Feminist Analysis Of Paradise Lost By John Milton

Akejah McLaughlin Professor Jennifer Rohrer-Walsh HON 2010 7 November 2017 Feminist Analysis of Paradise Lost The Book of Genesis is an introductive biblical passage in the Old Testament that summarizes the creation of the universe, humanity, and the downfall of man. Writer John Milton gives an alternate version of this phenomenon in his epic Paradise Lost that illustrates not only the consequences of disobedience from God, but the distinct gender differences between men and women. Through the perspective of feminist literary criticism, the portrayal of male domination and the inferiority of women are exemplified by the status, stereotypes, and roles women are assigned in Literature that has consequently transcended into western†¦show more content†¦Another example of the inferiority of women is illustrated in Book Two whereby Satan is attracted to a beautiful woman who is half woman and half snake (Ricks 87). Emphasizing that her lower-half is a serpent suggests that the vaginal area of women, or the seductive parts, makes women sly and fraudulent, a correlation to the snake found in the Garden of Eden. Furthermore, it is noted that the creature is lured by the smell of infant blood, reinforcing the stereotypical role that women are enslaved to the dynamics of motherhood. When Satan planned his rebellion, his head burst into flames. The serpent woman, also known as his daughter Sin, grew out of Satan’s head because of his revolt. Sin can be compared to the creation of Eve in that both women are created from their partners. Eve was created from Adam’s rib and Sin was created from Satan’s head. Paradise Lost infers that women, who are symbolized by Eve and Sin, could not have originated nor prosper without the help of a man and that women are dependent on their male counterparts. In the epic, Sin and her father Satan conceive their son, Death. Milton uses the names of Satan’s children to illustrate that sin and death are the consequences of disobedience from God. Moreover, Sin, a woman, is weaker than her male family members. The incestuous act between Sin and Satan yields Sin to beShow MoreRelatedJane Eyre By Charlotte Bronte1733 Words   |  7 Pageselements of uncanny challenging reality.At certain points, the interaction s between the conventions of the Gothic fictions with other  thematic, ideological, and/or symbolic functions of the narrative  would rather be challenging. However, though the analysis of  Jane Eyre  written by  Charlotte Bronte, certain factors come into focus.The novel of Charlotte Bronte entitled Jane Eyre has showcased a lot of issues that specifies how women in that time have been depicted by the experiences that the protagonistRead More Fairy Tale or Epic Allegory2749 Words   |  11 Pagesfairy tale. A deeper exploration is essential to decode her metaphors about natural elements, as Rossetti has used a wide range of metaphors. A profound analysis of her work will reveal the thematic interpretation of christian belief and sexual connotations. When it comes to Rossetti’s Goblin Market, numerous critical approaches are offered. Feminists believed that it is an effort to reconstruct women’s roles and visions, they were also convinced that it has a strong message of hero creation. Not soRead MoreMetamorphoses Within Frankenstein14861 Words   |  60 Pagesth eoretical sciences of the eighteeenth and ear ly nineteen th cen turies. The gen eral scien tif ic ‘background’ to Frankenstein is explored at leng th in a monograph by Samuel V asbinder and in Anne Mellor’s discussion of th e novel as ‘A Feminist Critique of Science’: ‘ Mary Shelley b ased V ictor Frankenstein’s attempt to cr eate a new species from d ead organ ic matter th rough the use of chemistry and electricity on the most advanced scien tif ic r esearch of the early nin eteen th