The fall of Adam and Eve is the climax of Paradise Lost which takes place in book 9. The fall is preceded by the separation scene in which Adam and Eve chose to work alone in the garden. When they choose to separate, Adam and Eve become more vulnerable to temptation. Their separation is not limited to the physical. They are emotionally separated and commit sins against each other. Satan uses this opportunity to trick Eve into eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This act is contrary to the commandment God gave them. The result is the downfall of humanity. The separation scene is the catalyst for the fall of humanity. The cause of the separation is undoubtedly Eve's selfishness. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay The separation scene begins with a discussion between Eve and Adam. Eve wants to divide their day's work; rather than working together, she prefers to work alone. The problem is not that Adam and Eve can never be physically separated from each other. Adam even says: “For solitude is sometimes the best society / And a short retreat prompts a sweet return” (Paradise Lost 9.249-250). Adam points out that a short time gap can even be a good thing. Eve is not looking for this short physical separation that Adam speaks of. Instead, she desires a longer emotional separation. Adam explains to Eve that: Yet our Lord has not imposed work so strictly as to exclude us when we need refreshment, whether of food or of conversation among ourselves, of nourishment of the spirit, or from this sweet relation of looks and smiles, for the smiles of reason flow, towards The brute has denied, and love is food, love is not the lowest end of human life. For it was not for dull labor, but for pleasure, that he created us, and pleasure was joined to reason. (PL 9.235-43) The work given to Adam and Eve by God is not strict. They have the freedom to relax and enjoy each other’s presence. They are able to rekindle the love between them through emotional connections by looking and smiling. God made them to love and rejoice in one another. Eve's request is therefore not simply to be alone in the garden but to break this emotional bond with Adam. She wants to take a break from the bonds. This emotional separation can be compared to a divorce because Adam and Eve no longer act as “one flesh”. Their emotions are separate. When she demands that they work separately, Eve seeks to emotionally separate herself from Adam. Eve's tendency to separate from Adam comes from her selfish nature. God created her as someone who looks within. As Eve awoke after being created by God from Adam's rib, she went to look at her reflection in a lake. This is the first instance in which Eve's self-absorption is visible. As I leaned down to look, straight ahead, A shape in the watery glow appeared. Bending down to look at myself, I started again, It started back, but happy I soon came back, Glad it came back. immediately responding to looks of sympathy and love; there I had fixed my eyes until now, and I languished with vain desire... (PL 460-466) When Eve looks at her own reflection, it reminds me of the story of Narcissus who falls in love with his reflection . The language Eve uses when she communicates this event to Adam resembles that of a person in love with herself. She seems to be playing lovingly with her reflection. Eve describes this experience as a “vain desire” for herself.This is only the beginning of Eve's narcissistic attitude that ultimately leads to her separation from Adam. Eve's desire to separate from Adam goes against what God commands them. God first commands them never to eat from the tree of knowledge and then says that “…[their] reason is [their] law” (PL 9.654). The smiles that Adam and Eve share stem from this reason. If they are separated, they cannot share these smiles and lose the emotional bond they share. Therefore, Eve's wish to separate from Adam is contrary to her reason and violates the order given by God. Since Adam and Eve chose to separate, their fall was not only due to the eating of the fruit, but also due to their emotional separation. Eating the apple violates the greatest commandment. The separation scene violates the second greatest commandment. Jesus says the two greatest commandments are to “…love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind…[and] love your neighbor as yourself.” On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets” (Matthew 22: 37-40 RSV). These commands given by Jesus parallel the commands given to Adam and Eve. The first greatest commandment is broken when they choose to eat the apple. Eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil is an act of sin because it is an act that neglects the love of the Father. It is a failure to love God as He commands. Adam and Eve disobey God by eating the fruit. This is a sin against the greatest commandment. The second greatest commandment is broken before they eat the fruit. When Adam and Eve separate, it causes them to sin because they fail to love. Therefore, the scene of separation is part of the fall of man because before Adam and Eve sinned against God, they sinned against each other. Adam and Eve's sin against each other results in their sin against God. Adam and Eve were created to be together and that is why they complement each other. The only thing God said was wrong was when he created man. “It is not good for man to be alone; I will make him a helper of his own...’” (Genesis 2:18). God created Eve to be a perfect fit for Adam. Without it, he is imperfect. When Eve asks Adam to separate, she is asking that Adam return to his lower state of being, without his perfect fit. When separated from Adam, Eve reflects on herself in unhealthy ways. She no longer has Adam to control her by sharing with him. It's visible even before she leaves him. Eve places her own will above Adam's. She leaves even though she must respect Adam's authority over her own will. The opposite could be said of Adam. Without Eve, he has no one to project himself onto externally. Adam explains this to Eve: Under the influence of your looks, I receive access to all the virtues, in your eyes. Wiser, more vigilant, stronger, if necessary, with external strength; while the shame you look at, the shame of being defeated or overtaken, the greatest vigor would rise up and unite. Why should you not, like the sense in you, feel when I am present, and your trial choose with me, the best witness of your tried virtue. (PL 309-317) Adam receives virtue only from the presence of Eve. Since he was created to protect and watch over God's creation, he needs Eve to express these virtues. His presence holds him responsible for remaining virtuous. Likewise, Eve will pervert her inner thinking without Adam to hold her to account. She will have no other obligations and will only care about herself. The separation of Adam and Eve proves problematic because they were made to be together. The obvious result of Adam and Eve's separation is their eventual separation from God. This happensproduced when they eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Eve is the first to eat the fruit. After working alone, Eve has time to think more about herself. She is now emotionally and physically separated from Adam. The serpent observes Eve “…thoughtlessly during this time, / Herself, though the fairest flower without support, / From her best support yet, and the storm so near” (PL 9.431-433). Eve is not aware of her surroundings because she is thinking internally. This makes her vulnerable like a flower without support when a storm approaches. Adam is not there to support Eve when Satan comes to tempt her. He also catches Eve in a weaker mental state as her narcissistic mindset has developed into a more selfish state. Eve's emotional and physical separation from Adam as well as her narcissistic defect lead her to fall into the temptation of Satan. Eve's inner reflection is a preparation for Satan to successfully tempt her. Satan is able to use Eve's selfishness against her. First, he flatters her, which increases her confidence. When they arrive at the tree, Eve does not want to disobey God and eat the fruit. Satan tells him that he is forbidden to eat from the tree “…to keep you weak and ignorant…” (PL 9.704). He states that “…you will be like gods, / knowing good and evil as they know” (PL 9.708-709). The serpent's words strike Eve's selfish side. She does not desire to be base and ignorant but to be like a god. She questions God’s commandment: “But if death / binds us afterwards, what good then / does our inner freedom benefit? (PL 9.760-762). Eve does not think that her inner freedom should be restricted as God has decided. Once again, Eve seeks separation. This time she seeks to separate herself from the will of God instead of Adam. By eating the fruit, Eve leaves God emotionally and commits a greater sin. Just as Eve's inner reflection rises during their separation, so does Adam's outer reflection. Without Eve to project his love onto, his desires build within him. Adam realizes to a greater extent how much he needs Eve. While awaiting her return, he had woven a garland of the choicest flowers to adorn his braids and his wreath of rural work, as reapers are often wont to do with their queen of the harvest. Great joy he promised her thoughts, and new comfort in her. return, so long delayed… (PL 9.839-844)Adam's passion for Eve is so great that he must provide for her even when she is absent. He creates a garland of flowers to offer her out of love. At the same time, the mere thought of his return brings him happiness. A short time without Eve seems like an eternity to Adam. His desires for her increase exponentially. Adam creates a garland for Eve to curb her desire for his beloved. By the time Eve finds Adam, it is too late. Adam no longer has the ability to leave her again. He too must commit sin against God. Adam is “Certain [his] resolution is to die…” (PL 907). Because Eve fell, he knows that he too must fall. “I feel / The bond of nature attracts me: flesh of flesh, / Bone of my bones you are, and from your state / Mine will never be separated, happiness or misfortune” (PL 913-916). At this point, Adam learned the repercussions of being without Eve. This feeling combined with his natural desire to be with her pushes him to follow her even in sin. He describes them as a single entity from which they will no longer be separated. If Adam had not already known what it was like to be without Eve, he would not have engaged in this sin with her. Therefore, the separation of Adam and Eve is an integral part of his own fall. Keep (1995)..