Symptoms of Narcissism in Eve Using Paradise Lost

Symptoms of Narcissism in Eve I. Introduction A. â€Å"The allusion to pagan fable that most haunts views of Miltons Eve is her Narcissus-like behavior when, fresh from her Creators hand, she pauses at the verge of the mirror lake attracted by her own reflection and has to be called twice: first by God, who leads her to Adam, and then, as she starts back toward the softer beauty of the face in the lake, by Adam himself.† (McColley 63). B. Eve’s scene in which she observes herself at the pool can be seen as a biblical form of the myth of Narcissus. C. I will argue, first, that Eve’s scene alludes to Ovids myth of Narcissus. Second I dispute interpretations that view Eve’s actions as a narcissistic impulse,†¦show more content†¦Scholars have attempted to come up with an answer which explains Eve’s Narcissus-like tendencies. Some scholars feel that Eve’s narcissism is an â€Å"innocent stage of human development† since she â₠¬Å"quickly outgrows it.† (McColley 63). One scholar feels that â€Å"There is a certain beauty in Eve’s narcissism† because it is â€Å"the linking of above and below.† (Norford 10, 14). Others, like Jonathan Collett, gather the idea that Eve’s scene at the pool is simply a biblical form of the Narcissus myth. The myth of Narcissus, written by Ovid, is the tale of a hero whose self love gradually brought him to his death. Although Eve’s memorization of herself at the pool did not ultimately take her life, there are many similarities which tie Eve’s scene at the pool and the myth of Narcissus together. Mr. Collett writes, â€Å"This situation by the pool echoes Ovids tale of Narcissus and attributes to Eve a native vanity that issues in the Fall, sometimes finding additional sinister implications in periodic resemblances between the creation of Eve and the birth of Sin.† (Collett 88). Throughout his article, Collett notes on similarities found not only between Narcissus and Eve, but also between the birth of Eve and the birth of Sin. One similarity can be found in the myth of Narcissus. Echo, a local nymph, crosses paths with Narcissus, and at first glance, notices his beauty and falls inShow MoreRelatedMetamorphoses Within Frankenstein14861 Words   |  60 Pagestheories of creation, a collision that r esults in the den ig ration of maternal ch ild bear ing through its cir cumven tion by male creation. The novel presents Mary Shelley’s response to th e ex pectation, manif ested in such poems as Alastor and Paradise Lo st, th at wo men 11 Sydney S tudies Critica l Metamorphoses of Frankenstein embody yet not embody male fan tasies. A t th e same time, it expresses a woman’s knowledg e of th e irrefutable indep endence of the body, both her ownRead MoreOrganisational Theory230255 Words   |  922 Pages the rest of this book is also presented. Structure of the chapter †¢ This chapter begins by considering what organization theory is. It continues by considering the nature of theory in the social sciences. This important issue is developed by using examples of theory to illustrate the different components and uses of theory, especially with regard to how we undertake practical activities. The chapter then considers how organizations have been defined in the literature and discusses some of the