Sample Close Reading PL V.28-37

Eve's commentary to Adam about her dream is riddled with doubt. The first indication is the word "if" sandwiched between two uses of "dreamed" (31-2). Certainty about the dream is immediately followed by uncertainty. Other words expressing doubt include "methought" (35) and its near twin "thought" (37). Eve hears "one"(36) call her; she cannot be sure who it is, and thinks it is Adam. She ought to recognize the voice of her husband, the only other human living on Earth.

This uncertainty might indicate a weakness in Eve's character, an inability to distinguish reality from fantasy. If so, the text comments on the ways a weak mind is more susceptible to temptation. Creating doubt where none should exist is an effective strategy for convincing people to act against their best interests. Satan's speech provides a model for others to follow, from sleazy politicians to used car salesmen.

NB: This passage is very dense, so the first paragraph is essentially a literal paraphrase; no reasonable reader could deny Eve's doubt. The second paragraph suggests how doubt might shed light on Eve's character, and then broadens the argument to consider how temptation works similarly in other contexts. An analysis of Eve's character straddles the border between paraphrase and close reading.