I think this song is a view of the world around Dylan that he sees through the lens of Milton. The last line of each stanza tells us the reason why people yearn for a paradise/utopia. This song is not as simple as an attack on religion or materialism, nor is it simply a protest song. It is far deeper than that. It expresses a rage against the current scheme of things, it then posits an Eden that men shall search for, and then proceeds to show that such an Eden is unattainable. It contrasts the two essential facts of history, man's search for Utopia and his failure to attain it, and shows that both arise from the same fundamental human nature. I also think that each stanza refers to a particular historical epoch.
"Upon four-legged forest clouds
The cowboy angel rides
With his candle lit into the sun
Though its glow is waxed in black
All except when 'neath the trees of Eden"
Lucifer (trans. Morning Light) is the cowboy or rebellious Angel. His candle being lit into the sun is a reference to Lucifer challenging the rule of god in the beginning of paradise lost. Its glow being waxed in black is a reference to the falsity of his message. Except beneath the trees of Eden, i.e. the Tree of Knowledge. In contemporary times it is a reference to mysticism, a dark knowledge, that propels men to search for the gates of Eden and brings their Fall, similar to that of Eden. Historically, this would refer to the period of the Renaissance and/or Enlightenment
"The lamppost stands with folded arms
Its iron claws attached
To curbs 'neath holes where babies wail
Though it shadows metal badge
All and all can only fall
With a crashing but meaningless blow
No sound ever comes from the Gates of Eden"
Historically, I think this stanza refers to the Industrial Revolution, the next great epoch. The lampost might be a reference to the gas lamps that sprung up all over cities during this period. To curbs beneath the holes, where babies wail, could be a reference to the high infant mortality at that time or to a yearning for a simpler life, a return to mankind's infancy that filled many people at that stage. The hope for an end to this drives men to search for another Eden.
"The savage soldier sticks his head in sand
And then complains
Unto the shoeless hunter who's gone deaf
But still remains
Upon the beach where hound dogs bay
At ships with tattooed sails
Heading for the Gates of Eden"
This I think is a reference to War, or more specifically, the first two lines refer to soldiers in the trenches, hence the phrase 'sticks his head in sand'. I have been thinking abt the shoeless hunter, could it possibly be Khurschev?He banged his shoe on the lectern at the UN. He was also the people's Commisar for Defense, if I am not mistaken during WWII. 'Upon the beach where hound dogs bay' might be a reference to fighting on the beaches of France. 'Ships with tattooed sails' could be a reference to the D-Day landings. 'Heading for the Gates of Eden' in this case might be a reference to the yearning for peace that followed the Second World War, when people thought it would usher in a new Age of Peace, after the defeat of Hitler.
"With a time-rusted compass blade
Aladdin and his lamp
Sits with Utopian hermit monks
Side saddle on the Golden Calf
And on their promises of paradise
You will not hear a laugh
All except inside the Gates of Eden"
I think this stanza refers to religion, or more specifically to superstition and false dogma. 'Aladdin and his lamp' is a reference to magic and incantations. The last three lines are a bit enigmatic. It could refer to people in Heaven actually laughing at their foolishness or to the fact that they (the false prophets) claim that there could be no happiness until their version of Eden was attained
'Relationships of ownership
They whisper in the wings
To those condemned to act accordingly
And wait for succeeding kings
And I try to harmonize with songs
The lonesome sparrow sings
There are no kings inside the Gates of Eden'
This stanza I think is a critique of Marxism. 'Succeeding kings' could refer to the leaders of the Soviet Union who were de-facto Red Tsars. The lonesome sparrow refers to the opposition within the Soviet Union (or could be Trotsky). In this case, Utopia was pursued with a zeal in order to create a classless society (There are no kings inside the Gates of Eden), but failed. In this stanza as in each of the previous ones, Dylan describes in detail the failed attempt at Utopia and then in the last line tells us what inspired the Utopia in the first place thereby showing how the anti-thesis of the desired outcome to the revolution resulted.
I think this song is a view of the world around Dylan that he sees through the lens of Milton. The last line of each stanza tells us the reason why people yearn for a paradise/utopia. This song is not as simple as an attack on religion or materialism, nor is it simply a protest song. It is far deeper than that. It expresses a rage against the current scheme of things, it then posits an Eden that men shall search for, and then proceeds to show that such an Eden is unattainable. It contrasts the two essential facts of history, man's search for Utopia and his failure to attain it, and shows that both arise from the same fundamental human nature. I also think that each stanza refers to a particular historical epoch.
"Upon four-legged forest clouds The cowboy angel rides With his candle lit into the sun Though its glow is waxed in black All except when 'neath the trees of Eden" Lucifer (trans. Morning Light) is the cowboy or rebellious Angel. His candle being lit into the sun is a reference to Lucifer challenging the rule of god in the beginning of paradise lost. Its glow being waxed in black is a reference to the falsity of his message. Except beneath the trees of Eden, i.e. the Tree of Knowledge. In contemporary times it is a reference to mysticism, a dark knowledge, that propels men to search for the gates of Eden and brings their Fall, similar to that of Eden. Historically, this would refer to the period of the Renaissance and/or Enlightenment
"The lamppost stands with folded arms Its iron claws attached To curbs 'neath holes where babies wail Though it shadows metal badge All and all can only fall With a crashing but meaningless blow No sound ever comes from the Gates of Eden" Historically, I think this stanza refers to the Industrial Revolution, the next great epoch. The lampost might be a reference to the gas lamps that sprung up all over cities during this period. To curbs beneath the holes, where babies wail, could be a reference to the high infant mortality at that time or to a yearning for a simpler life, a return to mankind's infancy that filled many people at that stage. The hope for an end to this drives men to search for another Eden.
"The savage soldier sticks his head in sand And then complains Unto the shoeless hunter who's gone deaf But still remains Upon the beach where hound dogs bay At ships with tattooed sails Heading for the Gates of Eden" This I think is a reference to War, or more specifically, the first two lines refer to soldiers in the trenches, hence the phrase 'sticks his head in sand'. I have been thinking abt the shoeless hunter, could it possibly be Khurschev?He banged his shoe on the lectern at the UN. He was also the people's Commisar for Defense, if I am not mistaken during WWII. 'Upon the beach where hound dogs bay' might be a reference to fighting on the beaches of France. 'Ships with tattooed sails' could be a reference to the D-Day landings. 'Heading for the Gates of Eden' in this case might be a reference to the yearning for peace that followed the Second World War, when people thought it would usher in a new Age of Peace, after the defeat of Hitler.
"With a time-rusted compass blade Aladdin and his lamp Sits with Utopian hermit monks Side saddle on the Golden Calf And on their promises of paradise You will not hear a laugh All except inside the Gates of Eden" I think this stanza refers to religion, or more specifically to superstition and false dogma. 'Aladdin and his lamp' is a reference to magic and incantations. The last three lines are a bit enigmatic. It could refer to people in Heaven actually laughing at their foolishness or to the fact that they (the false prophets) claim that there could be no happiness until their version of Eden was attained
'Relationships of ownership They whisper in the wings To those condemned to act accordingly And wait for succeeding kings And I try to harmonize with songs The lonesome sparrow sings There are no kings inside the Gates of Eden' This stanza I think is a critique of Marxism. 'Succeeding kings' could refer to the leaders of the Soviet Union who were de-facto Red Tsars. The lonesome sparrow refers to the opposition within the Soviet Union (or could be Trotsky). In this case, Utopia was pursued with a zeal in order to create a classless society (There are no kings inside the Gates of Eden), but failed. In this stanza as in each of the previous ones, Dylan describes in detail the failed attempt at Utopia and then in the last line tells us what inspired the Utopia in the first place thereby showing how the anti-thesis of the desired outcome to the revolution resulted.