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The Rape of the Lock
by Alexander Pope
Excerpts from the Cummings Study Guide, for class use only
Introduction: The Mock-Epic
. At the beginning of "The Rape of the Lock," Pope identifies the work as a “heroi-comical poem.” Today, the poem–and others like it–is referred to as a mock-epic and sometimes as a mock-heroic. Such a work parodies the serious, elevated style of the classical epic poem– such as The Iliad or The Odyssey, by Homer–to poke fun at human follies. Thus, a mock- epic is a type of satire; it treats petty humans or insignificant occurrences as if they were extraordinary or heroic, like the great heroes and events of Homer's two great epics. In writing "The Rape of the Lock," Pope imitated the characteristics of Homer's epics, as well as later epics such as The Aeneid (Vergil), The Divine Comedy (Dante), and Paradise Lost (Milton). Many of these characteristics are listed below, under "Epic Conventions." ..
Setting: The action takes place in London and its environs in the early 1700's on a single day.
The story begins at noon (Canto I) at the London residence of Belinda as she carefully prepares herself for a gala social gathering. The scene then shifts (Canto II) to a boat carrying Belinda up the Thames. To onlookers she is as magnificent as Queen Cleopatra was when she traveled in her barge. The rest of the story (Cantos III-V) takes place where Belinda debarks–Hampton Court Palace, a former residence of King Henry VIII on the outskirts of London–except for a brief scene in Canto IV that takes place in the cave of the Queen of Spleen. .
Characters:
. Belinda Beautiful young lady with wondrous hair, two locks of which hang gracefully in curls. The Baron Young admirer of Belinda who plots to cut off one of her locks. Ariel Belinda's guardian sylph (supernatural creature). Clarissa Young lady who gives the Baron scissors. Umbriel Sprite who enters the cave of the Queen of Spleen to seek help for Belinda. Queen of Spleen Underworld goddess who gives Umbriel gifts for Belinda. Thalestris Friend of Belinda. Thalestris urges Sir Plume to defend Belinda's honor. Sir Plume Beau (boyfriend)of Thalestris. He scolds the Baron. Sylphs, Fairies, Genies, Demons, Phantoms and Other Supernatural Creatures
Source: A Real-Life Incident: Pope based The Rape of the Lock on an actual
incident in which a British nobleman, Lord Petre, cut off a lock of hair dangling tantalizingly from the head of the beautiful Arabella Fermor. Petre’s daring theft of the lock set off a battle royal between the Petre and Fermor families. John Caryll–a friend of Pope and of the warring families– persuaded the great writer to pen a literary work satirizing the absurdity and silliness of the dispute. The result was one of the greatest satirical poems in all of literature. In writing the poem, Pope also drew upon ancient classical sources–notably Homer’s great epics, The Iliad and The Odyssey –as models to imitate in style and tone. He also consulted the texts of medieval and Renaissance epics.
Epic Conventions: Because a mock-epic parodies a classical epic, it uses the same
conventions, or formulas, as the classical epic--but usually in a humorous way. For example, a convention of many classical epics is a sea voyage in which perils confront the hero at every turn. In The Rape of the Lock , the sea voyage is Belinda's boat trip up the Thames River. Her guardian sylph, Ariel, sees "black omens" that foretell disasters for Belinda even though the waves flow smoothly and the winds blow gently. Will she stain her dress? Lose her honor or her necklace? Miss a masquerade? Forget her prayers? So frightful are the omens that Ariel summons 50 of his companion spirits to guard Belinda's petticoat, as well as the ringlets of her hair. Following are examples of the epic conventions that Pope parodies: Invocation of the Muse: In ancient Greece and Rome, poets had always requested “the muse” to fire them with creative genius when they began long narrative poems, or epics, about godlike heroes and villains. In Greek mythology, there were nine muses, all sisters, who were believed to inspire poets, historians, flutists, dancers, singers, astronomers, philosophers, and other thinkers and artists. If one wanted to write a great poem, play a musical instrument with bravado, or develop a grand scientific or philosophical theory, he would ask for help from a muse. When a writer asked for help, he was said to be “invoking the muse.” The muse of epic poetry was named Calliope [kuh LY uh pe]. In "The Rape of the Lock," Pope does not invoke a goddess; instead, he invokes his friend, John Caryll (spelled CARYL in the poem), who had asked Pope to write a literary work focusing on an event (the snipping of a lock of hair) that turned the members of two families--the Petres and the Fermors--into bitter enemies. Caryll thought that poking fun at the incident would reconcile the families by showing them how trivial the incident was. Division of the Poem Into Books or Cantos: The traditional epic is long, requiring several days several days of reading. Dante's Divine Comedy , for example, contains 34 cantos. When printed, the work consists of a book about two inches thick. Pope, of course, presents only five cantos containing a total of fewer than 600 lines. Such miniaturizing helps Pope demonstrate the smallness or pettiness of the behavior exhibited by the main characters in the poem. Descriptions of Soldiers Preparing for Battle: In The Iliad , Homer describes in considerable detail the armor and weaponry of the great Achilles, as well as the battlefield trappings of other heroes. In The Rape of the Lock , Pope describes Belinda preparing herself with combs and pins–with "Puffs, Powders, Patches"–noting that "Now awful Beauty puts on all its Arms." Descriptions of Heroic Deeds: While Homer describes the exploits of his heroes during the Trojan War, Pope describes the "exploits" of Belinda and the Baron during a card game called Ombre , which involves three players and a deck of 40 cards. Account of a Great Sea Voyage: In The Odyssey , Odysseus (also known as Ulysses) travels the seas between Troy and Greece, encountering many perils. In The Aeneid , Aeneas travels the seas between Troy and Rome, also encountering perils. In The Rape of the Lock , Belinda travels up the Thames in a boat. Participation of Deities or Spirits in the Action: In The Rape of the Lock --as in The Iliad, The Odyssey, The Aeneid, The Divine Comedy , and Paradise Lost --supernatural beings take part in the action. Presentation of Scenes in the Underworld: Like supernatural beings in classical epics, the gnome Umbriel visits the Underworld in The Rape of the Lock.
Verse Format: Pope wrote The Rape of the Lock in heroic couplets. A heroic couplet is a
unit of two rhyming lines in iambic pentameter. A line of verse in iambic pentameter consists of 10 syllables. The first syllable is unaccented, the second accented, the third unaccented, the fourth accented, and so on. The entire poem consists of one heroic couplet followed by another, as demonstrated by the first four lines of the poem:
Slight is the subject, but not so the praise, If She inspire, and He approve my lays. Say what strange motive, Goddess! could compel A well-bred Lord t' assault a gentle Belle? O say what stranger cause, yet unexplor'd, Could make a gentle Belle reject a Lord?......... 10 In tasks so bold, can little men engage, And in soft bosoms dwells such mighty Rage? Sol thro' white curtains shot a tim'rous ray, And oped those eyes that must eclipse the day : Now lap-dogs give themselves the rousing shake,......... 15 And sleepless lovers, just at twelve, awake: Thrice rung the bell, the slipper knock'd the ground, And the press'd watch return'd a silver sound. Belinda still her downy pillow prest, Her guardian Sylph prolong'd the balmy rest:........... 20 'Twas He had summon'd to her silent bed The morning-dream that hover'd o'er her head; A Youth more glitt'ring than a Birth-night Beau, (That ev'n in slumber caus'd her cheek to glow) Seem'd to her ear his winning lips to lay,.......... 25 And thus in whispers said, or seem'd to say. point up the silliness of the quarrel. Pope addresses Caryl as if he were a muse. For further information on "invoking the muse," see Epic Conventions, above. Belinda : Arabella Fermor. Belinda is a poetic name associated with gentleness. For further information about Arabella Fermor, see Source, above. Goddess : Another reference to Caryl as the muse. Sol : the sun curtains : the curtains on Belinda's bed tim'rous : timorous, meaning shy, timid oped : opened must eclipse the day : Belinda's eyes are so bright that they rival the brightness of the sun. lap-dogs : dogs small enough to be held in the lap press'd watch : a kind of clock. Pressing a button on it caused a bell to sound the current hour or quarter hour. Sylph : fairy, sprite Birth-night: evening celebration of a royal person's birthday Fairest of mortals, thou distinguish'd care Of thousand bright Inhabitants of Air! If e'er one vision touch'd thy infant thought, Of all the Nurse and all the Priest have taught;........
. 30 Of airy Elves by moonlight shadows seen, The silver token , and the circled green , Or virgins visited by Angel-pow'rs, With golden crowns and wreaths of heav'nly flow'rs; Hear and believe! thy own importance know,.......... 35 Nor bound thy narrow views to things below. Some secret truths, from learned pride conceal'd, To Maids alone and Children are reveal'd: What tho' no credit doubting Wits may give? The Fair and Innocent shall still believe.................... 40 Know, then, unnumber'd Spirits round thee fly, The light Militia of the lower sky: These, tho' unseen, are ever on the wing, Hang o'er the Box , and hover round the Ring. Fairest... Air : The youth in her dream (Line 23) addresses Belinda as the fairest mortal, saying she is watched over by a thousand sprites inhabiting the air. silver token : coin left by a fairy as a gift for a favored mortal Some... give : Certain secrets are revealed only to maidens like Belinda and to children, but not to highly educated people. Skeptics may doubt the truth of these secrets but Belinda and innocent children believe them. Box, Ring : The spirits of the air hover around Belinda while she is in her theatre box or traveling in her carriage on a circular road (ring) in Hyde Park, a large park in the Westminster borough of London.
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Warn'd by the Sylph, oh pious maid, beware! This to disclose is all thy guardian can: Beware of all, but most beware of Man!" Ariel is whispering in her ear while she sleeps. He said; when Shock , who thought she slept too long,........... Leap'd up, and wak'd his mistress with his tongue. 'Twas then, Belinda, if report say true, Thy eyes first open'd on a Billet-doux ; Wounds, Charms, and Ardors were no sooner read, But all the Vision vanish'd from thy head................................ And now, unveil'd, the Toilet stands display'd, Each silver Vase in mystic order laid. First, rob'd in white, the Nymph intent adores, With head uncover'd, the Cosmetic pow'rs. A heav'nly image in the glass appears,.................................. To that she bends, to that her eyes she rears; Th' inferior Priestess , at her altar's side, Trembling begins the sacred rites of Pride. Unnumber'd treasures ope at once, and here The various off'rings of the world appear;................................ From each she nicely culls with curious toil, And decks the Goddess with the glitt'ring spoil. This casket India's glowing gems unlocks, And all Arabia breathes from yonder box. The Tortoise here and Elephant unite,................................. Transformed to combs, the speckled, and the white. Here files of pins extend their shining rows, Puffs, Powders, Patches, Bibles , Billet-doux. Now awful Beauty puts on all its arms ; The fair each moment rises in her charms,............................ Repairs her smiles, awakens ev'ry grace, And calls forth all the wonders of her face; Sees by degrees a purer blush arise, And keener lightnings quicken in her eyes. The busy Sylphs surround their darling care,......................... These set the head, and those divide the hair, Shock : Belinda's dog. Billet-doux : love letter. From the French billet ( note , letter ) and doux ( sweet ). The French pronunciation is be yay DOO; the English pronunciation is BIL ay DOO. Toilet : dressing table or dressing room. Th' inferior Priestess : Servant, maid. decks... spoil : adorns Belinda with jewels and other ornaments. casket : box, case. Tortoise: The shell of a tortoise was used in making combs. Elephant : Reference to ivory. Bibles : Small Bibles were fashionable accessories on ladies' dressing tables. Now... arms : Here begins an epic convention, a warrior putting on his armor. In this case, of course, it is a woman putting on her clothes in preparation for vying in the battle of the sexes.
For this, ere Phoebus rose, he had implor'd........................... Propitious heav'n, and ev'ry pow'r ador'd, But chiefly Love-- to Love an Altar built, Of twelve vast French Romances, neatly gilt. There lay three garters, half a pair of gloves; And all the trophies of his former loves;................................... With tender Billet-doux he lights the pyre, And breathes three am'rous sighs to raise the fire. Then prostrate falls, and begs with ardent eyes Soon to obtain, and long possess the prize: The pow'rs gave ear, and granted half his pray'r,....................... The rest, the winds dispers'd in empty air. Phoebus : Apollo, the sun god. Phoebus means bright one. In Greek mythology, Phoebus Apollo became the sun, driving his golden chariot across the sky. Thus, Phoebus became a synonym for sun. he : the baron (mentioned in Line 29). to... built : From here down to Line 46, the poem says the baron places mementoes of young ladies of his acquaintance on an altar. Then he burns them in a "funeral" fire (pyre) fueled with love letters; he is offering a sacrifice that the gods may grant his wish to obtain locks of Belinda's hair.
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Canto III
Close by those meads , for ever crown'd with flow'rs, Where Thames with pride surveys his rising tow'rs, There stands a structure of majestic frame, Which from the neighb'ring Hampton takes its name. Here Britain's statesmen oft the fall foredoom............................ Of foreign Tyrants and of Nymphs at home; Here thou, great Anna! whom three realms obey. Dost sometimes counsel take--and sometimes Tea. Hither the heroes and the nymphs resort, To taste awhile the pleasures of a Court;................................. In various talk th' instructive hours they past, Who gave the ball, or paid the visit last; One speaks the glory of the British Queen, And one describes a charming Indian screen; A third interprets motions, looks, and eyes;............................ At ev'ry word a reputation dies. Snuff, or the fan, supply each pause of chat, With singing, laughing, ogling, and all that. meads : meadows structure : the royal palace at Hampton Court Anna... three : Anne (1665-1714), queen of England, Scotland, and Wales from 1702 to 1714. At... dies : There was much gossip at the court.
Meanwhile, declining from the noon of day, The sun obliquely shoots his burning ray;................................ The hungry Judges soon the sentence sign, And wretches hang that jury-men may dine; The merchant from th' Exchange returns in peace, And the long labours of the Toilet cease. Belinda now, whom thirst of fame invites,................................ Burns to encounter two advent'rous Knights , At Ombre singly to decide their doom; And swells her breast with conquests yet to come. Straight the three bands prepare in arms to join, Each band the number of the sacred nine.
. 30 Soon as she spreads her hand, th' aerial guard Descend, and sit on each important card: First Ariel perch'd upon a Matadore , Then each, according to the rank they bore; For Sylphs, yet mindful of their ancient race,........................... Are, as when women, wondrous fond of place. Behold, four Kings in majesty rever'd, With hoary whiskers and a forky beard; And four fair Queens whose hands sustain a flow'r, Th' expressive emblem of their softer pow'r;............................. Four Knaves in garbs succinct, a trusty band, Caps on their heads, and halberts in their hand; And particolour'd troops, a shining train, Draw forth to combat on the velvet plain. two.. .Ombre : Ombre requires three players. Here, Belinda will vie with two gentlemen. Straight... join : Here begins an epic convention, the battle. Each... nine : In Greek mythology, the nine muses of Mount Olympus. The cards, dealt in groups, correspond in number to the nine muses in Greek mythology. Matadore (also Matador) : card of the highest value in ombre hoary whiskers : gray mustaches halberts (also halberds or halbards ): A halbert was a weapon with a shaft five to six feet long topped by a pike, or spearhead, and below the pike an axe blade. A warrior could thrust with a halbert, as with a spear, or hack, as with a battle-axe.
[... The game goes on for some time, in a mock-heroic battle of the cards. Belinda
wins and gloats about it. The Baron gets revenge, with friend Clarissa’s help... .]
But when to mischief mortals bend their will, 125 How soon they find fit instruments of ill! Just then, Clarissa drew with tempting grace A two-edg'd weapon from her shining case: So Ladies in Romance assist their Knight, Present the spear, and arm him for the fight. 130 He takes the gift with rev'rence, and extends weapon : scissors fragrant steams: steam from the hot coffee nosegay : small bouquet of flowers
While nymphs take treats, or assignations give, So long my honour, name, and praise shall live! 170 What Time would spare, from Steel receives its date, And monuments, like men, submit to fate! Steel could the labour of the Gods destroy, And strike to dust th' imperial tow'rs of Troy ; Steel could the works of mortal pride confound, 175 And hew triumphal arches to the ground. What wonder then, fair nymph! thy hairs should feel, The conqu'ring force of unresisted steel?
[... Canto IV begins with an epic descent into the underworld (Odysseus, Aeneas).
Ariel goes for help, in a comic version of a usually serious journey, and brings back a bag
filled with the Furies, those Greek mythological figures we encountered in the Orestia.
They represent the irrational pursuit of revenge. When Ariel tears open the bag above
Belinda, who has been lying on the couch, dejected and forlorn, she becomes spirited and
demands her lock back.]
Canto V
[ Clarissa has just made a speech full of the
Neo-Classical spirit—reason and calm, and the
ability to recognize that the loss of a lock of hair
is not that important.]
So spoke the Dame, but no applause ensu'd; 35 Belinda frown'd, Thalestris call'd her Prude. "To arms, to arms!" the fierce Virago cries, And swift as lightning to the combat flies. All side in parties, and begin th' attack; Fans clap, silks rustle, and tough whalebones crack; 40 Heroes' and Heroines' shouts confus'dly rise, And bass, and treble voices strike the skies. No common weapons in their hands are found, Like Gods they fight, nor dread a mortal wound. So when bold Homer makes the Gods engage, 45 And heav'nly breasts with human passions rage; 'Gainst Pallas , Mars ; Latona , Hermes arms; And all Olympus rings with loud alarms: Jove's thunder roars, heav'n trembles all around, whalebones : horny plates in the jaws of baleen whales that catch plankton. Tough and flexible, they were used to stiffen women's corsets. Pallas : Another name for Athena (Roman name, Minerva), goddess of wisdom and war Mars : god of war (Greek name, Ares) Latona : mother of Apollo and Artemis (Diana). Her Greek name was Leto. Hermes : messenger of the Olympian gods (Roman name, Mercury) Neptune : god of the sea (Greek name, Poseidon) sconce : bracket on a wall for holding a candle or a torch; candlestick holder affixed to a wall plaque. bodkin spears : pins Witling : a person who tries to be witty Dapperwit : character in the comedy Love in a Wood; or St. James Park (1671), by playwright William Wycherley (1640-1716) Sir Fopling : character in the comedy The Man of Mode , or , Sir Fopling Flutter (1676), by George Etherege (1635-
Those... killing : words from an opera Maeander : winding river in Western Turkey. The modern name for this river is Menderes.
Blue Neptune storms, the bellowing deeps resound: 50 Earth shakes her nodding tow'rs, the ground gives way. And the pale ghosts start at the flash of day! Triumphant Umbriel on a sconce 's height Clapp'd his glad wings, and sate to view the fight: Propp'd on the bodkin spears , the Sprites survey 55 The growing combat, or assist the fray. While thro' the press enrag'd Thalestris flies, And scatters death around from both her eyes, A Beau and Witling perish'd in the throng, One died in metaphor, and one in song. 60 "O cruel nymph! a living death I bear," Cry'd Dapperwit , and sunk beside his chair. A mournful glance Sir Fopling upwards cast, " Those eyes are made so killing "--was his last. Thus on Maeander 's flow'ry margin lies 65 Th' expiring Swan, and as he sings he dies.
[.. .]
"Restore the Lock!" she cries; and all around "Restore the Lock!" the vaulted roofs rebound. Not fierce Othello in so loud a strain 105 Roar'd for the handkerchief that caus'd his pain. But see how oft ambitious aims are cross'd, And chiefs contend 'till all the prize is lost! The Lock, obtain'd with guilt, and kept with pain, In ev'ry place is sought, but sought in vain: 110 With such a prize no mortal must be blest, So heav'n decrees! with heav'n who can contest? Some thought it mounted to the Lunar sphere, Since all things lost on earth are treasur'd there. There Hero's wits are kept in pond'rous vases, 115 And beau's in snuff-boxes and tweezer-cases. There broken vows and death-bed alms are found, And lovers' hearts with ends of riband bound, The courtier's promises, and sick man's pray'rs, The smiles of harlots, and the tears of heirs, 120 Cages for gnats, and chains to yoke a flea, Cupid : god of love (Greek name: Eros) Othello : In Shakespeare's play of the same name, Othello wrongly believes his wife has been unfaithful because her handkerchief was found in the possession of another man. He shouts condemnations at her. Click here for the Othello Study Guide if you wish additional information. Hero : priestess of Aphrodite. She commits suicide after her lover, Leander, drowns. This word may also refer to a character in Ludovico Ariosto's epic poem Orlando Furioso (1516), in which the title character loses his wits. They are thought to be on the moon. riband : ribbon tomes : books casuistry : (1) system that attempted to answer moral questions by applying the principles of ethics and theology to specific cases; (2) method of attempting to justify a seemingly sinful act as moral through the application of deceptive reasoning.
