Adam: what a guy

John Milton glorifies Adam in his "Paradise Lost" many times, often using Eve's "shortcomings" to further place Adam on a pedestal. Adam is first depicted as an endearing husband, whose only goal is to be a figure of love and support to Eve. After Eve relays to him that she has eaten the forbidden fruit, Adam first reprimands her for falling prey to the serpent's temptation. However, he then turns sickeningly diplomatic, saying "For what thou art is mine/Our state cannot be severed, we are one...to lose thee were to lose myself" (lines 956-959). Adam clearly states that he will only follow suit and eat the fruit for the sake of being noble, or even to make Eve fell better about herself. This blatantly places all blame on Eve, and portrays her as a weak woman who needs Adam's noble spirit to reaffirm herself. Milton later states that Adam ate the fruit, but "against his better knowledge" (l 998). So Adam not only knows what the consequences are, according to this passage, but willingly eats it, apparently "fondly overcome with female charm" (l 999). I feel that this is not a very valid argument on Adam's part, the fact that he was only "fondly" tempted by lighthearted female charm does not affirm his noble character.