Her unadorned golden tresses wore [ 305 ]
Disheveld, but in wanton ringlets wav'd
As the Vine curles her tendrils, which impli'd
Subjection, but requir'd with gentle sway,
And by her yielded, by him best receivd,
Yielded with coy submission, modest pride, [ 310 ]
And sweet reluctant amorous delay.
Nor those mysterious parts were then conceald,
Then was not guiltie shame, dishonest shame
Of natures works, honor dishonorable,
Sin-bred, how have ye troubl'd all mankind [ 315 ]
With shews instead, meer shews of seeming pure,
And banisht from mans life his happiest life,
Simplicitie and spotless innocence.”
Upon reading this passage, I was inspired to create art having to do particularly with Eve; I wanted to create a piece of work that highlighted her innocence, free will, humanity rather than her sin and misdeeds. In doing so, I chose to leave out any artistic connotations of evilness, such as dark lighting/filters or disagreeable body language. When I adapted Eve in this way, with this lighting, coloring, body language, I feel as though she lost her sense of evilness.
Commonly, people mistake beauty for goodness. And considering the beauty of the waterfall and Eve’s hair in this photograph, her seemingly “wanton”-ness was replaced with mere goodness and purity. I included also in this photograph the reference to her “unadorned golden tresses” and (less obviously) to her freedom and to her “simplicitie and spotless innocence”. With her arms besides her waist, free from any chains and free to act as she pleases, I wanted to represent her autonomy as a human created by God. And with her nakedness, (shown only slightly by her sides), her presence near and admiring of the waterfall (a symbol of purity and refreshment), and her haku (a Hawaiian head lei), I wanted to showcase her purity and oneness with God’s creation. Because of these elements, Eve is seen as beautiful, innocent, pure, and ultimately as a created being by God just as the waterfall too is beautiful, innocent, pure, and created by the omnibenevolent God of Paradise Lost.