The Tree of Knowledge

The nature of the Tree of Knowledge is difficult to define. Just like the nature of God, the nature of the tree is complicated and not easy to understand. The symbolism of the tree changes with each character in Paradise Lost. One way of looking at the Tree of Knowledge is to see it as a tool for God to judge all the characters in John Milton’s epic poem.

To God, the nature of the Tree of Knowledge is an unyielding symbol of obedience to His will. God directly tells Adam and Eve not to touch the fruit on the Tree of Knowledge because of a resulting death. The tree serves as a test of the pairs freewill “I made him just and right, Sufficient to have stood, though free to fall” (l. 97 Book III). God gave humankind the ability to make his or her own choice. The tree also serves to expose more of Satan’s deception “By some false guile pervert…For Man will heark’n to his glozing lie, And easily transgress the sole Command, Sole pledge of his obedience” (l. 193, Book III). God’s statement also proves that He is aware that freewill will cause a problem “when Will Reason (Reason also is choice), Useless and vain, of freedom both depoil’d” (l.107, Book III).