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Connection between the greatest good and the greatest evil (Paradise Lost) William Blake wrote his

own version of paradise lost called Milton. Milton undercuts the notion that Satan may be the hero of the poem, (Jesus parod ies satan?) Blake possibly totally opposed to the structures of modern religion? Christ is a kind of a "structured, inane version of satan perhaps?" See the relation between satan and jesus, and similarities in how they act. We see that Adam and eve are not equal, but everybody is happy? Milton reiterates the acceptability and value of marriage, and the acceptability of sex in marriage. Narcissism is one of Eve's failings. Satan watches, and sort of envies their rel ationship, decides will approach them by offering to make man equal to God. Is that a great gift? Romantic writers thought so. It takes away a lot of comfor t, though. (ambiguity in the poem). Meanwhile, everything is nice in the garden of eden in book 4, we have this prai se of wedded love. In story, long discussions of morality. The whole issue of wedded love is prevalent in western culture. Adultery reference to aeneid? Dido goes crazy, kills herself, aeneis? leaves her because they were not married? Some people believe that marriage is a very rest rictive establishment. (Sex is good, but only in marriage?) Book 5 Paradise Lost Adam wakes Eve up, she had a dream. Clever dream, tells him about it. Set up by eve deferring to adam's superiority? This dream brings up issue of what exactly a dream is. Writers from the time of Homer tried to figure out what dreams are. Many writers write of dream of killing father and sleeping with the mother? Sugg ests dreams are from the unconscious, and all forbidden desires surface? Idea of human psyche, like iceberg, at the very top is the ego, next the ib, and the super ego is the mediate between the ego and the ib. This contains all the basic desires from being a human being, such as commit adultery, or kill somebod y, things that you cannot do lest one is punished by society, or the ego? Such t houghts are repressed except when you are asleep. They surface in a way perhaps in a way that connects with what is going on in one's life, or the people you ar e connected to. (Such is one theory of what a dream is). This appears to be the theory that Milton is working with. Satan is the one that is speaking with eve in her dream, appeared to be like adam? (In addition to sh owing one's innermost desires, dreams also appears to be predictive of future ev ents?) Thinks she hears a voice, that questions her sleep, beckons her to see a certain tree, of which she obliges. Theological discussion of what sort of tree is forbidden? Tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and the tree of life. If eat from tree of life, become immorta l. If eat from tree of knowledge of good and evil, you will know what god knows. Western religion has a hierarchy.

The two talk about eve's dream, then they get to their daily tasks. Angel dines with the two, and they discuss many things, including the nature of god. As have this luncheon discussion, Raphael tells the reader about satan's rebelli on, him getting angry at god for preferring jesus over him, satan takes a third of the angels, looking for any excuse to get back at god, and he tells adam and eve to be careful because disaster may happen. In book 7, as doing invocations, Milton also talks about his personal life, and referencing classical epics, and his power as a writer? Discussion of eve not knowing what is good or bad, yet, still knows it is not a good idea to eat the apple from the tree. Man sees god in every instance of creation. Adam's creation is part of a phallocentric universe, man is the dominant power, from having the power of naming things? Talks about how he is created (adam), ho w he wakes up, and how happy and alive he is. When you name something, you assis t in its creation. If call in to existence through naming, then you are parallel ling god, then there is no distinction between man and god. Instead of man and g od, it is now man and nature. This is a major shift in thinking in literature th at occurs at the end of 18th century. God gave the earth to adam to do as he sees fit, subservient to him? Thus, this is why we are allowed to pollute, etc, but some interpret it as god giving the l and to adam for purposes of stewardship. (Basic western religious view?) Usually, cannot possess natural forces, but the way that god gives nature to ada m, we should be able to? Lilith the first woman? God creates lillith, created equal to Adam, tries to be on equal terms with adam, but adam refuses, and she leaves, refuses to return to the garden of eden? God's been trying to create companions for adam. She eventu ally becomes a demon, and god finally gets it right by creating eve, from adam's rib. Created from man, makes him primary to woman? Wo-man, secondary man? Phall ocentric universe. Man is primary. Women are to care for husband, and be subserv ient to husband, and not much else. Adam did not get satisfaction from sex with animals, and eve did the trick? Book 9 of Paradise Lost has another invocation. Harder to talk about what about talk about than fall of rome and other epic poems, which makes this poem more ep ic than the others? Eve suggests subdivision of labor, to be more efficient with work in the garden of eden. Majority of western thought based on division, man vs. nature, man vs. woman, ma n vs. god, etc.? Seen as negative? Walking out of the garden of eden hand in hand (hands reference to aeneid?) Continue with solitary way, (they are without god now?) Doctrine of the fortunate fall (not completely bad that thrown out of eden)

Dropping natural tears (no artifice experienced when in the garden of eden, genu inely feel sad?)

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