[Milton-L] (no subject)

[Campbell, W. Gardner]

Excellent point about angelic intuition, though this power (or at least
its efficacy) too comes and goes in the text, perhaps because Milton
doesn't want to say it's always a "higher" power. Difficult to know
(either rationally or intuitively).

 

I'd differ slightly in characterizing Satan's understanding of the tree.
He understands its utility for prospect but doesn't ask more probing
questions that I think Milton prompts us to ask. For example, why is
there a wall if I can get over it so easily? Why should the tallest tree
be in the center, reinforcing a definite point within a garden elsewhere
described as "wild above rule or art"? And so forth. Satan's curiosity
narrows to a utilitarian point, while Adam's and Eve's flourishes. 

 

Gardner

 

From: milton-l-bounces at lists.richmond.edu
[mailto:milton-l-bounces at lists.richmond.edu] On Behalf Of John Rumrich
Sent: Friday, November 07, 2008 9:39 AM
To: John Milton Discussion List
Subject: Re: [Milton-L] (no subject)

 

Angels are very intelligent, Milton believes, and they tend to
understand phenomena intuitively, by sudden apprehension.

 

But one might reply that Satan sits on top of the tree of life and
doesn't understand it at all.  Go figure.

 

John  

 

 

On Nov 7, 2008, at 9:24 AM, James Rovira wrote:





The book of Genesis describes the two trees standing together in the
middle of the garden.  The implication is that both are set apart.
Milton reflects this tradition in bk 4, as mentioned earlier:

Thence up he flew, and on the Tree of Life, 
The middle Tree and highest there that grew, 

And then in book 7, the forbidden tree is clearly in the middle of the
garden, right next to the tree of life:

This Paradise I give thee, count it thine 
To Till and keep, and of the Fruit to eate: 
Of every Tree that in the Garden growes 
Eate freely with glad heart; fear here no dearth: 
But of the Tree whose operation brings 
Knowledg of good and ill, which I have set 
The Pledge of thy Obedience and thy Faith, 
Amid the Garden by the Tree of Life, 

"...amid the Garden by the Tree of Life"

I don't think Milton spent much time on this problem because he didn't
see it as a problem.  The tree of life was the largest tree, planted
directly in the middle of the Garden, the forbidden tree was smaller,
but right next to it.  Difficulties are present only if you picture a
normal forest with a large number of essentially identical trees
randomly distributed.  The Garden of Eden is enclosed by a wall and has
a discernible center marked by the presence of the tallest tree.

I think the specific details of the tree of life being the largest and
central tree contains a more important point -- the choice between
obedience and disobedience was not perfectly equal.  Obedience was
visibly privileged.  Life is visibly privileged over knowledge.  

Jim R

On Fri, Nov 7, 2008 at 5:27 AM, christy neary
<christy.neary at hotmail.com> wrote:

HELLO ALL, Still having a problem with Satan ( haven't we all ). How
does he know exactly which tree is the tree of interdiction? He
eavesdrops ( pardon the pun ) on Adam & Eve's conversation and learns
that it is fast by the tree of life, but this only narrows it down and
does not identify it specifically.
Regards,
Christy


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