Paradise Lost Theme of Lies and Deceit
In Paradise Lost, Satan is the ultimate trickster. He flat out lies to Eve, telling her the Forbidden Fruit has powers that it doesn't. Beyond that, however, he is somehow able to convince a third of the angels that God is unjust and that they should rebel. You've got to be pretty good at lying and deceiving people to convince them to risk losing Heaven.
Questions About Lies and Deceit
- Are lying and deception slightly different or are they the same thing?
- Does Eve lie to Adam when she convinces him to eat the fruit?
- Is there anything deceptive about God or any of the angels?
Chew on This
Eve unwittingly deceives Adam; she knows she's not supposed to eat the fruit, but she really does believe it has efficacious effects, which makes her seem less culpable.
Satan knowingly deceives people, but he makes the mistake of thinking he's been deceived when he hasn't been.