Eve’s Food Preparation: Art and Experience in Eden :: Research Papers

eventides Food Preparation Art and Experience in Eden The arts of the first couple before the Fall have beenextensively written on. It seems that most critics view prelapsarian artas befitting and natural to Eden, as evidence of prelapsarian splendor.Ann Torday Gulden states that art in Eden is socially neutral Surelyart is innocuous in Eden, an integral power of paradisal bliss (18).Indeed, evens artistic activity makes Eden seem all the more delightfulto the reader. However, with a careful examination of how Eves artis perceived by the poems male characters, it becomes evident thatEves aesthetics do not quite fit. It is tantalising for the reader, wholives in a fallen world, so unequivocally in favor of artistic culture,to praise Eden for examples of cultural activity within it. However,just roughly every example of Eves artistic activity is characterized by analoofness from divine discourse. The male authoritative characters ofParadise Lost primarily treat Eves examples of talented artistry, givingneither praise nor disapproval. But while the lack of recognition speaksvolumes about her low status, it allows her an expansive autonomy fromthe divinely recognized modes of Edenic worship and devotion whichserve to revere God. If the authoritative male characters regard hercreativity as inconsequential, then there is almost no sic to the degreeof autonomous creativity she can have within that localized sphere ofartistry no one is watching her or correcting her. The way in whichEve prepares food for the dinner guest, the angel Raphael, is a primeillustration of both Eves removal from the divine discourse and herexpansion of a cultural, creative realm in which she can act, rather thanfollow.The first thing to recognize about the scene of Raphaels arrivalto instruct cristal and Eve is that Eve is excluded from proximity to thedivine by Adam. To some degree, Adam actually forces her removal.The first one to see Raphael coming is Adam, of course. He saysHaste hither, Eve, and, worth thy sight, descryEastward among the trees what glorious shapeComes this way moving seems another mornRisen on mid-noon. Some great behest from HeavenTo us perhaps he brings, and will vouchsafeThis day to be our guest. But go with speed,And what thy stores contain bring forth, and pourAbundance fit to honour and receiveOur heavenly stranger...(5.308) Adams language is unquestioning. It is clear that he knows a guestfrom Heaven is on his way. The speed with which he recognizes thatthe thing on the horizon is from Heaven shows that he has an intuitive