JOURNAL ARTICLE
Keywords: Free Will, Gender Roles, Temptation
Abstract: Paradise Lost remains one of the most significant literary explorations of human nature, morality, and divine authority in English literature. This paper examines the interconnected themes of gender, temptation, and free will in Milton’s epic, with particular emphasis on the characters of Adam and Eve. The study analyzes how Milton constructs gender roles within the framework of seventeenth-century patriarchal ideology while simultaneously presenting Eve as an intellectually curious and emotionally complex figure. Through the episode of temptation and the Fall, the poem investigates the tension between obedience and individual choice, revealing free will as both a divine gift and a source of human vulnerability. Satan’s manipulation of Eve demonstrates the psychological dimensions of temptation, where pride, ambition, and the desire for knowledge become instruments of moral downfall. However, the paper argues that Milton does not portray Eve merely as a symbol of weakness; rather, he presents both Adam and Eve as equally responsible moral agents capable of rational decision-making. Adam’s conscious choice to share Eve’s fate further highlights the operation of free will and emotional attachment in the human condition. By exploring these themes, the article seeks to demonstrate how Paradise Lost transcends a simple retelling of the Biblical Fall and becomes a profound meditation on gender relations, moral responsibility, and the complexities of human freedom. The continuing relevance of Milton’s treatment of these issues reflects the poem’s enduring place in literary and cultural discourse.
Article Info: Received: 26 Apr 2026; Received in revised form: 23 May 2026; Accepted: 26 May 2026; Available online: 30 May 2026
DOI: 10.22161/ijeel.5.3.2
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