ove, vigour or strength (Matchi 2004, p.60). Cf. the following lines from Paradise Lost where red colour stands for love:
Bear with me, then, if lawful what I ask
Love not the heavenly spirits, and how their lovethey, by looks only or do they mix, virtual or immediate touch? whom the angel with a smile that glow drosy red, love s proper hue ,: Let it suffice thee that thou know sthappy, and without love no happiness. (Milton 2005, p. 259).
There are many varieties of red such as crimson, scarlet, ruddy, etc., and there are many tints and shades of each kind of red. A large number of tints, hues and shades represent the many varieties of love in men of different characters. For instance, in Paradise Lost, J. Milton speaks of celestial rosy red, love's proper hue 1. According to Oxford Advanced Learner s Dictionary (OALD 201 2), rosy means likely to be good or successful and it is the synonym for the adjective hopeful. According to J. Milton, man s love should be a rational love, based on person and respect for the living as opposed to corrupted lust. Let it suffice thee that thou knows t us happy, and without love no happiness (Milton +2005, p. 259) .is significant to accentuate the fact that red colour also carries negative meaning. In the quote below, the mix of ruddy and gold reflects human s temptation and sin:
Till, on a day roving the field, I chanced
A goodly tree far distant to behold, with fruit of fairest colours mixed, and gold. I nearer drew to gaze,
When from the boughs a savoury odour blown ... (Milton 2005, p. 282)
the above quote, the name of the fruit is not referred to as well as in the all poem. J. Tressider states that even though in the Bible the fruit was not named, apple became the first one to have been chosen by ancient interpreters. Hence, the apple, as a symbol, gained both positive and negative connotations concerning the concept of cognition (due to the fact that Eve picked it off from the tree of knowledge of good and evil)., According to J. Milton, the interior state of the soul is displayed visibly in the physical, eg sin is always visible and here it is presented as an apple. In the case of red and gold antithesis (in alchemy and therefore sometimes in symbolism), gold is superior and masculine and red is inferior and feminine (Cirlot +2001, p. 60). Indeed, M. Matschi also points out that the OE noun rudu red colour by the suffix -ig refers to the healthy facial complexion, especially in the context of female beauty (Matschi +2004, p. 62). However, M. Ferber mentions that gold is connected with danger for the soul, corruption (Ferber 2004, p. 45). In the poem, the earth, when Adam takes a bite of the apple, the natural elements of earth crumbles and become corrupted. Thus, colours of the fruit combine both feminine and masculine beauty and sin. However, in Paradise Lost, the real danger comes from the darkness and the concept of black represents it.
2.2 The Concept of Black in J. Milton s Poem Paradise Lost
the article Weaving the symbolism of light it is claimed that according to a well-known universal symbolism, light expresses the distinction of creation from the darkness of non-distinction or primeval chaos. In India and China, as in the Book of Genesis, the first work of creation is the separation of light and dark. Light tends to expresses a positive affirmation while darkness carries the negative sense of chaos (Scott 2007, p. 1) .. Milton uses black colour as the background to describe darkness and to represent hell and death. Indeed, black is almost universally presented as a colour of negative and painful events. It symbolizes the darkness of death, sorrow and evil as well as the whole range of other bad qualities as well as emotions. For instance, Satan is often called the prince of darkness. Furthermore, black colour also symbolizes the lowest stages of the universe such as the underworld, the primary chaos and sinister predictions (Тресіддер 1 999, p. 410). It is interesting to note that in the Bible the black colour is not frequently used, although the connotations are usually negative (Ferber 2004, p. 111)., According to M. Matschi, black, as the achromatic colour, is the darkest possible hue, absorbing all light. As it passes into meanings that suggest darkness, it is also attributed to night and depth (Matschi +2004, p. 111). In the poem, hell is represented as a dark abyss that boils out from under ground:
Marching from Eden towards the west, shall find
The plain wherein a black bituminous gurgeout from under ground, the mouth of Hell. (Milton 2005, p. 383)
