The Rape of the Lock by Alexander Pope
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The Rape of the Lockby Alexander Pope
About Alexander Pope
※Born in a Catholic
family
Suffered from prejudices
Due to his appearance and his religion
About Alexander Pope
Self-taught: “did nothing but read and write”
Suffered from ill health: tuberculosis, asthma, and headaches, stunted growth, hunchbacked and very short
Alexander PopeIll-tempered and
very critical of most people and ideas
Humpbacked and deformed
Alexander Pope
※Published An Essay on Criticism in 1711 First striking success as a poet
Made friends with Jonathan Swift and John Gay
About Alexander Pope
Published an early version of “The Rape of the Lock” in 1712 (two cantos)
About a funny battle between the sexes and follies of a young lady
About Alexander Pope
※ Expanded “The Rape of the Lock” in 1714
(five cantos)
A quarrel between two families
◎ Characters: Lord Petre :BaronMiss Arabella Fermor: Belinda
About Alexander Pope
◎Background: Based on a true story told to him
by his friend
◎ Pope’s purpose (theme)
Do not worry about trivial things!
About Alexander Pope
※Translated Iliad and Odyssey into English
The first man to prove “Literature can raise writers.”
About Alexander Pope
Died on May 30, 1744
The “Age of Pope” ended
Summary
Canto 1
Belinda awakes from sleeping
The dream of Belinda
Belinda prepares for the day’s social activities
Canto 3
The game of cards—ombre(symbolic of epic battle)The rape of the lock (cutting of
f of a piece (curl) of Belinda’s hair
Canto 4
Belinda’s Ill-Natured mood and Affection after the loss of the lock
Umbriel, the earthy gnome, descends to the Cave of Spleen
Thalestris’ speech rouses the rage of Belinda
Sir Plume bids in vain the payment of the lock
Canto 5
Clarissa’s speech
The battle of belles and beaux
The lock rises to the heaven and becomes a star
Writing Style
A real Epic – long story with important ingredients -central hero, fantasy - creatures/monsters/great battle/female love interest/rape or lose of virtue of woman
Rape of the Lock is a Mock epic – have similar qualities but presented in humorous manner
Structure
Heroic couplet
Rhymed in every two lines.
Epic Conventions
The theme is usually the adventure of a hero and/or a war (great battle).
Invocate the Muse’s aid. (Calliope)
Ask epic question(s).
Gods’ interference in human affairs.
Standard Epic Characteristics
A long narrative poem
Elevated, grand style
Great heroes and heroines
The setting is vast in geographical range
Supernatural power (spirits/monsters/nymphs)
Mock Epic
A work designed to ridicule attitudes, style, or subject matter by handling either an elevated subject in a trivial manner or a low subject with mock dignity (Karl 30).
Renders a trivial subject ridiculous by treating it with the elaborate (Karl 31).
Compare small things with something great.
Traditional Epic comparison to Mock Epic
Traditional Epic
The Rape of the Lock
Invoke the aid of the muse: Calliope
“ Say what strange motive, Goddess! Could compel” (1. 7)
Gods are involved
Spirits (Sylphs, Gnomes, Nymphs…) are involved
Mock Epic
Journey to the underworld
The Cave of Spleen (ill nature of female hypochondriacs) (4. 1)
Sacrifice offering to gods before an important war or journey
Baron sacrifices his former love-token. (2.35)
Mock Epic
Battle Clichés, frowns and angry glances, snuff and bodkin. “So spoke the dame, “ (5. 35). The card game Ombre.
Rape of the female chastity
Rape of a lock of hair
“Among the gods, who brought this quarrel on?” (Iliad)
1 What dire offense from amorous causes springs,
What mighty contests rise from trivial things,
…
7 Say what strange motive, Goddess! Could compel
A well-bred lord to assault a gentle belle? Oh, say what stranger cause, yet
unexplored, Could make a gentle belle reject a lord? In tasks so bold can little men engage, And in soft bosoms dwells such mighty
rage?
The Epic Question
Homeric Similes From Epic of Homer
Similes suggests things are Like or as something else
“Achilles, fast in battle as a lion.”
“Hera, whose arms are white as ivory.”
“Quick as her eyes” (2. 10), “Bright as the sun” (2. 13),
“Shrink his thin essence like a rivaled flower” (2. 132),
“And falls like thunder on the prostrate Ace” (3. 98).
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