Mock-Heroic Poem by Alexander Pope

2. Alexander Pope – In Nutshell
Born – May 21, 1688 – London, England
 Roman Catholic Family
 Inspired by the classical Greek Writers
 Self-taught
 At the age of 12 started writing
Translated many Greek Works
Died – May 30, 1744

3. The Rape of the Lock – Background Idea
Two aristocrat Roman Catholic Families in friendship
Lord Petre and Lady Arbella Fervor fall in love
Petre cut Arbella’s lock of hair
Friendship between the families changed
Mr.John Caryll asked Pope to write a poem
Pope came up with the masterpiece of the age “The Rape of the Lock”

4. Characters
•Belinda
Beautiful young lady with wondrous hair, two locks of which hang gracefully in curls.
•The Baron
Young admirer of Belinda who plots to cut off one of her locks.
•Ariel
Belinda's guardian sylph (supernatural creature).
•Clarissa
Young lady who gives the Baron scissors.
•Umbriel
Sprite who enters the cave of the Queen of Spleen to seek help for Belinda.

5. •Queen of Spleen
Underworld goddess who gives Umbriel gifts for Belinda.
•Thalestris Friend of Belinda.
Thalestris urges Sir Plume to defend Belinda's honor.
•Sir Plume Beau of Thalestris.
He scolds the Baron.
Sylphs, Fairies, Genies, Demons, Phantoms and Other Supernatural Creatures
•Supernatural Machinery: In classical epics God, gods and goddesses were the
supernatural elements but here this part is performed by tiny spirits like; sylphs,
nymphs, gnomes, and salamanders etc.
•Source – a Real-Life Incident

6. Canto 1
Belinda awakes from sleeping
The dream of Belinda
Belinda prepares for the day’s social activities

7. Canto 2
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
Crispissa—the locks
Ariel—Shock, Belinda’s lapdog
Momentilla—the watch
fifty chosen Sylphs—the petticoa

8. Canto 3
The game of cards—ombre
Ombre: popular card game
Matadore: a powerful card that could take a trick
The rape of the lock

9. Canto 4
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

10. Canto 5
Clarissa’s speech
The battle of belles and beaux
The lock rises to the heaven and becomes a star

11. Major Themes in the Rape of the Lock
•Beauty
•Religion and Morality
•Immortality and carefree nature of the upper class
•Female Desire and passion
•Love
•Pride

12. As a Mock-Heroic Epic
•Both Literary and Moral satire
•Pope’s Vein Compared with Others
•The Machinery Used in Mock-Heroic Epic
•The Use of Spiritual Machinery in Mock-Heroic Epic
•Mockery — both Human and Literacy
•Didactic Purpose of Rape of the Lock as a Mock-Heroic Epic
•The ridiculousness of a society in which values have lost all proportion
•The society on display in this poem is one that fails to distinguish between things that matter
and things that do not.

13. •Epic:
“A long narrative poem about the
actions of a great person.”
Or
“A long narrative poem which deals in a grand diction with sublime themes and
tells heroic deeds.”
•Mock Epic:
“It is a parody of an epic.”
Or
“A long narrative poem which deals in a grand diction with trivial/ordinary
themes and produces laughter.”

14. Characteristics of Epic
•The protagonist is a figure of great importance. The ideal person of that culture; a superhuman.
•The Setting is vast in scope.
•The action consists of the deeds of courage. ( For example- War)
•The intervention of gods and supernatural Elements.
•The style of writing is elevated.
•Opens by stating the theme of the Epic.
•Writer invokes a muse.

15. EPIC
•Epics are long poems which detail the heroic
journey of one or more characters.
•Highlights Bravery, courage and struggle of the
central character.
•One of the most famous examples of an epic is
The Iliad, a story set during the Trojan Wars.
MOCK HEROIC EPIC
•A mock epic does exactly what it suggests: it
works by 'mocking' the traditional epic.
• Focuses on a very silly and trivial matter.
•A famous example of a mock epic is "The Rape
of the Lock." This poem has all the grandeur of
an epic but instead of focusing on a heroic
quest, the action focuses on a baron who
steals a lock of hair from a lady, a far more
trivial activity.

16. As a Social Satire
•Pope’s Satire in Rape of the lock
•The Poet’s Purpose
•Pope’s sincerity Towards Belinda’s beauty
•Pope’s Averse Attitude Towards Lord Petre
•Female Vanity as a piece of Satire in Rape of the Lock