The basic story of Adam and Eve is that Eve was tempted by a serpent, ate the forbidden fruit and thus caused humans to be kicked out of Paradise. But does she really deserve the blame? Stephen Greenblatt says this question isn’t a new one – Eve has had her defenders from the very start. From early Jewish commentaries to John Milton’s epic poem Paradise Lost, Stephen shows how Eve’s story has always been open to re-interpretation. Her story has inspired not only blame, but also understanding – and even praise.
Bonus clip
Click here to listen to Stephen explain how St Augustine and all-male Christian communities diverted sympathy away from Eve.
Works mentioned
– John Milton, Paradise Lost
Further reading
Stephen Greenblatt at The New Yorker – What Chimpanzees Can Teach Us About Adam and Eve
Marguerite Johnson at The Conversation – A feminist nightmare: how fear of women haunts our earliest myths
Sarah Lyons at Broadly – Praise Lilith, a Chill Demon Cast from Eden for Refusing Missionary Position
Islam Issa at The Guardian – Why Arab Muslims love Paradise Lost – and their leaders hate it
Sarah Toulouse at The Public Domain Review – The Other Lives of Adam and Eve