During their discussion of Heaven and Earth in Book VIII, Raphael cautions Adam against asking to know too much: \u201cbe lowly wise:\/ Think only what concerns thee and thy being; Dream not of other Worlds\u201d (173-175), and Adam apparently assents, condemning humans\u2019 overly inquisitive \u201cMind or Fancy\u201d (188). I would like to examine the merits of Raphael\u2019s counsel and the nature of Adam\u2019s response, potentially questioning both.<\/p>\n
Adam seems to appreciate Raphael\u2019s admonition. In response, he praises the life God has given him\u2014a life free from troubles \u201cunless we ourselves\/ Seek them with wand\u2019ring thoughts, and notions vain\u201d (186-187). As he then perceives, these \u201cwand\u2019ring thoughts\u201d arise because \u201capt the Mind or Fancy is to rove\/ Uncheckt, and of her roving is no end;\/ Till warn\u2019d, or by experience taught, she learn\/ That…[t]hat which before us lies in daily life,\/ Is the prime Wisdom\u201d (188-194). His description of the mind\u2019s \u201cUncheckt…roving\u201d suggests that he sees it as an untrained faculty still in need of guidance, and he perhaps perceives and accepts Raphael\u2019s words as that necessary guidance.<\/p>\n
However, does Raphael\u2019s counsel truly offer the benefits Adam apparently believes it does? The commands foreclose a multitude of seemingly reasonable questions which Adam and Eve might have. Would it be wrong for them to feel curious about circumstances outside of Eden? Adam seems to consent that it would, when he responds to Raphael that matters outside of everyday life are \u201cemptiness\u201d which leave him and Eve \u201cUnpractic\u2019d\u201d and \u201cunprepar\u2019d\u201d for dealing with the \u201cthings that most concern [us]\u201d (195-197). But since the Garden is currently under threat from Satan (a force from outside their world) is \u201cDream not of other Worlds\u201d really the best advice to offer Adam?<\/p>\n
To further complicate matters, does Adam truly accept the command? His lengthy praise of Raphael\u2019s doctrine would seem to imply that he does. But only a few lines later, he desires Raphael to continue their conversation because \u201cwhile I sit with thee, I seem in Heav\u2019n\u201d (210). Considering that Raphael has just cautioned him against aspiring to know this place\u2014\u201cHeav\u2019n is for thee too high\/ To know what passes there\u201d (172-173), Adam\u2019s lingering desire for the sensations of Heaven casts some doubt over his acceptance. And not much later, he in fact continues to ask questions about the \u201cheav\u2019nly Spirits,\u201d inquiring about the nature of “Love” in Heaven (615), further contradicting his assent.<\/p>\n
With these complications, the passage presents two interrelated questions. First, how valid and helpful is Raphael\u2019s advice for Adam? Second, does Adam intend to follow it? (And, depending on the answer to the first question, should he?)<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Annemarie Lisko<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
During their discussion of Heaven and Earth in Book VIII, Raphael cautions Adam against asking to know too much: \u201cbe lowly wise:\/ Think only what concerns thee and thy being; Dream not of other Worlds\u201d (173-175), and Adam apparently assents, condemning humans\u2019 overly inquisitive \u201cMind or Fancy\u201d (188). I would like to examine the merits […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[18,6,19],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/edificeproject.ua.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/353"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/edificeproject.ua.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/edificeproject.ua.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edificeproject.ua.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edificeproject.ua.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=353"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/edificeproject.ua.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/353\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":355,"href":"https:\/\/edificeproject.ua.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/353\/revisions\/355"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/edificeproject.ua.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=353"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edificeproject.ua.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=353"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edificeproject.ua.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=353"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}