Nature

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  • Created by: Pip Dan
  • Created on: 20-09-17 17:04

Milton sets practically all of Paradise Lost Book IX (expect Satan's journey) within the confides of the Garden of Eden. The perfect, pastoral land which Adam and Eve live and work in as gardeners. Eden can be very much seen as the echoing of Adam and Eve; it mirrors their perfection and later their fall. However, it also echoes the will of God not only in his omnibenevolence of giving such a perfect place to humanity but also in his established rules through the presence of the Tree of Knowledge.

Physical place

From Milton's very first description of Eden in Book IX he is keen to establish that it is a real, physical place. He mentions the various rivers around and in Eden and where it is situated on the globe.  This first helps the reader to have an understanding of Eden, to be able to picture it in their mind. However, also placing Eden in a physical place on the planet helps the reader to realise that Milton is writing about, what was considered at the time, as a real event. Therefore, Milton is establishing his story as echoing something that did happen. This is line with his motivation to write Paradise Lost as theological teaching.

Gardeners

Milton specifically choses for Adam and Eve to be gardeners. This is in line with his Puritan work ethic, that it was natural to want to work and that jobs should be done to the uttermost ability. In Book IX, Milton nor Adam and Eve never question this role to work before the Fall, suggesting the innate importance of it. Whilst there is debate about whether Adam and Eve should be carry out their work separately or together there is no debate that it should be done. After the Fall; however, Adam and Eve do no gardening in Book IX choosing instead to fulfil their own lust. They then use what nature has provided for their own selfishness, to use leaves to cover up their nakedness. Therefore, Milton seems to be implying that nature should be respected and whilst man has control over it, humans should look after it as it is a gift from God. This idea is found in the Bible when the Biblical Adam and Eve 'have dominion … over all of the earth'.

Presence of Good and Evil

Primarily, Eden is a place of goodness as it is a perfect abode with all Adam and Eve need to live happily in it. Milton created Eden to show what he thought the world was…

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