According to Lanyer in “Eve’s Apology in Defense of Women,” Eve may or may not have known about the rule about not eating the apple, instead the blame being put squarely in the role of the serpent (who was Satan). She did not mean to cause the fall of Man, and if she had known that it would have such disastrous consequences, she would not have consented to that request. In fact, Lanyer states that Adam was “most to blame” (Lanyer line 34), as he was strong and could have refused; his shame should be greater because of this fact. He was groomed to be “the perfectest man that ever breathed on earth” (42), and would have been able to resist. Eve simply did not have the information that was needed to know the consequences of her actions, and Adam should have informed her more clearly.
Also, Lanyer states that, in comparison to all the other terrible things that men do (murder, adultery) with full knowledge of the consequences, Eve should be let off lightly for what she did in Eden. Lanyer reminds men of the pain of childbirth that women endure to bring them into this world, and that they must be thankful for it. In a sense, Lanyer is a feminist; she is sticking up for women and trying to afford them unnecessary blame and antagonism. However, at the same time, her defenses of women tend to be slightly misogynist in nature.
For example, Lanyer essentially states that Eve shouldn’t be blamed for biting the apple because she just didn’t know any better. Adam is defended as being strong and important and perfect, but Eve is very much left out of this equation, leaving the implication that she is inherently weak and imperfect. In essence, Lanyer defends women to an extent, but provides a back-handed insult to them by portraying them as weaker than men, and as such devoid of responsibility for their actions.
