Defaced, deflow’red, and now to death devote? 9:901

Defaced- to have the external face marred in appearance, cause damage to significant details.

Deflow’red (deflowered)- to deprave of virginity, to take away the prime beauty of. 

Devote- Compelling motives, and often attachment to an objective.

These are the definitions of these three words according to the OED.  Here Adam is asking Eve, “to death devote?” He wants to know she would commit this sin and be condemned to die.  Milton also uses alliteration in this line.  “Defaced, deflow’red, death, and devote” all start and sound the same.  This use of literary device helps to strengthen the word death, and remind the reader that Eve will die as a result of her sins. 

Brooks Winchell