adam and eve
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The Two Stories of Adam and Eve
Many controversies have derived from the famous Biblical story of Adam and Eve and the great sin that brought the new, horrific element of death into the world. John Milton, a famous 17th century writer, took the story from Genesis and interpreted how he felt the narrative really happened. He was creative in adding and changing much of the original, such as adding a storyline for the snake, giving him false proof to show Eve that she will live if she eats from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Milton also has the serpent further influence Eve by making her believe she is wrong about God being just and fair, and that in actuality, he is jealous, selfish, and dictatorial. Finally, he changed Eve's being with her husband to her being alone with the serpent. These new changes and additions Milton made to Adam and Eve's story makes one feel very differently about their downfall and whose fault it is, as well as what could have been done differently to refrain from the serpent's temptation.
It is always easiest to talk someone into doing something when there is valid proof presented that it will be to the person's benefit. The crafty, malignant serpent was smart in his campaign to make Eve eat from the Tree. In the Genesis version, the serpant temps Eve to eat the fruit by saying that God was trying to trick the both of them. In this part of Milton's story, however, which is not in the Genesis version, the snake showed Eve that he, a wild animal, is able to now speak and think like a human because of the fruit from that tree...