Introduction of Alexander Pope
Alexander Pope was born on 21 May 1688, London, United Kingdom.Pope was an English poet, translator, and satirist of the Augustan period and one of its greatest artistic exponents.He died on 30 May 1744, Radnor House Independent School, Twickenham, United Kingdom.
Analysis of 'A Rape of the Lock'
The Rape of the Lock was written by Alexander Pope and first published in 1712, then reworked and published again in 1714. There are five cantos. The poem is a mock-epic that satirizes the upper-class in London at the time. The story focuses on the central character, Belinda, whose lock of hair is cut off at a social gathering.
Belinda arises to prepare for the day’s social activities after sleeping late. Her guardian sylph, Ariel, warned her in a dream that some disaster will befall her, and promises to protect her to the best of his abilities. Belinda takes little notice of this oracle, however.
After an elaborate ritual of dressing and primping, she travels on the Thames River to Hampton Court Palace, an ancient royal residence outside of London, where a group of wealthy young socialites are gathering for a party. Among them is the Baron, who has already made up his mind to steal a lock of Belinda’s hair. He has risen early to perform and elaborate set of prayers and sacrifices to promote success in this enterprise. When the partygoers arrive at the palace, they enjoy a tense game of cards, which Pope describes in mock-heroic terms as a battle.
This is followed by a round of coffee. Then the Baron takes up a pair of scissors and manages, on the third try, to cut off the coveted lock of Belinda’s hair. Belinda is furious. Umbriel, a mischievous gnome. Clarissa, who had aided the Baron in his crime, now urges Belinda to give up her anger in favor of good humor and good sense, moral qualities which will outlast her vanities. But Clarissa’s moralizing falls on deaf ears, and Belinda initiates a fight between the ladies and the gentlemen, in which she attempts to recover the severed curl.
The lock is lost in the confusion of this mock battle, however; the poet consoles the bereft Belinda with the suggestion that it has been taken up into the heavens and immortalized as a constellation.
Characters of 'A Rape of the Lock'
Belinda
The character of Belinda is the heroine of The Rape of the Lock. Pope bases her character on the historical Arabella Fermor, the daughter of an aristocratic Catholic family. Robert, Lord Petre, a family friend, snipped a lock of her hair without permission, thereby causing a rift between their two families. The Pope depicts this incident in the poem.
The Baron
The Baron is an admirer of Belinda’s, and he enacts the “rape of the lock” by cutting off one of the curls of hair that hung down her neck. He is based on the historical Robert, Lord Petre.
Caryll
John Caryll, a friend of Pope’s who witnessed the incident between Arabella Fermor and Lord Petre.Who inspired Pope for writing on poem on this incident.
Clarissa
Clarissa is one of the women in attendance at the Hampton Court party. She is complicit in the severing of Belinda’s hair, lending her sewing scissors to the Baron. She later delivers a moralizing speech lasted for very long time, women need to be nice because their beauty will fade.
Ariel
Ariel takes his job very seriously. He helps Belinda get ready and does a much better job than her maid, Betty, ever could do. He and the other sylphs flutter around, trying to protect Belinda when she plays cards. Ariel is also a master delegator, rather like the commander of an army. He assigns all the other sylphs jobs of protecting Belinda.
Thalestris
Thalestris isn't a great friend to Belinda, even though she calls herself one. When Belinda is upset, she makes the situation worst , reminding Belinda how hard she worked to get her hair just right. She also tells Belinda her reputation will suffer if her hair is displayed—and that as a result, Thalestris's own reputation will suffer if she tries to defend her.
Sir Plume
Thalestris’s boyfriend and Belinda’s brother. He makes an ineffectual challenge to the Baron. He represents the historical Sir George Browne, a member of Pope’s social circle.
Reference
Wikipedia. Com
Gradesaver.com
https://www.coursehero.com/lit/The-Rape-of-the-Lock/character-map/
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