1. Right Said Fred’s song, “I’m Too Sexy,” is blatantly narcissistic, yet has some parallels to the way Milton introduces his readers to Eve. He establishes Eve as vain, foreshadowing it as the quality that leads her to commit sin. In book four, Eve recounts her first experiences in the world. Upon looking at her reflection in a body of water, she says “There I had fixed mine eyes till now, and pined with vain desire” (Milton 4.463-4). While not sounding as conceited as the song, in which the artist asserts, “[I’m] so sexy it hurts,” Milton later amplifies the destructiveness of Eve’s vanity in his writing of it as a major contributor to original sin (Right Said Fred).
2. Upon meeting Adam in book four, Eve realizes that “beauty is excelled by manly grace, and wisdom, which alone is truly fair” (Milton 4.488-9). She is faced with the fact that beauty is her primary quality. Therefore, Eve will always be inferior to Adam, as “manly” qualities are of more value. Milton seems to portray Eve as vain, yet establishes beauty as her only outright redeeming trait. There are numerous ways in which Milton establishes Eve as inherently inferior to Adam, so it can only be expected that her beauty is something she places great value on. In “Pretty Hurts,” Beyoncé sings “Plastic smiles and denial can only take you so far” (Knowles-Carter). This relates to Milton’s limited characterization of Eve as being beautiful. Beyoncé says that focusing on beauty “can only take you so far,” which is how Milton seems to establish women. In his depiction of natural and fixed gender roles, Eve is not as capable as Adam.
3. In book ten, Adam and Eve wake up in the morning and discuss whether they should separate their work in the garden so they can complete it more efficiently. Eve argues for splitting up, while Adam fears that they will succumb to Satan if they are alone. In her song “Strong Enough,” Sheryl Crow sings “So let me be alone tonight / ‘Cause you can’t change the way I am / Are you strong enough to be my man?” (Crow). Crow sings to her partner who she believes is not capable of keeping up with her. Eve would likely resonate with these lyrics. She thinks that her faith is strong enough to be without Adam in the garden, and will prevent her from being subject to Satan’s manipulation. Eve also makes the argument that Adam’s worries are not grounded, as she says “Let us not then suspect our happy state left so imperfect by the Maker wise” (Milton 9.336-7) She believes God would not allow imperfection to taint the garden and has few worries about the danger present in Eden. In this scene, Eve assumes a more dominant role and likely wishes Adam was “strong enough” to not be so fearful, the cause of his attempts to restrict her.
4. When Eve wins her argument with Adam to split up their garden chores, she ventures out and becomes seduced by Satan. Satan does so through appeals to Eve’s beauty and her curiosity, (particularly in hearing a snake speak). In the 2010 song “Love the way You Lie,” Rhianna sings “Just gonna stand there and hear me cry? / Well, that’s alright, because I love the way you lie” (Eminem and Rhianna). The song tells the story of someone who is being manipulated and mistreated by a partner but tolerates it on account of the way they make them feel at a face value. Satan gives the appearance of being genuine and his arguments for eating the apple are convincing. Yet, he has deceptive motivations in doing so. While initially suspicious, Eve acts on her interest in attaining knowledge and succumbs to Satan’s flattery. In other words, she loves the way he lies.
5. After committing sin, Eve is in despair and feels that seeking death is a reasonable escape from God’s wrath. She says “let us seek Death; — or, he not found, supply with our own hands his office on ourselves” (Milton 10.1001-2). She argues that doing so will avoid passing the consequences of sin onto their offspring. “What Ever Happened?” by The Strokes is parallel to Milton’s portrayal of Eve’s state of overwhelming distraught and regret. The song opens with the lyrics, “I want to be forgotten / And I don’t want to be reminded” (The Strokes). From these lyrics, the title, and the emotions that the music provokes, this song seems to embody Eve’s emotional state upon hearing Adam’s disapproval of what they had done. It portrays the feeling of reluctance towards experiencing what is to come. Eve greatly fears having to endure what comes next and seems reluctant to face her wrongdoings.
6. At the end of book eleven, Adam and Eve are able to accept their fault and look toward the future. Eve knows that she made a mistake in God’s eyes, but they agree to move on together. Adam consoles her, and they realize that there is no point in seeking death, rather, they would do better to repent and ask God for forgiveness. “Stuck with Me” by The Neighborhood is a bittersweet song. The lyrics examine the regret the artist feels for being caught up in the past and mentions some dispute with a partner that he now feels guilty for. But, as Adam and Eve do, the song looks towards the future. It says “You are stuck with me / So I guess I’ll be sticking with you” (The Neighborhood). The song represents a transformative period, and the artist knows he will get through the transformation with someone by his side. Adam and Eve realize they are in it together, and while they end up facing more repercussions (like being kicked out of Eden), they are assured that God will take care of them.
7. “Let It Be” by the Beatles offers reassurance that through any hardship, things will end up being okay. Lead vocalist Paul McCartney sings, “When I find myself in times of trouble / Mother Mary comes to me / Speaking words of wisdom / Let it be” (The Beatles). By the end of book 12, Eve seems to be completely reassured about the future. The couple is comforted knowing that although they are leaving Eden, God will still be present. More importantly, Eve knows that from her offspring will come the “Promised Seed,” or, Jesus (Milton 12.623). Adam and Eve walk into the new world and have the liberty to choose what they do next. “Let It Be” reminds listeners that they have a choice in whether they dwell on hardship. Eve knows that there is much to look forward to, and if a conflict arises, she should remain faithful to God and “let it be.”