Dr Seuss VS Shakespeare. Epic Rap Battles of History #12

With the end of the semester closing in, there's only one way to end it!

First Draft AE

Who’s The Bad Guy?

 Part of the problem with being a subordinate is reconciling the binding restrictions imparted by one’s superiors with the perceived freedoms witnessed in those higher on the totem pole. In any situation in which a hierarchy exists there will always be an internal struggle to either accept one’s subjugated lot or attempt to transcend one’s position into a higher existence. No more in this evident than in John Milton’s Paradise Lost, in which the poet presents a universe rife with characters that are in constant struggle to reconcile their ordained position in their individual spheres of existence, with the possibility of transcending their position into a very tangible higher plane. Milton presents his readers with characters that are so torn between their assigned roles and their desires for positions in a higher state that it is often difficult to discern what actions are grounded in morality; thus, blurring the lines between who is inherently good, and who is evil. Therefore, if no character in the epic can be definitively identified as the primary aggressor, then the true enemy of Milton’s tale is the hierarchy itself. The Miltonian hierarchy seen in Paradise Lost is so caustic that even God struggles against it, a point echoed in The Decentralization of Morality in Paradise Lost by Jarod Anderson. In his article, Anderson speaks to an “otherness” associated with beings and institutions that exist outside of God’s rule.

 It is very easy to immediately look to Satan as the primary antagonist in Milton’s poem, in part, one could argue, because of the obvious negative connotations associated with the biblical figure. Yet, Milton is not progressing a biblical characterization of Satan. Instead, he is progressing an extraordinarily three-dimensional figure whose primary motivation behind causing the fall of man was not due to an inherently evil nature. In fact, Satan is merely rebelling against what he perceives to be an unjust rule. Readers are presented with this notion when Satan says early on, “What shall be right: farthest from him is best/ Whom reason hath equaled, force hath made supreme / Above his equals” (9. 247-249). Satan is referring to the idea that God is among his intellectual equals in heaven, and the only aspect that sets Him apart, and justifies his rule, is his use of force. Thus, Satan and his fallen brethren are more freedom fighters than evil monsters. Their rebellion is no more “evil” than any rebellion that’s occurred throughout history. More so, the fact that the fallen are in Hell, as opposed to truly dead (i.e. removed from God's universe) signals God’s perverse desire to keep the fallen under his watch and control­. This idea is touched upon in Andersons article, where when referring to the initial desire of the defeated fallen to simply commit suicide in order to escape God’s rule, he writes, “[…] God may not allow egress of from his creation […]” (Anderson 1). Anderson is putting forth the idea that God, being the omnipotent and all powerful being that he is, certainly has the power to destroy the fallen angels, yet chooses to keep them in Hell and under close watch. In addition, the all seeing God knows that man must be tested, and he chooses to allow Satan to be Man’s tempting agent. With that, even after Satan orchestrates the rebellion in heaven, God keeps him around to further do his bidding, which clearly demonstrates the tyrannical rule of God as witnessed by Satan and his followers. 

However, Satan does do morally questionable acts throughout the play. In fact, he outright admits his unjust ways when he says, “To do aught good never will be our task, / But ever to do ill our sole delight,” (1.159-160). In conversing with Beelzebub, Satan lays out a framework for how the fallen should behave from then on, yet the motivation for the statement, again, does not come from inherent evil. Satan’s motivations for doing “ill” comes from his desire to seek vengeance on God for the fall. Satan knows, at this point, that God's power far exceeds the rebellious fallen; he knows the only way to seek vengeance on God is to embark on a guerilla campaign rooted in sabotage. In addition, he feels remorse for what he and his defeated rebels must do. Milton progresses Satan’s internal agony when the devil witnesses the perfection and beauty of earth for the first time, “O earth, how like to Heav’n, if not preferred / More justly, seat worthier of the gods, as built / With second though, reforming what was old;” Satan recognizes the majesty of earth, and he momentarily admires it before he is overcome with a sense of anguish at the thought of something so beautiful being created by his nemesis (9. 99-101). In lamenting, “[…] the more I see / Pleasures about me, so much more I feel / Torment within me, as from the hateful siege / Of contraries,” Milton is debunking the notion of Satan being a truly evil force, for if he was, there would be no internal anguish, no struggle, and nor remorse with the rebel angel.

If Milton is progressing an idea of Satan that is not evil, then the cause of conflict between Satan and God has to come from somewhere else. In fact, conflict between the two comes from the hierarchy. In heaven, the hierarchical order is extremely visible. You have God at the top and angels below. Satan, however, was said to have been God’s favored subject, or his right hand, yet God’s son usurped his position in the heavenly hierarchy. This situation would be analogous to a nobleman being next in-line to ascend the throne of a kingdom, only to be knocked down the ladder when the monarch has a child. Milton, then, is progressing the conflict in heaven within a framework that would have been very familiar to seventeenth century Europe. However, the rebellion in heaven was not just Satan’s. We see that Satan “persuades” one-third of all angels in heaven to follow his rebellion, and while Milton does not give an exact number of followers readers get a sense of just how immense his rebel army is when the God appoints Gabriel and Michael as leaders of his opposition force,

Go Michael of celestial armies prince,

And thou in military prowess next,

Gabriel, lead forth to battle these my sons

Invincible, lead forth my armed saints

By thousands and by millions ranged for fight;

Equal in number to that godless crew

Rebellious, […] (6. 44-50)

With God’s decree that Michael and Gabriel mobilize an army that matches Satan’s we see a force of millions on each side. It is difficult to imagine Satan eloquently persuading his would-be followers to join his cause, no matter how skilled at persuasion he may have been. Instead, it is much more plausible that those angels who followed Satan felt just as slighted with the addition of the Son in heaven, for the balanced and comfortable hierarchy that once existed (i.e. God then angels) had now been altered with the arrival of the Messiah. In one act, all angels in heaven got pushed down the hierarchical order, essentially becoming lesser beings. The conflict, then, between Satan and God, as presented by Milton, is derived from the anger associated with being moved down heavens hierarchy.

The other perceived antagonist in the Milton’s poem is Eve. She’s characterized as being prideful and intellectually inferior, which eventually leads to the fall of man. However, like Satan, Eve is an incredibly complex character and ultimately her assigned subjugation is what eventually led to the fall. According to events of Milton’s poem, pride played an incredibly small role in Eve’s initial act of sin, and her perceived intellectual failings were not fully responsible, either. In the scene where Satan approaches Eve as a snake, and tells her of the incredible powers of the fruit he claimed to have consumed, she appears to be skeptical. And upon reaching the tree she rejects Satan’s initial attempt at corrupting her when she states, “[…] of this tree we may not taste nor touch; / God so commanded, and left that command / Sole daughter of his voice” (9.651-653). If Eve were so prideful, and so intellectually dull, then she would have reached for the fruit immediately, but instead she maintains her composure, she recognizes the perceived wrong in eating the fruit, and she rejects Satan’s attempt. With that, Milton is doing away with the claim that feminine pride and stupidity lead to the fall. In fact, he presents the corrupting factor as her desire for equality–an idea in opposition to the hierarchy. She succumbs to temptation when Satan poses the question,

Why then was this [fruit] forbid? Why but to awe,

Why but to keep ye low and ignorant

His worshippers; he knows that in the day

Ye eat thereof, your eyes that seem so clear,

Yet are but dim, shall perfectly be then

Opened and cleared, and ye shall be as gods (9.703-708).

Satan was not appealing to Eve’s pride, nor was his initial attempt to trick her successful; he realized the way to get her to eat the fruit was by appealing to her inner desire to transcend her subjugated status. In Eden, she was relegated to being the subordinate of Adam, and, according to Milton, on a cosmic scale Eve was the lowest of the rational beings–just one step above common beasts. Eve’s decision to consume the fruit of the tree of knowledge stems from her dislike of her status in the world, and, like Satan, her downfall was brought about from her attempt to go against an established hierarchy. 

            Yet, the hierarchy itself is an institution created by God, according to Milton, and in describing God as the cosmological architect Milton writes that He is, “Author of this Universe” (7.997). Anderson touches on this idea of the God created hierarchy being the ultimate creator of conflict in the poem by asserting that he is, “[…] the author of all that is good and by extension, had the power to determine what is or is not good within the bounds of his universe” (Anderson 4). How, then, can either Satan, his fallen brothers, or Eve be considered truly evil when all they are doing is acting in opposition to their assigned subjugation as ordained by God? The situation is analogous to a monarch deeming it treason for a lower class citizen to seek an education, or for a middle manager in a corporation being fired for seeking a promotion. Yet, Milton does not present God to be the antagonist either. In every situation where a fall occurs, be it Satan’s or man’s, God has given the perpetrator the freedom to choose, and has welcomed those who have chosen “correctly” back into his good graces. Instead, it would seem that Milton is arguing that the institution of a hierarchy, be it in Paradise Lost or in seventeenth century Europe, is the primary cause of conflict–if you go against it, you are deemed evil; if you go with it, you remain in favor of the established rule.

In Paradise Lost Milton purposefully avoids presenting any one character as a classic villain. His characters are all deeply complex, and conflicted, and it is through that inner conflict that the internal agony is felt by Satan in having to spoil paradise. It is the intellectual struggle of Eve in wanting to abide by her superiors while simultaneously feeling the need to gain more from life, that make it near impossible to label either one as being “evil.” Instead, they are individuals who have been tortured with the realization, and visualization of what life would be like if only they were able to move up one step on the totem pole of God’s universe.

Paradise Lost Group Project

For our group project my partner and I decided to split the work down the middle, with him presenting on the critical article while I present a summary and some quotes from the book ix. I threw together this timeline, but now that I'm looking at it, I may just scrap it all together for something a bit simpler. As far as book ix goes, it was difficult putting together a list of important quotes because everything in the book seemed important! There's a ton of dialogue between Adam and Eve, and Eve and Satan that I had to leave on the cutting room floor because there just isn't time to present it all. With that said, I absolutely recommend everyone to read book 9! This is the chapter that deals with the actual act of eat the the forbidden fruit! Everything leads up to this, and everything after is a result of this chapter, so there's no way my 5-10 summary can do it complete justice.

If, however, you're not at all interested in reading more than you were assigned (and I'm with you because honestly I'm not gonna go through and read any more!) here are some of the important events/quotes – some of which you'll see in the presentation, and some not:

Book IX Paradise Lost Summary

·      Milton gives a monologue that, again, suggests that his work is divinely inspired

·      Satan lurks in the Eden, at night, looking for a suitable creature to posses in order to put his plan into motion

·      He remarks how beautiful earth is, and has a feeling of sadness that he has to corrupt it

O earth, how like to Heav’n, if not preferred

More justly, seat worthier of the gods, as built

With second thought, reforming what was old (ix. 99-101)

           

            If I could joy in aught, sweet interchange

            Of hill and valley, rivers, woods and plains,

            Now land, now sea, and shores with forest crowned,

Rocks, dens, and caves; but I in none of these

Find place of refuge; and the more I see

Pleasures about me, so much more I feel

Torment within me, as from the hateful siege

Of contraries; all good to me becomes

Bane […]. (ix. 115-123)

·      What I found interesting about these quotes was that it showed Satan’s intellectual torment. He recognizes the beauty of earth/eden but its not possible for him to enjoy a beauty that rivals heaven because it’s ultimately a testament to God’s success

·      Choose the serpent

[…] thus the orb he roamed

With narrow search; and with inspection deep

Considered every creature, which of all

Most opportune might serve his wiles, and found

The serpent sublest beast of all the field.

Him after long debate, irresolute

Of thoughts resolved, his final sentence chose

Fit vessel, fittest imp of fraud, in whom

To enter […]. (ix. 82-90).

§  I don’t really have any analysis for this; he picked snake…

·      Adam and Eve begin their daily chores

Eve says to Adam:

[…] what we by day

Lop overgrown, or prune, or prop, or bind,

One night or two with wanton growth derides,

Tending to wild. Thou therefore now advise

Or hear what to my mind fist thoughts presents,

Let us divide our labors , thou where choice

Leads thee, or where most needs, whether to wind. (ix. 209- 215)

·      I thought this was important for a couple of reasons. The most obvious one is that this is the dialogue that leads Eve to be alone in the garden–vulnerable to Satan. But more so, it shows Eve early on as a sort of a troublemaker. What I mean by that is she’s questioning the practicality of their tasks – i.e. no matter how much they prune, the garden grows back rather fast. In doing so, she’s questioning the mandate of God, for he put them in the garden, and told to work, and now Eve is basically complaining about the futility of God’s orders.

·      Eve tells Adam that they would finish sooner if the both spit up; Adam tries to talk her out of it

Sole Eve, associate sole, to me beyond

Compare above all living creatures dear,

[…]

                       

            not so strictly hath our Lord imposed

                        Labor, as to debar us when we need

                        Refreshment, whether food, or talk between,

                        Food of the mind, or this sweet intercourse

                        Of looks and smiles

                       

                        […]

                                   

                                    “but if much converse perhaps

Thee satiate, to short absence I could yield.

For solitude sometimes is best society,

And short retirement urges sweet return. (ix. 246-250)

And then he warns:

The enemy, though bold, will hardly dare,

Or daring, first on me th’ assault shall light.

Nor thou his malice and false guile contemn;

Subtle he needs must ne, who could seduce

Angels, nor think superfluous others’ aid.

A foe so proud will first the weaker seek (ix. 304- 308; 383)

§  There’s a lot going on in Adams rebuttal to Eve’s desire to go off solo. Firstly, he’s reaffirming God’s mandate of work by saying they aren’t slaves, being forced to work long, hard hours without any relief. In fact, they’re supposed to find joy and relief in each other while they go about their business in the garden. At the same time, he recognizes that it’s not in his character to try and dictate Eve with an iron-fist. He tries to be reasonable in accommodating Eve’s desire. But he also warns her that Satan is going to look for any opportunity to corrupt, and that he isn’t going to be direct. Instead, their enemy is going to be subtle in his attempts of corruption.

·      Alone in the garden, Eve is approached by Satan in the form of the serpent

Thenceforth to speculations high or deep

I turned my thoughts, and with capacious mind

Considered all things visible in Heav’n,

Or earth, or middle, all things fair and good;

But all that fair and good in thy divine

Semblance, and in thy beauty’s heav’nly ray

United I beheld; no fair to thine

Equivalent or second, which compelled

Me thus, though importune perhaps, to come

And gaze, and worship thee of right declared

Sov’reign of creatures, universal dame. (ix. 602-612)

Eve replies:

Serpent, thy overpraising leaves doubt

The virtue of that fruit, in thee first proved:

But say, where grows the tree, from hence how far? (ix. 615-617)

·      The initial conversation between Satan and Eve is marked by Eve being in awe of a serpent that speaks. Satan informs Eve that he was able to break the bonds of beast-hood and enter an enlighten state by eating a “virtuous” fruit from tree. Satan’s quote above is his attempt at appealing to Eve’s vanity in order to convince her of the merits for the fruit. What I liked about this quote was it shows the true manipulative nature of Satan, but more than that, it shows that Eve isn’t completely convinced of the serpents motives, for there is suspicion in her reply.

·      The snake takes Eve to the tree

Serpent, we might have spared our coming hither,

Fruitless to me, though fruit be here to excess,

The credit of whose virtue rest with thee,

Wondrous indeed, if cause of such effects.

But of this tree we may not taste nor touch; (ix. 647-651)

He replied:

            O sacred, wise, and wisdom-giving plant,

Mother of science, now I feel thy power

Within me clear, not only to discern

Things in their causes, but to trace the ways

Of highest agents, deemed however wise.

Queen of this universe, do not believe

Those rigid threats of death; ye shall not die; (ix. 679-685)

§  Satan switches his tactics here as he begins his final argumentative assault on Eve in the attempt to get her to eat the fruit. Milton describes the speech Satan gives to the being on par with the best of he Greek orators. You can just imagine sly Satan, up on a soapbox preaching to Eve. His speech takes up a bit more than a page (2106-2107) and if you were to read anything from book ix, I would suggest reading Satan’s speech. At this point, I can’t blame Eve, Milton progresses and argument, via Satan, that would have me convinced that I should eat the fruit!

·      Eve eats the fruit

He ended, and his words replete with guile

Into her heart too easy entrance won

[…]

“[…] her rash hand in evil hour

Forth reaching to the fruit, she plucked, she eat.

Earth felt the wound, and nature from her seat

Sighing through all her works have signs of woe,

That all was lost. Back to the thicket slunk

The guilty serpent, (ix. 733-734; 780-785)

·      Not wanting to die alone, or be without Adam, she convinces him to eat the fruit

but what if God have seen,

And death ensue? Then I shall be no more,

And Adam wedded to another Eve,

Shall live with her enjoying, I extinct;

A death to think. Confirmed the I resolve,

Adam shall share with me in bliss or woe: (ix. 826-831)

§  This is showing how concerned Eve is about her fate, and how attached she feels to Adam. But also, I think it shows the corrupted state of mind she’s now in having experienced the fall. If she was to love Adam as much as she claims, and if that love were still pure, would she be that adamant about having Adam share her fate? I don’t think so. I think if she was uncorrupted she would resign herself to her fate, and take solace in that fact that Adam would live on happy.

·      Adam feels connected to Eve, and so she partakes in the fruit because he cant take the idea of not being with her

Should God create another Eve, and I

Another rib afford, yet loss of thee

Would never from my heart; no no, I feel

The link of nature draw me: flesh of flesh,

Bone of my bone thou art and from thy state

Mine never shall be parted, bliss or woe.. (ix. 911-916)

·      This fits with Eve’s sentiment with regards to attachment to their counterpart. Eve is a part of Adam, and he feels a strong familial connection to her. I can see the virtue of Adam’s decision to partake in Eve’s sin, but I think he’s being a bit naive. If Milton’s assertion is that Adam was created with a stronger intellect than Eve (who was endowed with more passion), then I think Adam’s intellect and superior reasoning skills fail him here. He’s letting his passion get the best of him, and in doing so, according to Milton, he’s condemning humanity.

·      After the fruit the have passionate sex and sleep for hours

But come, so well refreshed, now let us play,

As meet is, after such delicious fare;

For never did thy beauty since the day

I saw thee first and wedded thee, adorned

With all perfections, so inflame my sense

With ardor to enjoy thee, fairer now

Than ever, bounty of this virtuous tree. (ix. 1027-1033)

§  This scene read like a bad thriller. Like two people commit a crime, and they’re so caught up on the adrenaline they get it on!

·      When they wake up they’re aware of their sin, they try to cover themselves, in essence covering their sin, and then the proceed to spend hours blaming one another for the fall

Would thou hadst hearkened to my words, and stayed

With me, as I besought thee, when that strange

Desire of wand’ring this unhappy morn,

I know not whence possessed thee; we had then

Remained sill happy, not as now, despoiled

Of all our good, shamed, naked, miserable. (ix. 1134-1139)

Was I to have never parted from thy side?

As good have grown there still a lifeless rib.

Being as I am, why didst not thou the head

Command me absolutely not to go,

Going into such danger as thou sadist? (ix. 1153-1157)

·      The books on this note. Adam and Eve essentially participate in the universe’s first marital dispute!