Dialectic of Argumentation in Paradise Lost

Name:Gohil Hetalba C

Paper: 1 The Renaissance Literature

M.A 2   Sem 1

Roll: 5

Topic: Dialectic of Argumentation in Paradise Lost

Submitted To,

Dr Dilip Barad

Dept of English

Mk Bhavnagar University

Bhavnagar

Dialectic of Argumentation in Paradise Lost

  

     In the paradise lost, we find use of rhetoric by different character especially Satan’s argument are very suggestive when he question to god. Even the argumentativeness dialogue of Eve also suggest the feminine inequality at that time.Satan having compassed the earth with meditated guile returns as a mist by night into paradise enters into the serpent sleeping. Adam and eve in the morning go forth to their labours which eve proposes to divide in several places, each labouring apart. Adam consents not, alleging the danger and eve urges to go apart to check her strength. Adam at last yields

Argument between Adam and eve

    

      Adam insist eve should be close to him and they should work together where as eve wants to live an independent life. she wants to live independent without Adam’s supervision.

“Thou where choice/leads thee or where most needs/while I”

“But to delight/he made us and delight to reason joyn’d/for solitude sometimes is best societies.”

     

     Their existence is for the sake of delight and therefore they should not be worried about the duty assign .Adam tries to pursued Eve not part from him. There is threat to their lives from the enemy in the form of Satan .he is likely to attack and take advantage of their separation.

“And what is faith, love, virtue unassaid/alone, without exterior help sustained? Let us not then suspect our happy state/left so imperfect by the maker wise,/as not secure to single or combin’d.one alone/fraile is our happiness.”

    Eve sticks to her decision and remarks that unless her capacity is tasted. it is not capacity if she would not allow herself to move away and prove her strength. If she try and then she tasted .her strength cn be  proved only where it put to taste.

Argument between Satan and eve

   

    Satan is waiting for opportunity to attack. He knows well that Adam and eve together cannot be deceived but eve alone can be his victim. So he approached secretly toward eve

“Fairest resemblance of thy maker faire/thee all things living gaze on”

     

     He uses oil tongue .he tries to eve that he had eaten the apples and obtains the power to speak. Eve is extremely delighted and having glance at the tree. On seeing the tree Eve immediately realizes that it is a tree of knowledge whose fruit is forbidden.

“but of this tree we may not taste nor touch god so commanded/our reason is our low !ye shall not eat”

      Satan uses his logic and flatters her by using the following expression.

“queen of this universe, do not believe .those rigid threats of death ye shall not die”

    

    He cites his example saying that he is alive though he ate the fruit .and she argues that good unknown is us is sure not bad and bay not eating the fruit god forbids us to be good and wise and such limitations cannot bind us. But after death bind us with after-hands then what profit of the freedom inward?

“Forbids us to be good .forbids us to be wise!

Superior or inferior, who is free?

   

      She wants to be equal to Adam but she also argues that after all who is free? Even Adam is superior to her .he is not freedom choice to eat the fruit

Conclusion

    We find best example that how to argue and how to counter argue through the example of argument between Adam and Eve and Eve and Satan.