The Temptation of free Will in John Milton's Paradise Lost.
John Milton's Paradise Lost portrays the fall of humankind through the works of the fallen angel Satan. This piece is a classic epic poem which describes the fall of Satan and the other angels, the creation of the earth and humankind, and the subsequent fall of human kind into sin. At the heart of the tragic descent of God's creations is their ability to make free decisions, free choice: "I made him just and right,/ Sufficient to have stood, though free to fall" (III, 98-99). This ability to make independent decisions is what led to the downfalls of Satan and Adam and Eve. However, there must have been an underlying source for these beings to have chosen the wrong course of action, to sin. There was an innate idea of sin born into all of God's creations. Temptation was the vehicle by which these sins came to surface. The original being to be tempted and to fail was the fallen angel Satan. Though, the temptation of Satan is not as apparent as with Adam or Eve, the turmoil in his mind is there none the less. Once a powerful and high-ranking Archangel, known as Lucifer, Satan's pride and rebellion cause him to be cast down into hell. Satan is first tempted when he is given such a high position in heaven. With such power
That to his only Son by right endu'd But fondly overcome with Female charm (IX, 995-998). With Regal Scepter, every Soule in Heav'n And in her self so complete, so well to know Eve is tempted a second time by Satan as she walks alone in the garden. Satan first begins by flattering her: "A Goddess among Gods, ador'd and serv'd/ By Angels numberless, thy daily Train" (IX, 546-547). He then further tempts Eve by telling her that his ability to reason and speak came from eating the forbidden fruit: "Strange alteration in me, to degree/ Of Reason in my inward Powers, and Speech" (IX, 598-599). With these ideas implanted by Satan, Eve's inborn evil can further be seen by her desire to become a goddess and her envy of Adam. She wishes to be Adam's equal. She feels that by eating the forbidden fruit she will attain the knowledge that will enable her to command more respect from her husband: "Here grows the Cure of all, this Fruit Divine,/ Fair to the Eye, inviting to the Taste,/ Of virtue to make wise" (IX, 775-777). After tasting the fruit the sins begin to flow freely. The final innocence that Eve had was lost. She was doomed to live a life of sin. At this point Adam has seemingly given up his free will and reasoning, and has succumbed to the beauty and allure of Eve. This is almost a precursor to the final fall of Adam. He is so enthralled by Eve that he is willing to discard everything in order to remain with her. He too eats the forbidden fruit and is condemned to li
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Approximate Word count = 1009
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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