How Cruel Is the Story of Eve
Teresa Schopp
English 266
Instructor: Kristina Young
Women Writers
October 11, 2010
How Cruel Is The Story of Eve
There is much that women have had to endure because of that
bible story. The pain of childbirth, the discomfort of monthly periods,
subservience to men. Throughout history women have been wrongly .
made to appear the lesser of the sexes. The Author seems to portray
women mostly as victims. In this poem it seems to me that women
are dependant on men for their survival. No blame for this though
just the nature of things, beyond our control. In stanza 10 to 15 pg.586 It
Says, "In history, what misery put up to barter. The tender feelings buy
Her a husband to rule her, fool her to marry a master". And here she
Feels sympathy for man, wondering if he is fit to rule, was he pushed to
it. So, woman is given blame, man is given rule and in the end. If we
men and women had not loved each other, all would be for naught.
The woman’s perspective in this work seems to be accepting
of her lot in life to be subservient, yet at the same time there is
an undercurrent of not being so content. Of womens growing
cunning having to mask her cunning lest she challenge Adams
masculinity. Her experiences the pain, the misery, the cruelty
In all of history it must have been worse for Eve the first woman
to have to suffer for her sins. How I wonder, did it make her feel?
Maybe pity for the rest of woman kind to come after her to take on
the roll, the mantle of her sins.
Eve to Her Daughters
This Eve seems to be bitter when she says in the first
stanza pg. 726 " It was not I who began it" at being "turned
out into drafty caves, all of them hungry so often, having
to work for our bread". She is speaking this to her
daughters that she was "not unhappy. Where Adam went
I was fairly contented to go. I
English 266
Instructor: Kristina Young
Women Writers
October 11, 2010
How Cruel Is The Story of Eve
There is much that women have had to endure because of that
bible story. The pain of childbirth, the discomfort of monthly periods,
subservience to men. Throughout history women have been wrongly .
made to appear the lesser of the sexes. The Author seems to portray
women mostly as victims. In this poem it seems to me that women
are dependant on men for their survival. No blame for this though
just the nature of things, beyond our control. In stanza 10 to 15 pg.586 It
Says, "In history, what misery put up to barter. The tender feelings buy
Her a husband to rule her, fool her to marry a master". And here she
Feels sympathy for man, wondering if he is fit to rule, was he pushed to
it. So, woman is given blame, man is given rule and in the end. If we
men and women had not loved each other, all would be for naught.
The woman’s perspective in this work seems to be accepting
of her lot in life to be subservient, yet at the same time there is
an undercurrent of not being so content. Of womens growing
cunning having to mask her cunning lest she challenge Adams
masculinity. Her experiences the pain, the misery, the cruelty
In all of history it must have been worse for Eve the first woman
to have to suffer for her sins. How I wonder, did it make her feel?
Maybe pity for the rest of woman kind to come after her to take on
the roll, the mantle of her sins.
Eve to Her Daughters
This Eve seems to be bitter when she says in the first
stanza pg. 726 " It was not I who began it" at being "turned
out into drafty caves, all of them hungry so often, having
to work for our bread". She is speaking this to her
daughters that she was "not unhappy. Where Adam went
I was fairly contented to go. I