Rape of teh Lock

A detailed Summary of Rape of teh Lock

As the name indicates, the Mock-Epic is a literary form that burlesques the 'classical epics' by using characteristics of the epic -- the invocation of a deity, a formal statement of theme, the division of the work into books and cantos, grandiose speeches, battles and supernatural machinery- to reveal the ridiculousness of a certain subject. The main effect of employing techniques of an epic is, however, not so much to have fun with the epic, but to deflate a subject or characters that by contrast appear particularly trivial. One of the best examples of a Mock Epic is Alexander Pope's The Rape of the Lock, which uses its highly polished verses, mordantly satirical heroic couplets, and intelligence to satirize not only the overwhelming complexity and seriousness of subject matters found within epic poems, but the fuss that results when an young lord cuts a small lock of hair from the head of an young beauty.

In The Rape of the Lock, Pope expends much energy preparing the audience for a 'battle' (card game) that will shortly take place, that of English intrigue at Hampton Court. Pope treats the subject with seriousness, depicting the story as a true epic. Pope's intention was possibly to dilute, with humor, the ill feeling arou

Pope addresses beauty in a variety of ways. "The Rape of the Lock" conveys Pope's thoughts regarding the effect of beauty upon women as individuals, various males, religion and society at large. It is obvious that Pope deems the effects of beauty on the women entity (body, mind and soul) as silly. Pope would agree that beauty is the root of female vanity. Pope clearly considers female vanity to be meaningless, he uses satirical techniques throughout the piece to reveal this viewpoint. For instance, when he says "her joy in gilded chariots, when alive, And love of ombre, after death survive," he mocks the fact that the women are so concerned with the card game; he mocks the intense preparation that the women undertake. He mocks female vanity by comparing the 'arming of the soldier' to a toilet (dressing) scene. The most obvious satirical device used to mock female vanity is viewed in the form of a speech, which is delivered by Ariel, the head of the Sylphs and Gnomes. Theses characters represent Meddling Gods and Goddesses that exist in many epics. The speech however isn't an inspirational speech to better the protection a true battle hero might receive, but rather a woman who prepares to look her best. The speech draws a clear comparison, as well as an absurd and truthful connection, between significant battle incidents and simple trivial womanly aspects, "Whether the nymph shall break Diana's law,/ Or some frail china jar receive a flaw;/ Or stain her honor, or her new brocade,/ Forget her prayers, or miss a masquerade." In addition, he used a very basic method to reveal the absurdity of female vanity-he compared smaller less significant objects to larger more prominent things.

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Approximate Word count = 1768
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)

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