“Goddess humane, reach then and freely

taste!/He ended and his words replete with

guile/Into her heart too easy entrance won.”
9.732-734
He seems to believe that
woman easily fall into sin
“Her husband (for I view far round) not
nigh,/Whose higher intellectual more I
shun/And strength of courage haughty and of
limb/Heroic built though of terrestrial mould”
9.482-5

He also believes that men

are more intellectual as
well as physically strong.
Milton’s gender roles
Male role
- Dominant sexual lead Female role
- Submissive to male
o Hair represents
sexual
- Authoritative
submission
o God-like/leader, o Is male desire
valor & strength - Can only reach God
through husband
- Earth created for man o Husband is their
- Smart but weak b/c of
god
their desire for - Women created for
women men
- Protector, wise, - Physically
physically strong manipulative

- Weak, ill-equipped to
protect themselves
- Smarter intellectual
o Physically &
difficult to mentally weak-
trick/manipulate
willed
- Dumb/easily
manipulated