The First Love Story: Adam, Eve, and Us

When people think of the story of Adam and Eve in Genesis 1 and 2, they tend to focus on the negative aspects: creation, life, and death in a world of sin. New York Times columnist Feiler instead emphasizes the positive aspects, notably Adam and Eve as the first love story providing insights on contemporary relationships. The author examines the narrative in its context as Hebrew Scripture, but his main emphasis is on how this story shows the love between Adam and Eve in art and literature, particularly through Michelangelo's depictions of the first couple in the Sistine Chapel and John Milton's depictions in Paradise Lost (1667). Such representations show the first couple as symbols of mutuality, interdependency, and love. Feiler also uses insights from psychologists and cognitive scientists to further show the relevance of Adam and Eve in the present day. He sees Adam and Eve as figures who provide a message to current societies, which he believes are often deficient in the areas of love, family, and interconnectedness.