The Rape of the Lock
About the Poem
Alexander Pope, the dominant poetic figure among the Augustans, reflects the social tone of the urban literary world of his day. Born of Catholic parents, he was denied a formal education both in schools and the universities. Therefore he was a completely self taught genius. He chose special poetic themes. They are either satirical, or didactic, or even literary criticism. He was not a great philosophical systematizer. But he succeeded in his satiric and didactic intentions by his mastery of form.
“The Rape of the Lock” belongs to that species of composition called ‘mock-epics’. This is Pope’s masterwork, and one of the best poems of the neoclassical era. Lord Petre’s cutting off a lock of Miss Arabella Fermor’s hair is important to “The Rape of the Lock” (Belinda of the poem). In brief, the five Cantos deal with Belinda at her toilet, a game of Ombre, the snipping of the lock while Belinda sips her coffee, Belinda’s rage, her demand that the lock be restored, and the ultimate wafting of the lock as a new star to adorn the skies. The distinctive force of Pope’s mock-heroic approach rests in the disparity between a truly epic grandeur of presentation and the comic triviality of the things conveyed. The more trifling an occurrence, the more dignified its treatment. The description of Belinda’s toilet is an example.
The exaltation of Belinda into something more than mortal is to be seen when she is at her toilet. The episode is described in such a way, that parodies a religious ritual. There is drama in the opening line of the passage, with the sudden unveiling of Belinda’s dressing table. The ‘unveil’d’ hints that the toilet has an altar like quality. The Cosmetic pots are set out like sacred vessels. The perfumes and ointment are laid in “mystic order”. Belinda, ‘rob’d in white like a priestess, “adores” those wonderful powers that enhance a woman’s loveliness. As if in response to her adoration a ‘heavenly Image’ appears and the rites begin. It is her own reflection which becomes the goddess. The ritual formality appropriate to a religious ceremony is seen in the activities of the maid and in the movements of Belinda herself:
“ From each she nicely culls with curious toil
To that she bends, to that her eyes she rears.”
The repetition of “to that” suggests incantation.
“The casket………box”
These lines with their incantatory tone and their heavy and dignified movement embrace all the world in their cosmic sweep.The couplet also suggests that all the nations have been plundered so that Belinda might appear even more lovely. Like a true epic hero, who arms himself only with the best the world has to offer, Belinda dons the “offerings of the world”. Even nature cooperates, the ivory of the elephant and the shell of a tortoise are magically transformed into combs for Belinda.
This passage is very complex in its effects.There is a comic element in the very elevation of such an ordinary event. Putting on makeup is described on a par with religious ceremony. The comic element is also present in the ridiculously round about descriptions of the dressing-table items. At the same time, it makes clear the importance attached by society ladies to the appearance they put forth and suggests the falsity of their values. There is a brilliant subtlety in the simple line, “ puffs, powders, patches, Bibles, Billet-doux”.
It makes us laugh at the ridiculous conglomeration of objects. It also suggests that in Belinda’s scale of values the items are of about equal importance. The alliteration on ‘p’ and ‘b’ is significant in creating this effect.
Finally Belinda herself is referred to as a goddess arming for battle.
“ Now awful Beauty puts on all its arms”
Themes of The Rape of the Lock
In the poem Belinda’s “sacred hair” finds its place in the heavens serving as a consecration. So appealing is the description and significance of the ‘lock of hair’ that it turns into a central image throughout the poem. The opening canto of the poem certainly points at to the theme of vanity in the description of a beauty-conscious Belinda, preoccupied in her dressing room with the best of cosmetics and finery.
Belinda who conducts herself and her way of life in accordance to the ways of the rich and leisurely aristocratic class to which she belongs to is much given to vanities. The Bible warns against any form of ‘vanity’ but in the poem, the presence of Belinda’s “Bibles” along with her cosmetics and fancy things itself reflects her casual attitude to Biblical wisdom. Instead of embodying the Christian virtues of austerity and humility, Belinda is seen (like the women of her time) to indulge in her womanly wiles or what is phrased here as the “rites of Pride” and vanities.
The aristocratic class of her time had the wealth and leisure to indulge in the fashions of their day with much pomp and show, involving in practices of courting, socialising, etc. But true to the old adage-”pride goes before a fall”, Belinda who is proud of herself pays the price of her beauty. That beauty is only skin-deep and does not last forever renders it vain for any young women like Belinda to be so proud and conscious of is hinted in the ‘dressing room’ extract.
Poetic Style of The Rape of the Lock
“The Rape of the Lock” is a poem which is written in the mock-heroic or the mock-epic form. The mock-heroic/epic form draws from the traditional epic narratives (like the Illiad, Aenied, Odyssey etc.) in its grand and elevated style but it also serves the purpose of satirising and mocking (often with humour) at the triviality of representing the insignificant with grandeur. The learner is to note that there are certain similarities and differences in style and presentation of the mock-heroic/epic form and the formal epic form.These may be listed as follows:
Similarities:
a. The style and language employed in both the forms is grand and elevated. The use of the Heroic couplet in order to write in an elevated style and also to differentiate from ordinary language.
b. The presence of the supernatural elements is present in both the forms. In “The Rape of the Lock” you will come across airy spirits like the slyphs, nymphs and gnomes. Also, the visit to the Underworld is a common occurrence in both the forms. Such supernatural elements of the epic poem were termed as ‘machinery’.
c. The gods and goddesses are involved in the action of the poem. In the five cantos of the poem, you will find the presence of Phoebus, Venus, Thalestris, Olympus, Hermes, Latona, Pallas and Mars.
Differences:
a. The traditional epic begins with an invocation to the nine Muses for showering divine inspiration on the poet who is to undertake the task of writing an epic. But in the case of “The Rape of the Lock” it is the opposite where the invocation is dedicated to his inspiring friend John Caryll.
b. The quest motif, war and the spirit of adventure whether on land or in the high seas forms an integral part of the traditional epic form presented on a grand scale. Here in the poem, the purpose behind presenting (on such a grand scale) Belinda’s boat-trip journey on the Thames, the battlebof cards (‘Ombre’) with the “advent’rous” Knights and the fierce quarrel over ‘a lock of hair’ between her and the Baron is to only satirise its triviality.
c. The action in a traditional epic is taken forward by the epic- hero but in the poem, the poet in mocking the idea of an ideal epic-hero presents Belinda as the mock-hero. Like a hero armed for war Belinda is dressed in her best, indulging herself in the vanities of beauty to triumph over many hearts. Also she takes part in the battle of cards and retaliates against the Knight for her stolen lock as if she were the hero waging war or indulging in battle.
d. An epic poem is in general very lengthy consisting of various episodes or sagas whereas the poem “The Rape of The Lock” is short and structured.
Important Questions and Answers
Q. Who is the Baron in the poem?
Ans. This is the pseudonym for the historical Lord Petre—a young gentleman in Pope’s social circle who offended Arabella Fermor and her family by cutting off a lock of her hair. In the poem’s description of events, Arabella is known as Belinda.
Q. Who is Belinda in the poem?
Ans. The protagonist of the poem, Belinda is a wealthy and beautiful young woman who travels to Hampton Court for a day of socializing and leisure. She beautiful young lady with amazing hair locks which hang gracefully in curls. Belinda is based on the historical Arabella Fermor, a member of Pope’s circle of prominent Roman Catholics. Lord Petre (the Baron in the poem) had precipitated a rift between their two families by intentionally cutting off a lock of her hair.
Q.1. How does Belinda’s toilette function within the poem?
Ans. How does Belinda’s toilette function within the poem? It establishes the poem’s mock-heroic motifs. It protects her from any harm during the day. It does not serve a larger purpose within the poem.
Q. 2. How does the first canto of the poem begin? Briefly describe the real incident behind the poem?
Ans. An invocation to Pope’s Muse, his close friend John Caryll had inspired him to write on a real-life incident involving to warning families (Fermors and the Petres) that were at loggerheads with each other. John Caryll suggested Pope write a poem based on this trivial incident.
Q. 3. What war imagery can you find that presents Belinda as the mock-epic hero?
Ans. Her hair-pins, powders and patches, Bibles and love letters are arranged in the order of files, rows and ranks of an army. The war imagery (also mockingly) extended here to liken her to a warrior. Similarly, a simile of her dressing up is employed here.
Q. 4. What are the activities of the hovering airy spirits or the sylphs
in the first canto?
Ans. The hovering spirits above Belinda’s head are the busy sylphs or the airy spirits who lovingly engaged in adding their final touches to her appearance before she is ready to step out of her dressing room.
Q. 5. What is reflected in Belinda’s attitude to Biblical wisdom or Christian ideals?
Ans. The Bible warns against vanity but Belinda’s “Bibles” along
with cosmetics and fancy things itself further reflect her casual attitude to
Biblical wisdom.
Q. 6. What is the mock-epic/heroic form? Define a heroic couplet.
Ans. Mock-heroic/epic form draws traditional epic narratives in
it grand and elevated style. But it also serves the purpose of satirising and
mocking. The heroic couplet is composed in the iambic pentameter with the rhyme scheme aa, bb, cc and so on.
Q. 7. What is meant by ‘machinery’ in the epic poem? Why did it turn into one of the reasons for Pope’s criticism of Addison?
Ans. ‘Machinary’ refers to the supernatural elements, something
that addition had initially suggested not to include. But the spectacular effect
that this addition had on the poem became one of the many reasons of
popes criticism of Joseph Addison.
Q. 8. Who were the poets, writers and critics who were subject to the
attacks of Pope’s criticism?
Ans. Bentley, Lewis Theobold, Colley Cibber, John Dennis, Ambrose Philips, Lord Harvey, Lady Mary Wortley Montagu and Joseph Addison.
Q. 9. How does Pope figure Belinda’s toilet?
Ans. He figures her toilette as the preparation of an epic hero before battle. Once the sacraments are performed, Pope depicts Belinda’s toilette as the ritual of arming the hero. Pope refigures the combs, pins, “puffs, powders, patches” that Belinda uses to prepare herself as the arms and armor of the epic hero.
Q. 10. What are Belinda’s cosmetic powers?
Ans. Belinda’s “Cosmetic Powers” is the parody of the hero worshipping his ancestors, gods and goddesses for giving him strength and courage. After that, she worships herself, and may be this is more than the epic hero’s ritual!
Q. 11. Why does the baron want Belinda’s hair?
Belinda is the center of attention, with everybody admiring the two locks of hair on her neck. The Baron is filled with the desire to take one of Belinda’s locks and to show it off. He has called upon all spirits to help him in taking the lock, in particular the Spirit of Love.
Q.12. How would you characterize Pope’s attitude towards Belinda?
Ans. “Belinda smiles and all the world was gay.” Pope has a mixed and complicated attitude towards Belinda. She satirizes her with tenderness, admires her but does not spare her to criticize. The paradoxical nature of Pope’s attitude is intimately related to the paradox of Belinda’s situation.
Q.13. How does Belinda defeat the baron?
Ans. Belinda and the Baron meet in combat and she emerges victorious by peppering him with snuff and drawing her bodkin. Having achieved a position of advantage, she again demands that he return the lock.
