Innocence Lost /// Elijah Mahn

         When the forbidden fruit is eaten, the age of mankind's innocence is over. Mankind now understands the concept of evil, and succumbs to it. Furthermore, when mankind is confronted by Jesus with their sin, they acknowledge that they have done wrong, but try to shift the blame away from themselves. When Satan returns to Hell, he discovers that his progeny have built a bridge to earth. Satan unleashes Sin and Death upon the earth, providing literal representation of the completeness of mankind's fallen state. However, though this should be a victory for the demons, they are unable to celebrate it, as they are turned into the form of the serpent, which was Satan's instrument of doom. This shows that although innocence has been lost, and the demons seem to have won, God is still in absolute control.

    Mankind lost their innocence by sin entering the world, but it is also displayed in another way. Adam and Eve are taken from the garden of Eden, and Adam is shown all the suffering and tragedy that will follow leading up to, and ending in, the flood. This cements the complete understanding of the woe that is to come, and reveals to mankind complete understanding of all that sin and death entail. However, it does give some hope. Overall, Milton uses many literal and metaphorical representations to show that humanity is no longer innocent, and is now fallen.

 

P.S: I commented on Abigale Bell and Song Whittington's posts

Comments

  1. Bug OlsenSeptember 27, 2021 at 10:51 PM

    I agree that Satan and the fallen angel's transformation show God's omnipotence, and I think this theme is consistently shown throughout the novel, as well as these two books specifically. God shows Adam his omnipotence in every vision he shows him, such as his saving grace with Noah and his ultimate salvation through Christ. These two books show how God has total power over both the good and the bad, and Adam (and us) can find reassurance in this fact.

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