Is Paradise Really Lost?

Is Paradise Really Lost?

The story of creation is a story that has been told for thousands of years throughout the world. It has been translated into every language and is found in every Bible. Although the language has changed over the years, the content of the creation story has stayed the same. In Paradise Lost, John Milton tells the creation story but changes some important aspects of it. However, In "On Mr. Milton's Paradise Lost", Marvell is critical of Paradise Lost because of these changes. Marvell is right to be worried because there are a number of key differences between the creation story in Genesis and Paradise Lost.

they thinking?" by giving the reader a look into what he thought the Serpent, Adam, and Eve were thinking at that time. Milton makes their mistakes seem more like something mundane that anyone in this day and time could relate to.

Milton also makes it seem like Eve was more at fault for the fall. He makes it sound like she had to work at getting Adam to eat fruit from the tree. The biblical tale of Adam and Eve, makes it known that Adam was with Eve when she was tempted; she was not alone to succumb to the evil intentions of the Serpent. Her husband did nothing to stop her, and ate the fruit when she offered it. In Milton's version she was alone when first tempted by the Serpent, and Adam was not there right after to eat the fruit. He makes it seem that Eve convinced Adam to eat the fruit because she did not want to be the only fallen one, and did not want to die and live a miserable life alone.

After they eat the fruit, they feel guilty (which is the same as the Bible says), and they also hid from God because they realized they were naked and they were ashamed. In Milton's version of the story Adam is almost lecturing Eve, and blaming her for the fall. The Bible makes it clear that Eve was the first to eat the fruit and did give it to Adam, but says nothing about him being upset with her until they face God and then he blames it on Eve saying "the woman you gave me made me eat the fruit." Eve then turns and blames it on the Serpent, and God cursed him then punished Eve with labor pains, and by making Adam the head of the household. Adam was punished by having to work to gain his food from the fields instead of simply going to one of the many trees in the Garden for nourishment. Finally, all of them were banished