The Rape of the Lock Essay - 1989 Words

The Rape of the Lock Popes portrayal of Belinda and her society in The Rape of the Lock This Lock, the Muse shall consecrate to Fame, And midst the Stars inscribe Belindas Name! In The Rape of the Lock Alexander Pope (1688-1744) employs a mock-epic style to satirise the beau-monde (fashionable world, society of the elite) of eighteenth century England. The richness of the poem, however, reveals more than a straightforward satirical attack. Alongside the criticism we can detect Popes fascination with, and perhaps admiration for, Belinda and the society in which she moves. Pope himself was not part of the beau-monde. He knew the families on which the poem is based but his own parents, though probably comfortably off,†¦show more content†¦Think not, when Womans transient Breath is fled, That all her Vanities at once are dead: Succeeding Vanities she still regards, And tho she plays no more, oerloks the Cards. Her Joy in gilded Chariots, when alive, And Love of Ombre, after Death survive. For when the Fair in all their Pride expire, To their first Elements their Souls retire: [l.51-9] We might expect this part, the deepest and most essential part of her being, the first Elements, to be her soul, but in Belindas case it is her Vanities, her Joy in gilded Chariots and her Love of Ombre, suggesting that her soul consists of nothing more that vanity and a love of pleasure. Belindas vanity is seem to take the form of religious devotion in the passage describing her morning toilette. And now, unveild, the Toilet stands displayd, Each Silver Vase in mystic Order laid. First, robd in White, the Nymph intent adores With Head uncoverd, the Cosmetic Powrs. A heavnly Image in the Glass appears, To that she bends, to that her Eyes she rears; [l.121-6] The ironic transposition of cosmic powers in Cosmetic Powrs indicates the excessive value she attributes to her make-up, and bowing to her own image shows her devotion to her religion of narcissism. The passage is a mock version of the arming of the epic hero, her weaponry of cosmetics being ridiculed by the implicit comparison with the swords and shields of the epic hero. The passage includes a mockShow MoreRelatedThe Rape Of The Lock1295 Words   |  6 Pagesunderstand Alexander Pope’s The Rape of the Lock, it is imperative that the reader comprehends the meaning of wit and its purpose, the resulting effect of rhymes, and what meanings and/or feelings are conveyed when reading a heroic couplet or the â€Å"coupletness† of the poem. For Pope, wit and couplets are overlapping, intersecting concepts. Pope employs vocabulary, syntax and style to bring wit to his poems, proving that form is not divisible from content. In The Rape of the Lock, Pope utilizes style andRead M oreEssay on The Rape of the Lock1267 Words   |  6 PagesThe Rape of the Lock Alexander Popes mock heroic epic The Rape of the Lock appears to be a light subject addressed with a satiric tone and structure. Pope often regards the unwanted cutting of a womans hair as a trivial thing, but the fashionable world takes it seriously. Upon closer examination Pope has, perhaps unwittingly, broached issues worthy of earnest consideration. The Rape of the Lock at first glance is a commentary on human vanity and the ritual of courtship. The poem also discussesRead MoreRape Of The Lock And Paradise Lost1308 Words   |  6 PagesRape of the lock vs Paradise lost The Rape of the Lock employs many of the traditional epic conventions used in Paradise Lost, but instead of recounting a story of a hero whose actions are of great importance or of national significance, The Rape of the Lock tells one of a timid character that makes an adventure out of the attainment of a fair damsel’s lock of hair. It uses the conventions of an epic poem on a miniature scale and the meaning of the subject is very much trivial. Since epics areRead MoreThe Rape Of Lock By Alexander Pope1448 Words   |  6 Pagesdignified language that celebrating the feats of a legendary or traditional hero. In Alexander Pope’s, The Rape of Lock, his poem is a mock epic, not only because it is a long narrative poem; but his work consists in a series of events and revolves around beauty over brains. This mock epic satirizes not only sylphs, but also satirizes a woman’s ability to think logically than emotionally. The Rape of Lock is considered to be a mock epic, because the length is not only long enough, but has a series of eventsRead MoreAlexander Pope s The Rape Of The Lock1340 Words   |  6 Pagesarchetypes of these works known as epics are so well-known, that they are even parodied, take completely out of context, and pasted on the wall for laughs. One of the most recognized parodies of this kind would be Alexander Pope’s The Rape of the Lock. The Rape of the Lock is a story about taking a minor incident and satirizing it by making it into a huge and important epic of divine proportions. One might think of the phrase â€Å"a tempest in a teapot†, which perfectly describes this poem. In the poemRead MoreCritical Analysis of the Rape of the Lock by Pope1633 Words   |  7 PagesThe destruction of the grand style of the epic is just what Pope was after in his mock epic, The Rape of the Lock. Pope had no such universal goal, or moral pronouncements to make as did Milton. His purpose was merely to expose the life of the nobility of his time. While Milton chose blank verse to express the immensity of the landscape of his epic, Pope chose to utilize the heroic couplet to trivialize this grandeur. Popes quick wit bounces the reader along his detailed description of his parlor-roomRead MoreRape of the Lock by Alexander Pope Essay596 Words   |  3 PagesRape of the Lock by Alexander Pope Alexander Popes The Rape of the Lock is not studied and admired only because of its style and form, but also for its base content and underlying themes. Popes ability to manipulate text into mock-heroic form, constructing a flow of satirical description is what makes this poem one of such quality. The piece was first published in 1712 by the request of Popes friend, John Caryll. It was to make peace between the Fermors and Petres, two prominent RomanRead MoreLiterary Analysis of The Rape of the Lock Essays1922 Words   |  8 Pagestime period today. The Rape of the Lock, his most notable publication, was actually inspired by the real world event when a Lord Petre cut of a lock of Arabella Fermors hair. Form, structure, and plot: The poem is a mock epic divided into 5 short cantos, very similar in form to Shakespeares acts. The first act is a kind of exposition, giving background information about Belinda. Canto 2 introduces the conflict--the Barons desire to cut off and steal Belindas locks; canto 3 encompasses theRead MoreEssay The Mock-Epic and The Rape Of The Lock1067 Words   |  5 PagesThe Mock-Epic and The Rape Of The Lock The argument can be made that the purpose of the Rape of the Lock is to attack the vanity of women. Pope states this directly in his dedication to Arabella – â€Å"to laugh at their sex’s little unguarded Follies,† and the author’s use of the mock-epic seems to reinforce this purpose through its comparison of the epic odyssey to trivial events. In this comparison there can also be found a description of the relationship between the sexes not as a mutualRead MoreAlexander Popes The Rape of the Lock Essay1296 Words   |  6 PagesAlexander Pope’s The Rape of the Lock is a satirical poem that features a theme of gender roles. Throughout the poem, Pope uses his protagonist Belinda, to poke fun at the superficial nature of aristocratic women. He focuses on the ritual of womanhood and approaches it like a trivial matter, and her reaction to the offence is hysterical. Through this portrayal, he reveals that the Baron has a childish quality in his need for revenge for Belinda’s stab at his ego. The speaker’s view does come across