I'm convinced that the Adam and Eve story was intended to be a comedy. Somehow through the centuries, it got taken seriously. Which is perhaps the biggest pitfall of comedy: dusty scholars with magnifying glasses trying to determine just why did that chicken cross the road.
But when you really look at the story, what you see is the perfect comedy set up. First, there’s the authoritative figure of God. He wants to be a nice guy, but he’s also a bit of a high-control neurotic: “Relax, feel free to enjoy yourselves, just don’t touch that fruit. Now I’m going away for a while, and you kids have fun. When I get back, I expect everything to be shipshape.” And second, you have the comic duo: “Don’t worry, sir, everything will be fine. We won’t screw up.”It’s important to note that there are two elements that make good comedy: deception and rule-breaking. The classic TV comedy I Love Lucy (1951-1957) capitalized on this. Most of the plots of this sitcom dealt with Ricky playing the God role, as in, don’t-cause-trouble while I’m out. While Lucy and her friend Ethel ignore his warnings and proceeded to disguise themselves, sneak in to places they shouldn’t, and generally mess things up royally.
In the Adam and Eve story, the main characters get some help in their rule breaking in the form of a con man, aka the Serpent. The con man is an excellent figure in comedies and is often the hero. Take The Sting, for example. Hooker and Gondroff go to elaborate lengths to bilk people out of their money. And it’s great fun watching them succeed.
But in all good comedies, there comes a time when one must pay the piper. They call this The Fall: the boss returns, the parents come home, the police show up. And there’s a frantic attempt cover everything up and explain away any inconsistencies, such as, “Why are you wearing clothes?” In the movie Death at a Funeral, the various members of the Barnes family try desperately to hide the family secrets and keep everything looking respectable. This becomes more and more difficult to do, and eventually leads to hilarious consequences. In the end, God throws Adam and Eve out of Paradise. A sad ending like this is not usually true in comedy. But it’s interesting to note that are several ancient Egyptian versions of this story in which the ending is quite different. In them, the serpent is good. Often a foolish character discovers the creature. And then, through bumbling his way along, the fool comes to great wealth at the end, a la W.C. Fields, The Bank Dick.
Adam and Eve follow a more Woody Allen-esque ending. In Allen’s Love and Death, for example, (a parody of War and Peace) life is filled with heartbreak. In the end, the main character dies; however, the circumstances that led to this mock tragedy are extremely comical.
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| Boris Grushenko (Woody Allen) and Death |
So, yes, one could look at end of Adam and Eve tearfully. As a sad story of tragic loss. But me, I’m reminded of Laurel and Hardy. I picture Adam and Eve stumbling dizzily out of the garden. And Adam turns to Eve and says, “And now here’s another fine mess you got us into.”
Next: Adam and Eve: A Horror Story.
