The Rape of the Lock
Alexander Pope
Synopsis
In the beginning of this mock-epic, Pope declares that a "dire offence" (Canto 1 line 1)[1] has been committed. A lord has assaulted a "gentle belle"(line 8), causing her to reject him. He then proceeds to tell the story of this offence.
It begins with Belinda still asleep. Her "guardian Sylph"(line 20), named Ariel, warns her while she sleeps that "some dread event [impends], Ere to the main this morning sun descend; But Heaven reveals not what, or how, or where; Warned by the Sylph, oh pious maid beware!"(line 109-110). Belinda then awakes and proceeds to get ready for the day with the help of her maid, Betty. The Sylphs, though unseen, also contribute. "These set the head, and those divide the hair, some fold the sleeve, whilst others plait the gown"(line 146-147). Belinda appears so beautiful that as she journeys to Hampton Court (canto 3 line 1-10) "every eye was fixed on her alone"(Canto 2 line 6). Here Pope also describes Belinda's two locks of hair "which graceful hung behind"(line 20). The Baron, one of Belinda's suitors, greatly admires these locks and conspires to steal one. He builds an altar and on it places "all the trophies of his former loves"(line 40), sets them on fire, and fervently prays "soon to obtain, and long posses"(line 44) the lock.
Ariel, disturbed by the impending event, though he does not know what it will be, summons many sylphs to him and instructs them to guard Belinda from anything that may befall her, whether she "forget her prayers, or miss a masquerade, Or lost her heart, or necklace, at a ball"(line 108-109). These spirits hover over Belinda, anxious to protect her as she arrives at Hampton Court. Here she is invited to play a game of ombre, which game she wins.
The Baron still conspires to get her lock. He acquires a pair of scissors and tries to snip it off. The Sylphs sent to watch over her, intervene by blowing "back the hair" and twitching "the diamond in her ear"(canto 3 line 136-137), causing Belinda to look around, and stopping the Baron in his plans. This happens three times, but in the end the Baron manages to cut off the lock (also cutting a Sylph in two, but Pope reassures us that "airy substance soon unites again [line 152]). When Belinda discovers her lock is gone, she falls into a tantrum, with "living lightning" flashing in her eyes"(line 155). The Baron celebrates his victory.
A gnome name Umbriel journeys to the Cave of Spleen and from the Queen receives a bag of "sighs, sobs, and passions, and the war of tongues"(canto 4 line 84) and a vial filled "with fainting fears, soft sorrows, melting griefs, and flowing tears"(line 85-86) and brings them to Belinda. He finds her dejected in the arms of the woman Thalestris, and pours the bag and vial over them both. This causes all the emotions from the bag and vial to fill them.
Many people, moved by Belinda's grief over her lock, demand it back, but the Baron is unrepentant and refuses. Clarissa admonishes them to keep their good humor, but they don't listen and "called her prude"(canto 5 line 165), and instead a court battle ensues between the nobles. Their weapons are glares, songs, and wits. Belinda fights with the Baron and throws snuff up his nose to subdue him. She threatens to kill him with a bodkin (a sharp hairpin).[2] She demands that he restore the lock, but they soon discover that it has been completely lost. They search everywhere for it, but cannot find it.
At the end, Pope tells us to "trust the Muse--for she saw it upward rise...A sudden star, it shot through liquid air, and drew behind a radiant trail of hair"(canto 5 line 252-257). Belinda's lock of hair became a star and "this lock the Muse shall consecrate to fame, and 'midst the stars inscribe Belinda's name"(line 280). Even when we are all dead and gone, Belinda's lock of hair shall live on forever.In the beginning of this mock-epic, Pope declares that a "dire offence" (Canto 1 line 1)[1] has been committed. A lord has assaulted a "gentle belle"(line 8), causing her to reject him. He then proceeds to tell the story of this offence.
It begins with Belinda still asleep. Her "guardian Sylph"(line 20), named Ariel, warns her while she sleeps that "some dread event [impends], Ere to the main this morning sun descend; But Heaven reveals not what, or how, or where; Warned by the Sylph, oh pious maid beware!"(line 109-110). Belinda then awakes and proceeds to get ready for the day with the help of her maid, Betty. The Sylphs, though unseen, also contribute. "These set the head, and those divide the hair, some fold the sleeve, whilst others plait the gown"(line 146-147). Belinda appears so beautiful that as she journeys to Hampton Court (canto 3 line 1-10) "every eye was fixed on her alone"(Canto 2 line 6). Here Pope also describes Belinda's two locks of hair "which graceful hung behind"(line 20). The Baron, one of Belinda's suitors, greatly admires these locks and conspires to steal one. He builds an altar and on it places "all the trophies of his former loves"(line 40), sets them on fire, and fervently prays "soon to obtain, and long posses"(line 44) the lock.
Ariel, disturbed by the impending event, though he does not know what it will be, summons many sylphs to him and instructs them to guard Belinda from anything that may befall her, whether she "forget her prayers, or miss a masquerade, Or lost her heart, or necklace, at a ball"(line 108-109). These spirits hover over Belinda, anxious to protect her as she arrives at Hampton Court. Here she is invited to play a game of ombre, which game she wins.
The Baron still conspires to get her lock. He acquires a pair of scissors and tries to snip it off. The Sylphs sent to watch over her, intervene by blowing "back the hair" and twitching "the diamond in her ear"(canto 3 line 136-137), causing Belinda to look around, and stopping the Baron in his plans. This happens three times, but in the end the Baron manages to cut off the lock (also cutting a Sylph in two, but Pope reassures us that "airy substance soon unites again [line 152]). When Belinda discovers her lock is gone, she falls into a tantrum, with "living lightning" flashing in her eyes"(line 155). The Baron celebrates his victory.
A gnome name Umbriel journeys to the Cave of Spleen and from the Queen receives a bag of "sighs, sobs, and passions, and the war of tongues"(canto 4 line 84) and a vial filled "with fainting fears, soft sorrows, melting griefs, and flowing tears"(line 85-86) and brings them to Belinda. He finds her dejected in the arms of the woman Thalestris, and pours the bag and vial over them both. This causes all the emotions from the bag and vial to fill them.
Many people, moved by Belinda's grief over her lock, demand it back, but the Baron is unrepentant and refuses. Clarissa admonishes them to keep their good humor, but they don't listen and "called her prude"(canto 5 line 165), and instead a court battle ensues between the nobles. Their weapons are glares, songs, and wits. Belinda fights with the Baron and throws snuff up his nose to subdue him. She threatens to kill him with a bodkin (a sharp hairpin).[2] She demands that he restore the lock, but they soon discover that it has been completely lost. They search everywhere for it, but cannot find it.
At the end, Pope tells us to "trust the Muse--for she saw it upward rise...A sudden star, it shot through liquid air, and drew behind a radiant trail of hair"(canto 5 line 252-257). Belinda's lock of hair became a star and "this lock the Muse shall consecrate to fame, and 'midst the stars inscribe Belinda's name"(line 280). Even when we are all dead and gone, Belinda's lock of hair shall live on forever.
Criticism
Neo Classicism. defines the age of reasoning during 17th to 19th centuries. It displays a certain restraint in characteristics of age, which is marked by religious freedom and other concepts. Also accompanied by the touch of renaissance style. The rape of the Lock by Alexander Pope is a mock-heroic narrative poem which first anonymously published in Lintot's Miscellany in May 1712, which means it belongs to the 18th century of renaissance literature. The first epistle consisting of two cantos or 334 lines was later revised into much expanded 5-canto version (794 lines) under Alexander Pope's name inn March 2 1714. The poem was based on real life incident happened and retold by Pope's friend, John Caryll. Arabella Fermor and her suitor, Lord Petre were both from aristocratic recusant- Catholic families who at hand, under the law of Test Act, in which all denominations suffered legal restrictions and penalties except for the Anglicanism. Petre lusting after Arabella had cut off her hair without permission and argument rise between two families. Pope rewrote the incident by his friends' urge to comically join the two. He just added the sylphs or guardian spirits of virgins to make twists in the poem..
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