Alexander Pope’s poem The Rape of the Lock Essay

There are several aspects to black lovage pontiffs song, The Rape of the Lock which cement it as a unique and eventful work. Not only do pontiffs use of imagery and other literary tools create a landscape of the world which is represented here, notwithstanding pontiff also creates the feeling of total emersion into the story for the reader. There are also many individual issues, within the work itself, which utilize their sociable standing to create emotion for the reader, such(prenominal) as the consumption of drugs throughout The Rape of the Lock. This creates an emotional bond with between the reader and the character within the numbers by forcing the reader to make judgments on the characters. This judgment, then, becomes part of the readers vision of the world Pope created within the poem. While the poem itself was called to be write by Popes close friend, to end the feud between two families, what Pope succeeds in creating was an epic of lust, debauchery and social pos tu tintinnabulation. This tale, spun by Alexander Pope, seems just as much a condemnation of the social stratification of his era, as it is a plea for well-born families to put aside their petty squabbles.The events leading up to the writing of the poem, as explained by Pope were The stealing of Miss Belle Fermors hair, was taken too seriously, and ca utilize an e queerment between the two families, though they had lived so huge in great friendship before. A common acquaintance and well wisher to both desired me to write a poem to make a wit of it, and laugh them together again. It was with this view that I wrote the Rape of the Lock. (Pope)This partly explains the use of the term Rape in the title. The use of such a strong war cry to describe such an inane event illustrates Alexander Popes fondness of parody as well as his ability to illustrate the fantastical and often humorous idiosyncrasies of the wealthy elite. As Pope begins his five act poem, his first line both questio ns and accuses the parties involved in the rivalry by postulation what trivial things could have been seen as such a dire Offence. The assault which is spoken of by Pope in this first canto is described as organism committed by a well-bred Lord upon a gentle Belle. This assault is also questioned, in that Pope asked how a Belle could refuse the advances of such a well-born man. It is the assumption, from this early exc shinee, that it was socially expected that these two individuals, most certainly due to their social standing, would have no choice but to form a physical union completely ignoring any personal choice in the matter. Throughout the first canto, there are several precedents of instances where Pope created a strange sense of reality through his use of word choice and order. Calling to attention the vision of a birth-night beau, a very festive and riant image, Pope juxtaposes the idea of non-consensual relations and enters into a dream-state. The allusions that Pope c reates here are a very white and pure scene. The use of imagery such as the slippers, silver sound, and Belinda laying her head against her downy pillow creates a setting of safety and warmth. In line twenty four of the first canto, the poem begins to take on a decidedly fantastic feel. This is used to create the sense that Belinda is truly a slothful person. As she arises at noon, the reader is told that she returns to quiescence creating a sense of an unpressured and possibly spoiled girl with no responsibilities. The dreams of Belinda are also illustrated here. Pope mentions several types of fantastic characters in this section which illustrate the phantasmagorical world Belinda inhabits. The angels and elves which Pope mentions number in the thousands and through them, illustrate the mental age of Belinda that of a child. These creatures also set up the meaning of the first canto, the ideal of Belinda. In the clear Mirror of thy ruling StarI saw, alas some dread Event impe nd,Ere to the Main this Morning sunshine descend.But Heavn reveals not what, or how, or whereWarnd by thy Sylph, oh Pious Maid bewareThis to disclose is all thy Guardian can.mind of all, but most beware of Man (Pope 1.108-114)This warning shows the reader, in Popes mock-epic style, that some sort of tragedy is about to unfold for Belinda. This fantastical ex gigantic continues through the end of the first canto. Pope uses the personification of the items in Belindas room to create the creatures which she sees through her dreams. Line 135 is a perfect example of this as Pope writes The Tortoise here and Elephant unite, / Transformd to Combs. It is obvious to the reader that Pope is describing a tortoise shell and ivory comb. However, in the dream world of Belinda, this target is represented by its literal components before losing this personification and becoming a tool to create Belindas physical beauty. The second canto is used to by Pope to illustrate the importance of hair to t he physical beauty of Belinda. Her majestic persona is described by Pope in order to place a slow lading on the locks of hair she will eventually lose to the impetuous Lord. Pope exaggerates Belindas physical attractiveness and the attractiveness of her jewelry as well. though she is surrounded by many well presented youths, all adorned in splendor, evry Eye was fixd on her alone (Pope 2.6) Her physical beauty, as Pope describes it, is accentuated by the cross around her neck which was so spectacular that Jews might kiss, and Infidels adore. (2.8)The power of a piece of jewelry to overcome ghostlike conviction is very unlikely, however, for Pope, this is a perfect way to illustrate the perceived power of high social standing of the wealthy elite. For the members of the elite families of England, the importance of opthalmic presentation cannot be over-stated, not even when compared to religion. Though the symbol she wears is a Christian icon, its beauty both from its constructi on and the situation that it is being worn by a young girl of such attractiveness as Belinda, it could seemingly convert Jews and heathens from their chosen dogmas. It is also in canto two that the big businessman, who will perpetrate the desecrate of the lock, is introduced. Lines twenty nine and thirty of the second canto reads Th Adventrous Baron the bright Locks admird, / He saw, he wishd, and to the Prize aspird. This introduction of the Lord creates an elicit situation for the reader. Despite the several dozen lines of text which describe the beauty of Belindas clothing, jewelry as well as her physical features, it is the locks of hair that hang against her neck which the Baron first sets eyes upon, and subsequently longs for. The first feelings of the Baron are shown to be violent in nature. Resolvd to win, he meditates the way, By furiousness to ravish, or by Fraud betray For when Success a Lovers Toil attends, Few ask, if Fraud or Force attaind his Ends. (2.31-34)This illustration of the mans liveliness shows the reader that the Baron does not visualize the hair on Belinda as a part of Belinda if he recognizes Belinda at all. The hair that hangs on her neck, however, is instantly revered as a stately prize. It is also through this section that the locks of hair are given a internal persona. At no time does the Baron speak, or think of Belinda as a source of joy, but rather her hair as an all include quest. The immediacy of the Barons passion for the locks of Belindas hair illustrates a very important aspect of his personality the trophy is more important than the conquest. It is the intent of the Baron to display the locks of hair, as one would display a commendation. The locks of would signify the physical conquest of the beauty of Belinda whether or not that conquest ever genuinely occurred. The signification given to the locks of hair on Belindas head is that of her chastity. By removing them, the Baron, in so much as it was seen in the times, had given Belinda the equivalent of a badge of promiscuity. The path through which the Baron achieves his goal, is illustrated through a card game. though this game is seemingly innocuous, it symbolizes to very distinct and overt actions the first being war, with the direct imagery within the poem, and the other being sex, by the eventual winning of the locks of chastity by the Baron. The victory of the card game enables the Baron to fill out the locks of hair from Belindas head. This action, keeping with the tone of the title of the poem, is illustrated violently though the reality of the action was certainly far less extraordinary. The Peer now spreads the glittring Forfex wide, Tinclose the Lock now joins it, to divide. Evn then, before the fatal Engine closd, A wretched Sylph too fondly interposd muckle urgd the Sheers, and cut the Sylph in twain, (But Airy Substance soon unites again) The meeting Points that sacred Hair dissever From the fair Head, for ever and for ever (3.147-154)The words used by Pope in this stanza are undoubtedly violent. Though the Baron is removing the hair with the pressured permission of Belinda, Pope chooses to paint this scene as though the Baron was glide slopeing her, killing her, and/or ravaging her body. Pope also uses strange images to create the picture in the readers mind. Line 148 states that the scissors were disagreeable around the hair, cutting it however, the language chosen by Pope creates the image of both conjunction and disjunction. This stanza is followed by Then flashd the living Lightnings from her Eyes, And Screams of execration rend th affrighted Skies. Not louder Shrieks to pitying Heavn are cast, When Husbands or when Lap-dogs breath their last, Or when rich China Vessels, faln from high, In glittring Dust and varicoloured Fragments lie (3.155-160)This violence that is being spoken of here, as intended by Pope, creates the feeling of murder, and military conquest. The emotions that Pope tak es advantage of here, are for the express purpose of illustrating the over-exaggerated weight placed in the locks of hair. This scene is intentionally written so violently, as to show the reader that the members of this social stratum have little understanding of the true importance of things such as locks of hair. Throughout canto four, Pope makes several allusions to the act of torture. It is the intent of these lines to show the reader that the taking of the locks of hair, for Belinda, however insignificant as they whitethorn truly be, was a painful and violating event. Meanwhile, the Baron, himself, calls into question the validity of the social significance of the hair While the Fops envy, and the Ladies stare / Honour forbid at whose unrivald enshrine / Ease, Pleasure, Virtue, All, our Sex resign. (4.104-107) The remainder of the poem, for Pope, win illustrates the illogical amount of importance placed on the tone ending of Belindas hair. The insistence that Fate and Jove where in the auditory modality of this event, illustrates for the reader that the society which Pope is lampooning here feels that the Christian God and the pagan gods would be affronted by witnessing such a horrible action. Pope also suggests that the loss of Belindas locks would be of such great importance to the surrounding women in her life that their own lives would come to a halt For who cam move when fair Belinda fails? (5.4) Pope offers no redemption for the couple, or the society they inhabit. By line ninety-four of the fifth canto, Belinda and the Baron engage in actual combat. Pope uses this fight to further illustrate the complexness of this societys skewed priorities. Now meet thy Fate, incensd Belinda cryd, And drew a deadly Bodkin from her Side. (The same, his superannuated important person to deck, Her great great Grandsire wore about his Neck In three Seal-Rings which after, melted down, Formd a vast Buckle for his Widows enclothe Her infant Grandames Whistle next it grew, The Bells she gingled, and the Whistle blew Then in a Bodkin gracd her Mothers Hairs, Which long she wore, and now Belinda wears.) (5.86-96)The fact that the petite and beautiful Belinda pulls a blade from her side, and attacks the Baron with it, is against the idea of the age where men are the fighters and women are weak in and in need of protection. This attack by the young maiden is followed by the powerful Barons begging for his life ah, let me survive. (5.101) This, again, goes against the expectations of the reader, creating a setting of irrationality. These actions by Pope to create this skewed reality, are effective in forcing the reader to see the entire world of The Rape of the Lock as improbable. Throughout the poem, Pope utilizes the tools of the ancient epic poems to create a sense of importance and truth to the work. Just as Homer had with his Iliad, Pope creates a tale of heroic and diachronic importance. However, this is exclusively a ploy to expose the utter lack of importance of the issue at hand. The entirety of the poem is an exaggeration of the expectations of the reader, and their knowledge of history and poetic license. The complexity of Popes couplet rhyming as well as the loose iambic lines, suggest that the work is meant to be seen just as the historical epics had been. However, the use of exaggerated metaphors and unlikely situations confront that sense of importance and overpower it. The voice that Pope uses throughout the poem allows the reader to feel at liberalization with the untrustworthiness of the narrator. It was the intent of Alexander Pope to illustrate a situation in which a ludicrous amount of importance was placed on a fairly insignificant object hair. Though the fact is never revealed within the poem, hair regrows naturally. This means that regardless of the taking of the hair by the Baron, given ample time, the hair would be replaced and the event completely forgotten. However, as with the strain between the two families for which Pope was inspired to write about, the event was seen as somewhat of a major catastrophe.WORKS CITEDPope, Alexander. The Rape of the Lock. University of Massachusetts. Date of access April 27, 2007. URL http//www-unix.oit.umass.edu/sconstan/index.html