Innocence or Freewill A critique of Milton’s Theodicy...

As young students, we are often oblivious to what is going on throughout the world. We are more focused on getting ready for upcoming Prom, participating in sports all weekend, hanging time with our friends, and spending a lot of time on social networks. Because we are so caught up in our average teenage lives, most aren’t able to identify the current wars being fought in different countries, civil conflicts, and other issues. At the same time, many of the positive actions that people make go without praise too. This just shows that we are ignorant to both good and bad happenings in the world, and the reasons behind it all. In Paradise Lost, by John Milton, he attempts to present the reasoning behind all the actions on Earth, positive and†¦show more content†¦Satan is such a good seducer he â€Å"made intricate seem straight, to mischief swift.† (Book 9, line 632) He uses flattery to trigger the narcissism already present to get her to take a bite of the forbid den fruit, causing the first disobedience. Upon eating the fruit, Eve becomes a different person. All five senses in her become aroused. She now becomes an object of praise and desire. Eve is no longer innocent, but filled with knowledge. She then takes the fruit to Adam for him to eat from. Although he knows it’s the wrong thing to do to sin, he eats it anyway because he loves Eve. He says, â€Å"Much pleasure have we lost, while we abstain’d from this delightful Fruit, nor known till now true relish, tasting; if such pleasure be in things to us forbidden, it might be wish’d for this one Tree had been forbidden ten. But come, so well refresh’t, now let us play.† (Book 9, lines 1022-1028) From here on, carnality emerges from the Garden of Eden. The topic of free-will then comes into play. Adam and Eve chose to disobey God and eat from the Tree of Knowledge, even when they knew it wasn’t the right thing to do. Because they were disobedient to God’s rules, the two are sent out of Paradise to Earth. From then on, women would now face painful childbirth and would be ruled by their husbands. Men would then have to labor the rest of their lives to make a living. Finally, God expelled Adam and Eve from the garden forever. In the version of the Bible, the expulsion is