COVER LETTER
I grew up Catholic and attended church and Sunday school each week. The story of Adam and Eve was
retaught in Sunday school in the beginning of each year so I was familiar with the basics of this particular
creation story. However, when learning about the subject, I never once questioned what was being
ingrained into my mind, but while reading Paradise Lost, I then became aware of many themes that I
never noticed as a child. I decided to focus on “Man’s first Disobedience” for my Multimodal Milton
project because I wanted to look further into the ideas or right and wrong or good and evil. I chose to
display my findings in an art piece in order to reflect the dialectical nature of how Paradise Lost defines
people and actions as good or bad.
I grew up Catholic and attended church and Sunday school each week. The story of Adam and Eve was
retaught in Sunday school in the beginning of each year so I was familiar with the basics of this particular
creation story. However, when learning about the subject, I never once questioned what was being
ingrained into my mind, but while reading Paradise Lost, I then became aware of many themes that I
never noticed as a child. I decided to focus on “Man’s first Disobedience” for my Multimodal Milton
project because I wanted to look further into the ideas or right and wrong or good and evil. I chose to
display my findings in an art piece in order to reflect the dialectical nature of how Paradise Lost defines
people and actions as good or bad.
I chose to use the passage below, from book 3:
“As if Predestination over-rul’d
Thir will, dispos’d by absolute Decree
Or high foreknowledge; they themselves decreed
Thir own revolt, not I: if I foreknew,
Foreknowledge had no influence on their fault,
Which had no less prov’d certain unforeknown.
So without least impulse or shadow of Fate,
Or aught by me immutablie foreseen,
They trespass, Authors to themselves in all
Both what they judge and what they choose; for so
I formd them free, and free they must remain,
Till they enthrall themselves: I else must change
Thir nature, and revoke the high Decree
Unchangeable, Eternal, which ordain’d
Thir freedom, they themselves ordain’d thir fall.
The first sort by thir own suggestion fell,
Self-tempted, self-deprav’d: Man falls deceiv’d
By the other first: Man therefore shall find grace,
The other none: in Mercy and Justice both,
Through Heav’n and Earth, so shall my glorie excel,
But Mercy first and last shall brightest shine.”
I chose this specific passage because it discusses the “revolt” of Adam and Eve, drawing distinctions in their disobedience and describing their punishment. God declares that Adam and Eve “themselves ordain’d thir fall” because he gave them the gift of freedom, and with it, they disobeyed him. He also states that “Mercy first and last shall brightest shine” suggesting that he has chosen to forgive Adam and Eve. The story of Man’s first Disobedience is important because it gives us insight into God. Throughout Paradise Lost, it is clear that God is incredibly powerful and has the ability to see into the future. Therefore, he knew that Man’s first Disobedience was inevitable but still gave Adam and Eve the freedom to make their own decisions. God’s choice to include a tree that grew a fruit he forbade, shows that he was testing Adam and Eve.
The tone and word choice in the passage paint God as gracious and forgiving; however, his decision to place the tree in the garden, testing Adam and Eve, when he knew that their failure was inevitable demonstrates manipulative behavior.
I have chosen to display these themes and concepts in an art piece that combines written words with a visual aspect. I decided to visually present my ideas because I want viewers to look deeper in order to see Paradise Lost’s central issue highlighted visually. I think the search to understand the message is important because it demonstrates that in order to truly understand God’s role in Paradise Lost you must look at the text dialectically.
The text is dialectical because although it seems as though Milton is making rhetorical moves to show that god is the hero, he includes information that would lead the reader to believe otherwise as long as they look close enough. The argument over God's role and whether or not he is a hero makes the text dialectical because there are alternate meanings that the reader can choose to interpret.
At first glance, God is the hero of the creation story as he is described, or describes himself, as gracious, understanding, and all powerful. However his actions reflect that he uses fear to control his creations. I will visually demonstrate this concept by drawing an outline of God showing mercy to Adam and Eve although they disobeyed him. Rather than using plain black lines to outline the shape of God, I will use small text that reflects his true nature. The drawing will appear to be simple and one sided however, when looked at closely my point will be clear through the words used to outline God’s figure.
“As if Predestination over-rul’d
Thir will, dispos’d by absolute Decree
Or high foreknowledge; they themselves decreed
Thir own revolt, not I: if I foreknew,
Foreknowledge had no influence on their fault,
Which had no less prov’d certain unforeknown.
So without least impulse or shadow of Fate,
Or aught by me immutablie foreseen,
They trespass, Authors to themselves in all
Both what they judge and what they choose; for so
I formd them free, and free they must remain,
Till they enthrall themselves: I else must change
Thir nature, and revoke the high Decree
Unchangeable, Eternal, which ordain’d
Thir freedom, they themselves ordain’d thir fall.
The first sort by thir own suggestion fell,
Self-tempted, self-deprav’d: Man falls deceiv’d
By the other first: Man therefore shall find grace,
The other none: in Mercy and Justice both,
Through Heav’n and Earth, so shall my glorie excel,
But Mercy first and last shall brightest shine.”
I chose this specific passage because it discusses the “revolt” of Adam and Eve, drawing distinctions in their disobedience and describing their punishment. God declares that Adam and Eve “themselves ordain’d thir fall” because he gave them the gift of freedom, and with it, they disobeyed him. He also states that “Mercy first and last shall brightest shine” suggesting that he has chosen to forgive Adam and Eve. The story of Man’s first Disobedience is important because it gives us insight into God. Throughout Paradise Lost, it is clear that God is incredibly powerful and has the ability to see into the future. Therefore, he knew that Man’s first Disobedience was inevitable but still gave Adam and Eve the freedom to make their own decisions. God’s choice to include a tree that grew a fruit he forbade, shows that he was testing Adam and Eve.
The tone and word choice in the passage paint God as gracious and forgiving; however, his decision to place the tree in the garden, testing Adam and Eve, when he knew that their failure was inevitable demonstrates manipulative behavior.
I have chosen to display these themes and concepts in an art piece that combines written words with a visual aspect. I decided to visually present my ideas because I want viewers to look deeper in order to see Paradise Lost’s central issue highlighted visually. I think the search to understand the message is important because it demonstrates that in order to truly understand God’s role in Paradise Lost you must look at the text dialectically.
The text is dialectical because although it seems as though Milton is making rhetorical moves to show that god is the hero, he includes information that would lead the reader to believe otherwise as long as they look close enough. The argument over God's role and whether or not he is a hero makes the text dialectical because there are alternate meanings that the reader can choose to interpret.
At first glance, God is the hero of the creation story as he is described, or describes himself, as gracious, understanding, and all powerful. However his actions reflect that he uses fear to control his creations. I will visually demonstrate this concept by drawing an outline of God showing mercy to Adam and Eve although they disobeyed him. Rather than using plain black lines to outline the shape of God, I will use small text that reflects his true nature. The drawing will appear to be simple and one sided however, when looked at closely my point will be clear through the words used to outline God’s figure.