The fall of man in Eve speaks and paradise lost Over time, there have been many interpretations of the fall from grace of man, as told by the Bible. Literary interpretations include those of John Milton's Paradise Lost and "Eve Speaks" by the American poet Louis Untermeyer. John Milton's epic poem deals with the entire story of man's fall from grace, including the context of Satan's motivations. "Eve Speaks" by Louis Untermeyer was written about Eve's thoughts, many years after she was forced to leave Eden. Although both poems derive from the same biblical root, they offer different interpretations of the fall of man through Eve's motivations, her attitude toward Adam, and her attitude toward his sin. In Paradise Lost, Eve was deceived by Satan, who took the form of a serpent, causing her to eat the Tree of Knowledge. Satan had whispered in her ear while she slept, and when he spoke to her later, he used his cunning to mislead her: He finished, and his words full of cunning entered her heart too easily. Fixed on the fruit she looked, that now he could try alone, and in her ears still rang the sound of his persuasive words, imbued with reason, in her opinion, and with truth; (Paradise Lost, 733-739). Louis Untermeyer's interpretation of Eve's motivations in "Eve Speaks" were very different in their implications. He suggests that Eve was not deceived by Satan, but instead made a conscious decision to eat the forbidden fruit. Eve thought that man was created for more than just living in Paradise; He was seeking a greater world: the thought that there was something more than joy, beyond perfection, greater than the song of peace and quiet happiness, vexed all my hours. (“Eve Speaks” 31-34) Eve came to these conclusions through the traits she perceived in Adam. He was strong and had a brain designed to “dream and shape.” According to Eva, it was designed for "fierce things and more luxurious worlds". Another obvious difference between the two poems was how Eve perceived Adam. Milton's Eve felt inferior to Adam; When Eve was trying to decide whether or not to share the apple with Adam, one of the reasons for not sharing it was so she could be equal to, if not superior to, him. After giving the apple to Adam, his behavior became even more submissive. This was in accordance with the traditional 17th century view of women. Louis Untermeyer gave Eva a more dominant position; In "Eve Speaks", Eve acts for the