The Rape of the Lock

by Alexander Pope

About Alexander Pope

Born in a Catholic
family

Suffered from
prejudices
Educated in
Twyford

About Alexander Pope

Moved to Binfield in 1700
Self-taught: did nothing but read and
write
Suffered from ill health: tuberculosis,
asthma, and headaches

About Alexander Pope

Moved to Binfield in
1700
Humpbacked and
deformed

About 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)
A funny battle between 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 :Baron
Miss Arabella
Fermor: Belinda

About Alexander Pope

Background:
John Carylls suggestion to pour poetic
oils on these troubled waters or
Hope that a little laughter might serve to
soothe ruffled tempers.

Popes purpose:
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

Published The Dunciad in 1728
Became professional satirist
Sleepless themselves to give their
readers sleep

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 days
social activities

Canto 2
The travel on the Thames river
The prayer of the young adventurer Baron
The Sylphs mission to tend the Fairto protect
Belinda
Brillantethe earrings
Chrispissathe locks
ArielShock, Belindas lapdog
Momentillathe watch
fifty chosen Sylphsthe petticoat

Canto 3

The game of cardsombre

The rape of the lock

Canto 4
Belindas 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
Clarissas speech
The battle of belles and beaux
The lock rises to the heaven and
becomes a star

Writing Style
Epic
Mock epic
Structure

Epic, the
Characteristics

A long narrative poem

Elevated, grand style

Great heroes and heroines

The setting is vast in
geographical range
Supernatural power

Epic Conventions
The theme is usually the
adventure of a hero or a war.
Invocate the Muses aid. (Calliope)
Ask epic question(s).
Begin with in medias res.
Use epithets and similes.
Gods interference in human
affairs.

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.

Epic/ Mock Epic

Traditional
Epic

The Rape of the

Lock

Invoke the aid of Say what strange

the muse:
motive, Goddess!
Calliope
Could compel (1. 7)
Begin with in
medias res

No

Gods are
involved

Spirits (Sylphs,
Gnomes, Nymphs)
are involved

The Epic Question

1 What dire offense from amorous causes
springs,
What mighty contests rise from trivial
things,

Among the
gods, who
brought this
quarrel on?
(Iliad)

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?

Homeric Simile
Achilles, fast in
battle as a lion.

Quick as her eyes (2.

10), Bright as the sun
(2. 13),

Hera, whose
arms are white as Shrink his thin
ivory.
essence like a riveled
flower (2. 132),

And falls like thunder

on the prostrate Ace
(3. 98).

Homeric Epithet
man-killer
Hector
sharp-eyed
Hermes
Bolt-hurling
Zeus

Fair nymphs, and

well-dress'd youths
around her shone
(2. 5)
The long-contended
honours of her head
(4.140)
Why round our
coaches crowd the
white-glov'd beaux?
(5. 13).

Structure
Heroic couplet
Rhymed in every two lines.
Iambic pentameter
Ten syllables in each line
Alternate with stressed and
unstressed syllables

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

Cliches, 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