The Hero of Paradise Lost Is Eve Rather Than Adam

For this assignment I will be answering the question “The hero of Paradise lost is Eve rather than Adam, assess the validity of this comment”. I will discuss what a hero means and how Eve’s actions could make her the hero of the poem or the villain. I hope to show whether or not there actually is a hero in the poem and if it is Eve what did she achieve as the ‘hero’. Or could Adam be the hero? I will discuss both. “The concept of a hero has many meanings and aspects. In every culture and period, there have always been heroes. They represent a human universal, something very basic, which is connected to all human souls. The hero symbolises a goal, a role model and an example that inspires identification. Every generation chooses and creates its heroes. Real or imaginary heroes permit us to fulfil aspirations latent within us. Folk tales about heroes always contain a confrontation between a hero, whose victory exemplary, and a defeated opponent. There is a moment of struggle in which good overcomes evil. (Samson: the hero and the man: the story of Samson pg 271). “The attitude in the bible toward the subject of the hero is complex. In the sources, there is pronounced rejection of the ideal of heroism, replacing it with the ideal of restraint and self control: “he that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city” (prov.16:32). The bible teaches that ones true enemy within, and one should not seek an external enemy. Rather one should battle against the flaws in ones character”. (Samson: the hero and the man: the story of Samson pg 275). Does Eve or Adam fit the character of the hero? The biblical hero is not to be identified with the usual characteristics of a hero even though he may poses them or some of them, his main characteristic is not physical strength but moral strength, permitting him to be obedient to god when all others reject god or the need to be obedient. The biblical hero obtains glory