Eden is at the center of all the major events of Paradise Lost, Book IX, and Milton is eager to exploit its power as a setting. The Garden represents both the glory of God's Creation and the fragility of his existence. Milton juxtaposes Satan's speech to the Earth with the praise of Adam and Eve to show how invigorating the expression of God's love can be. But in doing so, he also sets the stage for the Fall, highlighting complacency and Eve's unattended state in paradise. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Milton draws attention to the insatiable beauty of Eden through the eyes of Satan, perhaps the least predictable admirer of God's Creation. This magnifies every compliment Satan pays the Earth and suggests that the perfection of Eden is impossible to ignore. But Milton points out how Satan became so intoxicated by the apparent impeccability of Eden that he confused his theology and described the Earth as an “earthly paradise.” In Genesis, God is said to have built the heavens and the earth simultaneously. Therefore, to say that God created the Earth having learned from the mistakes made in Heaven would be theologically incorrect. Furthermore, Satan's declaration that the Earth is a “home fit for the gods” has no basis in the Bible. Evans points out that this may be a deliberate attempt by Satan to console himself for the loss of Heaven; it must "inflate [its] value." Rather than accept the divine hierarchy that God has put in place, he prefers to perceive the other realms as merely “official lamps” that serve the purpose of illuminating Eden. However, Milton quickly reveals Satan's true feelings about his new home. His lush depiction of the pastoral scene with its “valley, rivers, woods and plains” ends abruptly in the form of a “but.” Eden brings Satan's impossible internal conflict to the surface, because even though he can observe its splendor, he cannot appreciate it. The juxtaposition of “Pleasures Upon Me” and “Torment Inside Me” summarizes how his declaration of “irreconcilable war” has condemned him to eternal suffering. He can observe the divine order around him and yet his regret translates into a strong desire to destroy “What he appointed the Almighty, for six nights and days/Continued to do.” His hunger for revenge is such that he even places the Fall in the past. Satan's encounter with Eden is therefore crucial to understanding why Satan feels compelled to corrupt humanity. The fruitfulness of Eden and man's duty to control it is a concept Milton derives from Genesis 2:15. In the Bible, God entrusts Adam with the task of "guarding" the Earth, respecting Creation and governing it. This is in keeping with the Protestant work ethic that one can only be worth something if one earns God's respect. Milton postulates the beginning of this process with a pastoral scene of "morning praise" in Eden. On Earth a hierarchy develops, for while the "human couple" undertakes "vocal worship", the other animals limit themselves to "silent praise" and the "wet flowers" limit themselves to offering their "incense". Although Milton describes God as sensitive to His Creation as “His nostrils fill / With grateful odor,” there is a sense that all living beings have a duty to praise His work. The Earth is depicted as a “great altar” built for the sole purpose of paying homage to its Creator. But Milton's God also expects dedication in the form of physical labor. So, soon after, Adam and Eve are seen obediently taking care of theGarden. Their pastime serves as the catalyst for Eva's impending departure. In her speech to Adam, Eve declares that Eden is a self-defeating garden, as the workload “grows/Luxurious through moderation,” meaning it seems to grow back twice as fast every time it is cut. Milton uses mimesis in the phrase “Lop overgrown, or prune, or prop, or bind” to emphasize how the task seems to accumulate endlessly. Eva concretely suggests "dividing their work" and thus avoiding the "casual conversation" that slows down their progress. But in his response, Adam tries to appeal to his more loving side rather than his reason. Its emotional apostrophe of “associated soul, to me beyond / compare all living creatures dear” places Eve firmly on a pedestal. He then repeats words like “joint,” “united,” and “conjugal” to express the importance of their union. He even overemphasizes the impact of Eve seeking her own employment by describing her as “separated from me,” implying that she and he are one flesh. He also attempts to persuade Eve not to leave him by painting a dark picture of Satan, who the two know has recently entered the Garden. Milton uses the caesura to highlight the "despair" of their "evil enemy" and how precarious it would be to encounter him at such a time. Eve, however, is as skilled as Adam when it comes to powers of persuasion. She similarly flatters him with an elaborate apostrophe – “Son of heaven and earth and lord of all the earth” – to convey the degree to which she respects his authority. But she reacts with hostility to what she perceives as a criticism of his character, namely that he might “doubt” her “steadfastness” and therefore worry that Satan has the power to corrupt her. Evans highlights how Eve's speech becomes awkward and heavily alliterated to convey her agitation. She also makes the fatal mistake of assuming that she and Adam are "not capable of death or pain", which was proven to be false after the Fall. Adam tries to reassure Eve by saying that he does not doubt her ability to resist temptation, but rather fears “the offered wrong” that Satan might present to him. The temptation itself could inflict a “disgraceful foul” on Eve. He draws the stark contrast between “you alone” and “us both” to emphasize how superior they are as a “united front” against Satan. While Eve has become overly comfortable in the serenity of Eden, Adam wishes to remain on guard for any potential danger. In his description of Eve's departure from Adam, Milton draws parallels between her and "fallen" female characters in classical literature. Milton thus creates a decidedly disturbing atmosphere, in which it is implied that Eva will soon "fall" herself. Evans notes how “the comparisons become progressively more sinister” as Eva distances herself further and further from her husband. First, she is compared to a semi-divine “wood nymph” like “Óread or Drýad,” who resided innocently in the mountains and woods. Then, Milton makes a slightly ambiguous reference to Eva as a member of "Délia's train". Eve is a symbol of chastity, but lacks the “bow and quiver” that would serve her successfully as a huntress. Furthermore, we know that Satan is actively trying to hunt her down and bring about the Fall. A sense of unease then begins to develop. Milton is much more explicit in mentioning “Pomóna” – whose virginity a disguised god stole in an orchard – and her escape from “Vertúmmus”. Milton later predicts an “ambush hidden among sweet flowers and shadows” as if to warn Eve of the dangers she will face. But the desperate tone he adopts before this in “O Eve much deceived, much failed, unfortunate, / Of thy supposed return! perverse event!” suggests that his warning is in vain,.