I was reading about Adam comforting Eve when she told him about her nightmare concerning the serpent in the garden. Besides identifying the foreshadowed fate of man, I was very puzzled by the words of Adam as he comforted his sweet wife.
"...Some such resemblances methinks I find /Of our last evening's talk in this thy dream /But with addition strange. Yet be not sad: /Evil into the mind of god or man /May come and go, so unapproved, and leave /No spot or blame behind." (Book V, lines 114-119)
Adam was previously informing Eve how there are many lesser faculties that serve reason as chief, including her imagination. He is comforting her, until he mentions "last evening's talk" and "addition strange". The angels did not have any interest in the forbidden fruit, yet in Eve's dream, it was very tempting. This would naturally alarm and scare Eve, probably leading to Adam telling her that evil may come into the mind of god (referred to as angel according to footnotes) or man and leave without leaving a blemish. This is my problem. I do not think I understand exactly what Milton is attempting to communicate through Adam's words.
Does this mean that Man had evil thoughts before partaking of the fruit? If so, he is implying that they are not damaging as long as they are not acted upon. Is this really the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil? Because according to him, man can already identify evil in his mind and hence know good as well. This may simply be due to his focus on the physical aspect of obedience and disobedience. I have heard from theologians that Adam's fall actually began when he disobeyed God in his mind and spirit, and then that fall was made manifest through his physical disobedience. I would like to hear the opinions of others concerning this. Do you think evil thoughts could occur in the mind of pre-fallen man? Or if they could, would they truly leave no blemish?
I commented on the posts of Moriah and Gray.
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