In the initial stages of editing, I chose to exclusively use footage relating to nature, particularly animals, since Eve is “used / To… disport before her through the field / From every beast… dutueous at her call” (Milton 9.519-521). Spending so much time with animals would perhaps lead her to use them as analogies in her mind. As for the music, I selected a track titled “The Kidnapping,” which features an ominous background noise (blocking out Eve’s ability to “hear” God’s will), a slightly cacophonous and sporadically speedy piano melody (mirroring her tense, conflicted emotional and mental states), and a jarring chitter (representing Satan’s whispers). Finally, I selected a square-shaped rather than a landscape, cinematic frame for the video because Eve’s reasoning is myopic, limited. Although numerous thoughts cross her mind, she uses the information to support one sin, rather than considering different courses of action (like not eating the fruit).
For the specific video clips, I referred to lines 232-781 of Book 9 as a guide. First, there are ravens, a lily, and a butterfly - with a cold, blue overlay - representing “knowledge” and “life more perfect” - the gifts Satan claims to have gained after eating the fruit (Milton 9.687-689). But Eve knows this is wrong: “...of this tree we may not taste nor touch… our Reason is our Law” (Milton 9.651-654). Fueling this short-lived repulsion are her love for Adam (depicted by their silhouettes, swans and doves) and her love for God’s gifts and virtues (shown by the rainbow, olives, koi, ants, and sheep). The images here have a warm, maroon overlay to illustrate the sense of home and belongingness Eve has to her virtuous life. Afterward, she remembers how she was birthed from Adam (shown by soil, skin, a hatching egg, and her foot stepping onto the grass) in warm tones, but these turn to blue again as she realizes she is subordinate to him. She is told that there is “nothing lovelier… in [her] than to study household good (Milton 232). And in times of “danger or dishonor,” Adam says Eve is only “safest and seemliest by her husband” (Milton 9.268-269). To illustrate this, I showed an eagle flying versus a common bird by its nest, then a wolf hunting versus a wolf feeding its pups. This causes their bonds as a couple to “wither” - depicted by wilting sunflowers - since Adam has “misthought of [Eve]’ (Milton 9.289). Her wavering pride is easily exploited by Satan’s termite-like persuasion, invading her thoughts. He says that God - portrayed halfway though the montage as a cloudy sky instead of a sunrise - does not want humans to be as wise “as Gods, / Knowing both good and evil” (Milton 9.708-709). I used footage of an owl, vultures, a rat, narcissus flowers, a crab, and flies, to symbolize selfish desire for omnisciece and fear of humans gaining reason. Eve agrees with Satan. She views God in the same villainized light, depicted through similarly ominous footage of dark skies, hail, and scavenging ants - now, in maroon rather than blue overlays - as if Eve is finding home in Satan’s words. Finally, she imagines that by “[feeding] at once both body and mind,” she is “[made] wise” and “[cured]” of her inadequacies (Milton 9.774-779). She can be at par with Adam and God. I portray this with clips of two owls, two eagles, and two hunting wolves. The montage ends with a cliff as Eve “falls,” followed by a Venus flytrap plant - a reminder that her sin is not solely a result of disobedience, but also beguilement into Satan’s trap - and finally with her outstretched hand and open mouth.
This exercise takes away the clarity of the original writing, as well as the more “human” tone of prose, as it focuses on more abstract terms like knowledge, wisdom, ignorance, good and evil. Relating each of these things to visual terms, particularly those only related to nature, gives Eve a more godlike - almost “Mother Nature-y” tone, as she draws on unique scenarios in the animal world that require a timeless, painstakingly observant eye. Further, visual art leaves plenty of room for interpretation. Still, I think that the speedily rendered montage, which to an extent concretizes abstract qualities and emotions, serve as an alternate - and faster - way to communicate how her insecurity, compounded by interactions with characters around her, drove her to her Fall. Ultimately, I think Eve gains another chance to "explain herself."