I have been away from home for the last 10 days or so and am still travelling, so I do not have my usual notes and books for use when posting a blog. So this one is somewhat different in that it gives women from an earlier age a voice.

Many women writers have defended Eve and her actions, and have wrestled about possible interpretations of Adam and Eve and their fall. Their fresh perspectives on Eve and her submission in eating the fruit have allowed women’s voices to be heard from their own experience and not from a patriarchal view. Women throughout the ages have tried to reject the projection of sin put upon them by their male counterparts. Women are able to bear the burden on their own if need be but having to be patriarchy’s scapegoat is something they will no longer accept. However, many women have accepted their ‘inferiority’ – this can be seen for example by the ambivalence with which many women and even young girls view their bodies.

Abbess Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179) spent much of her life meditating on Adam and Eve and the meanings to be gleaned from their time within and outside of Paradise in terms of person to person relationship; relationship to G.d and relationship to Satan. Hildegard of Bingen was benign to Eve, seeing in her the person who bestows divinity onto humanity, and seeing in her the prefiguration of Mary. Pain in childbirth is not seen as inevitable or a curse. Rather, each time the Mother gives birth, the hidden God is revealed. By giving birth, God’s image is revealed in every child that is born.

In the 14th century, Christine de Pizan (1365-1430) became a writer to avoid destitution after the death of her husband and father. She exchanged letters (Querelles des Femmes) with the male humanists of the time, arguing for the equal status of women. Male authors’ seemingly denigrating view of women in their writings disillusioned her. She ‘rehabilitates’ Eve in her book: The City of Ladies, arguing that Eve was made in the image of God and asserting that Adam and Eve’s souls were of equal value. She argues that Eve, being fashioned from the rib of Adam, surely shows that she should be at his side as a companion, not as a slave, and that a master craftsman’s hand must surely have been at work to make Eve out of Adam.

Sarah Joseph Hale (1788-1879) prefaces her book : Woman’s Record published in 1853, with her understanding and interpretation of the fall. She contends that Adam needed assistance to cultivate his lower qualities and ‘left to himself, his love becomes lust; patriotism (becomes) policy; and religion, idolatry. He is naturally selfish in his affections; and selfishness is the sin of depravity’. She also contends that Eve took the apple because of her ‘higher faculties of the mind’, her ‘desire for knowledge and wisdom’ and that Adam ate with ‘compliance’, typical of a person of a ‘lower nature’ and motives no higher ‘than gratifying his sensuous inclinations’

 

 

 

34 Comments on Commentary on eve – part four

  1. I would like to thank you for the efforts you’ve put in writing this blog. I’m hoping to check out the same high-grade
    blog posts from you in the future as well. In truth, your creative
    writing abilities has encouraged me to get my own website now 😉

  2. Pingback: Google

  6. Amazing blog! Is your theme custom made or did you download it from
    somewhere? A design like yours with a few simple tweeks would really make my blog stand out.
    Please let me know where you got your theme.
    Bless you

  8. May I simply just say what a comfort to discover an
    individual who actually understands what they’re discussing on the web. You actually know how to bring a problem to light and make it important. More and more people have to check this out and understand this side of the story. It’s surprising you aren’t more popular given that you definitely have the gift.

  9. Ive been meaning to read this and just never obtained a chance. Its an issue that Im really interested in, I just started reading and Im glad I did. Youre a excellent blogger, 1 of the very best that Ive seen. This weblog absolutely has some information and facts on topic that I just wasnt aware of. Thanks for bringing this things to light.

  10. Im honored to obtain a call from my friend as soon as he observed the important suggestions shared on your own site. Reading through your blog post is a real brilliant experience. Many thanks for taking into account readers like me, and I desire for you the best of achievements for a professional topic.

  13. This is without doubt a site that people need to get behind. The problem is, no one wants to do a huge deal of reading and not have something else to stimulate the mind. This is the internet, after all. Maybe if you added a video or two to emphasise your point. Ill stick around, FOR SURE. But, I dont know if others will.

  15. How we remark on the fact that women throughout history have been outspoken, taken risks, valued their words and thoughts enough to emerge. How important to honor them and us now.

    • Thank you Susan for your comment. I salute all women who live by their own standard and are not ‘submissive’ in any corrupt way.

  17. Susan this part four of your blog is just such a revelation. Thank you for the introduction to the thinking of these remarkable women especially given their historical contexts.

  18. Susan, years ago I loved reading about history and some place along the line I stopped that reading. However, your blogs are restoring my interest as your comments remain extremely thought provoking and inspiring. Thank you for your wealth of information.

    • Thank you so much for yr comment Gwynn and how nice to have your previous enjoyment of history restored! Glad these women have piqued yr interest.

  20. Hello there, I discovered your web site via Google even as looking for a similar subject, your website came up, it looks great. I have bookmarked to my favourites|added to my bookmarks.

Comments are closed.