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Taylor Overman

Miss Akers

Honors English 9

October 19, 2017

From the book of Genesis, there is the story of Adam and Eve, both of whom are the first

of their gender. Eve and her husband live in the Garden of Eden and are told by God not to eat

fruit from the tree of knowledge. After being tricked into eating a fruit from the forbidden tree,

Eve, along with Adam, is banished from the Garden of Eden and given severe punishments for

her actions. Eve suffered terribly, her punishments being struggle and pain with childbirth, and

always being subordinate to man. These two adverse punishments explain quite a bit about

women's role in the bible and the societies who followed it.

The most obvious reason that Eves punishments have such a big impact is where they

put her and the rest of women in society, below men. In the story Forbidden Fruit, God says to

Eve: You will desire your husband, but he will be your master (19). The insubordination of

Eve, and in turn the entire gender, is a defining moment in the bible. It puts women and their

opinions below opinions of men, making them underrepresented in this piece of literature. It also

shows how a simple mistake made by one woman puts a bad reputation on women for the rest of

the story.

Because of Eves punishment, and how it deems her and women alike incompetent, her

role in the Bible dramatically changes from what it could have been. When punishing Adam,

God tells Adam that he will have to work every day for what he needs to live. This punishment

does not dehumanize Adam, compared to Eves extremely dehumanizing punishment. God also

says to Adam: Because you have listened to your wife and have eaten from the tree which I
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forbade you... (19). When God says that to Adam, he makes Adam believe that Eve is not to be

trusted, therefore delegitimizing anything Eve says. Adam no longer trusts Eve, showing that the

punishments God gave to her were not the only ones that she received. This dehumanization and

delegitimization of Eve and her thoughts and ideas lowered her status as a character in the bible,

which has a lasting impact on how the role of women is seen.

As said before, the role of women in the bible was lessened dramatically from what it

could have been if Eve and the rest of women were not subjugated to their husbands. This is

evident from how men are the only people who do important things in the bible, such as

Abraham, Adam, Noah, and Moses. All of these men had very big roles, while women had

smaller parts of less importance. What women had to say, and specifically Eve, was mostly

disregarded or not trusted. This is evident from the story of Cain when almost everything that

Eve has to say is disputed or ignored by not only her husband but also her family. At one point

Eve says: Why doesnt He eat the divine effluvium of Cains vegetables (43). Abel and Adam

both dispute the point, Adam says: Mother, dont mix the relations of man with God.

Remember what happened last time (43). Adam uses Eves previous mistake to delegitimize her

argument and disregards her argument. Eve tries to claim that it was only a mistake but Adam

refutes her and does not listen, as she is below him. Even despite the fifth commandment, Abel

speaks to his father with respect, while he appears to have none for his mother. Abel addresses

his father as sir, and speaks humbly while talking to his mother he is blatant when he speaks and

does not address her formally, as he does his father.

Another woman from the Bible who does not suffer as Eve did, but is still feeling the

effects of Eves actions is Sarah, wife of Abraham. Although Sarah is not specifically mistreated

by Abraham, as Adam mistreats Eve, Sarah is not regarded as Abrahams equal. Most notably is
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how her only obvious purpose is to provide a child for Abraham that will be his heir. The sad

truth that in the Bible the main role of the woman is to bear a child is most likely because of how

Eve is treated as below her husband, and therefore women are treated as below their husbands

and men in general.

Thus, it is shown through the Bible that Eves lamentable punishment lead to horrible

oppression for her, and oppression for other female biblical characters. This oppression of women in the

bible may have led to oppression of women, in reality, a problem, which, unfortunately, still affects us

today. This turning point for an entire gender is crucial to the understanding of this oppression, mainly

because Eve is the first woman, and she sets the standard for what women are and how they are seen in

the Bible.