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

[Michael Bryson]

Did this go to the whole list, or just to Susan? If it didn't go to the
whole list, hit Reply All--everyone should see it!

On Fri, Jun 19, 2009 at 2:01 PM, Alexandra Dimakos <adimakos at gmail.com>wrote:

> 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
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Milton-L mailing list
>> Milton-L at lists.richmond.edu
>> Manage your list membership and access list archives at
>> http://lists.richmond.edu/mailman/listinfo/milton-l
>>
>> Milton-L web site: http://johnmilton.org/
>>
>
>
>
> --
> Lecturer
> English Department
> California State University, Northridge
> 18111 Nordhoff St,
> Northridge, CA 91330-8248
> (818) 677-3434
>
> _______________________________________________
> Milton-L mailing list
> Milton-L at lists.richmond.edu
> Manage your list membership and access list archives at
> http://lists.richmond.edu/mailman/listinfo/milton-l
>
> Milton-L web site: http://johnmilton.org/
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.richmond.edu/pipermail/milton-l/attachments/20090619/fee3c9e0/attachment.html