John Milton’s Paradise Lost is detailing story of the creation and fall of Adam and Eve, as well as the origin and temptation of Satan. Milton uses Genesis as a foundation and details the events starting with Satan’s fall, moving to the creation of the world, Adam, and Eve, and ending with Adam and Eve being sent away from Paradise. In Book IV, lines 440-504, Milton portrays Eve as an inferior, submissive being through both her words and actions. Milton characterizes Eve as submissive and thoughtless. Shortly after Eve’s birth, she hears a voice which tells her to come meet Adam. At this time, Eve knows nothing of herself and because this she exemplifies inferiority and submission, which come naturally to Eve because she believes that, the only normal reaction to the voice’s request is blind obedience. By asking question, “what”, Eve reveals that she cannot consider of any other possible alternative, so it is obvious that she is unable to reason. Eve did not know that the voice was God, her creator, who she owed her existence to. The voice could have been an evil being such as Satan. She obeys blindly without thinking or asking anything. While reflecting on the first time she met Adam, Eve confesses that she wanted to run away, but rather than doing what she wants to do, Eve automatically gives in to Adam without thinking about it at all. Eve not only passively obeys all types of authority, she does not even ask questions or tries to understand herself or her situation. She does not make any decisions; she merely does whatever God and Adam tell her to do. Because Eve does not think for herself or try to learn anything, she is portrayed as inferior, passive, and incapable.
Milton continually refers to the fact that Eve was made for Adam from his own body. This repetition stresses the importance of Eve being thankful and repaying Adam. Milton marginalizes Eve by saying that the only reason she was created was for Adam. This makes Eve a possession of Adam rather than an equal and separate person. Rather than being an individual, she is merely an image of Adam. As soon as Eve meets Adam, he informs her that she represents his flesh and bone. Eve wants to run away from him, but Adam emphasizes his sacrifice to give Eve life, making her obligated to him. Eve does not run away, but instead yields to Adam because she feels that she must show Adam gratitude for giving her life. If Eve was created for Adam, then it is her duty to do as he wishes without questioning him. By emphasizing Eve’s debt and gratitude to Adam, Milton undercuts her as an individual, lowering her status to that of a servant. Both God and Adam continually remind Eve that it is her job to be grateful and subservient.