope t h a t , h a v i n g l o s t t h e e x t e r n a l p a r a d i s e o f Eden, Man may y e t r a i s e a ' p a r a d i s e w i t h i n * f r o m t h e 'seed' of God's g r a c e . L i k e t h e retet o f the imagery i n t h e f i n a l books t h e s i g n i f i c a n c e of
t h e ' s e e d ' ^ i s p r o g r e s s i v e l y d e f i n e d 'from shadowy types t o t r u t h ' ,
moving i n w a r d from ' f l e s h t o S p i r i t ' .
A f t e r t h e i r r e c o n c i l i a t i o n Adam
and Eve's r e j e c t i o n o f " w i l f u l b a r r e n n e s s " (X.1042) makes p o s s i b l e a t l e a s t some form o f c o n t i n u e d e x i s t e n c e f o r t h e r a c e o f Man;
i n their
o f f s p r i n g or 'seed' t h e p h y s i c a l c o n t i n u a n c e o f mankind i s a s s u r e d . With t h e i r r e c o n c i l i a t i o n t o God, Man's s p i r i t u a l l i f e i s renewed, f r o m these f i r s t
" c h i l d r e n of t h e p r o m i s e " ^ w i l l s p r i n g t h e l i n e o f t h e
f a i t h f u l remnant o r 'seed' which w i l l come t o f r u i t i o n i n t h a t " d e s t i n e d seed" (XII.233) whose d e a t h "Annuls ... t h e d e a t h [ h a n ] s h o u l d s t have d i e d y i n s i n f o r ever l o s t from l i f e " ( X I I . 4 2 8 - 2 9 ) and makes p h y s i c a l "death t h e g a t e o f l i f e " e v e r l a s t i n g ( X I I . 5 7 1 ) . at
However, t h e emphasis
t h i s p o i n t i n t h e n a r r a t i v e i s n o t so much upon r e g e n e r a t i o n as " a
m a t t e r o f v i c a r i o u s atonement" b u t upon r e g e n e r a t i o n as " t h e advent o f 57 C h r i s t i n man,
the growth
of Christ i n the i n d i v i d u a l soul".
The had E x t pe ur tn a lt h1 i sJesus i s t [as] shadow, John Bverard r a t h eC hr r more s t r o n g l y a when he d eas caymbole ribed: f i g u r e o f the I n t e r n a l v i z . o f him t h a t i s t o be b o m withan us g
Indeed,
342 A f t e r the s p i r i t u a l barrenness of the ' f r u i t l e s s hours', hard, atony ground i s exchanged f o r s o i l that i s moist, f r i a b l e and r e c e p t i v e . By "watering the ground" "with t e a r s " (X.1101-2), f a l l e n Man ensures that the "seed" ( X I . 2 6 ) of "implanted g r a c e " (XI„23) "Sown with c o n t r i t i o n i n his
h e a r t " (XIo27) s p r i n g s f o r t h with " f i r s t f r u i t s " (XI„22) a s " r a i n
p r o d u c e r s ] / F r u i t s i n softened s o i l " ( V I I I d 4 6 - 4 7 ) °
When c o n s i d e r i n g
the emblematic suggestiveness of t h i s passage i t i s i n t e r e s t i n g to note i n p a s s i n g how Christopher Harvey, w r i t i n g i n t h e emblematic t r a d i t i o n which l i k e n e d "TEE HART consecrated t o the loue of I e s u s " t o a 59 >'f l o u r i s h i n g garden",
used emblems such a s SEMINATIO IN COR and
60 CORDIS IRRIGATIO
to draw out to f u l l extent the correspondences
between stages i n the s p i r i t u a l l i f e of the C h r i s t i a n s o u l and the s t e p s i n the tendance of an e a r t h l y g a r d e n . ^
And indeed, h i s d e s c r i p t i o n
of how "ahowres of repentant t e a r e s must steep/The mould to make i t s o f t " before the h e a r t can be made " F i t f o r the seeding of [thej word" seems
62 p a r t i c u l a r l y suggestive here. However, the watered ground a l s o provides another point of contact with Ovid's account of the aftermath of the Deluge.
Indeed, Shumaker
has gone so f a r a s to suggest that "The i n i t i a l impetus to the comparison 63 may ... have been a s u b c o r t i c a l s e n s i n g " of the " t a c t u a l l i k e n e s s " of both scenes: "the dampness caused by Ovid's f l o o d and the w e t t i n g of
64 the ground by Adam's and Eve's t e a r s " .
Admittedly, such a p o e t i c
equation may a t f i r s t seem h y p e r b o l i c a l and grotesque ^
a s Shumaker
h i m s e l f concedes.
association
Yet whether or not such an unconscious
f i r s t prompted the comparison,
there i s plenty of evidence t o suggest
that the correspondence i s not e n t i r e l y f o r t u i t o u s , t h a t H i l t o n was w e l l aware of the connection, and even concerned t o forge such a l i n k i n the mind of h i s reader. The pressure of t h i s a s s o c i a t i o n i s a t f i r s t c a r e f u l l y h e l d i n check; i t s f u l l f o r c e i s only r e l e a s e d with the Deluge a t the end of the book. I t r i s e s slowly up to oar conscious minds a s we watch Adam's descendants
343 l a p s e i n t o s i n f u l n e s s f o r w h i c h , M i c h a e l d a r k l y h i n t s , "The w o r l d e r e l o n g a w o r l d o f t e a r s must weep" ( X I . 6 2 7 ) ^ ,
breaking the surface
o n l y w i t h t h e F l o o d i t s e l f i n t h e poet's address t o Adam as he weeps at
t h e a p p a r e n t d e s t r u c t i o n o f mankinds
How d i d s t t h o u g r i e v e t h e n , Adam, t o b e h o l d The end o f a l l t h y o f f s p r i n g , end so sad, D e p o p u l a t i o n ; thee a n o t h e r f l o o d , Of t e a r s and sorrow a f l o o d thee a l s o drowned, And sunk thee as t h y sons. (XI.754-58)
However, t o a p p r e c i a t e f u l l y the p r e f i g u r a t i v e v a l u e of M i l t o n ' s a l l u s i o n t o D e u c a l i o n and P y r r h a a t t h i B p o i n t , we must r e a s s e s s i t s i m p l i c a t i o n s i n terms o f t h e t y p o l o g i c a l p a t t e r n i n g o f Books X I and XII.
M i c h a e l ' 8 words a t XII.230-35 and a g a i n a t 300-6 g i v e p o i n t e d
e x p r e s s i o n t o t h e way i n which M i l t o n drew upon t h e r h e t o r i c a l p o s s i b i l i t i e s o f t y p o l o g i c a l symbolism
t o organize h i s survey o f
human h i s t o r y and t o p r o p e l h i s n a r r a t i v e f o r w a r d t h r o u g h t i m e and beyond t o e t e r n i t y .
That M i l t o n e x p l o i t s t h e t y p o l o g i c a l s u g g e s t i v e n e s s
o f D e u c a l i o n and P y r r h a as pagan t y p e s o f Noah and h i s w i f e has l o n g been r e c o g n i z e d .
Fowler b r i e f l y acknowledges t h a t D e u c a l i o n i s
67 i n c l u d e d as a " m y t h i c a l analogue
o f Noah"
, while J.H.Collett
observes t h a t " t h r o u g h t h e comparison M i l t o n p r e f i g u r e s t h e s t o r y o f Noah, 'a Reverand S i r e ' , w i t h which t h e book c l o s e s and ... t h e (.a
t y p o l o g i c a l p r o c e d u r e t h a t c h a r a c t e r i z e s t h e l a s t two books" Sandys
begins.
comments on t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p o f t h e pagan t o t h e B i b l i c a l
Flood t h u s : The s i n u e s o f men drew on ( i n w h i c h o u r Poet ( O v i d ] c o n c u r r e s w i t h Moses) t h e g e n e r a l 1 Deluge, a l t h o u g h be t r a n s f e r r e i t t o D e u c a l l o n s . w h e r e i n most o f Greece was surrounded; w h i c h hapned seaven hundred and Four escore y e a r e s a f t e r t h e o t h e r : y e t i n t h i s he d e s c r i b e t h t h e f o r m e r , as appeares by many p a r t i c u l a r s : which may s e r v e t o r e c o n c i l e h i s Chronology, f o r many o f t h e s e f o l l o w i n g s t o r i e s were b e f o r e t h e d a l e s of D e u o a l i o n . '
The argument, i f tortuous a t times, provides a u s e f u l gloss on M i l t o n * curious phrasing i n l i n e s 10-11 o f Book X I , where he r e f e r s t o Deucalion and Pyrrha as an "ancient p a i r " but "less ancient yet than" Mam and Eve. Fowler j u s t l y observes that "Bentley
and Empson...
perversely take less ancient t o imply that Genesis i s an o l d f a b l e too",
but concludes t h a t M i l t o n i s here i n t e n t upon exploding the
Ovidian myth since, " I n n a r r a t i v e s professing to describe the o r i g i n 70 of the present human race, j u n i o r i t y brings d i s c r e d i t " . However, ve might j u s t as e a s i l y argue t i a t M i l t o n ' s emphasis on the chronological precedence of the B i b l i c a l t o the Ovidian p a i r underlines an i n s i s t e n c e on the h i s t o r i c a l r e a l i t y of both couples. This i n t e r p r e t a t i o n i s strengthened i f we accept C o l l e t t ' s theory t h a t M i l t o n makes a c r i t i c a l d i s t i n c t i o n between h i s use o f 'feign'd' or f i c t i t i o u s myth, and 'fabl'd' t r u t h , h i s t o r i c a l "accounts set 71 down by the ancients".' Moreover, Milton's concern t o a t t r i b u t e some h i s t o r i c a l foundation t o Deucalion's Flood would be i n keeping 72 w i t h the "demythologizing" tendency o f the l a s t two books where, as C o l l e t t e x p l a i n s , "only those 'fabled' myths which are pagan 73 accounts o f a c t u a l h i s t o r i c a l events are appropriate". " some claim f o r the h i s t o r i c a l
So too,
basis of the myth would f u r t h e r
j u s t i f y Deucalion's i n c l u s i o n as a pagan type of C h r i s t ^ and thus be i n accord w i t h t h e s t r i c t e r procedure o f t y p o l o g i c a l f u l f i l m e n t 75 to be found i n the f i n a l p o r t i o n o f the poem. Indeed, Ovid's myth i s arguably the hinge upon which t h i s t y p o l o g i c a l s t r u c t u r e turns. The i n c l u s i o n o f Deucalion and Pyrrha, "saved f o r t h e i r vertue ... while the v i t i o u s are swallowed by t h e i r 76 owne i m p i e t i e s " ' , looks forward t o the "general Deluge", i n which "one whole world/Of wicked sons [ i s ] destroyed" (XI.874-5) and i t s s u r v i v o r s , Noah and h i s f a m i l y , f o r whom God " r e l e n t s " (XI.891) t o " r a i s e another world" (XI.877).
The s t o r y o f Noah i n t u r n looks 77 d i r e c t l y toward the Last Judgement ' i n which f i r e w i l l "purge a l l 1
345
things new" (XI.900) and "dissolve/Satan with h i s perverted world" before "New heavens
0
new earth, ages of endless date" are raised "From
78 the conflagrant mass, purged and refined" ( X I I . 5 4 6 - 4 9 ) . However, Milton extends the pivotal function of the myth s t i l l furthers i t leads backwards a s well as forwards,, gathering Adam and Eve into the same pattern of typological fulfilment, moving from death to new l i f e , from destruction to recreation,, the ' f a i t h l e s s herd
8
This pattern i n which
8
i s s e t against the few f a i t h f u l ' appears i n
i t s most condensed form a t t h i s point i n the narrative•
Since Adam
and Eve form the only extant examples of mankind they represent 79 corrupt humanity i n t h e i r f a l l , and, as t h e i r offensiveness
to
God i s washed away i n a flood of tears, the f a i t h f u l i n their regeneration.
Indeed, the a l l u s i o n to Deucalion and Pyrrha plays
an important part i n e f f e c t i n g t h i s 'sweet t r a n s i t i o n ' which accompanies t h e i r repentance.
As Adam and Eve appear i n the likeness of Deucalion 80 and Pyrrha "with prostrated bodyes and humble soules" they become 81 imbued a s i t were "By t i n c t u r e or r e f l e c t i o n " with the purity and f a i t h that so strongly features i n Ovid's portrayal of 82 the couple.
Ovid introduces us to them a f t e r t h e i r l i t t l e boat
has run aground on Parnassus.
At t h i s point t h e i r characterization
r e s t s s o l e l y on t h e i r atronge reverence of the Gods;
they are both
described as "innocuoa ... cultores numiniB" (Met. 1.327) and they are
f i r s t seen i n prayeri Corycidaa nymphas e t numina mantis adorant faticamque Themin, quae tunc oracla tenebat? non i l l o melior quisquam nec amantior aequi v i r f u i t aut i l i a metuentior u l l a deorum. (Met, 1.320-24)
I t i s with f i n e irony that Milton grants Adam and Eve their most innocent moment, from the standpoint of mythological analogy a t l e a s t , a f t e r they have f a l l e n .
The appearance of Adam and Eve as
Deucalion aad Pyrrha establishes our conviction i n the s p i r i t u a l
346
p o t e n t i a l o f o r d i n a r y humanity
0
God workss
• • • by small Accomplishing great t h i n g s , by things deemed weak Subverting w o r l d l y s t r o n g , and w o r l d l y wise By simply meek. (XIIo566-69)
Deucalion and Fyrrha mediate between the f a l l e n Adam and Eve and t h e i r new r o l e s as prototypes
o f Noah and h i s w i f e , drawing the two
'sources' o f mankind i n t o close thematic r e l a t i o n s h i p .
Once we
acknowledge the p o s s i b i l i t y o f such a r e l a t i o n s h i p a number of s u b t l e s t r u c t u r a l , conceptual and f i g u r a t i v e l i n k s come i n t o play. That M i l t o n intended the two re-creations t o be considered together i s suggested by the way i n which one becomes the n a t u r a l pendant t o the o t h e r , forming an enclosing frame t o t h e eleventh book.
Between t h e f i n a l l i n e s o f Book X and the opening l i n e s o f
Book X I t h e n a r r a t i v e stands poised between the d e s t r u c t i v e e f f e c t s of t h e P a l l and t h e r e s t o r a t i v e e f f e c t s o f regeneration
t i l l the
a l l u s i o n t o Ovid's myth of Man's second c r e a t i o n t i p s the balance and confirms Adam and Eve's second chance o f l i f e .
Turning t o the
close o f Book X I and the beginning o f Book X I I the Archangel l i k e w i s e pauses
J
"Betwixt the world destroyed and the world restored"
( X I I . 3 ) and the same s t r u c t u r a l p a t t e r n i s thus repeated. n a r r a t o r ' s comment though p h y s i c a l l y located i n Book X I I
The (1-5)
stands as a s e l f - c o n t a i n e d paragraph, interposed between the two v i s i o n s o f d e s t r u c t i o n and r e - c r e a t i o n , and forms one o f the more important a d d i t i o n s made t o the o r i g i n a l t e x t when M i l t o n
scast
the t e n t h and f i n a l book o f the f i r s t e d i t i o n i n t o Books X I and X I I of t h e second.
Since one o f the most obvious e f f e c t s of t h i s new
arrangement was t o t h r u s t the s t o r y o f Noah I n t o greater prominence and thereby t i g h t e n the s t r u c t u r a l p a r a l l e l i s m between the f i r s t and
second judgement o f mankind, i t provides evidence of an unusual
34 7
k i n d o f M i l t o n ' s concern to deepen the correspondence between the two which cannot be l i g h t l y dismissed,, Again
8
the f l o o d ' s purging o f the world's c o r r u p t i o n as a
necessary p r e l i m i n a r y t o a new c r e a t i o n ^ casts a r e t r o s p e c t i v e l i g h t on Adam and Eve's f l o o d o f tears» family„ a r e "saved, by water" " w i t h water unto repentance"
8S
Adam and Eve l i k e Noah and h i s 9
They are thus s y m b o l i c a l l y baptized
0
86
and t h e i r tears become a "sign/Of
washing them from g u i l t o f s i n t o l i f e / P u r e " (XII.442-44) and t h e i r 88
regeneration^ j u s t man
7
Again, Michael's r e v e l a t i o n :
"Such grace s h a l l one
f i n d i n h i s sighlj/That [God] r e l e n t B , not t o b l o t out
mankind" (XI.890-91) looks back, v i a Ovid's account i n the Metamorphoses o f how: I u p p i t e r u t l i q u i d i s stagnare paludibus orbem e t superesse virum de t o t modo m i l i b u s unum, e t superesse v i d i t de t o t modo m i l i b u s unam, innocuos ambo, c u l t o r e s numinis ambo, n u b i l i a d l s i e c i t nimbisque aquilone remotis e t caelo t e r r a s o s t e n d i t e t aethera t e r r i s . Met.
1.324-29)
t o where the Father, a c c e p t i n g Adam and Eve's prayers, had s i m i l a r l y 90 r e l e n t e d and turned from h i s d i s p l e a s u r e .
So t o o , since the
appearance o f the rainbow betokens "peace from God, and Covenant new"
(XI.867), the descent o f God's messenger Michael i n raiment
"dipped"
7
by " I r i s "
7
(XI.244)
acquires special s i g n i f i c a n c e "
i n r e t r o s p e c t as a ' p a c i f i c s i g n ' and token o f God's "Covenant i n the woman's seed renewed" (XI.116). As a r e s u l t o f the a t t r a c t i v e power of such a s s o c i a t i v e l i n k s the forward mbvement o f the n a r r a t i v e
i s counterspmng by references
backward t o o t h e r new beginnings, milestones on the journey t o Man's Resurrection and the f i n a l r e g e n e r a t i o n t o "new l i f e " 294).
(III.
While Adam and Eve's r e g e n e r a t i o n may only be "a m i n i a t u r e
microcosmic a n t i c i p a t i o n o f what the human race w i l l
experience
through the Son's f u t u r e i n c a r n a t i o n " , 94 i t becomes instrumental 95 i n f u r t h e r i n g the s p i r i t u a l redemption of mankind. Although c r i t i c s have recognized the t y p o l o g i c a l f u n c t i o n of the s t o r y of Noah, they have tended t o underestimate the way i n which Adam and Eve have become p a r t of t h i s ascending sequence, completed and f u l f i l l e d i n C h r i s t
as Man's "second r o o t " (ill.288)„
Cherrell
G u i l f o y l e , f o r example, observes t h a t " i n the opening l i n e s of Book X I I Michael", apparently Father t o the Son
echoing the e a r l i e r p r e d i c t i o n by-the
t h a t " i n thee/As from a second r o o t s h a l l be
restored/As many as are r e s t o r e d " (ill.2£7~89)» " t e l l s Adam of the •second s t o c k ' (7)»
"This second sours of Man'
(13)
which w i l l r i s e
from the e i g h t s u r v i v o r s i n the a r k , l e d and redeemed by C h r i s t , 96 the greater Noah"
„
Fowler too comments on the s i g n i f i c a n c e of
"stock" i n h i s note to l i n e 7 of Book X I I , regarding i t as: An ambiguity r e f e r r i n g not only to the l i t e r a l replacement of one source of the human l i n e of descent (Adam) by another (Noah) but also to the g r a f t i n g of mankind onto the stem of C h r i s t according-to the Pauline a l l e g o r y of regeneration (Rom.xir' However, i t i s i m p o r t a n t to remember t h a t the regeneration
of
Adam and Eve had a l r e a d y been included i n t h i s "Gardening metaphor go used by St.Paul o f t e n , Rom.II.v.17, 19, 23 e t c . " " of " i n c o r p o r a t i o n 70
99
i n C h r i s t as a g r a f t i n g " . w i t h Adam and Eve, New
and
Consequently, both the renewed Covenant
the Covenant w i t h Noah, become types of the
Covenant and, as such, not only p r e f i g u r e , but i n some way
f u r t h e r , Man's s a l v a t i o n .
Herein, then, l i e s the value of the p a r a l l e l
we have been t r a c i n g between Adam and Noah. of i n t e r r e l a t e d images and prefigurative significance.
The s k i l f u l
themes combine to suggest Adam's Adam, Noah, and C h r i s t thus become
100 key
abutments
patterning
i n the bridge spanning human h i s t o r y .
349
The e f f e c t i a cumulative, progressing from type t o t r u t h i n a powerful cresoendo movement.
As we move i n ascending order from the
Old Adam to the New, the f u l l e s t s t r u c t u r a l and poetic emphasis n a t u r a l l y comes t o centre upon examples of
the 'one j u s t man' found
"so p e r f e c t and so j u s t ' f o r whose sake "joan s h a l l f i n d grace" ( i l l o 227)<>
But, as we have intimated e l s e w h e r e , E v e too assumes an
important t y p o l o g i c a l r o l e
0
I n an i n t e r e s t i n g essay, Mother Mary
Christopher Pecheux has c a r e f u l l y analyzed Eve's f i g u r a t i v e r o l e as 102 a type of Mary "the woman through whom true l i f e i s t o come"
»
Just as"Adam was a special type of C h r i s t i n t h a t h i s f i g u r a t i v e r e l a t i o n t o C h r i s t was c h i e f l y defined through contrasts r a t h e r than resemblances as i s the usual e m p h a s i s " , p a t r i s t i c w r i t e r s elaborated the ways i n which "Mary 1
by E v a " . ^
second Eve" (X.183) "repaired what was l o s t
However, i t seems s i g n i f i c a n t that whereas, although
M i l t o n allows Adam's t y p o l o g i c a l r o l e t o expand and deepen through h i s a s s o c i a t i o n w i t h Noah, i t i s transcended i n i t s completion and f u l f i l m e n t i n C h r i s t , Mother Pecheux f i n d s t h a t "even i n t i e l a s t books i t i s l e s s perhaps t h a t Eve i s absorbed i n Mary than t h a t Mary 1
i s absorbed i n E v e " ^ . A f t e r the reader has put the poem aside, fee epic undergoes a r e t r o s p e c t i v e rearrangement.
As he becomes more f u l l y aware of these
r e c u r r i n g patterns of emphasiB, the underlying design o f the f i n a l books i s seen t o develop i n a way which proves t o be not only l i n e a r but also c y c l i c a l i n arrangement.
I t i s , of course, l i n e a r because
from l i n e t o l i n e , page t o page and book t o book, the n a r r a t i v e f o l l o w s the course of human h i s t o r y t o i t s f i n a l end i n " t h i s world's d i s s o l u t i o n " ( X I I . 4 5 9 ) and the r a i s i n g of a "New heaven (IIIo335)o
and earth"
But i t i s also o y c l i c a l because u n t i l t h i s culminating
a c t of r e - c r e a t i o n human nature c o n t i n u a l l y lapses and a f t e r each successive r e v e r s i o n t o chaos or 'uncreation' the work o f c r e a t i o n must
be repeated and God's covenant w i t h h i s f a i t h f u l reanant renewed.
0 350
However, while on the one hand c y c l i c a l p a t t e r n and l i n e a r progress seem t o combine f r u i t f u l l y together i n a s p i r a l of progression, on the other hand these two readings of human h i s t o r y are perhaps u l t i m a t e l y i r r e c o n c i l a b l e , and the ambivalence of the poem's close may be i n p a r t due to t h i s The Reformers' emphasis upon St„Paul's a p p l i c a t i o n t o Man's s a l v a t i o n of Isaiah's prophecy, "Though the number of the c h i l d r e n of I s r a e l be as the sand of the sea only a remnant s h a l l be saved", i n e v i t a b l y l e d t o a p e s s i m i s t i c view of human history,, While M i l t o n held t h a t God's mercy i s f r e e l y o f f e r e d to a l l , ^ he also believed t h a t only a small p r o p o r t i o n would a v a i l themselves of grace. Again and again the s a l v a t i o n of the f a i t h f u l remnant i s contrasted w i t h the f a t e of the general mass of humanity. The p a t t e r n i s c l e a r l y p r e f i g u r e d by A b d i e l ' s stand against Satan and h i s t r a i n . The seraph i s the only Angel " f a i t h f u l found,/Among e
1 0
the f a i t h l e s s , f a i t h f u l only he" ( V . 8 9 6 - 9 7 ) .
However, the theme
of the f a i t h f u l remnant, the m i n o r i t y remaining f a i t h f u l t o God
out
of a group, n a t i o n or race who have f a l l e n away, recurs as a l e i t m o t i v i n the l a s t two books w i t h i n c r e a s i n g s t r u c t u r a l and poetic emphasis. We f i n d :
Enoch, "The
only righteous i n a world perverse"
(XI.701)}
Noah, "the only son of l i g h t / i n a dark age" ( X I . 8 0 8 - 9 ) , the "one man"
just
( X I . 8 9 0 ) among "one whole world/Of wicked sons" (XI.874-75);
and a l l those who f o l l o w C h r i s t a f t e r h i s Resurrection and
before
the Second Coming are described as "the few/His i a i t h f u l , l e f t among the u n f a i t h f u l herd" ( X I I . 4 6 0 - 8 2 ) .
Indeed, w i t h the f a i l u r e
of the Commonwealth and the Restoration of the Monarchy, the poet's own
'dark age' i n which he can only hope to f i n d a " f i t audience..,
though few" (VII.31) i s i t s e l f s u b t l y drawn i n t o t h i s p a t t e r n .
1 0 7
Moreover, despite M a r j o r i e Nicholson's p r o t e s t a t i o n s t o the c o n t r a r y , Milton's vision of human h i s t o r y shows many features i n common w i t h "the 'degenerative' theory, i m p l i e d t o some extent i n the c l a s s i c a l Four Ages and f r e q u e n t l y read i n t o Genesis, a pessimistic
4 351
108 theory o f t e n very acute among Reformation teachers" . We watch a s the prelapsaxian world of Man's innocence ends w i t h the image of the d i v i n e ''defaced' by s i n . We see how "from t h a t s i n " Man derives " c o r r u p t i o n to b r i n g f o r t h more v i o l e n t deeds" (XI.427-28) t i l l " a l l ... t u r n degenerate a l l depraved" ( X I . 5 0 6 ) , while even a f t e r the Flood the " l a t t e r , as the former w o r l d y s t i l l tendfsj from bad t o worse" ( X I I . 105-6). Only w i t h the f i n a l End w i l l the degenerative process of human h i s t o r y come to a h a l t .
The p e s s i m i s t i c s t r a i n i n Ovid's account of the c r e a t i o n of Man r e a d i l y accommodates i t s e l f t o such a view.
The emphasis on Man's
o r i g i n a l d i v i n e stock, " d i v i n o aemine" (Met. 1.78) and exalted p o s i t i o n as "Sanctius ... animal" (Met. 1.76) " F i n x i t i n e f f i g i e m moderantum cuncta deorum" (Met.1.85) r a p i d l y disappears w i t h the Golden Age. I n the locus c l a s s i c u s f o r the Ages of Man, Mankind s t e a d i l y declines u n t i l the Age of I r o n when " p r o t i n u s i n r u p i t venae p e i o r i s i n aevum/ omne nefas" (Met.1.128-29) and the o r i g i n a l stock i s f i n a l l y eradicated t o be replaced by "subolem ... p r i o r i / d i s s i m i l e m populo ... o r i g i n e mira" (Met.1.251-52) as ve have seen.
Rather than
emphasize f a l l e n Man's s p i r i t u a l p o t e n t i a l , h i s k i n s h i p to God
and
h i s a b i l i t y t o r e f i n e himself "By f a i t h and f a i t h f u l works" ( X I . 6 4 ) , M i l t o n d w e l l s on h i s weakness, h i s l i m i t a t i o n s , and h i s capacity f o r v i o l e n c e and e v i l , and h i s f o r g e t f u l n e s s of h i s Maker. o f t e n see, i f not "the image of God"
We more
then the image of Man - as
Michael corrects us- once "so goodly and e r e c t " (XI^O*?) (XI.501), "debased" (XI.510) and "defaced"
"degraded"
(IX.901) r a t h e r than
r a i s e d "eminent/in wise deport" ( X I . 6 6 5 - 6 ) . Nor does M i l t o n allow us to g a i n any oonaolation from the 109 t e c h n o l o g i c a l advances of c i v i l i s a t i o n
t h a t accompany the F a l l
?
.
This i s given added p o i n t i f we bear i n mind t h a t the s t o r y of Deucalion and Pyrrha and the t r a n s f o r m a t i o n o f stones i n t o the human
352
race had o f t e n been i n t e r p r e t e d as an a e t i o l o g i c a l myth e x p l a i n i n g , 110 the
o r i g i n of c i v i l i s a t i o n and how "salvage men"
were "made c i v i l "
Indeed, i n the Georgics, V i r g i l had constrasted unfavourably the " s o f t p r i m i t i v i s m " of the Golden Age w i t h the developments of c i v i l i s a t i o n t h a t attended the change from t h e ease and abundance 11 of the f i r s t age t o the hard l o t of the race of Deucalion and
Pyrrha
According t o the theodicy o u t l i n e d i n t i e f i r s t book of the Georgics /the change was an example of d i v i n e providence and not a punishment f o r Han's wickedness. the
By s e t t i n g i n t r a i n the cycle of
seasonsp J u p i t e r b e s t i r r e d mankind by compelling Man " t o labor„ 112
to t h i n k , and t o i n v e n t "
.
However, as c r i t i c s have r e c e n t l y come to recognize, the idea of
" e f f o r t l e s s i n n o c e n c e " ^ ' i s t o t a l l y a l i e n t o M i l t o n ' s paradise.
Only the animals i n Eden, "Rove i d l e unemployed" (IV.617){ hath h i s d a i l y work o f body or mind" (IV.618).
"Man
There i s thus nothing
passive about M i l t o n ' s concept of l i f e before the F a l l and i n t h i s , as Evans p e r c e p t i v e l y observes, he " r e v o l u t i o n i z e d the t r a d i t i o n a l 114 view of Eden and pre-lapsarian Man"
.
M i l t o n ' s commitment to h i s
b e l i e f t h a t Man's o r i g i n a l c o n d i t i o n was p e r f e c t and contained a l l things t h a t were necessary f o r h i s d i g n i t y and happiness, l e d t o the
novel balance struck between V i r g i l i a n
mollia otia .
durue labor
and Ovidian
I n paradise, Adam and Eve's "sweet gardening labour
... made ease/More easy" (IV.328-330).
Once again u n f a l i e n Man's
r o l e as a gardener demonstrates that innocence i s t o be regarded as a s t a t e of e q u i l i b r i u m i n which a l l the energies proper t o human l i f e have f u l l expression and are held i n balance
0
The apparent advantages and b e n e f i t s of c i v i l i s a t i o n e x i s t , M i l t o n repeatedly i n s i s t s , only as measures t o r e p a i r the damage caused by the F a l l and would, i n an u n f a l l e n w o r l d , be unnecessary 115 and superfluous
.
This view i s expressed a t various p o i n t s i n
353
the n a r r a t i v e but nowhere more strongly than i n Raphael's v i s i t to the n u p t i a l bower„ Adam and Eve greet and e n t e r t a i n t h e i r guest without any o f the trappings of c i v i l i s a t i o n , a n d the simple b u t d i g n i f i e d p e r f e c t i o n o f t h e i r state of innocence i s repeatedly contrasted w i t h the s u p e r f i c i a l refinements of f a l l e n c u l t u r e s .
Moreover, i n the hands of those f o r g e t f u l o f t h e i r Maker the "arts t h a t p o l i s h l i f e " (XI.610) are shown t o be 'depraved from good' . Thus our response
t o the "technological and aesthetic
11
innovations" ^
of the sons of Lamech and descendants o f Cain, Jubal, "the f a t h e r of a l l such as handle the harp and organ" and Tubal=Cain, "the 117 i n s t r u c t o r of every a r t i f i c e r i n brass and i r o n " ', " o f t e n i n t e r p r e t e d 118 as ... important steps i n the h i s t o r y of c i v i l i s a t i o n "
, is
immediately q u a l i f i e d by our r e c o l l e c t i o n o f a passage i n Book I (11.700-12) "where the a r t s of music and metal-working" had been 119 "again associated" , and where "Milton himself presses home the 120 human relevance o f what i s happening ... i n H e l l "
.
This i m p l i c i t c r i t i c i s m i s confirmed by the n a r r a t i v e sequel. "A bevy o f f a i r women" s i n g i n g "Soft amorous d i t t i e s " " t o the harp" (XI.582-84) ensnare " t h a t sober race o f men" (XI.621), the descendants 121 of Seth.
These f a i r but c o r r u p t l y sophisticated
Eve have i n h e r i t e d only her softness and beauty.
daughters o f A comparison w i t h
Eve h e r s e l f i n a l l her r i c h complexity h i g h l i g h t s the d i f f e r e n c e . I n the s t a t e o f innocence Eve i s able to u n i t e w i f e l y v i r t u e s concerned w i t h "household) good", here described as "Woman's domestic honour and c h i e f p r a i s e " (XI.617), w i t h the graces of Venus, and t o 122 attend t o her garden without seeming i n any way r u s t i c a . Indeed, t o some extent the q u a l i t i e s of 'hard' and ' s o f t ' combine harmoniously i n Eve h e r s e l f as well as i n her marriage t o Adam, though, as we have seen, even the perfect e q u i l i b r i u m o f innocence o f t e n trembles i n the balance.
However, i n the f a l l e n world no trace remains o f the poss-
i b i l i t y t h a t 'hard' and ' s o f t ' may be complementary r a t h e r than opposing
354
forces.
The feminine p r i n c i p l e "becomes a powerful f o r c e which 12
threatens t o enervate and emasculate," ^
while the masculine
p r i n c i p l e r a p i d l y degenerates i n t o a m i l i t a r y e t h i c of "valour and heroic v i r t u e " (XI.690). And indeed, the rediscovery of metallurgy proves even more ominous.
While M i l t o n passes over i n t e l l i n g s i l e n c e "what e l s e "
besides " t o o l s " might "be wrought/Pusile
1 2
o r graven i n m e t a l " ^
( X I . 72-3), i t brings us closer t o the time when, prompted by Mammon, "Men a l s o " w i l l have I the centre, and w i t h impious hands R i f l e d the bowels of t h e i r mother earth For treasures b e t t e r h i d . Ransa.cke
(1.686-88) These l i n e s i n t u r n lead us d i r e c t l y back t o Ovid's account o f Man's degeneration i n the f i r s t book o f the Metamorphoses and the t r a d i t i o n that the impious I r o n Age began when Man f i r s t ... itum est i n viscera t e r r a e , quasque recondiderat Stygiisque admoverat umbris, e f f o d i u n t u r opes, i n r i t a m e n t a malorum. (Met.1.138-40)
125
But they a l s o remind us of how Satan "digged up" the " e n t r a i l s " of heaven f o r firearms (VI.516-17).
Moreover, while "the brazen
t h r o a t of war" (XI.713) seems reminiscent o f Ovid's p o r t r a y a l o f the Golden Age as a time when "nondum ... a e r i s oornua f l e z i
erat"
(Met.1.97-98), i t also appears to be an "image o f seventeenth-century 126 cannon"
and thus looks back to Satan's "hollow engines" (VI.484)
and " t h e i r balls/Of missive r u i n " (VI.518-19).
I n t h i s way M i l t o n
s u b t l y suggests t h a t these "inventors r a r e " (XI.610) have taken the 127 128 f i r s t step towards rediscovering ' t h i s pernicious " i n v e n t i o n " of the F a l l e n Angels. The C i v i l War had l e f t i t s aark on M i l t o n
355 and
hi8 epic.
Further support f o r t h i B g e n e r a l l i n e of I n t e r p r e t a t i o n by
the dark v i B i o n which immediately u n f o l d s .
IB
presented
The Boene opens t o
reveal Nan f u l l y armed and already bent "on war and mutual s l a u g h t e r " (VI.506).
There are obvious s i m i l a r i t i e s between the Giants of t h i s
v i o l e n t age and " i l i a propago" of men
which
"contemptrix Buperum saevaeque
a v i d i s s i m i a caedio e t v i o l e n t a " thus t e s t i f i e d t o i t s o r i g i n from the blood of the Giants (Met.I.160-2).
Once again Ovidian imagery strengthens
t h e l i n k between these "Destroyers ... of men" Angels
129
( X I 6 9 7 ) and the F a l l e n 0
1 V) the emphatic references t o the "Giants" • ' r e l a t e p o i n t e d l y
to the d e s c r i p t i o n s of the F a l l e n Angels i n the f i r s t book of the poem where, as C o l l e t t p o i n t s o u t , " a l l the m y t h o l o g i c a l r e f e r e n c e s , w i t h the 1
exception of Mulciber a t the end, are t o the T i t a n s " ' 1
born" Giants t h a t "warred on l o v e " ( I . 1 9 8 ) . '
2
1
and the "Earth-
L i k e h i s Augustan
predecessors, M i l t o n t r e a t s the r e v o l t s o f the T i t a n s and Giants as v i r t u a l l y synonymous, f o r m i n g together an i n c l u s i v e p o e t i c symbol o f e v i l , 1
violence, d e s t r u c t i o n and d i s o r d e r . ' ^ Again, w h i l e Ovid h a i l s the Golden Age as a time of peace " B i n e m i l l t i b u s usu" i n which " m o l l i a s e c u r a e peragebant
o t i a gentes" (Met.I.99-100), i n M i l t o n ' s v i s i o n
of a world thrown out o f balance
even "peace" now harbours i t s own
e v i l s and,is as l i k e l y " t o corrupt"as"war t o waste" ( X I . 1 8 4 ) . Ovid's v i s i o n of human h i s t o r y i s s u b t l y i r o n i c r a t h e r than darkly pessimistic.
I n h i s view the only enduring achievements are
the products of the human mind.
From the i n i t i a l , grand conception
of a d i v i n e l y ordained cosmos, t h e universe o f the Metamorphoses s t e a d i l y d e c l i n e s i n t o purposeless f l u x i n an i n e x o r a b l e movement "ad ferrum ... ab aura" (Met.XV.260).
I n the f i n a l books t h i s
underlying theme forms a s t r i d e n t l y i r o n i c c o u n t e r p o i n t t o t h e n a r r a t i v e movement which o s t e n s i b l y works towards the c u l m i n a t i o n o f J u p i t e r ' s plans f o r mankind i n the renewal o f the Golden Age under
Augustus.
Ovid undoubtedly casts a s l y glance a t the Augustan myth i n t h e f i n a l
356 lines all
of t h e poem.
things
Augustus's r e i g n , t h e very empire i t s e l f i s ,
like
i n t h i s w o r l d of m e t a m o r p h o s e B , ^ ^ doomed to pass.
I n c o n t r a s t , M i l t o n ' s view i s d e e p l y ambivalent. i s , of c o u r s e , o f f s e t by h i s c o n f i d e n c e the f a i t h f u l and
His pessimism
i n the promised reward of
tie transcendent meaning of human h i s t o r y , but i t
cannot be discounted and challenges any complacent o v e r s i m p l i f i c a t i o n of h i s f i n a l p o s i t i o n .
The two c o n f l i c t i n g s t r a i n s remain unresolved,
M a r j o r i e Nicholson, n o t i n g M i l t o n ' s expression of the paradox of the f e l i x culpa, voiced i n Adam's j o y f u l o u t b u r s t i n Book Twelve (11.4697 8 ) , c o n f i d e n t l y a f f i r m s t h a t the f i n a l mood of the poem i s triumph 1 35 not despair.
Other readers have f e l t more uneasy about M i l t o n ' s
f a i l u r e or d e l i b e r a t e r e f u s a l t o r e c o n c i l e the opposing elements of 1
t h i s p a r a d o x . ^ No s i n g l e impression i s allowed to p r e v a i l , as W.R. Johnson puts i t , "the poem's j o y does not triumph over i t s tragedy", indeed, the most t h a t can be s a i d i s t h a t i n the f i n a l l i n e s , "the j o y and tragedy f i n d a profound and d r e a d f u l equipoise, an equipoise 1 37 t h a t one f e e l s t o be i n s e c u r e " .
Milton's t h o u g h t s and and we and
c a p a c i t y t o accommodate s u c h p o w e r f u l l y
ambivalent
f e e l i n g s seems t o be n e a r t h e h e a r t o f h i s p o e t i c
i s c e n t r a l to the continuing have s e e n i n t h i s a r e t o be
t o a n a l y s e and
study,
v i t a l i t y o f h i s work.
Indeed,
dynamic t e n s i o n s p e r v a d e P a r a d i s e
found i n a l l t h e m a j o r poems. account for t h i s
greatness as
Lost
C r i t i c s have a t t e m p t e d
i n v a r i o u s ways.
They r e m i n d us
that
138 M i l t o n was
both a t h e o l o g i a n
and
a poet,
"a man
of the
Renaissance
139 a s w e l l a s a P u r i t a n . " and
the problematic
p o s i t i o n and
divided
357
a l l e g i a n c e o f t h e ' p u r i t a n h u m a n i s t ' h a s been f u l l y
explored.
C l o s e l y r e l a t e d t o t h i s d u a l i s t i c p e r s p e c t i v e on M i l t o n c o n f l i c t many r e a d e r s have s e n s e d
between t h e ' c o n s c i o u s ' and 'un-
c o n s c i o u s meaning' o f t h e poem.141 to
c e n t r e almost
and
Milton's
This c r i t i c a l
c o n t r o v e r s y has tended
e x c l u s i v e l y upon t h e q u e s t i o n o f S a t a n ' s
treatment
i s the
status i n the epic
o f c l a s s i c a l myth, b u t more r e c e n t l y c r i t i c s
begun t o r e c o g n i s e t h a t i t h a s some b e a r i n g on M i l t o n ' s
have
complex
c h a r a c t e r i s a t i o n o f E v e and h e r r e l a t i o n s h i p t o Adam.
Waldock was among t h o s e who r e a c t e d most v i o l e n t l y t o what was felt
t o be t h e e f f e c t s o f M i l t o n ' s f a i l u r e t o r e c o n c i l e c o n t r a d i c t o r y
142 t h o u g h t s and f e e l i n g s . "a f u n d a m e n t a l c l a s h and
He saw t h i s i n t e r m s o f a c o m p l e t e
... between what t h e poem a s s e r t s on t h e one hand,
what i t c o m p e l s u s t o f e e l on t h e o t h e r , " w h i c h , i n h i s e y e s ,
m a r r e d t h e poem i r r e m e d i a b l y .
" p a r a d i s e L o s t does n o t p r o f o u n d l y
s a t i s f y u s , " he went on t o a r g u e , at
bifurcation,
the heart of
i t . "
Other c r i t i c s extending
1
4
"because o f t h e embedded a m b i g u i t y
3
have d e v e l o p e d Waldock's o r i g i n a l p o s i t i o n ,
i t beyond t h e n o t i o n o f a s i m p l e , r a d i c a l d i c h o t o m y between
t h e n a r r a t i v e i d e a and t h e a f f e c t i v e d i m e n s i o n o f t h e poem, and have concluded
t h a t perhaps M i l t o n had d e l i b e r a t e l y f a i l e d t o r e c o n c i l e t h e
o p p o s i n g e l e m e n t s i n h i s poem i n a way t h a t Waldock would f e e l t o be s a t i s f a c t o r y and s a t i s f y i n g .
As R o b e r t
Adams e x p l a i n s :
The antimony on w h i c h M i l t o n ' s work c e n t e r s u n d e r g o e s a f u l l e x p l o r a t i o n , n o t a f u l l r e s o l u t i o n ; we a d m i r e not t h e formal p e r f e c t i o n w i t h which a c o n c l u s i o n i s worked o u t , b u t t h e t r u t h and e n e r g y w i t h w h i c h a c o n c l u s i o n i s e x p l o r e d ... 144
358
Moreover, a m b i g u i t y
" f a r from b e i n g a f a u l t " i s now more w i d e l y
r e c o g n i s e d a s one o f t h e most i m p o r t a n t complex v i s i o n
and e x c i t i n g a s p e c t s o f M i l t o n ' s
i n P a r a d i s e L o s t and, i n d e e d , a s t h e v e r y " s o u r c e o f t h e
145 poem's power." S i m i l a r l y , t h e p o r t r a i t o f M i l t o n and h i s t a s t e s a n d i n t e r e s t s t h a t we g l i m p s e developed gained
i n complexity.
W h i l e i t may w e l l be f e l t
t h a t what we have
" i n breadth and s u b t l e t y " i n our understanding
have l o s t are
i n modern s c h o l a r s h i p h a s s o f t e n e d c o n s i d e r a b l y and
i n coherence,"
Adams i s s u r e l y r i g h t
of Milton,
"we
i n c o n c l u d i n g t h a t we
" t h e r i c h e r i n b e i n g a b l e t o s e e l i g h t , a r t i s t r y and h u m a n i t y where
t h e n i n e t e e n t h c e n t u r y saw o n l y gloom and m o r a l e a r n e s t n e s s t e m p e r e d by o r g a n m u s i c . "
\
I n c o n n e c t i o n w i t h t h i s , we may remember t h a t a l t h o u g h De Q u i n c e y once s u g g e s t i v e l y l i k e n e d t h e l a s t i n g bond between and O v i d
t o " t h e wedding o f male and f e m a l e
a t t r i b u t e d Ovid's
Thomas Milton
c o u n t e r p a r t s " , he
h o l d upon M i l t o n ' s i m a g i n a t i o n t o an a t t r a c t i o n o f
o p p o s i t e s r a t h e r t h a n t o a n y form o f n a t u r a l a f f i n i t y between t h e two poets,
Ovid's
... f e s t a l g a i e t y , and t h e b r i l l i a n t v e l o c i t y o f h i s a u r o r a b o r e a l i s i n t e l l e c t f o r m i n g a deep n a t u r a l e q u i p o i s e t o t h e m i g h t y gloom and solemn p l a n e t a r y movement i n t h e mind o f t h e o t h e r ,.. 147
C r i t i c s a r e now more i n c l i n e d t o s e e s u c h a d i v i s i o n , w h e t h e r o f complementary o r s h a r p l y a n t i t h e t i c a l a s p e c t s , p r e s e n t w i t h i n M i l t o n ' s own mind.
Adams o b s e r v e s t h a t " t h e s o r t o f t e n s i o n on w h i c h h i s p o e t i c
148 style
i sbuilt
i s one w i t h i n t h e p o e t ' s
Saunders i d e n t i f i e s t h i s
temperament,"
w h i l e J. W.
"temperamental c o n t r a d i c t i o n " a s "a n a t u r a l
359
and e x u b e r a n t
sensuousness, a love of l i f e i n a l l i t s f e r t i l i t y "
combined w i t h "an a s c e t i c p h i l o s o p h y , a p a s s i o n f o r d i s c i p l i n e
in a l l
149 its
austerity." In
Paradise Lost Milton maintains the "balance o r r e c o n c i l i a t i o n
150 of
o p p o s i t e and d i s c o r d a n t q u a l i t i e s " t h a t C o l e r i d g e found s o e s s e n t i a l
to
poetry.
When w r i t i n g h i s e p i c , M i l t o n embraced b o t h t h e Metamorphoses
and t h e B i b l e , t h e i m a g i n a t i v e t r u t h o f pagan s y m b o l i s m a n d t h e l i t e r a l t r u t h o f G e n e s i s , sensuous
beauty
and O l d T e s t a m e n t
austerity.
In this
poem, where n e i t h e r s i d e i s d i v o r c e d from t h e o t h e r , t h e t e n s i o n i s p r o d u c t i v e , a s o u r c e o f combined s t r e n g t h r a t h e r t h a n d i v i s i v e
weakness.
I n d e e d , t h e m a r r i a g e o f Adam and E v e may be r e g a r d e d a s t h e f r u i t and symbol o f t h e wedding o f t h e s e two d i f f e r e n t a s p e c t s o f M i l t o n ' s p o e t i c g e n i u s a n d t h e way i n w h i c h analogy
l i e s beneath
t h e y work t o g e t h e r i n t h e poem.
Christopher Ricks' conclusion that,
best, Milton's s t y l e i s remarkable
had
s o f t and a m i a b l y
F o r a t times i t i s almost a s i f t h e s e opposing
been d i s t i l l e d
"At i t s v e r y
f o r i t s simultaneous combination of
what i s e n e r g e t i c a l l y s t r o n g w i t h what i s w i n n i n g mild."'*""'*
Such an
principles
i n t o two s e p a r a t e e s s e n c e s , p r o j e c t e d and embodied
i n t h e human p a i r . So t o o , t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p o f t h e s e o p p o s i n g
principles i s as
complex a s t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p o f Adam and E v e b e f o r e t h e F a l l when t h e m a s c u l i n e and f e m i n i n e p r i n c i p l e s , though h e l d i n e q u i l i b r i u m , a r e sometimes s e e n a s complementary and a t o t h e r t i m e s a s c o n t e n d i n g f o r c e s , o r , then a g a i n , a s combining together i n a p a t t e r n o f h i g h e r and
lower v a l u e .
T h a t one a s p e c t c o u l d n o t be h e l d s u b j e c t t o t h e
o t h e r i s one o f t h e k e y s t o t h e c o m p r e h e n s i v e n e s s
o f the world
Milton
4
360
c r e a t e d i n P a r a d i s e L o s t , i t s e l f a transcendent union of D i s c o r s '• c o n c o r d i a f e t i b u s a p t a e s t .
(Met.
contraries'.
I . 433)
J61
Notes.
1.
J o a n M a l o r y Webber,'The P o l i t i c s o f P o e t r y : F e m i n i s m and P a r a d i s e Lost', p. 14.
2.
Hermann F r a n k e l , O v i d , A P o e t between Two p. 76.
3
S A ,1.
4.
T h i s p o i n t h a s a l s o been made by S h a r o n C. S e e l i g i n a p a p e r d e l i v e r e d a t t h e Annual C o n v e n t i o n o f t h e N o r t h e a s t MLA a t t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f Vermont, B u r l i n g t o n (8-10 A p r i l 1 9 7 6 ) . An a b s t r a c t o f t h i s p a p e r , 'Our G e n e r a l Mother: The P a t t e r n f o r Mankind' i s p u b l i s h e d i n M£ X (1976) p.24.
5.
Note t o o Adam's i n t e n t i o n " t o l i v e
6.
C o l l e t t , p.94; p.88.
7.
Knott, Milton's P a s t o r a l V i s i o n ,
8.
I n c i d e n t a l l y , t h i s i n t e r p r e t a t i o n answers B e n t l e y ' s reproof, "Why y e t ? a s i f something had p r e c e d e d , t h a t was d i m i n i s h i n g o f them." (note t o X I . 8)-
9.
Wayne Shumaker, U n p r e m e d i t a t e d V e r s e : F e e l i n g and P e r c e p t i o n i n ' P a r a d i s e L o s t ' ( P r i n c e t o n , New J e r s e y ; 1 9 6 7 ) , pp.198-200.
10.
C h r i s t o p h e r G r o s e , ' M i l t o n on R a m i s t S i m i l i t u d e ' p u b l i s h e d i n S e v e n t e e n t h - C e n t u r y I m a g e r y : E s s a y s on U s e s o f F i g u r o j Language from Donne t o F a r g u h a r , e d . E a r l M i n e r ( 1 9 7 1 ) , p . 1 1 5 .
11.
Worlds
(Berkeley, 1945),
1036.
savage"
( I X . 1085,
my
emphasis).
p.124.
Summers, The Muse's Method, p . 1 7 6 . I i n t e n d my f i n d i n g s t o c o m p l e m e n t Summers' i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f E v e ' s r o l e h e r e , e x p r e s s e d i n 'The V o i c e o f t h e Redeemer' (pp. 1 7 6 - 8 5 ) . His c a r e f u l comparison of the "sounds" o f E v e ' s s p e e c h (X. 933-36) w i t h t h e S o n ' s " l o v i n g o f f e r " t o redeem Man ( I I I . 236-41) l e a d s him t o c o n c l u d e t h a t Eve i s s e e n h e r e " m i r r o r [ i n g } t h e r e d e m p t i v e a c t i o n s o f t h e Son" (p.178-79).
362
12.
c f . Adain's comment t h a t : ^ M i l t o n ' s ] u s u a l manner o f a d a p t i n g t h e p h r a s e s o f o t h e r s n e v e r i n v o l v e s t h e o b s c u r i n g o f h i s own l i n e s ; a n echo from V i r g i l o r O v i d i s p r e s e n t e d a s l a g n i a p p e f o r t h e l e a r n e d , but i t d o e s n o t s u b s t i t u t e f o r sense i n the E n g l i s h . (p.156)
12a..
11. 377-80 a r e quoted by Shumaker, b u t o n l y t o draw a t t e n t i o n t o " t h e a m b i g u i t y o f m e r s i s " and " t h e s u g g e s t i v e n e s s , i n t h i s c o n t e x t , of dannum" (Unpremeditated V e r s e , p . 2 0 0 ) .
13.
F r a n k e l , O v i d , A Poet between Two
14.
i b i d . , p.77; n o t e 11
15.
N i c h o l s o n , p.304. She adds t h e q u a l i f i c a t i o n , "so f a r a s [ E v e ] i s c o n c e r n e d , " but see t h e a p p e n d i x , 'The F r u i t l e s s H o u r s ' where I a r g u e t h a t Adam i s c o m p l e t e l y u n r e g e n e r a t e a t t h i s p o i n t .
16.
The a c t i o n o f w a t e r upon s t o n e y i e l d e d a s e n t e n t i a f a m i l i a r b o t h from t h e B i b l e (eg. Job XIV. 19) and t h e C l a s s i c s ( e g . L u c r e t i u s De Rerum N a t u r a I V . 1286-87) and t o be found i n c u r r e n t p r o v e r b i a l e x p r e s s i o n s s u c h as " C o n s t a n t d r o p p i n g w i l l wear t h e s t o n e " (M. P. T i l l e y , A D i c t i o n a r y o f P r o v e r b s i n E n g l a n d i n t h e S i x t e e n t h and S e v e n t e e n t h C e n t u r i e s T"l950] p.618) . M o r e o v e r , i t s o b v i o u s f i g u r a t i v e a p p l i c a t i o n was e q u a l l y commonplace a s Samuel D a n i e l ' s s o n n e t , D e l i a X I . 1-3 and 9-14 (1601) o r S h a k e s p e a r e ' s l i n e , "Her t e a r s w i l l p i e r c e i n t c a m a r b l e h e a r t , " a d e q u a t e l y t e s t i f y . K i n g Henry V I , P a r t I I I , I I I . i . 3 8 from The New Arden E d i t i o n o f t h e Works o f W i l l i a m S h a k e s p e a r e , ed. Andrew S. C a i n c r o s s ( 1 9 6 4 ) .
17.
The O x f o r d D i c t i o n a r y of E n g l i s h E t y m o l o g y , e d . C. T. O n i o n s , a s s i s t e d by G. W. S. F r i e d r i c h s e n and R. W. B u r c h f i e l d ( R e p r . New Y o r k , 1 9 7 4 ) .
18.
Webber, 'The P o l i t i c s of Poetry-.Feminism a n d P a r a d i s e L o s t ' , ? . l3.From t h e moment o f E v e ' s c r e a t i o n we o b s e r v e how Adain's m a s c u l i n e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s a r e tempered by E v e ' s s o f t e n i n g p r e s e n c e . Adam d e s c r i b e s how Eve " i n f u s e d s w e e t n e s s i n t o [ h i s } h e a r t / U n f e l t b e f o r e " ( V I I I . 474-75). c f . L u c r e t i u s De Rerum N a t u r a V. 1011-14, where p r i m i t i v e man's o r i g i n a l h a r d n e s s has t o be s o f t e n e d b e f o r e human s o c i e t y can evolve.
19.
R i c k s , M i l t o n ' s Grand
W o r l d s , p.77,
(quoted i n s q u a r e b r a c k e t s ) i s p r i n t e d on p.210.
Style,
pp.89-90.
363
20.
Webber, 'The P o l i t i c s o f P o e t r y ; Feminism and
P a r a d i s e L o s t ' , p.18.
21.
M i l t o n ' s Samson r e a c h e s a s i m i l a r c o n c l u s i o n (SA ,11.406-10), and c f . 1.534 where he d e s c r i b e s h i m s e l f a s " s o f t e n e d w i t h p l e a s u r e and v o l u p t u o u s l i f e " (emphasis a d d e d ) .
2 1a.
c f . the c u r s e of Hermaphroditus: " q u i s q u i s i n hos f o n t e s v i r v e n e r i t , exeat inde semivir et t a c t i s subito mollescat i n u n d i s l "
(Met. I V . 385-86)
22.
c f . Goodman's e x h o r t a t i o n s t o t h e " H a r d - h e a r t e d man",(The F a l l o f Man, and c o n s i d e r t h e r e v e a l i n g e m p h a s i s i n t h e n a r r a t o r ' s comment ( X I . 494-98) a s Adam c o n f r o n t s t h e many f a c e s o f d e a t h : S i g h t so deform what h e a r t o f r o c k c o u l d l o n g D r y - e y e d b e h o l d ? Adam c o u l d n o t , but wept, Though not o f woman b o r n ; c o m p a s s i o n q u e l l e d H i s b e s t o f man, and gave him up t o t e a r s A space, t i l l f i r m e r thoughts r e s t r a i n e d e x c e s s .
23.
K i n g Henry V I , P a r t I I I ,
I.iv.140-142.
24.
Don P a r r y N o r f o r d a l s o "wonders w i t h Adam why God c r e a t e d t h e f e m a l e ... i n s t e a d o f f i n d i n g 'some o t h e r way t o g e n e r a t e / M a n k i n d ' " (X. 894-95). A l t h o u g h c r e a t e d " e s s e n t i a l l y good" he m a i n t a i n s t h a t she i s " p e c u l i a r l y l i a b l e t o be 'depraved from good"', and t h a t t h e r e i s t h u s an " i n t i m a t e a f f i n i t y o f e v i l w i t h E v e " , "'My O t h e r H a l f " : The C o i n c i d e n c e o f O p p o s i t e s i n P a r a d i s e L o s t ' , p. 33. Y e t a f t e r t h e F a l l E v e ' s "sweet a t t r a c t i v e g r a c e " ( I V . 298) draws Adam t o r e p e n t a n c e and h e i g h t e n s h e r r e s e m b l a n c e t o t h e Son a s an i n s t r u m e n t o f g r a c e r a t h e r t h a n l o o k s b a c k t o an a s s o c i a t i o n w i t h S i n who a l s o d i s p l a y e d " a t t r a c t i v e g r a c e s " ( I I . 762). c f . D o r o t h y Durke M i l l e r , 'Eve', JEGP L X I (1962), p.544 and S a u r a t ' s comment, q u o t e d w i t h a p p r o v a l by Empson, t h a t "Here M i l t o n h a p p i l y f o r g e t s h i s t h e o r i e s o f t h e predominance o f r e a s o n , and t h e i n f l u e n c e of 'female charm' on Adam i s t h i s t i m e h i s s a l v a t i o n " , M i l t o n ' s God ( 1 9 6 1 ) , p . 1 6 7 . For a v e r y d i f f e r e n t i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f E v e ' s r o l e h e r e see D e m e t r a k o p o u l o s , ' E v e a s a C i r c e a n and C o u r t l y F a t a l Woman', note 12, p.107.
25.
I t seems i n t e r e s t i n g t o r e c a l l i n p a s s i n g t h e power p o s s e s s e d w a t e r i n Comus. Some "Drops" from S a b r i n a ' s " f o u n t a i n p u r e " (11.911-12) "thaw t h e numbing s p e l l " (1.852) w h i c h k e e p s t h e Lady " I n s t o n y f e t t e r s f i x e d " (1.818).
by
p.256)
364
26.
B e n t l e y o b j e c t e d t o " s o f t " i n t h i s c o n t e x t "on t h e ground t h a t i f E v e ' s form were s o f t e r t h a n a n g e l i c s h e would be a l t o g e t h e r f l u i d and 'no f i t Mate f o r h e r Husband'"; F o w l e r e f f e c t i v e l y a n s w e r s Bentley'"s c o m p l a i n t w i t h a t i m e l y r e m i n d e r t h a t " s o f t " need n o t a l w a y s and o n l y mean" ' p h y s i c a l l y y i e l d i n g and f l e x i b l e ' " , b u t may e q u a l l y s u g g e s t " ' g e n t l e ; f r e e from s e v e r i t y o r r i g o u r * (OED I I 8 ) " , pp.465-66.
27.
But f o r a l e s s p o s i t i v e v i e w of t h i s S e v e r e s t t e m p e r " see_PR I I . 163-68.
28.
See Met. X. 242, where t h e P r o p o e t i d e s a r e changed " i n r i g i d u m jparvo s i l i c e m d i s c r i m i n e . "
28a-
N i c h o l s o n , p.236.
29.
C o n s i d e r B l a m i r e s M i l t o n ' s C r e a t i o n , pp.71-73 and F o w l e r , note t o I I I . 1 4 4 , p.151 and I I . 405-6, p.166. See t o o E v a n s ' p e r s u a s i v e t h e o r y t h a t we s e e h e r e v e s t i g e s o f t h e l o n g - s t a n d i n g t r a d i t i o n o f a d e b a t e between t h e f o u r d a u g h t e r s o f God and t h a t t h e s p e e c h e s o f J u s t i c e and Mercy have e x e r c i s e d a p o w e r f u l , f o r m a t i v e i n f l u e n c e on t h i s e p i s o d e s o t h a t , " i n s p i t e o f M i l t o n ' s e x p l i c i t s t a t e m e n t s t o t h e c o n t r a r y , t h e F a t h e r and Son do s t i l l p r e s e r v e t h e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f t h e i r a l l e g o r i c a l p r e d e c e s s o r s " , pp.231-36. However, s u c h an i n t e r p r e t a t i o n n e c e s s a r i l y i n v o l v e s some k i n d o f u n i n t e n t i o n a l f a i l u r e by M i l t o n i n h i s h a n d l i n g o f t r a d i t i o n a l materials. S u c h an a s s u m p t i o n must n o t be made t o o r e a d i l y b e a r i n g i n mind t h e f i n d i n g s o f A l a n S i n f i e l d ' s r e c e n t s t u d y i n w h i c h he a r g u e s t h a t :
"power t o s o f t e n and
tame/
f
P r o t e s t a n t s d i d not b e l i e v e t h a t t h e O l d T e s t a m e n t God o f w r a t h had been s u p e r s e d e d ; t h e y r e l i e d e q u a l l y upon a l l p a r t s o f t h e B i b l e f o r i l l u s t r a t i o n s o f God's ways w i t h h i s p e o p l e and d i d n o t p l a y down t h e v i o l e n t and p u n i t i v e e l e m e n t s i n t h e New Testament. (p.16) A c c o r d i n g l y , M i l t o n ' s c o n c e p t i o n o f t h e F a t h e r w o u l d seem t o d i s p l a y "the p r o t e s t a n t r e s p e c t f o r a s t e r n a u t h o r i t a r i a n d e i t y " (p.16) and t h e " e s s e n t i a l c o n t r a d i c t i o n i n R e f o r m a t i o n t h e o l o g y - t h e f r e e i n g o f t h e human mind from w o r l d l y a u t h o r i t y and t h e s u p p r e s s i o n o f i t by a p u n i t i v e d e i t y . " ( p . 1 4 9 ) .
30.
E v a n s , p.231.
365
31.
For Rajan's c l o s e reading o f t h i s passage see h i s i n t r o d u c t i o n t o John M i l t o n : ' P a r a d i s e L o s t ' Books I a n d I I ( 1 9 6 4 ) , p . x x x v i .
32.
Sinfield,
33.
Helen Gardner, pp.87-88.
34.
S e e M a r c i a Landy ' K i n s h i p and t h e R o l e o f Women i n P a r a d i s e L o s t ' , p.10, where s h e c l a i m s , " E x c l u d e d from Heaven, woman i s found on E a r t h a n d i n H e l l " , a n d c f . G i l b e r t , ' P a t r i a r c h a l P o e t r y a n d Women Readers',p.373.
35.
Webber h a s commented on C h r i s t ' s r e j e c t i o n o f " a l l t h e s o - c a l l e d m a s c u l i n e v a l u e s " ('The P o l i t i c s o f P o e t r y F e m i n i s m a n d P a r a d i s e Lost', p.20).
p.148.
A Reading
of 'Paradise Lost'
(Oxford,
1965),
:
36.
'"My O t h e r H a l f " : The C o i n c i d e n c e o f O p p o s i t e s p.29; p . 2 3 .
37.
See R o l a n d M. F r y e , M i l t o n ' s Imagery a n d t h e V i s u a l ( P r i n c e t o n , 1 9 7 8 ) , p.294.
38.
"The Hard H e a r t e d H e l l o f S e l f D e l u s i o n ' , Mg. V I I
39.
F o w l e r ' s note t o I V . 42-43, p . 1 9 3 .
40.
C h r i s t o p h e r H a r v e y , S c h o l a C o r d i s o r T h e H e a r t o f i t S e l f e , gone away from God; b r o u g h t b a c k a g a i n e t o him, a n d i n s t r u c t e d by him i n 47 Emblems ( 1 6 4 7 ) , E p i g r . 1 6 . 1 - 2 , p . 6 5 .
41.
'The Hard H e a r t e d H e l l o f S e l f D e l u s i o n ' , pp.13-14.
42.
Rosemary Freeman, E n g l i s h Emblem Books p.139.
43.
c f . what "wonders move t h e o b d u r a t e t o r e p e n t ? " ( V I . 7 9 0 ) , a p p l i e d t o the f a l l e n Angels; t h i s l i n e d i s t i n c t l y r e c a l l s , a s Fowler o b s e r v e s i n h i s n o t e t o l i n e s 789-91, how " P h a r a o h ' s h e a r t was h a r d e n e d (Exod. x i v . 4 ) , i n s p i t e o f t h e m i r a c u l o u s p l a g u e s " ( p . 3 4 9 ) .
44.
Sinfield,
p.118.
i n Paradise Lost',
Arts
(1973), p.13.
( R e p r . New Y o r k ,
1978),
366
45.
On ' s o f t n e s s o f h e a r t ' a s a p r e r e q u i s i t e f o r s a l v a t i o n s e e C a l v i n , I n s t i t u t i o C h r i s t i a n a e R e l i g i o n i s ( L a v s a n n a e , 1576) v . 5 , pp.72-73, and c f . De P o e t . I . v i i i ( C o l . XV, p . 8 1 ) .
I I .
46.
C. S. L e w i s , A P r e f a c e t o ' P a r a d i s e L o s t ' , pp.130-33; ' M i l t o n ' s God', N i c h o l s o n , pp.223-25; A r n o l d S t e i n , A n s w e r a b l e S t y l e , p . 1 2 8 and o t h e r s .
47.
I r e n e Samuel, 'The Debate i n Heaven; A R e c o n s i d e r a t i o n o f P a r a d i s e L o s t , I I I , 1-417', PMLA LXXI ( 1 9 5 7 ) , pp.601-11.
48.
J a c k s o n Cope, The M e t a p h o r i c
49.
Martz,
3U.
F o w l e r ' s n o t e t o X I . 10-14, p.564.
51.
i n t h e t e r m s s e t f o r t h by M i l t o n i n De P o e t . , Adam and E v e a r e t h u s r e l e a s e d from t h e s e c o n d d e g r e e o f P e a t h , MORS S P I R I T U A L I S , and may be s a i d " r e g e n e r a r i ^ e t r e n a s c i e t denuo c r e a r i " , I . x i i ( C o l . XV, p . 2 0 4 ) .
52.
De P o e t . I . x v i i i ( C o l . XV, p . 3 6 6 ) . M i l t o n ' s d e s c r i p t i o n o f how r e g e n e r a t i o n l e a d s t o " R E S I P I S E N T I A " , " S A L V I F I C A F I P E S " and " I N S I T I O I N CHRISTUM" i n Pe P o e t . I . x v - x x i i p r o v i d e s a n i l l u m i n a t i n g commentary on t h e e f f e c t s o f r e g e n e r a t i o n i n Adam and E v e .
53.
I n d e e d , i t i s n o t t o o f a n c i f u l t o r e g a r d Adam and E v e a s t h e f i r s t C h r i s t i a n s , f o r by t h e end o f t h e e p i c t h e y a r e j u s t i f i e d by t h e i r f a i t h i n C h r i s t a s t h e i r S a v i o u r . S e e B l a c k b u r n ' s p e r s u a s i v e argument i n ' P a r a d i s e s L o s t and Found: The Meaning and F u n c t i o n o f t h e " P a r a d i s e W i t h i n " i n P a r a d i s e L o s t ' , MS V ( 1 9 7 3 ) , pp.201-3, and note F o w l e r ' s c o n c l u s i o n t h a t " f a i t h i s t h e theme o f Bk X I , a s r e p e n t a n c e was t h e theme o f Bk X" ( n o t e t o X I . 3 5 5 , p.580). F o r t h e s i g n i f i c a n c e o f t h e s h i f t from v i s i o n t o n a r r a t i v e and t h u s from p h y s i c a l s i g h t t o t h e i n w a r d e y e o f f a i t h s e e B. K. L e w a l s k i , " S t r u c t u r e and Symbol o f V i s i o n i n M i c h a e l ' s P r o p h e c y P a r a d i s e L o s t , Books X I - X I I , PpXLIl'(1963) , pp.25-35 q u o t e d w i t h a p p r o v a l by Madsen i n From Shadowy Types t o T r u t h p.166. And c f . B. R a j a n , ' P a r a d i s e L o s t : t h e h i l l o f h i s t o r y ' , i n The L o f t y Rhyme: A S t u d y o f M i l t o n ' s M a j o r P o e t r y ( 1 9 7 0 ) , pp.79-99.
Poet o f E x i l e ,
S t r u c t u r e o f P a r a d i s e L o s t , p.168.
p.97.
1
367
54.
X I . 22-30.
55.
The r e i t e r a t e d u s e o f 'seed' has not p a s s e d u n n o t i c e d ; K. M. Swaim h a s commented on 'seed' a s " t h e form v e g e t a t i o n imagery t a k e s i n t h e f i n a l p o r t i o n s of P a r a d i s e L o s t , a term o f p o t e n t i a l f o r growth, e s p e c i a l l y i n C h r i s t " , and s h e goes on t o c l a i m t h a t "Of t h e t h i r t y m e n t i o n s o f Seed i n t h e poem, t w e n t y - s i x o c c u r i n t h e f i n a l t h r e e books" ('Flower, F r u i t and S e e d ' , p . 1 7 1 ) .
56.
Romans I X . 8; " t h e c h i l d r e n o f t h e p r o m i s e seed."
57.
C h e r r e l l G u i l f o y l e , ' " I f Shape I t Might Be C a l l ' d T h a t Shape None": A s p e c t s o f D e a t h i n M i l t o n ' , MS X I I I ( 1 9 7 9 ) , p . 4 5 .
58.
a r e counted
f o r the
Had
J o h n E v e r a r d , The G o s p e l - T r e a s u r y Opened ( 1 6 5 9 ) , The F i r s t P a r t , p . 5 5 , q u o t e d by W. G. Madsen From Shadowy T y p e s t o T r u t h , p.41.
59.
The DEVOVT HART o r R o y a l Throne o f t h e P a c i f i c a l Solomon Composed by F . S t . L u z v i c S. J . E n l a r g e d w i t h I n c e n t i v e s by F . S t . B i n e t o f t h e same S. and now e n r i c h e d w i t h Hymnes by a new hand ( P r i n t e d by John C o u r s t u r i e r , 1 6 3 4 ) . E n g l i s h t r a n s l a t i o n by "H. A." a t t r i b u t e d t o Henry Hawkins. I n a p a p e r d e l i v e r e d a t t h e 1976 MLA c o n v e n t i o n i n New Y o r k , B. K. L e w a l s k i p o i n t e d o u t t h a t t h e " S c h o o l o f t h e H e a r t " t r a d i t i o n o f emblem making was u s e d by P r o t e s t a n t s and C a t h o l i c s a l i k e . An a b s t r a c t o f t h i s p a p e r , 'Emblems and R e l i g i o u s L y r i c , George H e r b e r t and P r o t e s t a n t E m b l e m a t i c s ' i s p u b l i s h e d i n Mg X I ( 1 9 7 7 ) , p.27.
60.
SCHOLA CORDIS, "Embleme 28", p.112; "Embleme 29",
61.
See L. M a r t z , The P a r a d i s e W i t h i n : S t u d i e s i n Vauqhan, T r a h e r n e and M i l t o n (New Haven, Conn; 1964) i n w h i c h he c o n s i d e r s " t h e G a r d e n o f t h e S o u l " t o be "one o f t h e g r e a t c e n t r a l s y m b o l s i n t h e C h r i s t i a n l i t e r a t u r e o f m e d i t a t i o n and c o n t e m p l a t i o n " ( p . 9 ) .
62.
S c h o l a C o r d i s , Ode 27. 4. 2-3, p.110; E p i g r . 27 . 3, p.109. B u t o t h e r s u g g e s t i v e emblems i n c l u d e : "Embleme 8", CORDIS P U R I T I E S " , p.32; and "Embleme 16", "CORDIS EMOLLITIO", p . 6 4 .
63.
Shumaker, U n p r e m e d i t a t e d V e r s e , p.200.
p.116.
368
64-
ibid.,
p.199.
65.
i b i d . , p.199. But f o r a s i m i l a r u s e o f t h e t e a r d r o p a s a m i c r o c o s m i c c o u n t e r p a r t o f t h e m a c r o c o s m i c f l o o d c f . John Donne's 'A V a l e d i c t i o n : f o r b i d d i n g Mourning' (1.6) and 'A v a l e d i c t i o n : o f weeping' ( 1 1 . 1 7 - 1 8 ) .
66.
And c f . X I . 874-75 where Adam e c h o e s M i c h a e l ' s word p l a y a t X. 627 i n h i s r e f e r e n c e t o "one whole w o r l d / O f w i c k e d s o n s d e s t r o y e d " ( e m p h a s i s added) i n t h e F l o o d .
67.
F o w l e r ' s note
68.
Collett,
69.
S a n d y s , p.67. Note t o o S i r W a l t e r RaleOjK i n h i s H i s t o r y o f t h e W o r l d had a c c e p t e d t h e h i s t o r i c a l a u t h e n t i c i t y o f D e u c a l i o n ' s f l o o d and had s i m i l a r l y c o n c l u d e d t h a t t h i s " f l o u d was a f t e r Noah's f l o u d ended 782. y e a r e s " ( p . 1 0 2 ) .
70.
F o w l e r ' s n o t e t o X I . 10-14, p.564.
t o X I . 10-14, p.564.
i
p.95.
71.
Collett,
p.95.
72.
See F o w l e r ' s n o t e t o X I . 621-22, p.595 and a l s o Adams, p.125, where he m a i n t a i n s t h a t "One o f t h e m a i n d i r e c t i o n s w h i c h t h e w h o l e s t o r y t a k e s i s away from t h e f a b u l o u s and m y t h i c a l i n t o t h e p r o s a i c and e v e r y d a y . "
73.
Collett,
74.
I am e x t e n d i n g a s u g g e s t i o n made i n p a s s i n g by J o h n S p e n c e r H i l l t h a t " t h e D e u c a l i o n - Noah - C h r i s t t r i a d ... p r o v i d e s a g r a d e d s y m b o l i c frame f o r t h e h i s t o r i c a l v i s i o n r e c o r d e d i n Book X I and X I I " , 'Image and S t r u c t u r e i n S o n n e t X X I I I ' , p . 1 3 3 . For the a l l e g o r i c a l t r a d i t i o n i n w h i c h D e u c a l i o n had been i n t e r p r e t e d a s " C h r i s t s a v i n g t h e w o r l d from t h e f l o o d - w a t e r s o f s i n and t u r n i n g t h e s t o n y - h e a r t e d " , s e e Ann Moss, O v i d i n R e n a i s s a n c e France,p.33.1
p.94.
369
75.
I t would a l s o c o n f e r a d d i t i o n a l p r o p r i e t y on M i l t o n ' s e v i d e n t r e l i a n c e upon O v i d i a n m a t e r i a l t o p r o v i d e p o e t i c d e t a i l f o r h i s own a c c o u n t of t h e ' g e n e r a l D e l u g e ' ( X I . 7 3 8 - 5 3 ) . The e x t e n t o f M i l t o n ' s i n d e b t e d n e s s t o O v i d h e r e has been t h o r o u g h l y documented by D. P. H a r d i n g i n M i l t o n and t h e R e n a i s s a n c e O v i d , pp. 80-84.
76.
Taken from S a n d y s ' l i s t i n g and D e u c a l i o n , pp.68-69.
77.
The two judgements and accompanying c a t a c l y s m s w h i c h would p u r g e t h e w o r l d by f l o o d and f i r e r e s p e c t i v e l y were l i n k e d i n S c r i p t u r e c f . Luke X V I I . 26-30. M i l t o n h i m s e l f e x p r e s s l y a s s o c i a t e s t h e two a t X I . 892-901. And c f . Met. I . 253-58 where O v i d r e f e r s t o a g e n e r a l c o n f l a g r a t i o n t h a t i s t o end t h e w o r l d .
78.
A g a i n , t h e p a t t e r n p r e d a t e s human h i s t o r y . More t h a n one c r i t i c h a s r e m a r k e d upon t h e "images o f R e v e l a t i o n " and t h e " o v e r t o n e s of t h e L a s t Judgment " t o be found i n M i l t o n ' s d e s c r i p t i o n o f t h e war i n Heaven ( G u i l f o y l e , ' A s p e c t s o f D e a t h i n M i l t o n ' , p . 4 8 ) . See a l s o Madsen From Shadowy T y p e s t o T r u t h , pp.110-11, and t h e a p p e n d i x , ' T h e F r u i t l e s s Hours' p.3q7, where I a r g u e t h a t t h e Son's a p p r o a c h e f f e c t s a r e - c r e a t i o n i n w h i c h Heaven i t s e l f i s p u r g e d and renewed.
79.
c f . De P o e t . I . x v i i , "HOMINIS RENOVATIO EST QUA I S AB STATU MALEDICTIONIS ATQUE I R A E DIVINAE AP STATUM GRATIAE PEDUCITUR" ( C o l . XV, p . 3 4 2 ) .
80.
Sandys,
81-
V I I . 3 6 7 and c f . R i c k s ' s u g g e s t i v e comment t h a t " j u s t a s t h e s t a r s r e c e i v e and t r a n s m i t l i g h t by ' t i n c t u r e and r e f l e c t i o n ' , s o t o o do M i l t o n ' s words", M i l t o n ' s Grand S t y l e , p . 8 8 ) .
82.
K n o t t b r i e f l y remarks t h a t t h i s c o m p a r i s o n " m i n i m i z e s t h e of Adam and E v e " ( M i l t o n ' s P a s t o r a l V i s i o n , pp.124-25 ) .
83.
I t i s i n t e r e s t i n g t o note t h a t t h e Angel p a u s e s once more " a t the world's g r e a t period" ( X I I . 467).
84.
F o w l e r f i n d s i n X I . 852-54 e c h o e s o f V I I . 285 f f . d e s c r i b i n g "the r e c e d i n g waters a t the C r e a t i o n " , the connection implying t h a t '"one w h o l e w o r l d ' (1.874) h a s been d e s t r o y e d , and t h a t God i s c r e a t i n g a f r e s h a New C r e a t i o n b a s e d on t h e c o v e n a n t " ( p . 6 0 6 ) .
of the correspondences
between Noah
p.69.
guilt
370
85.
P e t e r I . i i i . 20: " i n t h e d a y s of Noah ... few, s o u l s were s a v e d by w a t e r . "
86.
c f , D e u c a l i o n and P y r r h a ' s r i t u a l p u r i f i c a t i o n of t h e m s e l v e s w i t h t h e f l o o d - w a t e r s o f C e p h i s u s ' s s t r e a m (Met. I . 3 6 9 - 7 2 ) , and Comus 11.910-11, where, a s N o r t h r o p F r y e h a s o b s e r v e d , "The a n a l o g y between S a b r i n a ' s s p r i n k l i n g o f t h e L a d y and t h e r i t e o f b a p t i s m ... i s c l e a r enough." See 'The R e v e l a t i o n t o E v e ' i n ' P a r a d i s e L o s t ' : A T e r c e n t e n a r y T r i b u t e , e d . B. R a j a n , , p. 40.
87.
Matthew I I I . i i , where J o h n ' s b a p t i s m " w i t h w a t e r u n t o r e p e n t a n c e " i s a s i g n o f C h r i s t ' s b a p t i s m " w i t h t h e H o l y G h o s t and w i t h F i r e " and t h e L a s t Judgment and t h e f i n a l p u r g a t i o n by f i r e .
88.
c f . De P o e t . I . v i i i
89.
c f . Met I . 323-4 where O v i d s a y s o f D e u c a l i o n , "nec a m a n t i o r a e g u i / v i r f u i t " and S a n d y s , p.68 where "Both Noah and D e u c a l i o n are c e l e b r a t e d f o r t h e i r j u s t i c e and R e l i g i o n . "
90.
F o r a more d e t a i l e d d i s c u s s i o n o f t h e s i g n i f i c a n c e o f i n t h i s c o n t e x t s e e p.332. o f t h i s c h a p t e r .
91.
c f . V. 283 where we a r e s i m p l y t o l d t h a t R a p h a e l " c o l o u r s " t h a t were "dipped i n h e a v e n " .
92.
I t i s i n t e r e s t i n g t o c o n t r a s t O v i d ' s a c c o u n t i n t h e Metamorphoses ( I . 270-71) where i t i s t h e a p p e a r a n c e o f I r i s , m e s s e n g e r o f Juno and g o d d e s s o f t h e r a i n b o w , t h a t h e r a l d s t h e imminent deluge.
93.
T h i s answers Bush's charge t h a t "the r e f e r e n c e a t t r a c t s a t t e n t i o n to i t s e l f a s a s m a l l b u t s u p e r f l u o u s p a t c h " ( P a g a n M y t h o l o g y i n t h e R e n a i s s a n c e , p.285).
94.
B l a m i r e s , M i l t o n ' s C r e a t i o n , p.271 and
( C o l . XV,
pp.
that i s , eight
366-68).
'relent'
appears
c f . Hume's note
in
to XI.
65.
371
95.
c f . Lynn V e a c h S a d l e r ' s p e r c e p t i v e comments on " t h e dynamic M i l t o n i c view of h i s t o r y i n which each d i s p e n s a t i o n p r o g r e s s i v e l y u n f o l d s God's P r o v i d e n c e and t h e way by w h i c h e a c h man may be r e g e n e r a t e i n h i s own day " ( ' R e g e n e r a t i o n and T y p o l o g y : Samson A g o n i s t e s and i t s R e l a t i o n t o De D o c t r i n a C h r i s t i a n a , P a r a d i s e L o s t and P a r a d i s e R e g a i n e d , ' S E L X I I [ 1 9 7 2 ] , p.144).
96.
Guilfoyle,
97.
Fowler,
98.
Hume, n o t e t o X I .
99.
Fowler,
'Aspects of Death i n M i l t o n ' ,
p.48.
p.610.
35.
n o t e t o X I . 35;
p.565.
100.
O t h e r i m p o r t a n t f i g u r a e from t h e O l d T e s t a m e n t , Abraham, Moses, J o s h u a and D a v i d e x e m p l i f y o t h e r a s p e c t s o f t h e M e s s i a h ' s r o l e .
1 0 1
See p Z4-T
'
102.
Mother Mary C h r i s t o p h e r Pecheux, i n Paradise Lost',p.l76
103.
B. K. L e w a l s k i , M i l t o n ' s B r i e f E p i c
104.
Andrew W i l l e t , H e x a p l a i n G e n e s i n ( 1 6 0 5 ) , p.54. B u t i t i s i m p o r t a n t t o n o t e t h a t t h e Reformer i s d i s m i s s i n g t h e i d e a a s "but a f o n d c o n c e i t " and c e r t a i n l y by t h e m i d - s e v e n t e e n t h century i t would n o r m a l l y be a s s o c i a t e d w i t h C a t h o l i c m e d i t a t i o n s , c f . H. A., ( a t t r i b u t e d t o Henry Hawkins) P a r t h e n i a S a c r a ( A l d i n g t o n , K e n t 1950; f i r s t p u b l i s h e d 1 6 3 3 ) , p . 1 1 2 . So i t i s e s p e c i a l l y c u r i o u s t h a t w h i l e " I n h i s p a m p h l e t Of p r e l a t i c a l l E p i s c o p a c y , C o l . E d . I l l , 94, M i l t o n s c o l d s I r e n a e u s f o r making t h e s p e c i a l r e l a t i o n s h i p between Eve and Mary a b a s i s f o r P a p i s t i c a l idolatory. I n P a r a d i s e L o s t he h i m s e l f a d o p t s t h e i d e a . " (James H o l l y H a n f o r d , A M i l t o n Handbook [Kew Y o r k , 1946; 4 t h ed.] , p.246.)
'The
C o n c e p t o f t h e Second
(Providence,
1966),
Eve
p.176.
105.
Pecheux, 'The Concept o f t h e Second E v e ' , p.366. S e e a l s o 'Adam U n p a r a d i s e d ' , p.120 where Kermode r e m a r k s upon " t h e c e n t r a l i t y o f t h e paradox o f E v e a s d e s t r o y e r and g i v e r o f l i f e " a n d Seaman's comments on E v e ' s "double image" a s " t e m p t r e s s and r e d e m p t r i x " i n The Moral P a r a d o x o f ' P a r a d i s e L o s t ' , pp.113-1
106.
F o r M i l t o n ' s 'Arminian' m o d i f i c a t i o n s o f t h e r i g o r o u s p o s i t i o n on P r e d e s t i n a t i o n s e e De P o e t . I . i v .
107.
s o t o o M i l t o n had w r y l y r e m a r k e d upon t h e e x i s t e n c e o f a " P a r a d i s e o f F o o l s t o few unknown/Long a f t e r " ( I I I . 496-97, emphasis added).
108.
N i c h o l s o n , p.311.
109.
C o n t r a s t t h e e n t h u s i a s t i c r e c e p t i o n g i v e n t o 'The Handy C r a f t s ' i n S y l v e s t e r ' s Du B a r t a s I I . i . 4 and Fowler's> note t o X I .
Calvinist
556-77, p". 592-93.."
110.
S a n d y s , p.7o.
111. c f . G e o r g i c s
I . 60-63; I . 121-46.
112. Anthony Low, ' M i l t o n , P a r a d i s e R e g a i n e d , X L V I I I ( 1 9 8 3 ) , p.153.
and G e o r g i c ' , PMLA
113- A. J . A. Waldock, ' P a r a d i s e L o s t ' a n d I t s C r i t i c s p.22, and c o n t r a s t t h e v i e w s o f more r e c e n t c r i t i c s s u c h a s B. K. L e w a l s k i , ' I n n o c e n c e a n d E x p e r i e n c e i n M i l t o n ' s Eden', pp.86-117 and Thomas H. B l a c k b u r n , ' " U n c l o i s t e r ' d V i r t u e " : Adam and E v e i n M i l t o n ' s P a r a d i s e ' , pp.119-37.
114., E v a n s ,
115.
p.249.
c f . X. 1076-81.
1 1 6 . Summers, The Muse's Method, p.202.
117.
G e n e s i s , I V . 21-22.
373
118.
N i c h o l s o n , p.309.
119.
Fowler's note t o I .
120.
Blamires , Milton's Creation,
121.
c f . H o r a c e , Odes I I I . v i . i n which t h e c o r r u p t m o r a l s of t h e modern "matura v i r g o " , " E x p e r t , i n amorous a r t s " (PR I I . 1 5 8 ) , a r e c o n t r a s t e d w i t h t h e t r a d i t i o n a l , Roman v i r t u e s o f t h e u p r i g h t "mater s e v e r a " o f Rome's r u s t i c p a s t (11.21-24; 3 7 - 4 0 ) .
122.
A p e c u l i a r l y O v i d i a n r e p r o a c h , c f . A r s A m a t o r i a I I I . 127-28, and more p a r t i c u l a r l y Amores I I I . x. 17-18 where O v i d e x p l a i n s t h a t however much C e r e s l o v e s h e r f r u i t f u l f i e l d s "nec tamen e s t ... r u s t i c a " .
123-
The C i r c e a n power o f 'female charm' t o e n t r a p and unman t h e " m a n l i e s t , r e s o l u t e s t b r e a s t " i s a c o n s t a n t theme i n M i l t o n ' s work from E l . I . 59-60, 87-88 t o SA 407-11 and PR. I I . 163-67.
124.
Compare S y l v e s t e r ' s u n q u a l i f i e d e n t h u s i a s m f o r t h e " c a s t i n g o f t h e f i r s t i n s t r u m e n t s o f y r o n " w h i c h he e x t o l s a s "The T o o l o f T o o l s , and Hand o f H a n d y - C r a f t " , S y l v e s t e r ' s Du B a r t a s I I . i . 4, p.107.
1 2 5
-
708-9, p.84.
p.241.
c f . F o w l e r ' s n o t e t o I . 682-92, p.83.
126.
Blamires, Milton's Creation,
p.285.
127-
c f . Raphael's w a r n i n g f o r t h e f u t u r e l e s t : Some one i n t e n t on m i s c h i e f , o r i n s p i r e d With d e v i l i s h m a c h i n a t i o n m i g h t d e v i s e L i k e i n s t r u m e n t t o p l a g u e t h e sons o f men. (VI.
128.
503-5)
cf. V I . 498-506 where M i l t o n c o n t i n u a l l y p l a y s upon " i n v e n t " a n d " i n v e n t i o n " ( 1 1 . 4 6 4 , 470, 498, 4 9 9 ) . Moreover, M i c h a e l ' s reference to these "tents/Of wickedness" ( X I . 607-8), besides e c h o i n g Psalm LXXXIV ( n o t e d by F o w l e r , p . 5 9 5 ) , seems t o c o n t a i n a g l a n c i n g a l l u s i o n t o t h e "wicked t e n t s " o f S a t a n and h i s camp (V. 8 9 0 ) , and so deepens t h e a s s o c i a t i o n between t h e d e s c e n d a n t s o f C a i n and t h e F a l l e n A n g e l s .
374
129.
F o r "the a l l e g o r i c a l t r a d i t i o n w h i c h i d e n t i f i e d t h e G i g a n t o m a c h i a w i t h t h e R e v o l t of t h e A n g e l s " s e e H a r d i n g pp. 57-60 and M i l t o n and t h e R e n a i s s a n c e O v i d pp.85-87.
130-
" G i a n t s of m i g h t y bone" ( X I . 6 4 2 ) , " g i g a n t i c d e e d s " "prodigious b i r t h s " (XI. 687), "giants" (XI, 688).
131.
C o l l e t t , p.89. c f . I . 197-200 and 230-37 w i t h Met. V. 346-48. Note t o o M i l t o n ' s r e f e r e n c e t o t h e " g i a n t a n g e l s " ( V I I . 6 0 5 ) .
132.
I n a r e c e n t a r t i c l e , 'The T i t a n s and t h e G i a n t s : P a r a d i s e L o s t and t h e T r a d i t i o n of t h e R e n a i s s a n c e O v i d ' , ^ X I I (1978), pp. 9-16, A l b e r t C. L a b r i o l a has a t t e m p t e d t o d i s t i n g u i s h between t h e two r e b e l l i o n s s i n c e h i s argument, t h a t " t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p between t h e f a l l e n a n g e l s and f a l l e n men" i s "an a d a p t i o n o f t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p between t h e T i t a n s and t h e G i a n t s " ( p . 1 5 ) , r e s t s upon s u c h a d i s t i n c t i o n . However, h i s t h e o r y i s b a s e d upon a m i s r e a d i n g o f O v i d and M i l t o n i n t u r n . N e i t h e r i n Book I , nor Book V, does O v i d m e n t i o n t h e T i t a n s l e t a l o n e d e s c r i b e t h e G i a n t s a s t h e i r " d e s c e n d a n t s and o f f s p r i n g " a s L a b r i o l a maintains (p.11). Moreover, L a b r i o l a makes much of t h e p a r a l l e l i s m b e t w e e n " t h e T i t a n s ' r e v o l t under t h e l e a d e r s h i p o f Typhon" and the r e b e l l i o n o f the f a l l e n Angels under S a t a n . However, w h i l e t h e p a r a l l e l between Typhon, o r Typhoeus a s he was a l s o known, and S a t a n i s i n d e e d of i n t e r e s t , i t i s i m p o r t a n t t o note t h a t Typhon was a G i a n t and not a T i t a n ( a s L a b r i o l a m i s t a k e n l y s u p p o s e s , pp.11-12) and was c l e a r l y s o r e g a r d e d by O v i d (Met. V. 3 4 6 - 4 8 ) .
i v . 41-80, and
F o w l e r ' s note
(XI. 659),
133.
c f . H o r a c e , Odes I I I . p.55.
t o I . 197-200,
134.
E x c e p t , o f c o u r s e , t h e Metamorphoses i t s e l f .
135.
Nicholson,
136.
See G i a m a t t i , The E a r t h l y P a r a d i s e , pp. 349-50; Kermode, 'Adam U n p a r a d i s e d ' p.121; Adams, pp.125-26; R a j a n , ' P a r a d i s e L o s t ' and t h e S e v e n t e e n t h C e n t u r y R e a d e r ( 1 9 4 7 ) , pp.78-92; M a r t z , The P a r a d i s e W i t h i n , pp.141-63; T i l l y a r d , M i l t o n , p.287. W h i l e B e n t l e y ' s proposed emendation of t h e f i n a l c o u p l e t i s j u s t l y n o t o r i o u s , i t i s i n t e r e s t i n g t o note t h a t even A d d i s o n would have p r e f e r r e d t o have s e e n i t o m i t t e d a l t o g e t h e r . See J o s e p h A d d i s o n , C r i t i c i s m s on M i l t o n ( e s s a y s o r i g i n a l l y p u b l i s h e d i n t h e S p e c t a t o r ) r e p r i n t e d w i t h an i n t r o d u c t i o n by Henry M o r l e y ( 1 9 0 5 ) , p.188.
See Met.
XV.
871-89.
p.319.
375 137.
138.
W. R. J o h n s o n , 'The Problem o f t h e C o u n t e r - c l a s s i c a l S e n s i b i l i t y and I t s C r i t i c s ' C a l i f o r n i a S t u d i e s i n C l a s s i c a l A n t i q u i t y , III ( 1 9 7 0 ) , p.134.
D. P. H a r d i n g , The C l u b o f H e r c u l e s , p p . 6 8 - 6 9 ; s e e a l s o Bush, Pagan Mythology and t h e R e n a i s s a n c e T r a d i t i o n , p . 2 7 3 . See t o o The L i t e r a r y Temper o f t h e E n g l i s h P u r i t a n s , L o u i s i a n a S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y Studies i n Humanities S e r i e s IX (1961), introduced by L . A. S a s e k , p . 1 3 .
139.
Tillyard,
140.
See ' P u r i t a n Humanists: Sidney, Spencer, M i l t o n ' ,
141.
See T i l l y a r d , and ' P a r a d i s e
Milton,
p.143
Sinfield
pp.20-33.
' P a r a d i s e L o s t : The C o n s c i o u s Meaning' p p . 2 5 7 - 7 5 L o s t : The U n c o n s c i o u s Meaning' ( M i l t o n , p p . 2 7 6 - 8 8 ) .
142.
A. J . A. Waldock, ' P a r a d i s e L o s t ' and I t s C r i t i c s (Cambridge, 1 9 4 7 ) , p.145. B u t s e e a l s o S t e i n , A n s w e r a b l e S t y l e , p. 6 2 , where he w a r n s u s a g a i n s t " r e f e r r i n g a l l c o m p l e x i t i e s i n t h e poem t o t h e psyche of the w r i t e r " .
143.
Waldock,
144.
Adams, p . 2 0 7 .
145.
L . W.
146.
Adams, p . 2 0 1 .
147.
Thomas De Q u i n c e y , ' M i l t o n V e r s u s S o u t h e y and L a n d o r ' from The C o l l e c t e d W r i t i n g s o f Thomas De Q u i n c e y : New and E n l a r g e d E d i t i o n i n 14 Volumes by D a v i d Masson ( E d i n b u r g h , 1 8 9 0 ) , X I , p . 4 4 9 .
148.
Adams, p . 2 0 4 .
149.
J . W. S a u n d e r s , ' M i l t o n , p.254. c f . S i r Rostrevor 1969), pp.37-38.
150.
C i t e d by S a u n d e r s ,
151.
'Paradise
L o s t ' and I t s C r i t i c s ,
Hyman, 'The A m b i g u i t y o f P a r a d i s e
p.145.
Lost',MQ X I I I
(1979),
p.l.
Diomede and A m a r y l l i s ' , ELN X X I I (1955), H a m i l t o n , Hero o r F o o l ( F o l c r o f t , P a . ;
'Milton,
R i c k s , M i l t o n ' s Grand S t y l e ,
Diomede
p.148.
and A m a r y l l i s ' ,
p.254.
376
APPENDIX I The
Illuminating Phoebus A p o l l o , subsequent
1
Sun
and
t h e Moon
l i g h t i s shed upon Adam's m y t h o l o g i c a l r o l e
his initial
response
t o Eve and
r e l a t i o n s h i p from a s u r p r i s i n g
the nature of
s o u r c e , one
of
y o u t h f u l e s s a y s i n t h e O v i d i a n manner, E l e g i a S e p t i m a . e l e g y i s p r e s e n t e d a s t h e p o e t ' s own springtime encounter by C u p i d outline
r e c o l l e c t i o n of a
of h i s d i v i n i t y .
As
their
Milton's The
seventh
fleeting,
w i t h a b e a u t i f u l b u t e l u s i v e young l a d y ,
t o avenge t h e b e l i t t l i n g
as
engineered
even t h i s
brief
s u g g e s t s , M i l t o n ' s e l e g y i s p r i m a r i l y f a s h i o n e d upon t h e model
o f Phoebus' u n r e q u i t e d l o v e f o r Daphne - a l s o t h e d i r e c t r e s u l t o f machinations
o f t h e angry God
o f l o v e - a s r e l a t e d by O v i d
i n the
the first
2 book of t h e Metamorphoses
(11.452-64).
the o r i g i n a l s t o r y i n Ovid,
When r e g a r d e d
i n the l i g h t
of
M i l t o n ' s e l e g y d i s p l a y s a s t r i k i n g number
o f s i g n i f i c a n t p a r a l l e l s w i t h Adam's d e s c r i p t i o n o f how
he
fell
i n love
3
w i t h Eve,
related
to Raphael
i n Book V I I I o f P a r a d i s e L o s t .
a c c o u n t o f Adam's, and h i s own
p e r s o n a l e x p e r i e n c e of the onset of
t h u s seem t o s h a r e t h e same i m a g i n a t i v e By s u g g e s t i n g t h i s
d i r e c t r e q u e s t o f Adam, who c o m p a n i o n s h i p t o h i s maker. the d i r e c t
love
springboard.
l i n k a g e , I do n o t , o f c o u r s e , mean t o
t h a t Adam's l o v e f o r Eve i s t o be c o n s i d e r e d a s i n any way c e r t a i n l y not f o r h y b r i s .
Milton's
imply
a punishment,
Eve i s c r e a t e d , a c c o r d i n g t o M i l t o n , a t t h e openly
c o n f e s s e s h i s need f o r l o v e
and
A l t h o u g h t h e demands o f decorum p r e c l u d e
i n t e r v e n t i o n of Cupid
i n t h e a f f a i r , h i s a c t i v e agency
has
377
in
f a c t been s t r o n g l y i n s i n u a t e d
i n Book I V ( 1 1 . 7 6 3 - 6 5 ) .
O v i d ' s a c c o u n t o f Phoebus' l o v e f o r Daphne g a i n s a d d i t i o n a l p r o m i n e n c e i n h i s n a r r a t i v e n o t o n l y by b e i n g t h e s t o r y o f Phoebus' first epic.
amatory e x p e r i e n c e b u t a l s o by b e i n g t h e f i r s t Ovid i n t r o d u c e s the t a l e
love story i n the
thus:
P r i m u s amor P h o e b i Daphne P e n e i a , quem n o n f o r s i g n a r a d e d i t , s e d s a e v a C u p i d i n i s i r a . .. (Met.
A s i m i l a r emphasis the
i s accorded t o the experience of f i r s t
1.452-53)
love i n both
M i l t o n i c a c c o u n t s , though c e r t a i n d i f f e r e n c e s o f a p p r o a c h a r e
immediately d i s c e r n i b l e .
I n each case, Milton s h i f t s the o b l i q u e ,
t h i r d p e r s o n n a r r a t i o n t o t h e v i v i d and d i r e c t e x p r e s s i o n o f f i r s t person n a r r a t i v e so that the story i s t o l d e n t i r e l y
from t h e male
l o v e r s ' p e r s p e c t i v e a s they themselves r e l a t e t h e i r
first
of
love.
Adam's a c c o u n t e x h i b i t s t h e same i n t e n s i t y o f r e s p o n s e a n d s e n s e o f
e x c i t e m e n t b a r e l y s u p p r e s s e d t h a t animate poet. the
the l i n e s of the youthful
E d i t o r s and commentators d i f f e r i n t h e i r
judgement o f w h e t h e r
i n c i d e n t r e c o u n t e d by t h e young M i l t o n was r e a l o r i m a g i n a r y , b u t
they a r e unanimously of
experience
a g r e e d o v e r t h e most i m p o r t a n t i s s u e ,
the accent
s i n c e r i t y and e x h i l a r a t i o n o v e r l a y i n g h i s u s e o f O v i d i a n m a t e r i a l ,
l e a v i n g no doubt about emotions
and i n t e l l e c t .
t h e keen h o l d t h e s u b j e c t had t a k e n upon h i s And he h a s s u c c e e d e d
i n transmitting the
r e s i d u e o f t h i s i n t e n s e and e x c i t e d r e s p o n s e t o v i v i f y h i s embodiment of
Adam's e x p e r i e n c e .
378
Milton's y o u t h f u l encounter we would have e x p e c t e d
i s checked
well
from h i s Roman p r e d e c e s s o r .
short of the climax As E . K. Rand n o t e s , 5
"Ovid
i s often tantalizing,
unable tive
to t h i s extent."
t o make even a d e c l a r a t i o n t o t h e m y s t e r i o u s
artistic
with Love's him
but never
s e n s e , t h e young p o e t r e f r a i n s
leaden arrow.
Milton
lady.
With
from i m a g i n i n g
To h i s c h a g r i n , s h e s i m p l y f a i l s
t h e way open f o r a new development o f t h o u g h t .
instinc-
her pierced to notice
a s s h e p a s s e s by, l e a v i n g him t o l a m e n t f o r e v e r h i s l o s t M i l t o n does n o t end on t h i s c o n v e n t i o n a l n o t e ,
proves
opportunity.
however; he l e a v e s
Although h i s d e s p a i r
seems o n l y t o be deepened by h i s musing t h a t s h e m i g h t have
proved
s y m p a t h e t i c h a d he had t h e c h a n c e t o p r o f f e r h i s s u i t , y e t t h i s reflection ends.
a t once p r e p a r e s f o r t h e a n t i c i p a t o r y n o t e on w h i c h t h e poem
I n a p r a y e r t o t h e god o f l o v e , he l o o k s f o r w a r d
to the successful
consummation o f h i s d e s i r e s when n e x t he s t r i k e s : Tu modo
da f a c i l i s ,
posthaec
mea s i q u a f u t u r a e s t ,
C u s p i s a m a t u r o s f i g a t u t una duos. (Elegia
We may t r a c e t h i s b a s i c p a t t e r n t o i t s f i n a l
V I I . 101-2)
evolution i n
P a r a d i s e L o s t , when M i l t o n f a s h i o n s Adam's r e a c t i o n t o t h e c r e a t i o n o f Eve and h e r sudden d i s a p p e a r a n c e .
I n G e n e s i s we a r e m e r e l y
told:
And t h e L o r d God c a u s e d a deep s l e e p t o f a l l upon Adam, and he s l e p t : and he t o o k one o f h i s r i b s , and c l o s e d up t h e f l e s h i n s t e a d t h e r e o f ; And t h e r i b , w h i c h t h e L o r d God had t a k e n from man, made he a woman, and b r o u g h t h e r u n t o t h e man. (Gen.
I I . 21-22)
379
M i l t o n adds s o f t and s u b t l e s h a d i n g t o g i v e d e p t h and e m o t i o n a l to
the bare o u t l i n e of Genesis.
i m p l i c a t i o n s and p o s s i b i l i t i e s passage, in
He a c h i e v e s t h i s by d r a w i n g
colour
out the
f o r development a c t u a l l y i n h e r e n t i n t h e
s e i z i n g upon t h e s u g g e s t i o n o f a p e r i o d o f s e p a r a t i o n i m p l i c i t
the f i n a l
l i n e from G e n e s i s q u o t e d above.
H i s p r i m e i n n o v a t i o n i s t o have Adam, "Though s l e e p i n g "
(VIII.463),
6
e n t i r e l y c o n s c i o u s o f what i s h a p p e n i n g . although was
Adam h i m s e l f e x p l a i n s how,
h i s e y e s were c l o s e d , " t h e c e l l / O f f a n c y
[his] internal
sight"
l e f t open "by w h i c h " : A b s t r a c t a s i n a t r a n c e methought I saw, Though s l e e p i n g , where I l a y , and saw t h e shape S t i l l g l o r i o u s b e f o r e whom awake I s t o o d , Who s t o o p i n g opened my l e f t s i d e , and took From t h e n c e a r i b , w i t h c o r d i a l s p i r i t s warm, And l i f e - b l o o d s t r e a m i n g f r e s h ; wide was* t h e wound, But s u d d e n l y w i t h f l e s h f i l l e d up a n d h e a l e d : The r i b he formed and f a s h i o n e d w i t h h i s hands; Under h i s f o r m i n g hands a c r e a t u r e grew, Manlike, but d i f f e r e n t sex, so l o v e l y f a i r , T h a t what seemed f a i r i n a l l t h e w o r l d , seemed now Mean, o r i n h e r summed up, i n h e r c o n t a i n e d And i n h e r l o o k s , w h i c h from t h a t t i m e i n f u s e d S w e e t n e s s i n t o my h e a r t , u n f e l t b e f o r e . (VIII.460-75) The p a s s a g e
charge
i s now t h e c o n d u c t o r
o f a more p o w e r f u l
emotional
s i n c e Adam i s made a c u t e l y aware o f E v e ' s sudden r e m o v a l .
Like
t h e young p o e t , Adam s u f f e r s from t h e f r u s t r a t i o n o f a l l h i s h o p e s :
She d i s a p p e a r e d , and l e f t me d a r k , I waked To f i n d h e r , o r f o r e v e r t o d e p l o r e Her l o s s , and o t h e r p l e a s u r e s a l l a b j u r e . (VIII.478-80)
380
The
keen sense
o f b i t t e r d i s a p p o i n t m e n t i s c o n v e y e d by t h e
imagery o f d a r k n e s s and l i g h t ; e c l i p s e d with considerable linked with
t h e sun's " f a i r
light"
t h e b r i g h t evanescent v i s i o n o f Eve. ironic
f o r c e when we r e c a l l
t h e s u n god h i m s e l f .
(VIII.
This
273)
i s
carries
t h a t Adam h a s been
tacitly
Moreover, i t e s t a b l i s h e s an i n t e r e s t i n g 7
connection
with
the patterning
o f d a r k n e s s and l i g h t
i n E l e g i a Septima:
T a l i s e t abreptum solem r e s p e x i t , ad Orcum V e c t u s ab a t t o n i t i s A m p h i a r a u s e q u i s . (11.83-84)
B e a u t i f u l women a r e s a i d t o e m i t a r a d i a n c e
comparable w i t h
t h e sun's 8
own
brilliance:
In t h i s
l i n e Milton
second source next
"Auctaque l u c e d i e s gemino f u l g o r e c o r u s c a t " gallantly asserts that the fair
of light,
intensifying the brightness
(1.55).
troop a c t as a o f t h e sun.
I n the
l i n e he goes f u r t h e r : " F a l l o r ? an e t r a d i o s h i n c quoque Phoebus
habet"
(1.56) and w i t t i l y compounds t h e c o n c e i t , a s w i t h
ingenuity,
he c o n f e s s e s
himself
a c t u a l l y t h e primary source t h e i r radiance
i n doubt a s t o w h e t h e r t h e s u n i s
o f l i g h t o r w h e t h e r he m e r e l y
a s t h e moon d e r i v e s i t s l i g h t
f u n c t i o n o f t h e sun a s t h e s o u r c e a passive
Ovidian
of l i g h t
from t h e s u n .
i s thus
reflects The m a s c u l i n e
i n v e r t e d t o become
reflector.
When t h e g i r l p a s s e s
from v i e w , t h e n , i t i s a s i f t h e s u n h a d
s e t f o r e v e r on t h e young p o e t ' s w o r l d , p l u n g i n g him i n t o t h e d a r k n e s s of d e s p a i r .
He c a n compare h i s s i t u a t i o n w i t h p r o p r i e t y t o t h a t o f
A m p h i a r a u s , doomed t o l e a v e t h e s u n l i t w o r l d and r e m a i n f o r a l l t i m e i n the dark depths o f h e l l . 'excessive brightness' a similar
desolation.
Adam i s ' l e f t d a r k ' t o o a f t e r t h e
o f t h e r a d i a n t v i s i o n o f E v e ' s b e a u t y and s u f f e r s
381
It
i s n o t a b l e t h a t when M i l t o n
standing beauty,
catches s i g h t of the out-
t h e r e f o l l o w s a c l e a r l y a u d i b l e echo o f
d e s c r i p t i o n of Diana
Ovid's
among h e r nymphs, h e r c h a s t i t y b e s m i r c h e d
Actaeon's profaning glance. s u p e r e m i n u i s s e notabam" illis/ipsa
first
M i l t o n ' s l i n e r e a d s : "Unam f o r t e
( 1 . 6 1 ) , w h i l e i n O v i d we f i n d :
dea e s t c o l l o q u e t e n u s supereminertt omnis"
by t h e p e n t a m e t e r o f t h e c o u p l e t : " P r i n c i p i u m n o s t r i (1.62).
t h e moon? the s u n . Eve
aliis
"tamen
altior
(Met. I I I .
The p o s s i b i l i t y o f an O v i d i a n c o n n e c t i o n h e r e seems i n p a r t
mali"
by
181-82).
confirmed
lux erat
ilia
I n t h i s l i n e t h e young l a d y i s r e f e r r e d t o a s ' i l i a l u x ' ;
B u t i f s o , t h e moon i s t h r e a t e n i n g t o u s u r p
the primacy
T h i s seems p a r t i c u l a r l y s i g n i f i c a n t when we c o n s i d e r
too w i l l be i m p l i c i t l y and e x p l i c i t l y
moon g o d d e s s , D i a n a ,
l i k e n e d to the f a i r
and t h e c a l c u l a t e d a m b i g u i t y
of
that
virginal
of t h i s linkage.
F o r t h i s b e a r s an i n t e r e s t i n g c o n n e c t i o n w i t h M i l t o n ' s c o n c e i t , quoted e a r l i e r ,
i n which t h e sun i s r e l e g a t e d t o the s u b s i d i a r y r o l e
of r e f l e c t i n g l i g h t .
T h i s s h o u l d n o t , I f e e l , be s i m p l y d i s m i s s e d a s
an example o f y o u t h f u l e n t h u s i a s m
o r e v e n wry humour.
L a t i n e l e g y t o P a r a d i s e Regained,
M i l t o n d i s c l o s e s i n h i s work an
i n t e n s e but ambivalent t h e power o f f e m i n i n e
response beauty
From t h e f i r s t
t o women; h i s l i f e l o n g a p p r e c i a t i o n o f
was q u a l i f i e d by c o n c o m i t a n t
v u l n e r a b i l i t y when e x p o s e d t o ' b e a u t y ' s p o w e r f u l
f e e l i n g s of
glance.'
T h i s i n t u r n t h r o w s l i g h t upon t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p o f male and female
i n Paradise Lost.
Initially,
Raphael
c o n f i r m s t h a t t h e moon i s
dependent on "the s u n a s t h e s o u r c e o f h e r l i g h t :
382
F i r s t i n h i s e a s t t h e g l o r i o u s lamp was s e e n , Regent o f d a y , ... / ... l e s s b r i g h t t h e moon, But o p p o s i t e i n l e v e l l e d w e s t was s e t His m i r r o r , with f u l l face borrowing h e r l i g h t From him. (VII.370-71;375-78)
As W a t k i n s p o i n t s
out,
t h e i d e a " t h a t the female
moon's p a l e r
i s mere r e f l e c t i o n o f t h e s u n ' s f i t s n e a t l y M i l t o n ' s b e l i e f ordination As
o f woman t o man - 'He f o r God o n l y ,
the attendant
sun,
moon ( V I I I . 1 4 9 )
light
i n t h e sub-
s h e f o r God i n him.'"'^
i s a r e f l e c t i o n and s a t e l l i t e
of the
s o E v e i s t h e image and dependent o f Adam.
However, R a p h a e l l a t e r c a s t s t h i s h i e r a r c h y
i n t o doubt when he
d e s c r i b e s how t h e s u n and moon communicate "male and f e m a l e Which two g r e a t
sexes
animate t h e world"
as Don P a r r y N o r f o r d m a i n t a i n s , as one o f t h e two g r e a t
sexes
(VIII.150-.51).
light,/
These
lines,
"do seem t o s u g g e s t t h a t f e m a l e
light,
i s self-luminous,
which
apparently
1
c o n t r a d i c t s t h e i d e a o f t h e moon a s s i m p l y a mirror." ''"The r e l a t i o n s h i p between male and f e m a l e h a s now become one o f m u t u a l dependency, "communicating"
(VIII.150)
equally active partners. equilibrium
i s preserved
suggesting
the f r u i t f u l
intercourse of
I n t h e e a r t h l y s p h e r e a more
precarious
between male and f e m a l e f o r c e s .
beauty tends t o throw i n t o c o n f u s i o n
with
the primary h i e r a r c h y
Eve's
radiant
and c a s t s
doubt upon t h e r e s p e c t i v e p o s i t i o n s o f Adam and E v e i n t h e c h a i n o f being.
It
i s i n t e r e s t i n g to speculate
a s s o c i a t e s Adam's s i t u a t i o n w i t h
whether M i l t o n
h i s own e x p e r i e n c e
consciously
as described
ina
poem w r i t t e n i n t h e d a y s o f h i s p o e t i c a p p r e n t i c e s h i p t o O v i d , o r w h e t h e r i t emerges from a d e e p e r c o n n e c t i n g s h a f t o f memory.
Whichever
383
i s n e a r e r t h e t r u t h , o u t c r o p s o f O v i d i a n m a t e r i a l a r e t o be embedded i n M i l t o n ' s v e r s e t h r o u g h o u t h i s p o e t i c c a r e e r .
found
384
Notes
1.
See F o w l e r ' s n o t e
2.
I t i s a l s o , of course, the f i r s t (Met.1.452) o f t h e e p i c .
3.
F o r t h e o t h e r p o s s i b l e O v i d i a n i n f l u e n c e s on t h i s e p i s o d e , pp. 252.-53.
4.
c f . Bush, The
5.
E . K.
6.
But
7.
I t i s f i r s t i n t r o d u c e d i n 11.15-16, p i c k e d up and f u r t h e r d e v e l o p e d i n l i n e s 58 and 62.
8.
c f . D. A e r s and B. Hodge, ' " R a t i o n a l B u r n i n g " : M i l t o n on Sex and M a r r i a g e ' , where t h e y a r g u e t h a t a t V I I I . 46-47, Eve " f u n c t i o n s p a r t l y a s a g o d d e s s , but a l s o u n m i s t a k a b l y a s sun, a c t i v e p r i n c i p l e o f g r o w t h and hence a male f o r c e " ( p . 2 0 ) .
9.
But s e e a l s o V i r g i l , 102-10.
10.
Watkins,
11.
Don P a r r y N o r f o r d '"My O t h e r i n P a r a d i s e L o s t ' , p.25.
Rand,
Bush's note
love story,
to
IV.481-82.
" P r i m u s amor",
see
G r e e k and L a t i n Poems, p.130.
'Milton i n R u s t i c a t i o n ' ,
see E v a n s ,
An
t o I V . 3 0 3 , p.213, and
p.112.
pp.261-64.
Aeneid
a g a i n i n 11.55-56
I . 498-502 and Homer, O d y s s e y
Anatomy o f M i l t o n ' s V e r s e , n o t e
H a l f " : The
VI.
9, p.60.
Coincidence
of
Opposites
APPENDIX I I
B o t t i c e l l i , M i l t o n and
The
lateral
of Venus on
her
trompe l ' o e i l then i n the too,
may
O v i d and
s c e n e of t h e
left,
forms an
v i s u a l representation.
t r e a t s of
two
For
same two
episodes r e s t a t e d
those passages i n the
Daphne and
Flora
may
upon
Daphne
that
the
and
Botticelli,
and consecutive painting
i n the
confidently
figure
medium
trace
Metamorphoses and
we of
the
thread
F a s t i where
respectively.
i s rightly
celebrated.
p i c t o r i a l q u a l i t y o f h i s v e r s e l e n t h i s work t o memorable
visual translation,
i n the
Primavera, B o t t i c e l l i
acknowledged g e n i u s f o r t r a n s l a t i n g expressive v i s u a l equivalents. study of
as
i n t h i s d e t a i l from t h e
O v i d ' s m a s t e r y o f v i v i d word p a i n t i n g While the
iconographic gloss
elements of p u r s u i t
I n e a c h c a s e we
Spring
central
f e l i c i t o u s l y combined t o form two
c o n f r o n t e d w i t h the
b a c k t o O v i d and
the
seems t o a p p e a r f i r s t
the
p h a s e s of a c o m p o s i t e whole.
he
interesting
Eternal
I t seems more t h a n l i k e l y
have d i s c e r n e d t h a t
m e t a m o r p h o s i s c o u l d be
are
Primavera, flanking
e f f e c t whereby Eve
g u i s e of F l o r a .
T h r e e S c e n e s of
I now
t h i s p a r t i c u l a r g r o u p i n g of
l o o k i n g from r i g h t t o
l e f t , as
exhibits
literary texts
his
into exact
p r o p o s e t o make a more f i g u r e s , w h i c h may
Zephyr, C h l o r i s
and
be
Flora.
but detailed
identified,
386.
L e t us f i r s t
remind o u r s e l v e s
of the s a l i e n t d e t a i l s of the
s t o r y a s r e l a t e d by F l o r a h e r s e l f i n t h e F a s t i . eram, nymphe c a m p i
She e x p l a i n s ,
"Chloris
felicis":
quae f u e r i t m i h i forma, g r a v e e s t , modestae; (sed generum m a t r i r e p p e r i t i l i a akeum. v e r e r a t , errabam: Z e p h y r u s c o n s p e x i t , abibam. ansequitur, fugio : f o r t i o r i l l e ' f u i t . ( F a s t i V 197; 199-202)
On t h e f a r r i g h t o f t h i s d e t a i l from t h e P r i m a v e r a , we c a n e a s i l y r e c o g n i s e t h e amorous Zephyr a s he e n t e r s gale of passion. virgin
He swoops t o t h e e a r t h
a veritable
to gather the reluctant
young
nymph whose charms, s c a r c e l y c o n c e a l e d b e n e a t h t h e s w i r l i n g ,
diaphonous m a t e r i a l ,
The her
the picture,
a r e c l e a r l y pronounced a s n u b i l e .
unloosened t r e s s e s of C h l o r i s ' h a i r stream out a s she runs,
arms o u t s t r e t c h e d
before her i n f l i g h t .
She t u r n s
h e r head, e y e s
wide open i n t e r r o r , t o r e g a r d h e r p u r s u e r a s s h e f e e l s h i s b r e a t h , and
h i s hands a b o u t t o s e i z e h e r .
Chloris
her
strength
She p a r t s
but
only flowers issue f o r t h with her breath.
securely
evidently
exhausted.
stumbles awkwardly
h e r l i p s t o scream, perhaps, This
latter detail
l i n k s h e r w i t h F l o r a , whom we may r e c o l l e c t :
v e r n a s e f f l a t ab o r e r o s a s "
forward,
"dum
loquitur,
( F a s t i V. 1 9 4 ) .
Moreover, t h e r e e x i s t s an e n i g m a t i c s p a t i a l r e l a t i o n s h i p between C h l o r i s and t h e f i g u r e
t o h e r r i g h t , who i s p l a c e d i n s u c h
c l o s e p r o x i m i t y a s t o be c o n t i g u o u s , and y e t b o t h seem u t t e r l y of
t h e imminent c o l l i s i o n .
I t seems l i k e l y
l a p p i n g o f images i s , a s Wind m a i n t a i n s ,
that
t h i s curious
"a c a l c u l a t e d
oblivious over-
effect"^"
d e s i g n e d t o e s t a b l i s h t h e t e m p o r a l p r e c e d e n c e o f one moment o v e r t h e
other,
a s t h e s o p h i s t i c a t e d camera t e c h n i q u e s o f s t r o b o s c o p i c
p h o t o g r a p h y e n a b l e u s t o a n a l y s e t h e i n t e r v e n i n g movements i n a s i n g l e completed a c t i o n . is
The i n t e r a c t i o n between Zephyr and C h l o r i s
thus t h e d i r e c t antecedent
o f t h e a d j a c e n t image.
We a r e c e r t a i n l y j u s t i f i e d her a t t i r e ,
i n identifying
this
figure as Flora;
r i c h l y d e c o r a t e d w i t h c o l o u r f u l f l o r a l m o t i f s and h e r
d i s t i n c t i v e g e s t u r e - she i s i n v a r i a b l y r e p r e s e n t e d a s s t r e w i n g f l o w e r s - help confirm t h i s
impression.^
Furthermore,
we may j u s t
distinguish
t h a t c e r t a i n o f t h e f l o w e r s t h a t form t h e p a t t e r n of. F l o r a ' s d r e s s 4
seem t o emanate from C h l o r i s ' f i n g e r - t i p s . together w i t h t h e stream of flowers t h a t
This d e t a i l ,
combined
i s s u e s from h e r l i p s ,
gives
a s t r o n g i m p r e s s i o n o f i n c i p i e n t metamorphosis. Such a s c e n e o f f l i g h t , p u r s u i t and imminent r a p e , though n o t a t all
e n l a r g e d upon o r u n f o l d e d
from t h e F a s t i
i n any d e t a i l ,
i simplicit
i n the passage
i n i t i a l l y q u o t e d , and i s made more e x p l i c i t by F l o r a ' s
allusion:
et d e d e r a t ausus
f r a t r i Boreas
i u s omne r a p i n a e
E r e c h t h e a p r a e m i a f e r r e domo. ( F a s t i V. 203-4)
It
i s not s u r p r i s i n g
t h a t , a s E d g a r Wind r e m a r k s ,
"the scene has
reminded more t h a n one o b s e r v e r o f t h e p u r s u i t a n d t r a n s f o r m a t i o n o f Daphne.
.iff-
Indeed,
t h i s passage
from t h e Metamorphoses
( I . 490-544) would
seem t o form t h e most h e l p f u l commentary on t h e a c t i o n i n B o t t i c e l l i ' s picture.
O v i d ' s v i v i d d e s c r i p t i o n seems t o conform i n a l m o s t
every
v i s u a l d e t a i l w i t h B o t t i c e l l i ' s d e p i c t i o n o f t h e p u r s u i t of t h e nymph by
Zephyr.
Even a s she
fleeing
fled:
turn quoque v i s a d e c e n s ; nudabant c o r p o r a v e n t i , o b v i a g u e a d v e r s a s vibraban-t f l a m i n a v e s t e s , e t l e v i s i n p u l s o s r e t r o dabat a u r a c a p i l l o s , a u c t a q u e forma f u g a e s t ... ... deus e t v i r g o ... h i e spe c e l e f , i l i a t i m o r e . qui tamen i n s e q u i t u r p e n n i s a d i u t u s A m o r i s , o c i o r e s t requiemque n e g a t t e r g o q u e fugacis i n m i n e t e t c r i n e m spasum c e r v i c i b u s a d f l a t . v i r i b u s absumptis expalluit i l i a c i t a e q u e v i c t a l a b o r e fugae ... (Met.
However, Ronald p o s s i b i l i t y of such a
Lightbown
I . 527-30, 539-44)
h a s p e r e m p t o r i l y d i s m i s s e d even
the
connection:
T h i s group o f t h r e e f i g u r e s has b e e n s t r a n g e l y m i s i n t e r p r e t e d as r e p r e s e n t i n g a metamorphosis. The g r e a t German s c h o l a r , Warburg, saw l o n g ago t h a t i t s l i t e r a r y source i s a passage i n Ovid's Fasti.6
B u t , a s I have p r e v i o u s l y i n t i m a t e d , s i n c e t h e s t o r y o f as
recounted
by O v i d
i s i n h e r e n t l y one
quae F l o r a v o c o r " , F a s t i V. n e c e s s a r i l y mutually
of m e t a m o r p h o s i s
Flora
( " C h l o r i s eram,
1 9 5 ) , t h e two p e r s p e c t i v e s a r e
not
exclusive.
B o t t i c e l l i ' s p a i n t i n g i s t h u s an e x a c t , p i c t o r i a l r e p r e s e n t a t i o n o f t h e p r o c e s s w h i c h b e g i n s w i t h t h e f r u c t i f y i n g b r e a t h o f Zephyr c u l m i n a t e s i n the r a d i a n t f i g u r e , r a i s e d t o the rank of goddess, endowed w i t h t h e r e a l m o f f l o w e r s a s h e r b r i d a l g i f t , who
and and
steps forth
w i t h t h e e a s e o f manner, d i g n i t y Ovid's mater f l o r u m . the
A c e r t a i n rhythmic c o n t i n u i t y
s u b s i s t s between
two f i g u r e s o f C h l o r i s and F l o r a , c o n f o r m i n g t o t h e g e n e r a l
pressure
o f movement w h i c h g r a d u a l l y
from t h e w i n g s t o t h e c e n t r e and
and g r a c e t h a t we s h o u l d e x p e c t o f
out again.
Chloris f a l l s
draws t h e a t t e n t i o n
of the observer
and t h e u n p r e t e n t i o u s f i g u r e o f Venus, forward t o r e c o v e r h e r balance a s she
merges i n t o t h e p e r f e c t l y p o i s e d f i g u r e o f F l o r a , a n d , by them, t h u s B o t t i c e l l i between p r i m i t i v e
In Paradise p a r a l l e l process,
seems a l s o t o be p o i n t i n g
and r e f i n e d
the d i s t i n c t i o n
beauty.
L o s t and t h e P r i m a v e r a , we may f i n d e x p r e s s e d a a p r o g r e s s i o n i n w h i c h amor, embodied i n t h e a r d e n t
l o v e r s , Adam a n d Zephyr, and t h e e x a m p l e s o f c a s t i t a s , culminate i n t h e r e f i n e d beauty, p u l c h r i t u d o E d g a r Wind
juxtaposing
E v e and C h l o r i s ,
o f E v e and F l o r a a s b r i d e s .
explains:
I n t h e guise of an O v i d i a n f a b l e , t h e p r o g r e s s i o n Z e p h y r - C h l o r i s - F l o r a s p e l l s o u t t h e f a m i l i a r (Neoplatonic) d i a l e c t i c of love: Pulchritudo a r i s e s from a d i s c o r d i a c o n c o r s between C a s t i t a s a n d Amor; t h e f l e e i n g nymph and t h e amorous Zephyr u n i t e i n the beauty of F l o r a . 7
Incidentally, of The of but
t h i s t r i a d corresponds t o a contemporary
t h e image o f t h e t h r e e
Graces i n the F l o r e n t i n e
d e s i g n on t h e medal o f G i o v a n n a
Neoplatonic
circle.
d e g l i A l b i z z i d e p i c t e d t h e dance
t h e G r a c e s and was c a s t from t h e same mould a s P i c o t h e i n s c r i p t i o n had been a l t e r e d s i g n i f i c a n t l y .
d e f i n i t i o n of love
application
s u i t e d t o a man, Love i s D e s i r e
"PULCHRITUDO-AMOR-VOLUPTAS," i s r e p l a c e d B e a u t y ) L o v e and C h a s t i t y meet i n B e a u t y :
della
Mirandola's,
The P l a t o n i c a r o u s e d by B e a u t y ,
by a P l a t o n i c d e f i n i t i o n o f CASTITAS-PULCHRITUDO-AMOR,
more a p p r o p r i a t e f o r a woman.
As Wind h e l p f u l l y e x p l a i n s :
... t h e G r a c e i n t h e c e n t r e u n i t e s t h e o p p o s i t e s : f o r i n P u l c h r i t u d o , t h e c o n t r a r i e s of C a s t i t a s and Amor c o i n c i d e . But ... P u l c h r i t u d o ... a l s o a c h i e v e s a c o n v e r s i o n ... B e a u t y now t u r n s from C h a s t i t y toward Love.^
The
i n i t i a t i o n of c h a s t e beauty
i n t o l o v e may
be r e g a r d e d
as
t h e dominant t h e m a t i c m o t i f o f t h e P r i m a v e r a , w h i c h i s i n many ways, l i k e t h i s s e c t i o n of Milton's e p i c , a c e l e b r a t i o n of m a r r i e d It
love.
f o r m s , moreover, t h e theme of t h e p r i n c i p a l a c t i o n i n t h e p a i n t i n g
w h i c h t a k e s p l a c e between Venus and to p i e r c e w i t h a flame-tipped arrow. p r e c i s i o n a t the c e n t r a l dancer
As L i g h t b o w n a r g u e s : Graces
C u p i d and Cupid
among t h e
the Grace
they
intend
aims w i t h a b s o l u t e
Graces.
" I f then i n the Primavera
one
of
the
i s t o be p i e r c e d by t h e a r r o w o f l o v e , t h e i m p l i c a t i o n c a n
only
9 be t h a t she i s t o q u i t h e r v i r g i n s t a t e f o r m a r r i a g e . "
The
s c e n e is
t h u s a r e s t a t e m e n t o f t h e theme on t h e r i g h t , t h e l a w f u l f r u i t i o n love i n marriage. accoutrements
The
G r a c e s have been i d e n t i f i e d by t h e i r
a s , from l e f t
to r i g h t , V o l u p t a s , the female
of
symbolic counterpart
o f Amor, C a s t i t a s and P u l c h r i t u d o , and Wind h a s d e s c r i b e d and i n t e r p r e t e d the scene w i t h admirable l u c i d i t y :
I n s o f a r a s d i a l e c t i c c a n be d a n c e d , i t h a s been a c c o m p l i s h e d i n t h i s group. 'Opposition', 'concord' and 'concord i n o p p o s i t i o n ' , a l l t h r e e a r e e x p r e s s e d i n t h e p o s t u r e s and s t e p s and i n t h e a r t i c u l a t e s t y l e o f j o i n i n g t h e h a n d s . P l a c e d palm a g a i n s t palm t o s u g g e s t an e n c o u n t e r , but q u i e t l y i n t e r l o c k e d i n t h e a b s e n c e o f c o n f l i c t , t h e y r i s e up h i g h t o form a s i g n i f i c a n t knot when t h e y i l l u s t r a t e the Beauty of P a s s i o n .
T h a t t h i s g e s t u r e i s made t o h o v e r l i k e a crown above t h e head o f C a s t i t a s , d e f i n e s t h e theme o f t h e dance a s h e r i n i t i a t i o n . C a s t i t a s i s the neophyte, i n i t i a t e d i n t o Love by t h e m i n i s t r a t i o n s o f V o l u p t a s and P u l c h r i t u d o . -*0
At
t h i s p o i n t , i t seems t i m e l y t o m e n t i o n L i g h t b o w n ' s p e r c e p t i v e
observat ion that
"The
g r a c e i s an o b v i o u s P r i m a v e r a was
k i n d l i n g of l o v e i n a p u r e and
beautiful
1
compliment t o a bride", ''" and h i s t h e o r y t h a t
commissioned t o c e l e b r a t e the marriage
of Lorenzo
P i e r f r a n c e s c o de M e d i c i t o Semiramide d'Appiano, an i n i t i a t i o n chaste beauty
The popular
virgin the
di of
into love.
s t e r e o t y p e of the i c o n o c l a s t i c P u r i t a n d i e s hard i n the
i m a g i n a t i o n and p e r s i s t s , t o g e t h e r w i t h a s t r o n g n o t i o n
M i l t o n ' s weak e y e s , l a t e r b l i n d n e s s and
of
over-compensatory a u d i t o r y
12 imagination, may
c o n s p i r i n g t o d i s t r a c t a t t e n t i o n from any
have shown i n t h e v i s u a l a r t s .
interest
Milton
However, t h e c a s e f o r t h e i r r e l e v a n c e
t o a c o n s i d e r e d r e a d i n g o f M i l t o n ' s p o e t r y h a s been p e r s u a s i v e l y a r g u e d by R o l a n d
Mushat F r y e , and h i s comments on t h e i m p o r t a n c e
exposure
t o t h e g r e a t I t a l i a n works o f p a i n t i n g and 13 p o e t i c development a r e p a r t i c u l a r l y i n s t r u c t i v e .
of
Milton's
sculpture for his He
concludes:
When M i l t o n ' s e a r l i e s t b i o g r a p h e r s a y s t h a t i n I t a l y he saw " t h e r a r i t i e s o f t h e p l a c e " and when h i s nephew, John P h i l l i p s w r i t e s t h a t "he met w i t h many charming o b j e c t s , " I t h i n k the evidence permits us t o assume w i t h some c o n f i d e n c e t h a t among t h o s e " r a r i t i e s " and "charming o b j e c t s " he i n c l u d e d t h e m a s t e r p i e c e s of a r t w i t h which the c u l t i v a t e d E n g l i s h m a n was e x p e c t e d t o be f a m i l i a r . 1 4
S i n c e M i l t o n s p e n t w e l l o v e r a q u a r t e r o f h i s s i x t e e n months abroad
i n F l o r e n c e , where h i s f r i e n d s h i p w i t h P i e r o F r e s c o b a l d i - whose
" c l o s e p e r s o n a l f a m i l y t i e s w i t h the r e i g n i n g Medici
grand
1
dukes" ^
Florence
-
i t seems l i k e l y t h a t M i l t o n
would have a v a i l e d h i m s e l f
t h e ample o p p o r t u n i t i e s t o v i e w t h e i r e x t e n s i v e and
renowned
of
collections.
17 The Milton's
s t r i k i n g r e s e m b l a n c e which c r i t i c s have n o t e d
v i s u a l i s a t i o n of t h e O v i d i a n
B o t t i c e l l i ' s Primavera, may
not
"one
topos, Ver
e r a t aeternum
and
o f the most famous o f q u a t t r c c e n t r o
seem so c o i n c i d e n t a l when we
i n v e n t o r i e s o f L o r e n z o and
between
Giovanni
r e f l e c t t h a t "the show t h a t [the
lately
oaintings"lH
published
Primavera"] was
painted"
not, a s was g e n e r a l l y assumed, t o d e c o r a t e C a s t e l l o , b u t " f o r t h e i r town house i n F l o r e n c e , " "a house a d j o i n i n g , [ a n d ] i n f a c t o r i g i n a l l y p a r t 19 of the P a l a z z o M e d i c i i n the V i a L a r g a . " then,
w h e t h e r t h e P r i m a v e r a was
e n c o u n t e r e d on h i s I t a l i a n
not one
journey.^
0
I t i s i n t e r e s t i n g to of the g r e a t
'rarities'
speculate, Milton
Notes
1.
Wind, p . 1 0 2 .
2.
So t o o , a s R o n a l d L i g h t b o w n h a s a r g u e d : " B o t t i c e l l i was c a r e f u l t o i n d i c a t e t h a t t h i s background s c e n e t a k e s p l a c e a t a d i f f e r e n t moment by making t h e d r e s s and d r a p e r y o f C h l o r i s blow i n t h e o p p o s i t e d i r e c t i o n t o t h e d r a p e r y o f t h e G r a c e s and o f F l o r a " (Sandro B o t t i c e l l i : L i f e and Work V o l . l [ 1978 ], p.80) .
3.
S e e , f o r example, F a s t i
4.
S e e Wind, p.104.
5.
V. 221; 337-38.
ibid.
6.
R. L i g h t b o w n , Sandro B o t t i c e l l i ,
7.
Wind, p . 1 0 3 .
8.
Wind, pp.72-73.
9.
R. L i g h t b o w n , Sandro B o t t i c e l l i ,
10.
Wind, p.104. However, Lightbown m a i n t a i n s t h a t " C u p i d ... s h o o t s a f l a m i n g - h e a d e d a r r o w a t t h e f i r s t G r a c e on t h e l e f t " ( p . 7 5 ) ; t h a t t h i s i s c l e a r l y n o t t h e c a s e c a n be e a s i l y d e m o n s t r a t e d by t r a c i n g a l i n e from t h e a r r o w head t o i t s t a r g e t .
11.
R. L i g h t b o w n , Sandro B o t t i c e l l i ,
12.
c f . T. S. E l i o t ' s p r o v o c a t i v e r e m a r k s : " M i l t o n may be s a i d n e v e r t o have s e e n a n y t h i n g " and h i s c l a i m t h a t t h e p o e t s u f f e r e d from "hypertrophy of t h e a u d i t o r y imagination a t t h e expense of t h e v i s u a l and t a c t i l e " (On P o e t r y and P o e t s [New Y o r k , 1957J p.162 and 'A Note on t h e V e r s e o f John M i l t o n ' , E & S XXI [ 1 9 3 6 ] ; pp. 32-40).
13.
R o l a n d Mushat F r y e , M i l t o n ' s Imagery and t h e V i s u a l pp.23-31 ~ * :
p.79.
p.77.
p.81.
:
Arts,
29 ^
14.
ibid.,
pp.30-31.
15.
ibid.,
p.25.
16.
i b i d . , pp.28-29. See too, The E a r l y L i v e s o f M i l t o n , p. 57 f o r an a c c o u n t by Edward P h i l l i p s o f t h e c o r d i a l r e l a t i o n s M i l t o n e n j o y e d w i t h " t h e most L e a r n e d and i n g e n i o u s of t h e N o b l e s , and t h e Grand W i t s o f F l o r e n c e , who c a r e s s ' d him w i t h a l l t h e Honours and C i v i l i t i e s i m a g i n a b l e . "
17.
See Mushat F r y e , M i l t o n ' s I m a g e r y a n d t h e V i s u a l A r t s w h e r e he r e c o r d s t h a t " I n h i s e d i t i o n o f P a r a d i s e L o s t , Hughes n o t e d o f t h e s e l i n e s (IV.264-68) t h a t 'comparison w i t h B o t t i c e l l i ' s S p r i n g i s i n e v i t a b l e , ' w h i l e J e f f r e y S p e n c e r c a r r i e s t h e s u g g e s t i o n somewhat f u r t h e r : 'One i s s t r u c k by t h e r e s e m b l a n c e b e t w e e n t h e l i n e s a b o v e and B o t t i c e l l i ' s Primavera, which represents a s i m i l a r tableau o f frozen movement i n a t i m e l e s s s p r i n g l a n d s c a p e " ( p . 2 3 0 ) . See t o o M a r t z , Poet o f E x i l e , p.226.
18.
Mushat F r y e , M i l t o n ' s Imagery and
19.
R. L i g h t b o w n , S a n d r o B o t t i c e l l i , p.73; p.71.
20.
Note t o o C h a r l e s G. Osgood, The C l a s s i c a l Mythology o f M i l t o n ' s E n g l i s h Poems, commented on t h e s t r i k i n g r e s e m b l a n c e o f " t h e f l o w e r y - k i r t l e d N a i a d e s " o f Comus (1.254) t o " t h e f i g u r e o f Primavera i n B o t t i c e l l i ' s Spring. Her robe, l o o s e and f l o w i n g , i s r i c h l y embroidered a l l over with a p a t t e r n c o n s i s t i n g of l i t t l e bunches of f l o w e r s " ( p . l x v i ) .
t h e V i s u a l A r c s , p.230.
A P P E N D I X III The
Fruitless
Hours
The f o l l o w i n g d i s c u s s i o n i s i n t e n d e d t o complement t h e arguments p u t f o r w a r d i n t h e l a s t two c h a p t e r s by examining t h e e f f e c t s o f t h e F a l l upon Adam w h i l e he remains e s t r a n g e d from Eve. Since i t does n o t d i r e c t l y concern e i t h e r Eve o r Ovid i t has n o t been i n c o r p o r a t e d i n the main body o f t h e t e x t b u t appears here as an appendix.
However, u n l e s s we g i v e s u f f i c i e n t w e i g h t t o Adam's
apparent h e l p l e s s n e s s a t t h i s p o i n t , h i s i n a b i l i t y
t o r e s i s t alone
t h e downward p u l l o f death and d e s p a i r , we cannot f u l l y a p p r e c i a t e the s t r u c t u r a l and t h e m a t i c emphasis accorded t o i h e scene o f h i s r e c o n c i l i a t i o n t o Eve, n o r understand why t h i s forms an e s s e n t i a l p r e l u d e t o Man's r e g e n e r a t i o n , and r e c o n c i l i a t i o n t o God. So l e t us t u r n t o where Adam and Eve:
... i n mutual a c c u s a t i o n spent The f r u i t l e s s h o u r s , b u t n e i t h e r s e l f - c o n d e m n i n g , And o f t h e i r v a i n c o n t e s t appeared no end.
( I X . 1187-89) These l i n e s which c l o s e Book I X a r e s i m p l e , and y e t charged meaning.
with
A g a i n s t t h e f r u i t f u l wedding o f t h e v i n e t o h e r elm, a
p i c t u r e o f m a r i t a l , p h y s i c a l , mental and s p i r i t u a l harmony, t h e hours now wasted by Adam and Eve a r e seen t o be ' f r u i t l e s s ' p r o f o u n d e s t sense.
i n the
The u t t e r r e v e r s a l o f a l l t h e l a y e r s o f meaning
embedded i n M i l t o n ' s use o f t h e v i n e - e l m topos t h u s s e r v e s t o i n v e s t the
' f r u i t l e s s hours' w i t h such poignancy and e x p r e s s i v e power
e
With t h e r e c i p r o c a l r e l a t i o n s h i p o f l o v e which n u r t u r e d and m a i n t a i n e d 1
t h e i n w a r d p a r a d i s e suspended, 'Chaos i s come a g a i n . The storm has thus become i n t e r n a l i z e d f o r m i n g t h e v e r y
396 s t r u c t u r e o f t h e s e l f now
hopelessly divided:
They s a t them down t o weep, nor o n l y t e a r s Rained a t t h e i r eyes, b u t h i g h winds worse w i t h i n Began t o r i s e , h i g h p a s s i o n s , anger, h a t e , M i s t r u s t , s u s p i c i o n , d i s c o r d , and shook sore T h e i r i n w a r d s t a t e o f mind, calm r e g i o n once And f u l l o f peace, now t o s s e d and t u r b u l e n t s For u n d e r s t a n d i n g r u l e d n o t , and t h e w i l l Heard n o t her l o r e , b o t h i n s u b j e c t i o n now To sensual a p p e t i t e , who from beneath U s u r p i n g over s o v e r e i g n reason c l a i m e d S u p e r i o r sway.
( I X . 1121-31) T h i s d e s c r i p t i o n , as Fowler has observed, a t once " u n i v e r s a l i z e s t h e change i n human n a t u r e " and e x p l i c i t l y e s t a b l i s h e s the analogy between t h e " m e t e o r o l o g i c a l d i s t u r b a n c e s " , ^ g r i m l y c a t a l o g u e d i n the n e x t book, and t h e g r e a t e r malady, t h e tempest i n the mind t o which man "The
i s now
subject.
Moreover, i t seems s i g n i f i c a n t t o o t h a t
c o n f l i c t o f a l l winds", as Fowler l a t e r reminds us, "was
a
r e v e r s i o n t o chaos t h a t had o f t e n been used as a symbol o f t h e
2 c h a o t i c s t a t e of human p a s s i o n " .
Indeed, the winds' impetuous
b l a s t s and man's stormy passions a r e seen t o be g e n u i n e l y analogous t o the c o n d i t i o n of m a t t e r i n chaos. The d i s o r d e r i n the psyche where p a s s i o n has r i s e n from
her
"element below" i n an a t t e m p t t o w r e s t c o n t r o l from " s o v e r e i g n reason" r e c a l l s t h e " e t e r n a l anarchy"
( I I . 896) and
"misrule"
( V I I . 271) t h a t c h a r a c t e r i z e s the s t a t e o f "uncreated'' m a t t e r i n chaos.
T h i s g e n e r a l resemblance i s f u r t h e r supported by t h e more
s p e c i f i c r e f e r e n c e t o Man's "inward s t a t e " "calm r e g i o n once / f u l l o f peace" as now
"tossed and t u r b u l e n t " , a
And
physical condition
c l o s e l y s i m i l a r t o t h a t of the w a r r i n g elements i n chaos t h a t appeared: Outrageous as a sea, d a r k , w a s t e f u l , w i l d , Up from the bottom t u r n e d by f u r i o u s winds And s u r g i n g waves, as mountains t o a s s a u l t Heaven's h i g h t h .
( v n . 212-15)
397 I t i s a storm t h a t can o n l y be calmed by t h e d i v i n e i m p e r a t i v e o f c r e a t i o n i s s u e d by t h e Son: " S i l e n c e , ye t r o u b l e d waves, and t h o u deep, peace, / ... y o u r d i s c o r d end" ( V I I . 2 1 6 - 1 7 ) . T h i s i n t u r n momentarily t r a n s p o r t s us back t o t h e " t u m u l t s v a i n " (V„ 737) d " h o r r i d c o n f u s i o n " ( V I 668) o f the war i n heaven, where t h e opposing f o r c e s would have been l o c k e d i n " P e r p e t u a l f i g h t „.„ Endless / With no s o l u t i o n .„„ f o u n d " , had n o t t h e Son i n t e r v e n e d . Moreover, h i s m i s s i o n here t o o i s , a t l e a s t i n p a r t , one o f c r e a t i o n o r r a t h e r r e c r e a t i o n as l i n e s 780-84 make c l e a r . a n
0
The
futility
o f t h i s epic b a t t l e i s o f t e n remarked and c r i t i c i z e d
but i f we accept S t e i n ' s s u p p o s i t i o n war
t h a t "the m a t e r i a l a c t i o n o f t h e
does n o t e x i s t f o r i t s l i t e r a l meaning and independent meaning,
but i s i n s t e a d p a r t o f a complex metaphor",^ i t can be found t o shadow f o r t h n o t o n l y t h e endless s t r u g g l e o f t h e f o r c e s o f good and e v i l i n human h i s t o r y b e f o r e t h e f i n a l i n t e r v e n t i o n o f t h e Son a t t h e L a s t Judgement, b u t a l s o t h e 'vain c o n t e s t ' which takes p l a c e between Adam and Eve. Bouchard has i n d i c a t e d the i m p o r t a n c e o f t h i s s t r u c t u r a l correspondence as a f e a t u r e o f t h e e p i c ' s s y m m e t r i c a l p a t t e r n i n g , maintaining
t h a t i t i s t h e r e s o l u t i o n o f t h e d i s c o r d by t h e i n t e r v e n t i o n
of t h e Son which i s t h e s i g n i f i c a n t p a r a l l e l i n each case:
L i k e t h e "War i n Heaven", t h e d i s c o r d o f Adam and Eve w i l l be r e s o l v e d by t h e Son i n a m e r c i f u l judgement.
So t o o Grossman draws a t t e n t i o n t o t h e " s t a t e o f p a r a l y z e d
fantasy-
making" which " i s t h e s i t u a t i o n a f t e r Adam's f a l l and p r i o r t o t h e i n t e r c e s s i o n o f t h e Son", and goes on t o argue:
The book ends w i t h Adam and Eve t r a p p e d i n an agon which cannot be r e s o l v e d ... Adam and Eve w i l l need d i v i n e h e l p , p r e v e n i e n t grace ( X I , 3 ) , t o emerge f r o m t h e i r wretched s t a t e .
These o b s e r v a t i o n s a r e undoubtedly t r u e .
T h i s s a i d , they do n o t
seem t o be q u i t e t h e whole t r u t h s
a b s t r a c t e d p l o t and c o n c r e t e
d r a m a t i z a t i o n may n o t n e c e s s a r i l y e v o l v e w i t h t h e same emphasis. Though indeed M i l t o n a s s i g n s c h r o n o l o g i c a l p r i o r i t y t o t h e Son's i n i t i a t i v e i n accordance w i t h t h e " d o c t r i n e o f d i v i n e Prevenience",^ i t i s n o t upon t h e heavenly
l e v e l of the action that the f u l l e s t
7 s t r u c t u r a l and p o e t i c emphasis f a l l s , ,
Our a t t e n t i o n i s focussed Q
upon Eve., t h e human agent o f s a l v a t i o n ,
and h e r l o v e f o r Adam which
r e v e r s e s t h e d e g e n e r a t i o n i n t o chaos and r e l e a s e s Adam from t h e endless downward s p i r a l o f d e s p a i r and damnation.
Only w i t h
their
r e c o n c i l i a t i o n can t h e c o u n t e r a c t i v e , r e s t o r a t i v e movement o f regeneration begin.
Eve may f a l l f i r s t b u t Adam f a l l s
T h i s i s amply demonstrated
further.
by a c a r e f u l c o n s i d e r a t i o n o f what
takes p l a c e a f t e r t h e Son's pronouncement and b e f o r e Eve approaches Adam:
i n t h e i n t e r v e n i n g p e r i o d t h e n a r r a t i v e gaze i s t u r n e d upon
Adam e x c l u s i v e l y and we a r e made t o f e e l t h e immanence o f chaos as b o t h an i n w a r d and outward r e a l i t y .
Prom b e i n g a s t a t e o f stormy
t u r b u l e n c e , chaos hardens i n t o a n e g a t i o n o f t h e c o n d i t i o n s essential f o r l i f e . L i k e Hamlet, Adam's d e s i r e t o escape an i n t o l e r a b l e
situation
t h a t "seemed r e m e d i l e s s " n a t u r a l l y develops i n t o a y e a r n i n g t o d i s a p p e a r and n o t t o be, t o throw o f f t h e burden o f l i f e and consciousness •uncreation' .
f o r t h e i n s e n s i b i l i t y and t o t a l o b l i v i o n of d e a t h o r Adam g i v e s most p o i g n a n t e x p r e s s i o n t o h i s l o n g i n g
e i t h e r t o r e v e r t t o i h e s t a t e o f non-being
from which God had promoted
him o r t o embrace i n s e n t i e n c e i n t h e l o n g , dreamless s l e e p o f d e a t h : ... How g l a d l y would I meet M o r t a l i t y my sentence, and be e a r t h I n s e n s i b l e , how g l a d would l a y me down As i n my mother's l a p ? There I should r e s t And s l e e p secure ....
(X.
775-79)
The f i n a l l i n e i s e x p e c i a l l y r e v e a l i n g .
Of course, h i s power to give
r e l i e f from Man's "anxious c a r e s " , and h i s c l o s e r e l a t i o n s h i p to death, are a s p e c t s of Sleep most frequently mentioned i n poetic i n v o c a t i o n s of the God.
Ovid addresses Sleep a s , "Sonne, quaes rerun, p l a c i d i s s i m e ,
Somne, deorum". (Met. X I . 623),and i n a s i m i l a r v e i n , Samuel Daniel c o n j u r e s the presence
of "Care-charmer Sleep, Sonne of the sable n i g h t , /
9 Brother to death, i n s i l e n t darkness borne". of the S t a t i a n account here.
However, the s a l i e n t d e t a i l s
of the Grove of Sleep prove p a r t i c u l a r l y
suggestive
Foremost among Sleep's attendants are to be found "opaca Quies e t
pigra Oblivio";
h i s realm i s c h a r a c t e r i z e d by darkness and a r r e s t ,
and
h i s e n e r v a t i n g i n f l u e n c e extendB over the very p l a n t s and f l o w e r s : ... et nova marcent g r a o i n a , terrarumque i n c l i n a t s p i r i t u s
^
Q
herbas.
Moreover, as Fowler points out, the woods, "impenetrable/To s t a r or s u n l i g h t " ( I X . 1086-67) to which Adam r e t r e a t s , as w e l l as
suggesting
Spenser's " l a b y r i n t h i n e wood of E r r o r " , " d i s t i n c t l y r e c a l l
Statius'
dark grove of Sleep,
n u l l i penetrabilis astro,/lucus iners
As Adam i 6 once again discovered "hid i n gloomiest
(Theb. X 8 5 f ) " •
shade" (X.
716),
h i s p h y s i c a l a t t i t u d e more f u l l y r e f l e c t s h i s mental p r o s t r a t i o n and regressive
death-wish:
... on the ground Outstretched he l a y , on the cold ground, and o f t Cursed h i s c r e a t i o n , death as o f t accused Of tardy execution.
(X. 850-53) Indeed, the present passage seems to have been w r i t t e n i n studied c o n t r a s t to that e a r l i e r scene i n which Adam records h i s f i r s t moments of c o n s c i o u s ness.
There, Adam o u t l i n e d a s e t t i n g and s t a t e of mind which i s a t each
point c o n t r a s t e d with h i s present f a l l e n c o n d i t i o n .
I n both passages
the
concrete s e t t i n g seems to form more than a convenient back-drop - i t profoundly
complements and even f i g u r e s f o r t h Adam's mental and
spiritual
4oo state. Adam q u i c k e n s t o l i f e and consciousness on a s o f t f l o w e r y bank as "new
waked", r e f r e s h e d "from soundest s l e e p " ( V I I I . 253)»
His f i r s t
experience o f b e i n g i s t h e warming caress o f t h e sun and,
as though
i n v i g o r a t e d by i t s e n e r g i z i n g i n f l u e n c e , he s p r i n g s u p r i g h t . i n s t i n c t i v e a c t i o n , i t s e l f an e x p r e s s i o n
This
o f " l i v e l y v i g o u r " ( V I I I . 269,
emphasis added) i s a l s o seen t o be a p o s i t i v e a f f i r m a t i o n o f l i f e on Adam's p a r t .
I n marked c o n t r a s t t o t h i s scene o f r a d i a n t l i g h t , where
the g e n e r a l mood i s o f serene o p t i m i s m , t h e second i s dark,
terrifying
and daemonic, set i n t h e v e r y depth o f t h e b l a c k e s t n i g h t .
Adam's dark
n i g h t o f t h e s o u l i s passed i n a s t a t e o f r e s t l e s s , t o r t u r e d apprehension i n which e v e r y t h i n g around him takes on a t h r e a t e n i n g n i g h t m a r i s h character.
The "black a i r " and " d r e a d f u l gloom":
... All
t o h i s e v i l conscience r e p r e s e n t e d t h i n g s w i t h double t e r r o r .
(X. 847-850) I n a d d i t i o n t o t h e obvious c o n t r a s t between t h e b r i g h t s u n l i g h t of t h e f i r s t passage and t h e "black a i r " o f t h e second, a t l e a s t t h r e e a n t i t h e s e s a r e used t o a r t i c u l a t e t h e two emblematic sceness warmth i s c o n t r a s t e d w i t h d e a t h l y c o l d ;
a s o f t bank w i t h hard
other
vital ground;
and o f c o u r s e , w h i l e i n t h e f i r s t s k e t c h t h e h o r i z o n t a l sweep o f t h e p e n c i l i s e f f e c t i v e l y o f f s e t by an emphatic v e r t i c a l l i n e as Adam stands u p r i g h t , i n t h e second no such counter-movement occurs.
Thus t h e s l u g g i s h
r e s i s t a n c e t o l i f e and a c t i v i t y , which f o l l o w s hard upon Adam's f a l l and a b e r r a t i o n from God, i s most a c c u r a t e l y r e p r e s e n t e d
i n his continuing
p h y s i c a l p r o s t r a t i o n , and t h e scene as a whole serves t o a l l y him ever more c l o s e l y w i t h Satan and Death and by a n a t u r a l a s s o c i a t i o n o f i d e a s w i t h "The b l a c k
238-39).
tartareous
cold
i n f e r n a l dregs/Adverse t o l i f e " ( V I I .
12
I t r a p i d l y becomes apparent t h a t s p i r i t u a l d e a t h , l i k e c r e a t i o n , i s a continuous p r o c e s s .
As T i l l y a r d h a s p o i n t e d out, "The p r o c e s s o f
r f a l l i n g continues
l f 0 1
n
( a f t e r man's i n i t i a l o f f e n s e l ... Indeed i t c o u l d be
m a i n t a i n e d t h a t t h e F a l l i s n o t accomplished, does not i n deepest v e r i t y take p l a c e , t i l l
Adam's d e s p a i r i n g speech l a t e i n Book Ten ( l i n e 720)"„
D o u b t l e s s , "As we r e a d t h i s speech we are meant t o r e c a l l Satan's g r e a t speech on Mount N i p h a l e s a t the b e g i n n i n g o f Book F o u r
D
Both speakers
are t o r t u r e d , b o t h admit God's j u s t i c e " , b u t h e r e , T i l l y a r d i n s i s t s , t h e s i m i l a r i t i e s end.
Satan concludes w i t h a " r e s o l v e t o do e v i l , Adam i n
self-accusation"„^ ^ However, i t seems more l i k e l y t h a t M i l t o n ' s concern i s r a t h e r t o suggest
t h a t Adam i s p o i s e d on t h e b r i n k o f d e s p a i r , a h a i r s b r e a d t h away
from the S a t a n i c l o g i c o f " A l l hope excluded thus . „. a l l good t o me i s l o s t ; / E v i l be thou my good" ( I V . 105;
109-110).
t o r e - e n a c t t h i s drama o f d e s p a i r and damnation.
Indeed, Adam has begun Believing himself
"miserable/Beyond a l l p a s t example and f u t u r e , / T o Satan o n l y l i k e b o t h crime and doom" (X. 839-41)» Adam shares Satan's c o n v i c t i o n o f t h e a b s o l u t e f i n a l i t y ofhis loss.
Satan's dilemma, "Me m i s e r a b l e ^ Which way s h a l l
I f l y / I n f i n i t e w r a t h , and i n f i n i t e d e s p a i r " ( I V . 73-74)» i s Adam's a l s o . His h o r r i f i e d r e a l i z a t i o n t h a t " i n the l o w e s t deep a lower d e e p / S t i l l t h r e a t e n i n g t o devour me opens wide" ( I V . 76-77) i s matched by Adam's consciousness
o f an "abyss o f f e a r s / A n d h o r r o r s " "out o f which" he can
15 " f i n d no way, from deep t o deeper plunged"
(X. 8 4 2 - 4 4 ) .
F a l l e n Adam's p a r t i a l p e r s p e c t i v e which excludes from h i s v i s i o n one h a l f o f t h e d i v i n e n a t u r e s e e i n g o n l y the God o f j u s t i c e and w r a t h i s r e f l e c t e d i n a s h i f t i n the emblematic suggestiveness sun i n p a r t i c u l a r .
o f l i g h t and t h e
While t h e sun's r a y s p r i m a r i l y symbolized f o r t h e
emblemists God's benevolence:
"His f o r g i v e n e s s , [ a n d ] His l i f e - i n f u s i n g
essence", a t t i m e s , as Shahla Anand goes on t o e x p l a i n , "Heavenly r a y s
16 c o u l d be m a l e v o l e n t , showing God's w r a t h and His d e s t r u c t i v e power" roused a g a i n s t the i m p e n i t e n t .
We have commented p r e v i o u s l y on t h e
c o n s i s t e n c y w i t h which M i l t o n uses the sun's l i g h t and warmth t o suggest the c r e a t i v e and f o s t e r i n g power o f God's grace and presence and i t i s b o t h a measure and evidence o f Adam's f a l l e n c o n d i t i o n and "horrenda
expectatio
iudicii"
t h a t d i v i n e l i g h t now seems b l i n d i n g l y s t r o n g and
•» 18 fierce, insufferably bright".
Moreover, Adam's agonized pleas
o.o cover me ye p i n e s , Ye c e d a r s , w i t h innumerable boughs Hide me, (IX.
1088-90)
seems s t r o n g l y r e m i n i s c e n t o f Faustus' d e s p e r a t e c r y j
Mountains and h i l l s , come, come, and f a l c o n me And h i d e me from t h e heavy wrath o f God.
which i n t u r n echoes t h e u r g e n t demand o f those who have i n c u r r e d t h e divine displeasure i n the apocalyptic
v i s i o n o f S t . Johns
And £theyj s a i d t o t h e mountains and r o c k s , F a l l on us, and h i d e us from t h e f a c e o f him t h a t s i t t e t h on t h e t h r o n e , and from t h e wrath o f t h e Lamb. Of)
(Revelation
V I . 16)
Adam a t t e m p t s t o i n s u l a t e h i m s e l f a g a i n s t t h e a n t i c i p a t e d b l a z e o f God's w r a t h by r e t r e a t i n g " I n t o the t h i c k e s t word" t o where t h e f i g t r e e c r e a t e s a " p i l l a r e d shade" ( I X . 1100, 1106).
As Wentersdorf has remarked, M i l t o n
seems a t p a i n s here t o e x p l a i n t h a t " t h e f i g i n q u e s t i o n i s n o t t h e common 21 f r u i t - b e a r i n g t r e e , b u t t h e Malabar o r I n d i a n f i g " ,
and t h i s emphasis
seems s i g n i f i c a n t i n t h i s c o n t e x t when we r e c a l l t h a t i t i s t h e f i g ' s u s e f u l n e s s as a p r o t e c t i o n a g a i n s t t h e sun!s f i e r c e heat t h a t f e a t u r e s i n contemporary accounts.
Gerard, f o r example, observes how:
... t h e I n d i a n s do use j i t ] f o r c o u e r t u r e a g a i n s t t h e extreme heate o f th_e, sunne, wherewith they a r e g r e e v e o u s l y vexed.
and
M i l t o n t o o draws a t t e n t i o n t o t h e way i n which t h e f i g t r e e w i l l be
p r i z e d by " t h e I n d i a n herdsman shunning h e a t " who w i l l s h e l t e r i n i t s " t h i c k e s t shade" ( I X . 1108;
1110).
The 1 i k e l i h o o d t h a t M i l t o n i n t e n d s
more t h a n t o a n t i c i p a t e t h e harsh change i n c l i m a t i c c o n d i t i o n s f a l l e n w o r l d where the sun w i l l " a f f e c t
i n the
the e a r t h w i t h ... heat/Scarce
t o l e r a b l e " (X„ 653-54) i s considerably strengthened when we r e f l e c t that i t i s "Under the i n f l u e n c e of the f u l l b l a z i n g sun" ( I V
0
a
29),
s
Dennis Danielson has s t r e s s e d , that Satan, haunted by h i s remembrance of goodness, " p e r c e i v e s the t r u t h about h i m s e l f , but r e f u s e s to give glory to heaven's matchless k i n g " ( I V . 41 )«
I t may
a l s o be i n s t r u c t i v e
to consider here S t . John's account of the operation of the fourth v i a l "of the wrath of Cod? which a c t s upon the sun,,
The v i a l i s poured upon
the sun
o . o and power was given unto him to scorch men with P i r e And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him g l o r y , e
( R e v e l a t i o n XVI.
8-9)
P a r a d o x i c a l l y , the b l i n d i n g l i g h t and f i e r c e heat of the sun i s salutary.
While i t i s a m a n i f e s t a t i o n of God's wrath, i t i s yet a l s o
an instrument of h i s mercy, s i n c e i t should move s i n n e r s to repent. However, the l i g h t that should i l l u m i n e s e r v e s only to b l i n d the darkened 24 minds of the unregenerate. The i n i t i a l e f f e c t of t h i s l i n e of i n t e r p r e t a t i o n , then, i s to accentuate Adam's resemblance
to Satan and a l l y him more c l o s e l y with
those who w i l l "stumble on, and deeper f a l l " ( i l l . 201).
That Adam i s
indeed mistaken i n b e l i e v i n g himself to be "to Satan only l i k e both|" i n crime and doom" (X. 841), and that "man
j
... s h a l l f i n d grace,/The other
none" ( i l l . 131-32) i s s e t f o r t h i n terms t h a t seem to confirm the 25 existence of the image p a t t e r n we have been t r a c i n g here.
Consider the
passage i n which Milton d e s c r i b e s the descent of the Son to "sentence man": Now was the sun i n western cadence low From noon, and g e n t l e a i r s due a t t h e i r hour To fan the e a r t h now waked, and usher i n The evening cool when he from wrath more cool Came the mild judge and i n t e r c e s s o r both ... (X. 91-96, emphasis added) By extending the s i g n i f i c a n c e of the s c r i p t u r a l d e t a i l i n Genesis I I I . 8-
" t h e y heard the v o i c e o f the Lord God w a l k i n g i n the garden i n the c o o l of
t h e day", M i l t o n makes c l e a r l y e x p l i c i t t h e symbolic meaning he
a t t a c h e s t o the t i m e o f the Son's f i r s t judgment
o f mankind.
However, w h i l e Adam f a l s e l y assumes a s i m p l e e q u i v a l e n c e between his
f a t e and t h a t o f Satan, h i s e x c l u s i v e concern w i t h t h e e x a c t i o n s o f
d i v i n e j u s t i c e and h i s p r e o c c u p a t i o n w i t h God's r o l e as p u n i s h e r o f h i s
26 offence,
b l i n d him t o t h e p o s s i b i l i t y of d i v i n e grace and
pardon,
r e n d e r i n g him i n c a p a b l e o f r e c o g n i s i n g such tokens o f d i v i n e mercy and 27 thus o f r e p e n t a n c e . I n h i s a t t e m p t s t o u n d e r s t a n d the workings o f d i v i n e
justice,
r a t i o c i n a t i o n can o f f e r no guidance b u t l e a d s him i n wearisome c i r c l e s back t o h i s c o n v i c t i o n o f h i s own c u l p a b i l i t y and t h e j u s t i c e o f God's c l a i m s upon him and so tends t o p r e c l u d e any awareness t h a t h i s s i n may 28 be f o r g i v e n : ... Him a f t e r a l l d i s p u t e s Forced I a b s o l v e : a l l my evasions v a i n , And r e a s o n i n g s , though t h r o u g h mazes,lead me s t i l l B u t t o my own c o n v i c t i o n : f i r s t and l a s t On me, me o n l y , as t h e source and s p r i n g Of a l l c o r r u p t i o n , a l l t h e blame l i g h t s due. (X. 828-33)
The i n v o l u t i o n s o f s e l f - c r i t i c i s m which r e d o u b l e s upon i t s e l f b u t f i n a l l y 29 l e a d s nowhere a r e t r a c e d w i t h f i n e p r e c i s i o n by M i l t o n h e r e .
Moreover,
these l i n e s g i v e access t o a number o f i n t e r c o n n e c t i n g s h a f t s l y i n g
just
beneath t h e n a r r a t i v e s u r f a c e . As i s commonly observed, t h e l i n e s quoted above c o n t a i n d i s t i n c t l y a u d i b l e echoes o f l i n e s 559-61 o f Book t o Adam's resemblance
I I , and once a g a i n seem t o p o i n t
t o the f a l l e n a n g e l s , those who
"reasoned
high":
Of p r o v i d e n c e , f o r e k n o w l e d g e , w i l l and f a t e , F i x e d f a t e , f r e e w i l l , foreknowledge a b s o l u t e , And f o u n d no end, i n wandering mazes l o s t .
However, i t has n o t been noted how r e c a l l how
these l i n e s a t t h e same t i m e i r o n i c a l l y
Adam, guided by Raphael, had a l r e a d y been r e l e a s e d from a
l a b y r i n t h of " i d l e
speculation":
405 And f r e e d from i n t r i c a c i e s , taught to l i v e , The e a s i e s t way, nor with p e r p l e x i n g thoughts To i n t e r r u p t the sweet of l i f e , from which God hath b i d dwell f a r o f f a l l anxious c a r e s , And not molest us, u n l e s s we our s e l v e s Seek them w i t h wandering thoughts, and notions v a i n . But apt the mind or fancy i s to rove Unchecked, and of her r o v i n g i s no end„ ( V I I I o 182-89)
30 Reason as w e l l a s P a s s i o n has i t s own dangerous p r o p e n s i t i e s .
For Satan
the inward experience of "mazy e r r o r " f i n d s i t s p h y s i c a l counterpart i n h i s journey
through chaos, "wandering" i n a "darksome d e s e r t " ( I I . 973)
"without [a] guide" ( I I . 975)•
While the long e s t a b l i s h e d image of both
e r r o r and chaos a s a dark, l a b y r i n t h i n e wood seems to c a s t r e t r o s p e c t i v e l i g h t upon Adam's r e t r e a t into " i h e t h i c k e s t wood" which can thus be found to complement and f i g u r e f o r t h h i s mental confusion.
"A SHADIE Wood .../
With uncouth pathes, and hidden waies unknowne/ ... Not p e i r c e a b l e , t o power of any s t a r r e " i s s a i d by Peacham to resemble c h a o s , ^ while Spenser's famous wood of E r r o r i s s i m i l a r l y a "shadie
grove" where Una 32
and the Red Cross Knight "wander too and f r o i n wayes unknowne".
More
p e r t i n e n t l y , perhaps, we may r e c a l l that i n Comus;"Chaos ... r e i g n s ... I n double night of darkness^and of shades" (11. 333-34) i n the unnatural darkness of the " b l i n d mazes" ( l . 180) of a ' l e a f y l a b y r i n t h " . Lost the dense wood stems from only one t r e e :
I n Paradise
the "Malabar or Decan" f i g
"spreads her arms/Branching so broad and long, that i n the ground/The 33 bended twigs take r o o t " ( I X . 1103-5) and i n t h i s way, as Gerard e x p l a i n s , "Of one tree i s made a great wood, or d e s a r t of t r e e s " , c r e a t i n g a deceptively e n t i c i n g " p i l l a r e d shade/High between" ( I X . 1 1 0 6 - 7 ) .
overarched^and echoing walks
54
To f i n d the way out of t h i s tortuous, t w i s t i n g maze l i e s beyond the reach of reason alone.
The mind can go no f u r t h e r forward and i s doomed
to c i r c l e e n d l e s s l y round. unmistakable: Eve;
The underlying thematic design seems
Adam's h e l p l e s s n e s s here confirms h i s incompleteness without
and, i f we may p r e s s to an e x p l i c i t formulation the i m p l i c i t
schematic s t r u c t u r e which seems to be-emerging, "Reason" s u f f e r s i n
kot i s o l a t i o n from " F e e l i n g " or "Emotion" " i n u n i t i e d e f e c t i v e " . Not u n t i l Adam i s r e c o n c i l e d to live, Reason to Emotion, w i l l the l o s s of i n t e g r i t y s u f f e r e d on t h e i r s e p a r a t i o n be r e p a i r e d , , ^ Something of the s i g n i f i c a n c e of t h i s u n d e r l y i n g p a t t e r n has long been acknowledged,,
Indeed,, Marjorie Hope Nicholson has c o n t r a s t e d the
way i n which Adam spends the time before t h e i r r e c o n c i l i a t i o n i n " i n t e l l e c t u a l i s i n g the ways of God to men", "Eve i n f e e l i n g more and more poignantly her s i n " . ^
Again, L„W.Hyman has remarked that Adam i s rescued from an
37 apparent impasse,
"not by l o g i c but by an appeal to h i s emotion",
and ha
observes too how t h i s forms a profoundly s i g n i f i c a n t p a r t of the meaning of Milton!s complex d e s i g n s i n c e
p
"the emotional attachment
to Eve which
brought about h i s f a l l i n g away from God, i s now the d i r e c t cause of Adam's r e t u r n " . I t i s only when Adam's acknowledgment of d i v i n e j u s t i c e with h i s
39 mind i s j o i n e d by a sense of d i v i n e mercy i n h i s h e a r t ,
that h i s narrow
v i s i o n rias expanded, p r e c i p i t a t i n g a r i c h , i n t u i t i v e awareness twofold, J a n u s - l i k e a s p e c t s of the d i v i n e nature;
of the
the f a c e of j u s t i c e
and wrath f i n d s i t s obverse and complement i n mercy and l o v e .
Accordingly,
Adam remembers ... with what mild And g r a c i o u s temper he both heard and judged Without wrath or r e v i l i n g ; (X. 1046-48)
I t i s an awareness
that l e a d s d i r e c t l y to repentance and the " f i r s t
fruits
on e a r t h " "sprung from" the seed of "implanted g r a c e " ( X I . 22-23)« and so puts to an end the barrenness of the ' f r u i t l e s s hours'.
Notes
1.
Note t o I X . 1112;
F o w l e r , p.503.
2.
Note t o X.695-706; F o w l e r , p.544 and c f . I X . 7 1 5 - 1 8 .
3.
S t e i n , Answerable
4.
D. B o u c h a r d
5.
M a r s h a l l Grossman, ' D r a m a t i c S t r u c t u r e and E m o t i v e P a t t e r n i n t h e F a l l : P a r a d i s e L o s t I X ' , M S X I I I ( 1 9 7 9 ) , p.213,-p.216.
6.
Note t o I I I . 2 3 1 ;
7.
W i l l i a m Empson too h a s drawn a t t e n t i o n t o t h e " t o t a l h e a v e n l y a i d a t t h i s p o i n t , " M i l t o n ' s God, p . 1 7 3 .
8.
F o r a d e t a i l e d a n a l y s i s o f E v e ' s r e d e m p t i v e r o l e s e e Summers' e x c e l l e n t c h a p t e r , 'The V o i c e o f t h e Redeemer i n The Muse's Method, pp.176-85.
Style,
p.132.
, M i l t o n : A S t r u c t u r a l Reading,
p.132.
F o w l e r , p.156.
absence o f
1
9.
Samuel D a n i e l , D e l i a
(1601) L I , 11.1-2, p.26.
10.
S t a t i u s , T h e b a i d o s X.89, 98-99. From T h e b a i s e t A c h i l l e i s P. P a p i n i Stati edited H. W. G a r r o d ( O x f o r d , 1 9 6 5 ) . R e p r i n t e d from c o r r e c t e d s h e e t s o f t h e f i r s t e d i t i o n o f 1906.
11.
Note t o IX.1085-90; F o w l e r , p.501.
12.
I n De P o e t . I . x i i - x i i i (Col.XV, p p . 2 0 2 - 5 0 ) / M i l t o n d i s t i n g u i s h e s between 'Quatuor ... m o r t i s g r a d u s ' : 'MALA OMNIA QUAE AD MORTEM VERGUNT ... primum e s t R e a t u s ' ; 'MORS S P I R I T U A L I S ' ; 'MORS CORPORALIS' and 'MORS AETERNA DAMNATORUM POENA'. We s e e t h e e f f e c t s o f t h e f i r s t two d e g r e e s o f d e a t h on Adam h e r e .
13.
Tillyard,
S t u d i e s i n M i l t o n , p.13.
14.
ibid.,
note
t o p.37.
15.
Though T i l l y a r d m a i n t a i n s t h a t b e c a u s e b o t h Adam and Samson "have s e a r c h e d t h e i r h e a r t s t o t h e bottom and r e a l l y know t h e m s e l v e s and a d m i t e v e r y s c r u p l e o f g u i l t t h e y a r e e v e n now s a v e d men" ( S t u d i e s i n M i l t o n , p . 3 7 ) , Adam a t l e a s t , a s Summers h a s noted, " r e c o g n i s e s and a c c e p t s h i s g u i l t o n l y i n s o l i l o q u y " (The Muse's Method, p.182) and i n f a c t r e t r a c t s h i s c o n f e s s i o n o f g u i l t on Eve's approach. J u s t as Satan, immediately a f t e r accepting h i s own r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r h i s f a l l from g r a c e , s e e k s t o p l a c e t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r h i s d e f e c t i o n upon God, s o e v e n now Adam i s q u i c k t o e x o n e r a t e h i m s e l f from blame and d i s p l a c e t h e burden o f g u i l t f o r h i s l a p s e upon E v e , j u s t a s when c a l l e d t o a c c o u n t f o r h i s d i s o b e d i e n c e b e f o r e t h e Son he h a d h e l d h e r t o blame.
16.
Anand, "Of C o s t l i e s t Emblem": ' P a r a d i s e L o s t ' and t h e Emblem T r a d i t i o n , p.61.
17.
Hebrews X.27; q u o t e d by M i l t o n i n De P o e t . I . x i i
18.
I n t h i s moving s o l i l o q u y ( I X . 1 0 8 0 - 9 0 ) , Adam s h r i n k s from a l l forms of l i g h t , b o t h c e l e s t i a l and n a t u r a l .
19.
C h r i s t o p h e r Marlowe, The T r a g i c a l H i s t o r y o f D o c t o r F r e d e r i c k S. Boas (1932), V . i i . 1 5 6 - 5 7 .
20.
C l e a r l y echoed i n V I . 8 4 1 - 4 3 , a s F o w l e r p o i n t s o u t ( p . 3 5 2 ) , where t h e " t h r o n e s and m i g h t y s e r a p h i m p r o s t r a t e , / . . . w i s h e d " t h a t :
( C o l . XV, p . 2 0 4 ) .
F a u s t u s , ed.
... t h e m o u n t a i n s now m i g h t be a g a i n Thrown on them a s a s h e l t e r from h i s i r e .
21.
K a r l P. W i n t e r s d o r f , ' P a r a d i s e L o s t : The Garden and t h e F l o w e r e d Couch', MQ X I I I ( 1 9 7 9 ) , p.139.
22.
John G e r a r d , pp.1330-31.
23.
Dennis'Danielson, p.12.
The H e r b a l l , o r G e n e r a l l H i s t o r i e o f P l a n t e s
'On Toads and t h e J u s t i c e o f God', MQ
(1597),
XIII
(1979),
24.
See I I I . 2 0 0 and P a t r i c k Hume's note on t h i s v e r s e : " L e t t h e i r E y e s be d a r k e n e d t h a t t h e y see n o t , P s a l . 6 9 . v . 2 3 a s t h e y w e l l d e s e r v e , who s h u t t h e i r E y e s a g a i n s t t h e g l o r i o u s l i g h t o f t h e G o s p e l "; and c f . V I . 7 7 5 - 7 6 and 789-92. See a l s o John X I I . 4 0 (Matthew X I I I . 15; A c t s X X V I I I . 2 7 ) ; I s a i a h L I X . 1 0 , and i n d e e d , Comus 11.381-85.
25.
And s e e F o w l e r ' s comments on t h e " S o l i u s t i t i a e metaphor ", n o t e t o I V . 3 0 (p.192) .
26.
C o n s i d e r f o r example X.794-98.
27.
S i n c e Man i s o n l y a b l e t o r e p e n t 'SEQUE EX SENSU DIVINAE M I S E R I CORDIAE AD DEUM HUMILLIME CONVERTIT', De P o e t . I . x i x ( C o l . XV, p . 3 7 8 ) .
28.
Compare t h e s e e m i n g l y Faustus:
i r r e f u t a b l e l o g i c o f L u c i f e r ' s argument t o
C h r i s t cannot
s a v e t h y s o u l , f o r he i s j u s t .
C h r i s t o p h e r Marlowe, The T r a g i c a l H i s t o r y o f D o c t o r
Faustus,
II.ii.87.
29.
T h i s i s s u r e l y the p o i n t of X.810ff. Where, a s H a r r y B l a m i r e s h a s p o i n t e d o u t , "once more an argument a l r e a d y c l o s e d i s b e i n g r e opened, a f t e r t h e f a s h i o n o f s a t a n i c o b s e s s i o n a l r e p e t i t i v e n e s s ... c f . X I . 9 9 - 1 7 8 " ( M i l t o n ' s C r e a t i o n , p . 2 6 2 ) .
30.
However, Summers h a s h e l p f u l l y commented upon M i l t o n ' s i m p l i c i t c r i t i c i s m o f Adam's " a b s t r a c t i n t e l l e c t u a l i t y " a s he e n t e r s upon " s t u d i o u s t h o u g h t s a b s t r u s e " ( V I I I . 4 0 ) . The e m p h a s i s upon ' a b s t r u s e ' h e r e i s r e v e a l i n g s i n c e , a s Summers e x p l a i n s : The E n g l i s h word d e r i v e d u l t i m a t e l y from a b s and t r u d e r e , and t h e L a t i n r o o t v e r b had t h e p r i m a r y meaning o f 'push f o r t h ' , 'put f o r t h ' , 'send f o r t h ' . I n t h e s e c o n d G e o r g i c ... V i r g i l u s e d t r u d e r e on t h r e e o c c a s i o n s (11.31, 74, 335) t o d e s c r i b e t h e v i t a l p r o c e s s by w h i c h p l a n t s 'push f o r t h ' buds or f r u i t . T h a t M i l t o n had t h a t u s a g e i n mind, t h a t 'abstrudere' r e p r e s e n t s a r e v e r s a l o f the normal f r u i t f u l o r d e r o f n a t u r e , i s i n d i c a t e d by what happens i n E v e ' s g a r d e n ... Eve and t h e f r u i t s and f l o w e r s , 'Her N u r s e r y , ' g o f o r t h ' , ' s p r i n g ' o u t w a r d s , and grow ' g l a d l i e r ' . 1
(The Muse's
Method pp.156-57)
Mo
31.
Henry P e a c h a m , " N u l l i p e n e t r a b i l i s " 11.1-2, 7. From t h e second p a r t o f M i n e r v a B r i t a n n a o r A Garden o f H e r o i c a l D e v i s e s : F u r n i s h e d , and a d o r n e d w i t h Emblemes and I m p r e s a ' s o f s u n d r y n a t u r e s . Newly d e v i s e d , m o r a l i z e d , and p u b l i s h e d ( 1 6 1 2 ) , p . 1 8 2 .
32.
Edmund S p e n s e r , The
33.
While acknowledging the d i f f i c u l t y of a s s i g n i n g t h e s e l i n e s to a s i n g l e source, Fowler maintains that "Gerard's d e s c r i p t i o n (Herball (1597) 1 3 3 0 f . ) i s p r o b a b l y a s c l o s e a s any t o t h e p r e s e n t p a s s a g e " (p.502). T h i s i s s u p p o r t e d by H a r r y B l a m i r e s argument t h a t M i l t o n r e p e a t s h e r e an " e r r o r made i n G e r a r d ' s H e r b a l l . I t i s t h e Banana t r e e , n o t t h e Banyan I n d i a n f i g t r e e , t h a t h a s t h e l a r g e l e a v e s . The Banyan l e a v e s a r e s m a l l " ( M i l t o n ' s C r e a t i o n , p.238) .
F a e r i e Queene I . v i i . 3 ;
x.5.
1
34.
I t seems w o r t h n o t i n g i n p a s s i n g t h a t i n t h e T r i n i t y MS o f Comus ( 1 . 1 8 0 ) , i n s t e a d o f " b l i n d mazes o f t h i s t a n g l e d wood," we f i n d " b l i n d a l l e y s o f t h i s a r c h e d wood" (emphasis a d d e d ) .
35.
Though u s e d t o s u p p o r t h e r argument t h a t " u n f a l i e n E v e c o r r e s p o n d s a l l e g o r i c a l l y t o what Dante c a l l s t h e v e g e t a b l e s o u l , a s u n f a l i e n Adam d o e s t o t h e a n i m a l s o u l , and t h a t , when f a l l e n , t h e f i r s t c o u p l e c o r r e s p o n d s t o un'alma s o l a (Dante, P u r g a t o r i o X X V ) , " K a t h l e e n Swaim's c o n c l u s i o n seems r e l e v a n t h e r e . She m a i n t a i n s t h a t , "Such a c o m p o s i t e r e l a t i o n s h i p e x p l a i n s t h e m a t h e m a t i c s o f c a l l i n g E v e ' s f a l l p l u s Adam's f a l l t h e (or a s i n g l e ) f a l l " ( ' F l o w e r s , F r u i t and Seed: A R e a d i n g o f P a r a d i s e L o s t ' , note 7, p.175. Moreover, F o w l e r i n h i s note on IX.370-75 s u g g e s t s t h a t "more e m p h a s i s s h o u l d be l a i d on s y m b o l i c meanings o f t h e s e p a r a t i o n " and he g o e s on t o d i s c u s s t h e e m b l e m a t i c s i g n i f i c a n c e o f Adam and E v e ' s " c l a s p e d hands" s e e n h e r e u n l i n k e d f o r t h e f i r s t t i m e ( p p . 4 5 8 - 5 9 ) .
36.
N i c h o l s o n , p.304.
37.
L . W.
38.
ibid.,
39.
c f . John X I I . 4 0
Hyman, The Q u a r r e l W i t h i n , p.72.
p.71.
(Matthew X I I I . 1 5 ; A c t s
XXVIII.27).
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i s London)
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Sources
Milton
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