A Rape of the Lock
Alexander Pope
Alexander Pope was an English poet and satirist of the Augustan period and one of its greatest artistic exponents. Considered the foremost English poet of the early 18th century and a master of the heroic couplet he is best known for satirical and discursive poetry, including THE RAPE OF THE LOCK, THE DUNCIAD, and AN ESSAY ON CRITICISM, and FOR HIS TRANSLATION OF HOMER.
History of Poem
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. Finally, in 1717, upon preparing for a publication of a collection of his work, Pope wrote the version that we know today. This version is five cantos long, and includes Clarissa’s speech, which aids in describing the morality behind the poem. However, it is interesting to note that by the time Pope had finished the latest version, Lord Peter had died of smallpox, and Arabella was married, so the feud which the poem was originally written to mend was no longer relevant.
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. Although trivial to most, Belinda is outraged that her lock of hair has been cut by the Baron. In the Rape of the Lock, Pope uses Belinda and the Baron to mock two of his acquaintances, ARABELLA FERMOR, and LORD PETER. The poem follows the events of the night, leading up to Belinda’s “horrific” loss.
SUMMARY VIDEO
Thinking Activity
1)Who is the protagonist of the poem Clarissa or Belinda? Why? Give your answer with logical reasons.
Belinda
The protagonist of the poem, Belinda is a wealthy and beautiful young lady with wondrous hair, two locks of which hang gracefully in curls. She travels to Hampton Court for a day of socializing and leisure. Her remarkable beauty attracts the attention of the Baron, who snips (cut) off a lock of her hair in his infatuation(attraction).
The Pope presented Belinda as a complex character. He has presented her in different roles and under different shades, some are satirical, others ironical but all entertaining. Belinda is very mixed and complicated; mocking and yet tender, admiring and yet critical.
Belinda is a vain, upper class woman who is always seen as the center of attention. Her society puts her on a high pedestal, always giving her praise when possible. The Baron steals a curl of Belinda’s hair when given the scissors by Belinda’s friend, Clarissa. When The Baron cuts the curl from her head, the typically calm, collective Belinda flies into a horrible rage. She asks at once for her hair to be returned to her but when The Baron cannot find the curl, it is said that it traveled up into the stars and is now a constellation for all to admire. It looks as though the Pope used this mock-epic work to represent the fascination that society has of the members of the upper class. Belinda’s beauty was admired by all and many were jealous of her (The Baron, Clarissa). The tension between the people in the upper class is illustrated by these characters and the fight to steal another person’s power. Pope compares the trivial event in his poem to the events in epic poems by using satire. The events that occur in this poem show how the society being described has lost all capability of determining which problems are to be treated seriously and which should not.
Reason
It is her character around whom the story of the whole poem is woven. Belinda is a beautiful young lady and main character of poem because she is centered in the poem for her beautiful two golden curls. Baron is attracted towards it and cuts her lock without knowing her by which Belinda becomes curious about her lock. Throughout the poem she is centered in the poem for lock of hair snip by Baron. So she is the protagonist of the poem.
2) What is beauty?
Definition
Normal way of justifying beauty is highly pleasing to the sight; perceived physical perfection; attractive harmony of features, figure, or complexion; exceptional grace, elegance, or charm in appearance.” Many people tend to define beauty on what is on the outside rather than what's on the inside.
My thoughts about beauty
But in a real sense beauty should not be judged from outside, it should be judged by inside.
Beauty in Poem
In the poem it is talked about the outer beauty of the character Belinda.
Belinda's pleasing beauty is enhanced by two curling side locks of hair that charmingly set off her ivory white neck.
Her outer beauty is highly enhanced in the poem. Pope compares Belinda to the sun and suggests that it recognizes in Belinda a rival. Belinda is like the sun not only because of her bright eyes and not only because she dominates her special world. She was as beautiful as every eye was fixed on her alone.
“Bright as the sun, her eyes the gazers strike.
And, like the sun, shines on all alike."
3)Find out a research paper on "The Rape of the Lock". Give the details of the paper and write down in brief what it says about the Poem by Alexander Pope.
Research paper by RICHIK BANERJEE academia.edu
The Rape of the Lock as working out ideas of feminine psychology in terms of ‘irrational’ mythologies. In the research paper it talked about how Baron is attracted towards Belinda's lock of hair. And how both the families had a conflict that has attracted readers. The use of Supernatural machinery Sylph(imaginary spirit).
Pope's Comparing those giant work and issues to make fun of the genre and the society as well. Such comparison provokes use of parody (deliberate exaggeration for comic effect) mockery (comments)at the relativity of Being and genealogy(A Study of family history)of the Real through a cultural mirroring of selves(self) in a broader plane.
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