The document summarizes Alexander Pope's poem "The Rape of the Lock". It describes Pope's life and works before discussing the structure and themes of "The Rape of the Lock". Specifically, it notes that the poem is a mock epic that treats a trivial card game dispute between two families in a dignified and exaggerated style, similar to real epic poems. It also outlines some of the main characters and events in the poem, such as Belinda's sleeping and preparation, the card game where the lock is cut, and the resulting dispute between the families.

2. ※Born in a Catholic
family
 Suffered from
prejudices
 Educated in Twyford

3. ※Moved to Binfield in 1700
 Self-taught: “did nothing but read and
write”
 Suffered from ill health: tuberculosis,
asthma, and headaches

4. ※Moved to Binfield
in 1700
 Humpbacked and
deformed

5. ※Published An Essay on Criticism in 1711
 First striking success as a poet
※ Made friends with Jonathan Swift and
John Gay

6. ※Published an early version of “The Rape
of the Lock” in 1712 (two cantos)
 A funny battle between sexes and follies
of a young lady

7. ※ Expanded “The Rape
of the Lock” in 1714
(five cantos)
 A quarrel between
two families
◎ Characters:
 Lord Petre :Baron
 Miss Arabella Fermor:
Belinda

8. ◎Background:
 John Caryll’s suggestion to “pour poetic
oils on these troubled waters” or
 Hope that “a little laughter might serve to
soothe ruffled tempers.”
◎ Pope’s purpose:
 Do not worry about trivial things!

9. ※Translated Iliad
and Odyssey into
English
 The first man to
prove “Literature
can raise writers.”

10. ※Published The Dunciad in 1728
Became professional satirist
 “Sleepless themselves to give their
readers sleep”

11. ※ Died on May 30, 1744
The “Age of Pope” ended

14.  Belinda awakes from sleeping
 The dream of Belinda
 Belinda prepares for the day’s social
activities

16.  The travel on the Thames river
 The prayer of the young adventurer Baron
 The Sylphs’ mission to “tend the Fair”—to
protect Belinda
Brillante—the earrings
Chrispissa—the locks
Ariel—Shock, Belinda’s lapdog
Momentilla—the watch
fifty chosen Sylphs—the petticoat

18.  The game of cards—ombre
 The rape of the lock

20.  Belinda’s Ill-Natured mood and
Affection after the loss of the lock
 Umbriel, the earthy gnome, descends to
the Cave of Spleen
 Thalestris’ speech rouses the rage of
Belinda
 Sir Plume bids in vain the payment of
the lock

22.  Clarissa’s speech
 The battle of belles and beaux
 The lock rises to the heaven and
becomes a star

24.  Epic
 Mock epic
 Structure

25.  A long narrative poem
 Elevated, grand style
 Great heroes and heroines
 The setting is vast in
geographical range
 Supernatural power

26.  The theme is usually the adventure of a
hero or a war.
 Invocate the Muse’s aid. (Calliope)
 Ask epic question(s).
 Begin with in medias res.
 Use epithets and similes.
 Gods’ interference in human affairs.

27.  A work designed to ridicule attitudes,
style, or subject matter by handling
either an elevated subject in a trivial
manner or a low subject with mock
dignity (Karl 30).
 Renders a trivial subject ridiculous by
treating it with the elaborate (Karl 31).
 Compare small things with
something great.

28. Traditional Epic The Rape of the Lock
Invoke the aid of
the muse: Calliope
“ Say what strange
motive, Goddess!
Could compel” (1. 7)
Begin with in
medias res
No
Gods are involved
Spirits (Sylphs,
Gnomes, Nymphs…)
are involved

29. “Among the
gods, who
brought this
quarrel on?”
(Iliad)
1 What dire offense from amorous causes springs,
What mighty contests rise from trivial things,
…
7 Say what strange motive, Goddess! Could compel
A well-bred lord to assault a gentle belle?
Oh, say what stranger cause, yet unexplored,
Could make a gentle belle reject a lord?
In tasks so bold can little men engage,
And in soft bosoms dwells such mighty rage?
The Epic Question

30. “Achilles, fast in
battle as a lion.”
“Hera, whose
arms are white as
ivory.”
“Quick as her eyes” (2. 10),
“Bright as the sun” (2. 13),
“Shrink his thin essence
like a riveled flower” (2.
132),
“And falls like thunder on
the prostrate Ace” (3. 98).

31. “man-killer
Hector”
“sharp-eyed
Hermes”
“Bolt-hurling
Zeus”
“Fair nymphs, and well-
dress'd youths around her
shone” (2. 5)
“The long-contended
honours of her head”
(4.140)
“Why round our coaches
crowd the white-glov'd
beaux?” (5. 13).

32.  Heroic couplet
Rhymed in every two lines.
 Iambic pentameter
Ten syllables in each line
Alternate with stressed and unstressed
syllables

33. Journey to the
underworld
The Cave of Spleen (ill
nature of female
hypochondriacs) (4. 1)
Sacrifice offering to gods
before an important war
or journey
Baron sacrifices his
former love-token. (2.35)

34. Battle Cliches, frowns and angry
glances, snuff and bodkin.
“So spoke the dame, “ (5. 35).
The card game (Ombre).
Rape of the female
chastity
Rape of a lock of hair