[Milton-L] Milton and Gardens: queries on JM's aesthetics

[Horace Jeffery Hodges]

Alexandra Dimakos suggests that "the walls are meant to keep a curious Adam from exploring the outside world," and she cites Raphael's words to Adam in Book VIII:
 
Dream not of other Worlds, what Creatures there 
Live, in what state, condition or degree, 
Contented that thus far hath been reveal'd 
Not of Earth only but of highest Heav'n. (8:175-78)
 
>From the context, however, Adam and Raphael would seem to be speaking of astronomy and worlds beyond the earth. I don't yet see strong evidence that this also includes the "outside world" beyond the Garden's walls.
 
I do agree that Adam and Eve are expected to remain within the Garden, for they have work to do there. Eventually, however, they would be able to leave, for with their offspring borne to populate the earth, the Garden would one day grow too restricted. Presumably, their work in the Garden would have prepared them for making a garden of the entire earth . . . though they would ultimately (perhaps) have sublimated their grossly corporeal bodies into subtler spirit (or some such wording).
 
The walls also serve to keep the two within range of the provoking object, that interdicted, testing tree.
 
On keeping Satan out . . . well, the walls of Hell were intended to keep Satan in but give him an out if he should choose to defy God's limits anyway. By leaving Satan free to escape Hell and break into Paradise, God leaves open Satan's path toward greater damnation -- a puzzling economy of damnation that seems less than economical, but it appears to be part of Milton's great argument.
 
Jeffery Hodges


--- On Fri, 6/19/09, Alexandra Dimakos <adimakos at gmail.com> wrote:


From: Alexandra Dimakos <adimakos at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Milton-L] Milton and Gardens: queries on JM's aesthetics
To: "John Milton Discussion List" <milton-l at lists.richmond.edu>
Date: Friday, June 19, 2009, 4:01 PM


Hi Susan,

Your statement "I am not certain of the roots but "Paradise" might come from 'walled garden.' " sparked my curiosity as I have been recently researching and writing about this idea. 

I've found that in Michael Lieb's article "'Holy Place': A Reading of Paradise Lost" that "the Renaissance understanding of the 'paradise' itself -- pairidaeza formed on pairi ('around') and diz ('to mould,' ''to form') -- not only as a 'park' or 'pleasure ground' but also, significantly, as an 'enclosure' or a 'place walled in''" (135).

I also wanted to address Michael's idea or question: "As to why the whole Garden needs to be fenced off from the rest of the world."

Although there are many theories, it seems to me that Eden is fenced off because it is meant from keeping Adam and Eve from leaving. I understand that many will say that the wall is meant to keep Satan out of the garden. But, does it work? Satan doesn't  have much trouble "jumping the fence" and entering into Eden. If the walls are there to protect Adam and Eve, they do not serve them well.

In contrast, the walls are meant to keep a curious Adam from exploring the outside world. Raphael tells Adam in Book IIX:
 



 
Dream not of other Worlds, what Creatures there 
Live, in what state, condition or degree, 
Contented that thus far hath been reveal’d Not of Earth only but of highest Heav’n. (8:166-78)


The walls may also serve this purpose: to keep Adam from exploring the "other Worlds" that lay beyond Eden. Also there is only one Gate that leads in and out of Eden, but Adam and Eve are only allowed to cross that threshold when they are expelled from their home. They are never told they can freely enter and exit Eden at their leisure. There is a great sense of control that stems from these walls and this one gate.




On Fri, Jun 19, 2009 at 12:39 PM, Susan Allison <jbase484 at gmail.com> wrote:


I am not certain of the roots but "Paradise" might come from "walled garden." Of course that is not the only reason but "Paradise" may have retained that meaning.
Susan





As to why the whole Garden needs to be fenced off from the rest of the world, that’s an interesting question. 

Michael


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