Alexander Pope’s poem The Rape of the Lock Essay

Thither are s eeral aspects to horse parsley popes poem, The snipe of the jug which cement it as a unique and definitive playact. Not only do popes occasion of imagination and early(a) literary tools name a landscape of the field which is de bank noteate here, but pontiff to a fault creates the feeling of total emersion into the economize up for the indorser.            There are also many individual issues, within the work itself, which utilize their social stand up to create emotion for the lector, such 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 poem 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 c onlyed to be written by pontiffs c lose friend, to end the feud between two families, what pontiff succeeds in creating was an epic of lust, debauchery and social posturing. 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 salubrious-born families to put aside their petty squabbles.The events leading up to the compose of the poem, as explained by Pope were            The stealing of Miss Belle Fermors tomentum, was interpreted too seriously, and cause an              estrangement between the two families, though they had lived so huge in big(p) friendship       before. A common acquaintance and well     wisher to some(prenominal) desired me to write a poem to               make a jest of it, and laugh them together again. It was with  &nb sp 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 word to describe such an inane event elaborates Alexander Popes fondness of parody as well as his ability to illustrate the strange and often humorous idiosyncrasies of the wealthy elite.            As Pope begins his five act poem, his first base line both questions and accuses the parties twisting in the rivalry by asking what trivial things could have been seen as such a dire Offence. The offend which is spoken of by Pope in this first canto is set forth as being pull 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 exchange, that it was socially expected that these two individuals, most sure collectible to their social standing, would have no wo of but to form a physical union only ignoring any personal choice in the matter.            Throughout the first canto, there are several examples of instances where Pope created a strange gumption of reality through his use of word choice and order. Calling to attention the vision of a birth-night beau, a really festive and happy imold age, Pope juxtaposes the musical theme of non-consensual relations and enters into a dream-state. The allusions that Pope creates here are a rattling white and pure scene. The use of imagery such as the slippers, silver sound, and Belinda laying her laissez passer against her downy pillow creates a setting of safety and warmth.            In line 20 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 return s to sleep 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 contribution which illustrate the unrealistic 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 inform of Belinda.            In the clear Mirror of thy ruling StarI saw, regrettably some dread Event impend,Ere to the Main this sunup Sun descend.But Heavn reveals not what, or how, or where admonishd by thy Sylph, oh Pious Maid bewareThis to disclose is all thy Guardian can.Beware of all, but most beware of Man (Pope 1.108-114)This example shows the reader, in Popes mock-epic style, that some sort of trag edy is about(predicate) to unfold for Belinda.            This fantastical illustration 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. post 135 is a stainless 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 dumbfound and ivory comb. However, in the dream world of Belinda, this object is represented by its literal components before losing this personification and becoming a tool to create Belindas physical dish aerial.            The second canto is used to by Pope to illustrate the wideness of hairsbreadth to the physical beauty of Belinda. Her majestic persona is described by Pope in order to place a massive weight on the locks of hair she will eventually lose to the hot 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 all (Pope 2.6) Her physical beauty, as Pope describes it, is accentuated by the cross around her come which was so spectacular that Jews might kiss, and Infidels adore. (2.8)The power of a put in of jewelry to overcome religious 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 visual 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 construction and the situation that it is being worn by a upstart girl of such attractiveness as Belinda, it could seemi ngly convert Jews and heathens from their chosen dogmas.            It is also in canto two that the magnate, who will perpetrate the rape of the lock, is introduced. livestocks 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 Force to ravish, o r by Fraud betray                For when achievement a Lovers Toil attends,                Few ask, if Fraud or Force attaind his Ends.                (2.31-34)This illustration of the mans enwrapped 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 straight off revered as a stately prize.            It is also through this section that the locks of hair are prone a sexual persona. At no time does the Baron speak, or think of Belinda as a line of joy, but rather her hair as an all encompassing quest. The immediate apprehension 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 flavour of the Baron to display the locks of hair, as one would display a commendation. The locks of would destine the physical conquest of the beauty of Belinda whether or not that conquest ever actually occurred.            The signification given to the locks of hair on Belindas whirl 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 intelligible 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 success of the card game enables the Baron to cut the loc ks of hair from Belindas head. This action, charge 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 promptly spreads the glittring Forfex wide,                T break in the Lock now joins it, to divide.                Evn then, before the fatal engine closd,                A wretched Sylph too fondly interposd                slew urgd the Sheers, and cut the Sylph in twain,                (But Airy Substance soon unites again)                The meeting Points that pious Hai r 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 attacking 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 closed 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 scared the living Lightnings from her Eyes,                And Screams of Horror rend t h affrighted Skies.                Not louder Shrieks to clement Heavn are cast,                When Husbands or when Lap-dogs breath their last,                Or when rich chinaware Vessels, faln from high,                In glittring Dust and painted 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 takes advantage of here, are for the express purpose of illustrating the over-exaggerated weight primed(p) in the locks of hair. This scene is patternionally written so violently, as to show the reader that the members of this social stratum have little und erstanding 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 may truly be, was a painful and violating event. Meanwhile, the Baron, himself, calls into question the validity of the social entailment of the hair While the Fops envy, and the Ladies stare / Honour forbid at whose unrivald Shrine / Ease, Pleasure, Virtue, All, our Sex resign. (4.104-107)            The remainder of the poem, for Pope, further illustrates the illogical join of importance placed on the loss of Belindas hair. The insistence that Fate and Jove where in the audience of this event, illustrates for the reader that the society which Pope is lampooning here feels that the Christian God and the pagan go ds would be affronted by witnessing such a unspeakable action. Pope also suggests that the loss of Belindas locks would be of such undischarged 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 suck up in actual combat. Pope uses this fight to further illustrate the complexity of this societys skewed priorities.             Now meet thy Fate, incensd Belinda emitd,                And drew a deadly Bodkin from her Side.                (The same, his ancient Personage to deck,             &nb sp  Her great great Grandsire wore about his Neck                In three Seal-Rings which after, melted down,                figd a vast Buckle for his Widows fit out                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 hefty 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 impressive 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 historic importance. However, this is simply a ploy to expose the utter lack of importance of the issue at hand. The totality 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 unfounded 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 discomfit it. The voice that Pope uses throughout the poem allows the reader to feel at ease 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