The Rape of the Lock Pope's portrayal of Belinda and her society in 'The Rape of the Lock' This Lock, the Muse shall consecrate to Fame, And mid'st the Stars inscribe Belinda's 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
The 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 – “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 mutual co-existence
NOTES ON THE RAPE OF THE LOCK This is possibly of Arabella Fermor (1696-1737), a famous London society beauty. She was the heroine of Alexander Pope 's humorous poem, 'The Rape of the Lock', about the theft of a lock of her hair. (http://www.vam.ac.uk/images/image/11948- popup.html) Did you know that “The Rape of the Lock” is such a famous poem that it even has its own website? Here is its address, as well as some other very helpful websites on the poem, the mock-heroic and Alexander Pope:
The Rape of the Lock Alexander Pope's 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 woman's 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 discusses
Analysis of The Rape of the Lock The 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. Pope's quick wit bounces the
Contrast Between Satire in The Rape Of The Lock and A Modest Proposal Although Alexander Pope's, "The Rape Of The Lock" and Jonathan Swift's "A Modest Proposal" are both witty satires, they differ on their style, intention, and mood. To begin, in "The Rape Of The Lock," Alexander Pope uses Horation satire to invoke a light, whimsical, melancholy mood to illustrate the absurdity of fighting over the cutting of one's hair. In fact, Horation satire is defined by K. Lukes as a device that is:
In a tradition of classic poetry, the opening of “The Rape of the Lock” institutes the most epic tone. The author begins by calling upon a muse; he keeps the muse anonymous, rather than appeal to one of the mythic Greek muses. In the first paragraph the author launch pope’s epic theme: a war arising the action of the poem starts with the sun rising, arousing the residents. Though everyone, including the lapdogs, has risen, Belinda remains asleep. She dreams of a handsome youth who informs her that
“The Rape of the Lock” is a poem written by Alexander Pope that uses Horatian satire to satirize the trivialness of a lock of hair being cut from a woman’s head without her knowledge. Pope writes the poem in a mock-epic style to help trivialize this minor incident. Pope uses the conventions and techniques of epic poetry in his mock epic. These techniques include heroes that are elaborately described, use of supernatural beings, and description of trivial things as battles. Unlike most epic poetry
On the surface, The Rape of the Lock is a retelling of an episode that caused a feud between two families in the form of an epic. One might believe that in his version, Alexander Pope portrayed the women of the story as shallow, vain little girls, however on a deeper level the women are crucial to the story. Aside from not being as helpless as they appear, each woman possesses a different kind of power that contributes to their character greatly. Rather than being the conceited and shallow figures
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 Fermor's hair. Form, structure, and plot: The poem is a mock epic divided into 5 short cantos, very similar in form to Shakespeare's acts. The first act is a kind of exposition, giving background information about Belinda. Canto 2 introduces the conflict--the Baron's desire to cut off and steal Belinda's locks; canto 3 encompasses the climax
The Rape of the Lock, written by Alexander Pope, is a mock-epic with a serious purpose. This narrative was written to diffuse a real life quarrel between two high-class families in 18th century England; the Petres and the Fermors (Gurr, 5). The character’s names were changed but their characteristics hold true; simply put, Belinda, young and beautiful, had a lock of her hair cut off by the Baron and this thus causes a feud amongst the two families. Pope wrote this mock-epic by employing humor and
The Dunciad: A Mock Epic? Honors English The fourth book of the Dunciad describes the fall and slow death of the English society that once taught him all the things he knew. He lashes out at his critics, accusers, and nay Sayers in his allegorical poem. It symbolizes a mock epic because of the elaborate use of words, calling on inspiration from a higher force, and using his work not so much to tell a story, but to point out the faults of a social order that can’t or chooses not to see what they’re
Alexander 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
Rape of the Lock by Alexander Pope Alexander Pope's 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. Pope's 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 Pope's friend, John Caryll. It was to make peace between the Fermors and Petres, two prominent Roman
Use of Satire in Canterbury Tales, Pride and Prejudice and The Rape of the Lock Jane Austen and Alexander Pope had had a myriad of writing styles and techniques from which to express the desired themes of their works. Satire, however, seemed to be the effective light-hearted, yet condescending, tool that enabled them to surface the faults and follies of their moral and elite society. In Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, satire is used to the full extent in revealing the glutton within a pious
Use of the Mock-epic Style in The Rape of the Lock "The triumph of the Baron's rape is in exactly the same high language as it would be if he were Hector." In The Rape of the Lock, Pope uses the mock-epic style to satirise the seriousness with which a trivial misdemeanour (the theft of a few strands of hair) and the ways of gender polarised society can be blown beyond all sense of proportion. Thus the male mentality, through the Baron, is portrayed as lacking depth or personality beyond that
The Downfalls of Materialism in Alexander Pope's The Rape of the Lock Commodities have been a part of human culture from the start of the first civilizations. They can be crudely constructed or richly made works of art; they are still objects, however. Some people treasure their possessions more than anything in the world. These objects can become the driving force behind a person's life and desires. When someone's prized possession is stolen, it may seem as though a disaster has taken place
the Lock The Restoration Period (1660-1700) was a period of social, political and philosophical turmoil, which laid the foundation for future centuries. This period was marked by an advance in colonization and trade and by the birth of the Whig and Tory parties. In poetry, works of Alexander Pope and Anne Finch and a number of other poets distinguishes the Restoration. But, there are several objections from these poets; one particular opposition occurs between Pope’s The Rape of the Lock and Anne
being housewives. Many people today follow the same sexest guidelines are in the past old years. These types of women are supposed to obey their husbands all the time and they were not allowed to work. Alexander Pope, the author of The Rape of the Lock, writes this poem of a woman, Belinda, who he criticizes upon his heroic-comical ways. Throughout this epic poem Pope judges this young lady, Belinda, for her looks, her thoughts, and her beliefs. Pope creates an image of what he believes is true about
In Rape of the Lock, Alexander Pope uses the epic form to satirize 18th century English society. The mock epic’s protagonist, Belinda, portrays a duality of women as both materialistic and chaste beings. This duality, dictated by society, shows contradictory values. Belinda’s duality illustrates itself best in the toilette scene at the end of Canto I. In this scene, she functions as an epic hero readying for battle, yet she merely gets ready for the day. Her toilette displays both cosmetic goods