Eve and the Fall of Humanity
Eve is blamed for causing sin since she persuaded Adam to consume a prohibited food. She was also made from an Adam rib, which is thought to indicate that she is inferior. Eve was cursed with a lifetime of childbirth pain and submission to her husband after Adam and Eve were driven from the garden of Eden. With all of these factors together, women were viewed as evil and dangerous since they were thought to represent Eve's nature, which caused the fall of the human race.
The Church's Response
The church dealt with this perilous community in a number of ways during the Middle Ages. For instance, church and patriarchy viewed women as subordinate and the cause of evil. The clerical doctrine also perceived the image of the woman to be similar to that of Eve who led man to sin. The women were also limited on how to present themselves. For instance, Ambrosiater asserted that women should cover their heads in church and should not talk to the bishop since there are submissive and sin entered the world through them. Franciscan Sicardus of Cremona also asserted that feminine growth has a double curse. Another response from the church was banning women from becoming priests. Both Guido de Baysio and Joannes Andreae attributed the ban to the women's subjection and Eve's role in the origin of transgression.
The Church's Teachings
The church taught widely regarding sins of which women were said to manifest. St. Bernard of Clairvaux, who preached during the Middle Ages, clearly stated that Eve was the original cause of all evil and that her nature was passed down to all women. The teachings considered Eve as a temptress who persuaded and lured Adam into eating the forbidden fruit. The church also stressed that women should keep silent and submit to men. For instance, Tertullian, who was a Christian theologian, emphasized that women carry the original sin of Eve, which led to the fall of the entire human race (Witcombe, Christopher).
Medieval Art and the Depiction of Eve
The various teachings play a critical role in informing on medieval art. In the images, the serpent is given the female head to show that Eve was responsible for the original sin. Additionally, the naked picture of Eve is considered to imply seduction, which she utilized to lure Adam into eating the forbidden fruit (Witcombe, Christopher). This creates a twin association of the Devil and Eve as both share a similar face in the art.
Relevant Images
Below is a citation of 3 relevant images:
- Miniature of the temptation of Adam and Eve, from John Lydgate's The Fall of the Princes
- The Fall, Adam and Eve Tempted by the Snake by Hugo Van der Goes, c. 1470., Gemaeledegalerie, Kunst Historisches Museum, Vienna.
- Detail from Temptation, Fall, and Expulsion taken from Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry by the Limburg Brothers, 1411 - 16 CE.
In these three images, the serpent has a human head which resembles that of Eve. This creates a relevance to the points discussed that gives a twin association between the devil and Eve. Additionally, the naked body of Eve in the three pictures is also considered to reflect on the seduction she utilized to lure Adam.
Work Cited
Witcombe, Christopher. “Eve and the Identity of Women: 3. Eve’s Identity.” Witcombe.Sbc.Edu, 2017, http://witcombe.sbc.edu/eve-women/3eveidentity.html.
