Reed Jones

Professor Fernandez, English 2046

December 8, 2013

Narrative, symbolism, and parody in The Rape of the Lock
Clarissas speech in Alexander Popes The Rape of the Lock is the moment in the
narrative where the moral is summarized and presented to the reader (5.9-34). Among other
things the lock of hair functions as an object which symbolizes the obsession with material
objects and physical beauty in women, or vanity in both men and women. The work is a satirical
piece which plays off the works of Milton, Homer, and Virgil. And through parody it examines
the social climate of the time, in regards to the baroque or aristocrat kind of styles; the overall
obsession with fancy things which Pope clearly disagrees with. This can be seen at the end of the
work in Clarissas speech (Pope 5.9-34). In this excerpt I think the use of parody implies that
though Popes use of Miltons ostentatious style is overall satirical, like most satire it can still be
held at the same high level as Miltons and is meant to be, at least slightly, taken seriously.
In The Rape of the Lock during Clarissas speech, Canto 5.9-34, Pope writes,
Say, why are beauties praised and honored most,
The wise mans passion, and the vain mans toast?
In terms of the narrative this excerpt describes Belindas beauties both in terms of physical
beauty and her possessions as well; her hair and her trinkets like the gold cross for example both
of which have already been key elements throughout the narrative so far. At this point the lock
has been cut and the characters have reached a climactic battle reminiscent of the works of
Milton and the like. She gives a kind of mediating speech where she asks why material things as
well as physical appearance in women, specifically like the one here, are so adorned. At this
point Clarissa is like the voice of reason trying to cool things down, while also briefly explaining
the overall moral of the narrative.
Beauties, angels, and the white-gloved beaux are all symbols for the object of
critique in this work; the world of dancing fairies, beautiful women, and rich elegant parties
where the men only like the womens looks and the women only like their things (Pope 5.4-13).
In 5.25 Clarissa identifies the lock of hair and explains that locks will turn to gray, in other
words die, the hair acts as a symbol for the ageing nature of beauty (Pope 5.26). Theres a similar
use of particularly extravagant noun phrases like seen in Miltons work where it seems almost as
if someone, he, is yelling to the whole world. In this selection someone, Clarissa, is literally
yelling to a crowd, the speech is overall against this whole social climate of adorning the world
of fancy clothes and upper class tea parties. And still with the same kind of grandiose tone seen
in Miltons work.
As well as a parody of Miltons, and others works, the poem is also a satire against the
general social climate of that time, as well as the not so distant past perhaps from the sixteen
hundreds on; the kind of baroque style where everything is really decorative, civilized, and so
on. This is also the moment where the satire reveals itself as really being something a bit more.
The Rape of the Lock is a parody of the works of Milton, where he, Milton, was trying to give the
reader some kind of significant moral insight, so interestingly in a way this poem, although its a
parody, does just that. The satirical implications of the parody are that Pope doesnt like the
upper class fascinations with material objects and frivolous things. And Clarissas speech
basically shows us its more than just a joke but also something to be taken serious.
Clarissas speech in Alexander Popes The Rape of the Lock is the moment in the
narrative where the moral is summarized and presented to the reader (5.9-34). The symbols
throughout the poem represent the adornment of physical beauty and material things. The parody
satirically implies that Pope strongly disagrees with the over-decorative, materialistic, and vain
ways of the upper class. He takes some of characteristics found in Miltons work and, through
parody, brings them to an unlikely place.
Word Count : 751

Works Cited
The Rape of the Lock. Alexander Pope. The Norton Anthology of English Literature. Gen.
ed. Stephen Greenblatt. 9th ed. Vol. A. New York: Norton, 2012. 2526-2546.
Print.