Sympathy for the Devil('s victim): The Portrayal of Eve in "Paradise Lost" and "Salve Deus Rex Judaeorum" Anonymous College

The Biblical figure of Eve has been a source of much scrutiny, contention, and conflicting portrayals in literature. Two works, Salve Deus Rex Judæorum, written by Emilia Lanier in 1611, and Paradise Lost, by John Milton in 1667, both depict her with varying degrees of sympathy. Salve is a work which aims to focus specifically on women and womens’ issues, and in its rendition of the Garden of Eden story, Eve is the protagonist, a choice which creates more room for a sympathetic portrayal. In Paradise Lost, Eve’s function in the story is limited to her role in the downfall of man, making for a less sympathetic reading. Eve’s more sympathetic portrayal in Salve and less sympathetic portrayal in Paradise are a reflection of the framing and intention of each work.

The purpose of Salve Deus Rex Judæorum is to call attention to the role of women in the Bible and, in part, to defend them from the harsh reading imposed upon them by the eye of history. Lanier dedicates the introduction of Salve to the Queen, writing, “Behold, great Queene, faire Eves Apologie/ Which I have writ in honour of your sexe,/ And doe referre unto your Majestie,/ To judge if it agree not with the Text/ And if it doe, why are poore Women blam'd,/ Or by more...