GRADO en ESTUDIOS

INGLESES

SEGUNDO CURSO
PRIMER CUATRIMESTRE

ASIGNATURA: Literatura Inglesa II

Ilustración, Romanticismo y Época
Victoriana

Tutora: Mª Concepción Torrente Cuevas

Email: ctorrente@palma.uned.es
 ALEXANDER POPE

Rape of the Lock blends the most characteristic traits of 18 th

century literature in England. The poem is deeply suggestive
and breathes a profoundly evocative atmosphere. The poem
reaffirms Pope´s mastery over the SATIRIC MODE.

The poem is one of the most representative examples of the so-

called MOCK-EPIC tradition WHICH CONSISTS IN
DRAWING ON
THE CONVENTIONS OF EPIC POETRY
IN ORDER TO EXPOSE
THE TRIVIALITY OF AN ORDINARY EVENT.

In the poem, Pope USES:

 RHETORICAL AND GRANDIOSE language, very
similar to Homer´s Iliad and Odyssey.
 He uses HYBERBOLES,
 constant alteration of habitual syntactic structure and
also
 creates a very unusual DIVINE APARATUS which is not
integrated by Zeus, Aphrodite or Mars BUT mainly by
TINY SYLPHS and GNOMES who have NOTHING
TO DO with the epic gods and goddesses.
 Also, Pope DEFLATES (subvert) the most typical epic
themes and symbols:
 the figure of the hero,
 the adventures he has to undergo,
 the battles he has to fight and
 the enemies he had to defeat, who ARE CONTINUOUSLY
RIDICULED by the poet.
 In the poem there is no Achilles, Ajax, Hector or Aeneas
but a set of characters whose UNHEROIC DISPOSITION
is clear from the very beginning of the text. Instead of all
these epic heroes, we have Belinda, a woman that
epitomizes the ideals of BEAUTY and ELEGANCE
demanded by the upper circles she belongs to.
The poem is based on a real incident. The Petres and Fermors
were two families of landowners whose cordial relation came to
an end when Lord Petre cut a lock from Miss Arabella Fermor´s
hair. Her family considered that Arabella´s honour had been
stained. JOHN CARYLL, a close friend of Pope, asked him to
write a humorous poem to encourage both families to laugh the
whole event off. He wrote it in less than two weeks.

In the five cantos of the poem Pope constructs a pungent and

biting satirical attack on the social conventions of his time,
focusing particularly on the frailties and trivialities of the
world of belles and beaux.

CANTO I
Brief summary and commentary

The initial lines introduce Pope´s intention.

In the first FOUR lines, the poet RECOGNISES THE

TRIVIAL NATURE of the subject he is going to deal with
BUT USES A HIGHLY ELEVATED AND POMPOUS
LANGUAGE. Thus, we find that the CONTRAST between
words and the implications that lie beneath them start to emerge.

In this canto Pope introduces

two main characters and a series of
minor figures.

Belinda:. The heroine

Ariel: a mysterious creature a Sylph

Ariel also enables Pope to demystify the role that high deities
such as Zeus traditionally played out in classical epic poetry.
Ariel proclaims that something horrible will come to pass.
The reader can see the PARODY: Ariel resembles Zeus, since
both of them observe human actions from above.
BUT THERE ALL SIMILARITIES END.

ARIEL is an insignificant SYLPH ZEUS is an

almighty DEITY.

ARIEL contemplates A TRIVIAL FACT that is about to take

place.

ZEUS observes the HORRORS AND CALAMITIES OF

WAR, death and destruction.
MOCK-EPIC STRATEGIES
THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS FIRST CANTO lies basically
in
 how Pope manages to set out his extremely complex poetic
project and, also,
 in the way in which he is going to SUBVERT and
DISTORT one of the most influential genres in the history
of literature.

FORMAL APPARATUS of the Poem

THE HEROIC COUPLET = two verses in iambic pentameter

which rhyme.

[# - I use this symbol to indicate CONTRAST]

 CANTO I

WHAT dire Offence from am'rous Dire offence (epic formula) # am´rous
Causes springs, causes springs (a much more unheroic
statement)
*** rhetorical question
What mighty Contests rise from trivial
Things, Mighty contests (reminds battles in
Homeric epics) # trivial things
*** DEMYTHOLOGISATION of epic
poetry.

I sing -- This Verse to Caryll, Muse! is

due; Caryll, Muse!: Epic convention. Pope
invokes his own muse, his friend Caryll.
(It is very typical the invocation of the
Muse in the epic poems. The quotation is
taken from a Roman poet (Martial). Pope
is trying to establish a link between the
classical lit. and his poem). We also have
This, ev'n Belinda may vouchsafe to in this first lines the introduction of war.
view: The first idea we find in epic poem is that
war is caused because of a love affair, like
in this poem.

He introduces the main character of the

poem.

Slight is the Subject, but not so the What…is due: VERY TYPICAL EPIC
Praise, CONVENTION: instead of
If She inspire, and He approve my lays. subject+verb+object, he locates all the
objects first and puts the verb in the
third line.
Say what strange Motive, Goddess! cou'd
compel Slight... Praise:
A well-bred Lord t'assault a gentle Belle? DEMYTHOLOGISATION of epic
Oh say what stranger Cause, yet poetry.
unexplor'd,
Cou'd make a gentle Belle reject a Lord?
And dwells such Rage in softest Bosoms Another reference to his Muse (Caryll)
then?
And lodge such daring Souls in Little
Men? Antithesis (contrasting ideas)

Sol thro' white Curtains shot a tim'rous Timorous: timid, shy.

Ray, Sol = sun.

And op'd those Eyes that must eclipse Hyberbole: Belinda´s eyes are so
the Day; beautiful that could eclipse the sun
Now lapdogs give themselves the rousing (brightness of of her eyes equal that of the
Shake, sun).
And sleepless Lovers, just at Twelve,
awake: Lap-dogs: dogs small enough to be held in
Thrice rung the Bell, the Slipper knock'd the lap.
the Ground,
And the press'd Watch return'd a silver Pressed watch: a kind of clock.
Sound.
Belinda still her downy Pillow prest,
Her Guardian Sylph prolong'd the balmy Pope introduces the “epic gods and
Rest. goddesses” of his poem. Here, a sylph.
'Twas he had summon'd to her silent Bed
The Morning-Dream that hover'd o'er her
Head.
A Youth more glitt'ring than a Birth- Birth-night: an evening celebration of a
night Beau, royal person´s birthday.
(That ev'n in Slumber caus'd her Cheek to
glow)
Seem'd to her Ear his winning Lips to lay,
And thus in Whispers said, or seem'd to
say.
Fairest of mortals: The youth in her dream
Fairest of Mortals, thou distinguish'd addresses Belinda as the fairest mortal,
Care saying she is watched over by a thousand
Of thousand bright Inhabitants of Air! sprites inhabiting the air.
If e'er one Vision touch'd thy infant
Thought, Silver Token: coin left by a fairy as a gift
Of all the Nurse and all the Priest have for a favoured mortal.
taught,
Of airy Elves by Moonlight Shadows
seen,
The silver Token, and the circled Green,
Or Virgins visited by Angel-Pow'rs,
With Golden Crowns and Wreaths of Some secret truths…: Certain secrets are
heav'nly Flowers, revealed only to maidens like Belinda and
Hear and believe! thy own Importance to children, but not to highly educated
know, people. Sceptics may doubt the truth of
Nor bound thy narrow Views to Things these secrets but Belinda and innocent
below. children believe them.
Some secret Truths from Learned Pride
conceal'd,
To Maids alone and Children are .
reveal'd:
What tho' no Credit doubting Wits may Box, ring: the spirits of the air hover
give? around Belinda while she is in her theatre
The Fair and Innocent shall still believe. box or travelling in her carriage on a
Know then, unnumbered Spirits round circular road (ring) in Hyde Park.
thee fly,
The light Militia of the lower Sky;
These, tho' unseen, are ever on the Wing,
Hang o'er the Box, and hover round the
Ring.
Think what…:You now have an army of
sprites to look after you, not just two
pages.

As now your own: the sprites were once

women with beauteous forms. After
Think what an Equipage thou hast in death, they became spirits of the air.
Air,
And view with scorn Two Pages and a
Chair.

Air vehicles: Sylphs, gnomes and nymphs.

As now your own, our Beings were of This suggests the enormous gap between
old, the epic gods of classical mythology and
And once inclos'd in Woman's these creatures that are drawn from a
beauteous Mold; French book entitled “Le Compte de
Gabalis” and from Pope´s own
imagination.
Thence, by a soft Transition, we repair
From earthly Vehicles to these of Air. Think not…cards: after a woman dies, she
retains an interest in amusements.

Think not, when Woman's transient

Breath is fled,
That all her Vanities at once are dead: Ombre: a card game.
Succeeding Vanities she still regards, Indications of the love of riches as well
And tho' she plays no more, o'erlooks as their idleness.
the Cards.

Sprites…Termagants: the spirits of

Her Joy in gilded Chariots, when alive, quarrelsome, overbearing women.
And Love of Ombre, after Death Salamander: in myth, a lizard-like reptile
survive. that lived in fire; a spirit in the alchemy of
For when the Fair in all their Pride expire, Paracelsus, a Swiss physician.
To their first Elements the Souls retire:

The Sprites of fiery Termagants in Soft yielding…the fields of air: other

Flame spirits live in water, keeping company with
Mount up, and take a Salamander's nymphs (minor goddess inhabiting the
Name. sea). Some sprites in the earth as gnomes
 (dwarf-like creatures), and some of them
live in the air.

Soft yielding Minds to Water glide Coquettes: flirtatious women

away,
And sip with Nymphs, their Elemental
Tea.

The graver Prude sinks downward to a

Gnome,
In search of Mischief still on Earth to What…Sylph: Sylphs guard the purity of
roam. maidens from men who would take
The light Coquettes in Sylphs aloft advantage of them.
repair,
And sport and flutter in the Fields of Daring spark: a bold gentleman; an
Air. aggressive beau.

Know farther yet; Whoever fair and

chaste
Rejects Mankind, is by some Sylph
embrac'd:
For Spirits, freed from mortal Laws, with
ease
Assume what Sexes and what Shapes they
please.
What guards the Purity of melting Some nymphs…to flutter at a beau: some
Maids, sprites urge young ladies to be proud. In
In Courtly Balls, and Midnight their vanity, these women refuse the offers
Masquerades, of gentlemen.
Safe from the treach'rous Friend, and
daring Spark,
The Glance by Day, the Whisper in the
Dark;
When kind Occasion prompts their Peer: the Baron
warm Desires,
When Music softens, and when Dancing Garters, stars, coronets: the badges and
fires? other insignia of persons of high rank.
'Tis but their Sylph, the wise Celestials
know, Your Grace: a member of the nobility.
Tho' Honour is the Word with Men Although it says: “your Grace”, it really
below. means “HIS Grace”.

Some Nymphs there are, too conscious Teach…blush: teach young ladies to wear
of their Face, rouge.
For Life predestin'd to the Gnomes
Embrace.

These swell their Prospects and exalt their

Pride,
When Offers are disdain'd, and Love
deny'd.
Then gay Ideas crowd the vacant Brain;
While Peers and Dukes, and all their
sweeping Train, Florio, Damon: names commonly used in
And Garters, Stars, and Coronets poetry in Pope´s time the way we use
appear, Tom, Dick, and Harry today. They refer to
men in general.

And in soft Sounds, Your Grace salutes

their Ear.
'Tis these that early taint the Female Soul, Where…drive: The young men are vying
Instruct the Eyes of young Coquettes to for the attention of the young ladies.
roll, Sword-knot: it was a loop of fabric or
Teach Infants Cheeks a bidden Blush to leather attached to the handle of a sword.
know, A swordsman placed the loop around his
And little Hearts to flutter at a Beau. wrist as a support for maintaining his grip.
Some sword-knots were intended only as
Oft when the World imagine Women ornaments.
stray,
The Sylphs thro' mystic Mazes guide their Of these…Man!: Belinda´s guardian spirit
Way, introduces himself as Ariel, then discloses
Thro' all the giddy Circle they pursue, that a dreadful event is about to happen.
And old Impertinence expel by new. He does not know what will occur, or how
What tender Maid but must a Victim fall or where, but warns Belinda to beware.
To one Man's Treat, but for another's
Ball?
When Florio speaks, what Virgin could I saw,… descend: Combination of a
withstand, grandiose literary form with the
If gentle Damon did not squeeze her triviality implied by the words Pope
Hand? uses. The impression these two verses
convey is a highly dramatic and tense
With varying Vanities, from ev'ry Part, one. Nevertheless, when we know what
They shift the moving Toyshop of their happened, we realize that it is not dramatic
Heart; at all.
Where Wigs with Wigs, with Sword-
knots Sword-knots strive,
Beaux banish Beaux, and Coaches
Coaches drive.
This erring Mortals Levity may call, Shock: Belinda´s dog
Oh blind to Truth! The Sylphs contrive it Here, the final section of the first canto
all. begins. Pope focuses on the way Belinda
eventually wakes up and rises from her
bed. Once she gets up, she starts her
toilette and there we encounter a wide
Of these am I, who thy Protection claim, range of COSMETIC PRODUCTS.
A watchful Sprite, and Ariel is my Name.
Late, as I rang'd the Crystal Wilds of Air,
In the clear Mirror of thy ruling Star Billet-doux: love letter.

I saw, alas! Some dread Event impend,

E're to the Main this Morning Sun
descend.
But Heav'n reveals not what, or how, or
where:
Warn'd by thy Sylph, oh Pious Maid
beware!
This to disclose is all thy Guardian can.
Beware of all, but most beware of Man!
Th´ inferior Priestess: servant, maid.
Sacred rites # pride: two elements
mutually exclusive, though Pope manages
He said; when Shock, who thought she to create the paradoxical effects he wants
slept too long, to achieve with these terms.
Leapt up, and wak'd his Mistress with his A very important detail: how Pope
Tongue. identifies Belinda´s dressing table with a
sort of sanctuary or religious shrine.

'Twas then Belinda, if Report say true,

Thy Eyes first open'd on a Billet-doux.
Wounds, Charms, and Ardors, were no Decks…spoil: adorns Belinda with jewels
sooner read, and other ornaments.
But all the Vision vanish'd from thy Head. Casket: box, case.

And now, unveil'd, the Toilet stands

display'd, Tortoise: the shell of a tortoise was used in
Each Silver Vase in mystic Order laid. making combs.
First, rob'd in White, the Nymph intent Elephant: reference to ivory.
adores
With Head uncover'd, the cosmetic
Pow'rs. Bibles: small Bibles were fashionable
A heav'nly Image in the Glass appears, accessories on ladies´ dressing tables.
To that she bends, to that her Eyes she Here, Pope mixes puffs, powders and
rears; bibles to show that Belinda gives as
Th' inferior Priestess, at her Altar's much importance to her cosmetics as
side, she gives to the Bible.
Trembling, begins the sacred Rites of
Pride. Puffs…billet-doux: ALLITERATION.
The effect here is also clearly mocking:
we see how the sounds Pope repeats are
plosives and bilabials, that is, consonants
hard to pronounce. Their resonance
reminds us of the sounds that we can
hear in the battlefield. However, the
Unnumber'd Treasures open at once, and words that produce them reveal the
here triviality of the scene.
The various Off'rings of the World
appear; Now…arms: here begins an EPIC
From each she nicely culls with curious CONVENTION, a warrior putting on his
Toil, armour. In this case, of course, it is a
And decks the Goddess with the woman putting on her clothes in
glitt'ring Spoil. preparation for vying in the battle of sexes.
This Casket India's glowing Gems
unlocks,
And all Arabia breathes from yonder Box.

The Tortoise here and Elephant unite,

Transform'd to Combs, the speckled and
the white.

Here Files of Pins extend their shining

Rows,
Puffs, Powders, Patches, Bibles, Billet-
doux.

Now awful Beauty puts on all its Arms;

The Fair each moment rises in her
Charms,
Repairs her Smiles, awakens ev'ry Grace,
And calls forth all the Wonders of her
Face;
Sees by Degrees a purer Blush arise,
And keener lightnings quicken in her
Eyes.
The busy Sylphs surround their darling
Care;
These set the Head, and those divide the
Hair,
Some fold the Sleeve, while others plait
the Gown;
And Betty's prais'd for Labours not her
own.
 CANTO II

After INTRODUCING THE TWO MAIN CHARACTERS and

EXPLAINING THE CAUSE THAT ACTIVATES THE
CONFLICT, Pope devotes most of this second canto to A
DESCRIPTION OF THE SUPERNATURAL CREATURES
HE MENTIONED BEFORE.

In this central passage, Pope insists in portraying sylphs, nymphs,

gnomes and zephyrs in terms of gods and goddesses of Olympus.

In principle, all of them occupy a heavenly position with respect

to human beings, a position that allows them to observe and
evaluate all that happens on earth. Likewise, all those nymphs
and sylphs seem to be in charge of safeguarding and protecting
the moral and physical integrity of ladies.

In this second canto THE AUTHOR´S FOCUS is more in

secondary characters. What is relevant is the way Pope
characterises the “divine machinery” of sylphs, nymphs, zephyrs
and gnomes. The author draws on epic machinery in order to
portray the insignificance of these beings, a fact that
reinforces the underlying mock-epic background. After this
description we understand that these creatures are ethereal,
vulnerable and colourful, features that clearly separate them
from the stereotypical mighty and invincible gods and heroes
of epic poetry.

DEMYTHOLOGISATION in the second canto: it is

connected with the ethereal beings we commented on before.
The poet describes all the preparations that precede the battle
which seem ridiculous if we compare them to the battles in Iliad.

FORMAL APPARATUS OF CANTO II

Pope uses ZEUGMA, a device that consists in employing one
word to designate two drastically different actions within the
same line.

CANTO II

NOT with more Glories, in Not…plain: an epic convention,

th' Etherial Plain, the GREAT VOYAGE.
Belinda is travelling on the
Thames River with youths and
guarding sprites and NOT
The Sun first rises o'er the FROM GREECE TO TROY
purpled Main, WITH SELECT
Than issuing forth, the Rival of WARRIORS. They all look so
his Beams glorious that they rival the
Lanch'd on the Bosom of the sunshine.
Silver Thames.
Fair Nymphs, and well-drest
Youths around her shone,
But ev'ry Eye was fix'd on
her alone.
On her white Breast a
sparkling Cross she wore,
Which Jews might kiss, and
Infidels adore.

Her lively Looks a sprightly

Mind disclose,
Quick as her Eyes, and as
unfix'd as those:
Favours to none, to all she
Smiles extends,
Oft she rejects, but never once Bright…alike: Belinda´s eyes
offends. are compared to the sun.

Bright as the Sun, her Eyes

the Gazers strike,
And, like the sun, they shine
on all alike.
Yet graceful Ease, and
Sweetness void of Pride,
Might hide her Faults, if Belles This Nymph…attained his ends:
had faults to hide: In these lines (19-34) Pope
If to her share some Female introduces the event that
Errors fall, triggers off the action of the
Look on her Face, and you'll poem. The essence of the girl´s
forget 'em all. beauty resides in her hair.

This Nymph, to the

Destruction of Mankind,
Nourish'd two Locks, which
graceful hung behind
In equal Curls, and well Love… detains: young men fall
conspir'd to deck in love with her curls of hair;
With shining Ringlets her becoming slaves to her beauty.
smooth Iv'ry Neck.
Springes: traps, snares.
Finny:having fins
Love in these Labyrinths his
Slaves detains,
And mighty Hearts are held in
With… ensnare: just as we can
slender Chains.
catch game birds in snares and
fish (“finny prey”) in nets,
With hairy Springes we the Belinda catches men with her
Birds betray, hair.
Slight Lines of Hair surprize
the Finny Prey, The Baron is mentioned for
the first time. He is
Fair Tresses Man's Imperial acknowledged as “the
Race ensnare, adventurous baron”. THIS IS
And Beauty draws us with a A SATIRE BECAUSE THE
single Hair. BARON IS NOT
ADVENTUROUS AT ALL.
Th' Adventrous Baron the
bright Locks admir'd,
He saw, he wish'd, and to the
Prize aspir'd:
Resolv'd to win, he meditates For this… in empty air: these
the way, lines illustrate how Pope
By Force to ravish, or by Fraud USES mock-epic. The Baron,
betray; echoing the speeches epic
For when Success a Lover's heroes deliver before entering
Toil attends, the battleground, INVOKES
Few ask, if Fraud or Force the heavens and asks for help
attain'd his Ends. so that his enterprise may
eventually succeed. THE
For this, e're Phoebus rose, FACTOR THAT TURNS
he* had implor'd THIS SCENE INTO A
Propitious Heav'n, and ev'ry PARODY IS THAT THE
Pow'r ador'd, BARON ONLY SEEKS TO
CUT OFF A LOCK FROM
BELINDA´S HAIR.
He*: the Baron

To love an altar…in empty air:

the baron places mementoes of
young ladies of his
acquaintance on an altar. Then
he burns them in a “funeral”
But chiefly Love--to Love an fire (pyre) fuelled with love
Altar built, letters; he is offering a sacrifice
Of twelve vast French
that the gods may grant his wish
Romances, neatly gilt. to obtain locks of Belinda´s
There lay three Garters, half a
hair. [Mock-epic: great heroes
Pair of Gloves;
and warriors made sacrifices
And all the Trophies of his
to gods before going to battle.]
former Loves.
With tender Billet-doux he
lights the Pyre,
And breathes three am'rous
Sighs to raise the Fire.
Then prostrate falls, and begs
with ardent Eyes
Soon to obtain, and long
possess the Prize:
The Pow'rs gave Ear, and
granted half his Pray'r,
The rest, the Winds dispers'd in
empty Air.

But now secure the painted

Vessel glides,
The Sun-beams trembling on
the floating Tydes,
While melting Musick steals Pope regards all these nymphs,
upon the Sky, sylphs and gnomes as a sort of
And soften'd Sounds along the an army preparing to launch an
Waters die. attack on the adversary.
Smooth flow the Waves, the
Zephyrs gently play
Belinda smil'd, and all the
World was gay.
All but the Sylph---With
careful Thoughts opprest,
Th' impending Woe sate heavy Transparent forms… garments
on his Breast. flew: These creatures (nymphs,
He summons strait his sylphs, zephyrs, gnomes) are
Denizens of Air; ethereal, VULNERABLE and
The lucid Squadrons round colourful, features that clearly
the Sails repair: separate them from the
stereotypical mighty and
invincible gods and heroes of
Soft o'er the Shrouds Aerial
epic poetry.
Whispers breathe,
That seem'd but Zephyrs to the
Train beneath.
Some to the Sun their Insect-
Wings unfold,
Waft on the Breeze, or sink in
Clouds of Gold.
Transparent Forms, too fine
for mortal Sight,
Their fluid Bodies half
dissolv'd in Light. Ye Sylphs… ear: Ariel is the
Loose to the Wind their airy commander-in-chief of this very
Garments flew, peculiar battalion. Ariel gathers
Thin glitt'ring Textures of the all these creatures and
filmy Dew; addresses them with deep
Dipt in the richest Tincture of solemnity and seriousness.
the Skies,
Where Light disports in ever-
mingling Dies,
While ev'ry Beam new
transient Colours flings,
Colours that change whene'er
they wave their Wings.
Amid the Circle, on the gilded
Mast,
Superior by the Head, was Ariel
plac'd;
His Purple Pinions opening to
the Sun,
He rais'd his Azure Wand,
and thus begun.
Glebe: earth
Ye Sylphs and Sylphids, to
your Chief give Ear,
Fays, Fairies, Genii, Elves, and Others…guide: all those
Daemons hear! nymphs and sylphs seem to be
Ye know the Spheres and in charge of safeguarding and
various Tasks assign'd, protecting the moral and
By Laws Eternal, to th' Aerial physical integrity of ladies
Kind.
Some in the Fields of purest
AEther play,
And bask and whiten in the Our humbler province…the
Blaze of Day. brightest fair: Ariel tells his
Some guide the Course of sprites that one of their jobs is
wandring Orbs on high, to tend to the needs of fair
Or roll the Planets thro' the ladies – to keep their powders
boundless Sky. and perfumes in place, to curl
Some less refin'd, beneath the their hair, to put colour in their
Moon's pale Light cheeks etc.
Hover, and catch the shooting
stars by Night;
Or suck the Mists in grosser
Air below, Wash: skin lotion
Or dip their Pinions in the
painted Bow,
Or brew fierce Tempests on the Flounce: ruffle; furbelow: also
wintry Main, ruffle or any other ornament
Or o'er the Glebe distill the
kindly Rain.

Others on Earth o'er human

Race preside,
Watch all their Ways, and all Whether… at a ball: Pope uses
their Actions guide: an intermediate CAESURA in
Of these the Chief the Care of order to distinguish the
Nations own, different implications of each
And guard with Arms Divine part of the line. The use of
the British Throne. caesura allows us to perceive
the comical dimension of this
Our humbler Province is to
passage.
tend the Fair,
Not a less pleasing, tho' less
Diana´s law: the law of chastity
glorious Care.
To save the Powder from too
rude a Gale,
Or…brocade: This line shows
Nor let th' imprison'd Essences
the different connotations of the
exhale,
word “stain.” A. Crucial aspect
To draw fresh Colours from the
of Belinda´s character to stay
vernal Flow'rs,
away from temptations that
To steal from Rainbows ere
could eventually stain her
they drop in Show'rs
honour. B. The poet points out
A brighter Wash; to curl their
her new brocade – a symbol
waving Hairs, that heightens Belinda´s trivial
Assist their Blushes, and sense of honour – could be
inspire their Airs; stained.
Nay oft, in Dreams, Invention
we bestow,
To change a Flounce, or add a The poet alludes to prayers and
Furbelow. masquerades. They are
contained in the same line
This Day, black Omens threat because the poet wants us to
the brightest Fair understand that Belinda gives
That e'er deserv'd a watchful the same importance to
Spirit's Care; praying and attending
Some dire Disaster, or by masquerades, CLEARLY
Force, or Slight, REVEALING HER
But what, or where, the Fates FRIVOLOUS AND LOOSE
have wrapt in Night. PERSONALITY.
Whether the Nymph shall
break Diana's Law,
Or some frail China Jar Pope uses the verb TO LOSE to
receive a Flaw, refer to Belinda´s heart and to
a necklace.

Or stain her Honour, or her

new Brocade, The flutt´ring…favourite lock:
Ariel assigns all these creatures
their roles and duties.

zeugma

Forget her Pray'rs, or miss a Drops: earrings.

Masquerade,
 zeugma

Or lose her Heart, or

Necklace, at a Ball;
Or whether Heav'n has doom'd
that Shock must fall.
Haste then ye Spirits! to your
Charge repair;
zeugma

The flutt'ring Fan be

Zephyretta's Care;

The Drops to thee, Brillante, Bodkin: hairpin

we consign;
And Momentilla, let the Watch Pomatums: ointments
be thine;
Do thou, Crispissa, tend her
fav'rite Lock; Styptics: preparations that stop
Ariel himself shall be the Guard bleeding
of Shock. Rivelled: shrunken
To FIFTY CHOSEN
Ixion: in Greek mythology,
SYLPHS, of special Note, King of Lapithae, who dared to
We trust th' important Charge,
fall in love with Hera, queen of
the Petticoat.
the gods and wife of Zeus. To
Oft have we known that punish him, Zeus had him tied
sev'nfold Fence to fail;
in Hades to a wheel that
Tho' stiff with Hoops, and
revolved non-stop.
arm'd with Ribs of Whale.
Form a strong Line about the
Silver Bound,
He spoke: a very usual epic
And guard the wide formula.
Circumference around. Thrid: threaded; mazy: like a
maze
Whatever spirit, careless of his
Charge,
His Post neglects, or leaves the
Fair at large,
Shall feel sharp Vengeance
soon o'ertake his Sins,
Be stopt in Vials, or transfixt
with Pins.
Or plung'd in Lakes of bitter
Washes lie,
Or wedg'd whole Ages in a
Bodkin's Eye:
Gums and Pomatums shall his
Flight restrain,
While clog'd he beats his silken
Wings in vain;
Or Alom-Styptics with
contracting Power
Shrink his thin Essence like a
rivell'd Flower.

Or as Ixion fix'd, the Wretch

shall feel
The giddy Motion of the
whirling Mill,
In Fumes of burning Chocolate
shall glow,
And tremble at the Sea that
froaths below!

He spoke; the Spirits from the

Sails descend;
Some, Orb in Orb, around the
Nymph extend,
Some thrid the mazy Ringlets
of her Hair,
Some hang upon the Pendants
of her Ear;
With beating Hearts the dire
Event they wait,
anxious, and trembling for the
Birth of Fate.

CANTO III
Brief summary and commentary
The beginning of this canto is probably the most satirical of
all that appear in The Rape of the Lock. Retaking the image of
the Thames illuminated by the fading sun, Pope presents a biting
portrait of England at the time, CONCENTRATING
MAINLY ON THE STATE OF THE MONARCHY AND
THE JUDICIARY.

After this brief but intensely satirical introduction, the poem

focuses on the game of cards.

Three players go in for the game:

 Belinda,
 the Baron and
 a third character whose identity is unknown.

The game selected is OMBRE, a 18th century version of bridge.

All the paraphernalia that surrounds this game reminds us
OF THE BATTLES HOMER OR VIRGIL DEPICTED IN
THEIR EPIC POEMS. The warfare terminology Pope uses is
even more prolific than in the previous cantos, something that
intensifies the mock-epic atmosphere of the poem.

The final stages of this canto (l. 130-178) move towards the
poem´s CLIMAX: after a tense Ombre card-game, the Baron
eventually manages to cut off Belinda´s lock.
 MAIN CHARACTERS AND THEIR ROLE IN THE
CANTO

We find references to Belinda and the Baron and a new character

whose identity is not revealed in the poem. THE FORMAL AND
THEMATIC NOVELTY IS ARTICULATED AROUND THE
PRESENCE OF A SERIES OF CARDS.

This game of cards can also be helpful in order better to

approach the personal and psychological profile of the
characters. Throughout the poem we have regarded Belinda as a
trivial and superficial lady. Once the game starts, she gets to
know the Baron´s intentions, which leads her to adopt a much
more VIGILANT position, distrusting the Baron´s advances and
trying to position adequately her “troops of cards”.

The terminology associated with Belinda usually has an

UNDERLYING SEXUAL CONNOTATION, especially when
the lock is mentioned. What Pope is describing here IS THE
BARON´S VARIOUS ATTEMPTS TO CUT OFF THE LOCK
FROM BELINDA´S HAIR. However, if we read in close-up, we
can see that HIS WORDS CAN BE INTERPRETED IN A
DIFFERENT WAY. The Baron´s desire to get Belinda´s lock
projects in some sense his own sexual appetites – even the title
of the poem IS AMBIGUOUS IN THIS RESPECT.

THE ALLUSION TO VIRGINITY IN LINE 140 (THE CLOSE

RECESSES OF THE VIRGIN´S THOUGHT;) TURNS OUT TO
BE SIGNIFICANT AND PROVES THE FACT THAT WHAT
POPE IS DESCRIBING IS NOT MERELY A LOCK BEING
CUT OFF.

DEMYTHOLOGISATION AND MOCK-EPIC

STRATEGIES
Once the armies are ready, Pope sets them in a very peculiar
battlefield. Pope evokes an epic atmosphere in which cards
compete to defeat each other. To mock-heroic background
resides mainly in how Pope substitutes epic heroes for mere
cards. The language used to describe the “battle” is elaborate and
highly rhetorical: there are many terms related to warfare and
military strategies as well as to its life and hierarchy. Pope´s
GRANDILOQUENT STYLE manages to turn this dispute
into something as transcendental as, for instance, the Battle of
Troy.

FORMAL APPARATUS
Many allusions to war. Pope uses words of the great epics but
for different purposes. The structures are similar and the style
almost identical, but the words he employs produce a very
peculiar effect.

CANTO III

CLOSE by those Meads for Meads: meadows

ever crown'd with Flow'rs,
Where Thames with Pride
surveys his rising Tow'rs,
There stands a Structure of Structure: the royal palace at
Majestic Frame, Hampton Court
Which from the neighb'ring
Hampton takes its Name.
Here Britain's Statesmen oft the
Fall foredoom
Of Foreign Tyrants, and of
Nymphs at home; Anne: Queen of England,
Here Thou, great Anne! whom Scotland and Wales from 1702
three Realms obey, to 1714.
Dost sometimes Counsel take--
and sometimes Tea.
Hither the Heroes and the
Nymphs resort,
To taste awhile the Pleasures of In various… Indian screen:
a Court; Pope WITTILY CRITICISES
In various Talk th' THE EXCESSIVE IDLENESS
instructive hours they past, OF THE NOBLE AND
Who gave the Ball, or paid ARISTOCRATIC CLASSES,
the Visit last: who spent their time drinking
One speaks the Glory of the coffee or tea. The word
British Queen, “instructive” is very ironic too.
And one describes a Talking about instructive
charming Indian Screen. questions does not, in this
A third interprets Motions, context, mean to discuss
Looks, and Eyes; cultural or intellectual
disquisitions but rather, to
discover who gave the ball and
who attended it.
At ev'ry Word a Reputation
At every…dies: There was
dies.
much gossip at the court.
Snuff, or the Fan, supply each
Pause of Chat,
With singing, laughing, ogling,
and all that.

Mean while declining from

the Noon of Day,
The Sun obliquely shoots his The hungry…may dine: Pope´s
burning Ray; satirical overview on the social
The HUNGRY Judges SOON machinery of his time finishes
the Sentence sign, with several allusions to
And Wretches hang that JUDGES and the ENGLISH
Jury-men may Dine; LEGAL ADMINISTRATION.
The Merchant from th'exchange Once again, Pope draws on
returns in Peace, satire to paint the judiciary as
And the long Labours of the lazy and unprofessional.
Toilette cease ----
Belinda now, whom Thirst of
Fame invites,
Burns to encounter two
adventurous Knights,
At Ombre singly to decide their Straight…join: here begins an
Doom; epic convention, the battle.
Sacred Nine: the nine muses of
And swells her Breast with Mount Olympus.
Conquests yet to come.
Straight the three Bands
prepare in Arms to join, Matadore: card of the highest
Each Band the number of the value in Ombre.
Sacred Nine.
Soon as she spreads her Hand,
th' Aerial Guard
Descend, and sit on each
important Card,
First Ariel perch'd upon a
Matadore, Hoary whiskers: gray
Then each, according to the moustaches
Rank they bore;
For Sylphs, yet mindful of their
ancient Race,
Are, as when Women,
wondrous fond of place. Halberd: it was a weapon

Behold, four Kings in Majesty

rever'd,
With hoary Whiskers and a
forky Beard;
And four fair Queens whose
hands sustain a Flow'r,
Th' expressive Emblem of their
softer Pow'r;
Four Knaves in Garbs succinct, Spadillo: ace of spades
a trusty Band,
Caps on their heads, and
Halberds in their hand; Manillo: two of spades, a card
And Particolour'd Troops, a of high value
shining Train,
Draw forth to Combat on the Basto: ace of clubs, card with
Velvet Plain. third-highest value
The skilful Nymph reviews
her Force with Care; Plebeian: card of little value
Let Spades be Trumps, she said,
and Trumps they were. The hoary…robe conceal:
Now move to War her Sable Pope´s grandiloquent style
Matadores, manages to turn this dispute
In Show like Leaders of the into something as
swarthy Moors. transcendental as, for instance,
Spadillo first, unconquerable the Battle of Troy.
Lord!
Led off two captive Trumps, Knave: jack
and swept the Board.
As many more Manillio forc'd
to yield, Pam: jack of clubs
And march'd a Victor from the
verdant Field. Lu: Loo, a card game in which
Him Basto follow'd, but his the jack of clubs had the highest
Fate more hard value

Gain'd but one Trump and one Thus far… of spades: we see
Plebeian Card. the advancement of Belinda´s
With his broad Sabre next, a soldiers and how the Baron
Chief in Years, retreats. Cards live through the
The hoary Majesty of Spades same hardships and fears as if
appears; real soldiers, and Pope
Puts forth one manly Leg, to dramatises this by means of the
sight reveal'd; language he employs. Cards
The rest his many-colour'd become thus completely
Robe conceal'd. personified: they suffer pain,
they boast of their victories and
they also feel fear.
The Rebel-Knave, who dares
his Prince engage,
Proves the just Victim of his
Mien: manner
Royal Rage.
Ev'n mighty Pam that Kings
and Queens o'erthrow,
And mow'd down Armies in the
Fights of Lu,
Globe: golden ball which, along
Sad Chance of War! now,
with a sceptre, was an emblem
destitute of Aid, of royal power.
Falls undistinguish'd by the
Victor Spade.
Thus far both Armies to
Belinda yield;
Now to the Baron Fate
inclines the Field.
His warlike Amazon her Host
invades,
Th' Imperial Consort of the Strow: archaic form of strew
Crown of Spades.

The Club's black Tyrant first

her Victim dy'd,
Spite of his haughty Mien, and
barb'rous Pride:
What boots the Regal Circle on
his Head,
His Giant Limbs in State
unwieldy spread?
That long behind he trails his
pompous Robe,
And of all Monarchs only
grasps the Globe?

The Baron now his Diamonds

pours apace;
Th' embroider'd King who
shows but half his Face,
And his refulgent Queen, with
Pow'rs combin'd,
Of broken Troops an easie
Conquest find.
Clubs, Diamonds, Hearts, in
wild Disorder seen,
Long canals: the canals on the
With Throngs promiscuous grounds of Hampton Court
strow the level Green.
Thus when dispers'd a routed
Army runs,
Of Asia's Troops, and Africk's
Sable Sons,
With like Confusion different
Nations fly, For lo!... smoking tide: This
In various habits and of various passage opens with a very
Dye, distinguishable formula: “for
The pierc'd Battalions dis- lo!”, an exclamatory form for
united fall, drawing the reader´s
In Heaps on Heaps; one Fate attention. HOWEVER,
o'erwhelms them all. WHAT FOLLOWS THIS
EXCLAMATION REFLECTS
The Knave of Diamonds now THE PETTINESS OF HIS
tries his wily Arts, CONTEMPORARY
And wins (oh shameful SOCIETY: THE POET
Chance!) the Queen of Hearts. FOCUSES ON THE CUPS,
At this, the Blood the Virgin's SPOONS, BERRIES AND
Cheek forsook, LIQUORS THAT CROWN
A livid Paleness spreads o'er all THE TABLE.
her Look;
She sees, and trembles at th' Berries crackle: the coffee
approaching Ill, beans crackle when roasted on
Just in the Jaws of Ruin, and the mill.
Codille. Altars of Japan: tables coated
And now, (as oft in some with varnish made from a
distemper'd State) substance of a Japanese tree.
On one nice Trick depends the
gen'ral Fate.
An Ace of Hearts steps forth:
The King unseen China´s… tide: the china coffee
Lurk'd in her Hand, and cups receive the steaming
mourn'd his captive Queen. coffee.
He springs to Vengeance with
an eager pace,
And falls like Thunder on the
prostrate Ace.
The Nymph exulting fills with
Shouts the Sky,
The Walls, the Woods, and
long Canals reply.
OH THOUGHTLESS
MORTALS! ever blind to
Fate,
Too soon dejected, and too
soon elate! Scylla´s…hair: in Greek
Sudden these Honours shall be mythology Scylla betrayed her
snatch'd away, father, King Minos of Crete,
And curs'd for ever this when he was attacking Megara.
Victorious Day. Scylla had a tragic end.

For lo! the Board with Cups

and Spoons is crown'd,

Weapon = scissors

The Berries crackle, and the

Mill turns round.
On shining Altars of Japan Fragrant steams: steam from the
they raise hot coffee.
The silver Lamp; the fiery
Spirits blaze.
From silver Spouts the grateful
Liquors glide,

And China's Earth receives

the smoking Tide.
At once they gratify their Scent
and Taste,
While frequent Cups prolong
the rich Repast. Nosegay: small bouquet of
Strait hover round the Fair her flowers
Airy Band;
Some, as she sip'd, the fuming
Liquor fann'd,
Some o'er her Lap their careful
Plumes display'd,
Trembling, and conscious of
the rich Brocade.
Coffee, (which makes the Forfex: latin for scissors
Politician wise,
And see thro' all things with his
half shut Eyes)
Sent up in Vapours to the
Baron's Brain
New Stratagems, the radiant
Lock to gain. CLIMAX: Belinda´s lock is
Ah cease rash Youth! desist e'er
cut.
'tis too late, Fate urg´d…for ever!: with this
Fear the just Gods, and think of
rape, Belinda´s integrity is
Scylla's Fate! momentarily degraded and her
Chang'd to a Bird, and sent todefeat is consummated. As we
flit in Air, will see, the Baron´s victory is
She dearly pays for Nisus' only provisional since the lock
injur'd Hair! will be recuperated and
restored, and thus, Belinda´s
But when to Mischief Mortals stained honour rehabilitated.
bend their Will,
How soon they find fit
Instruments of Ill! Rend: tear out
Just then, Clarissa drew with
tempting Grace
A two-edg'd Weapon from her
shining Case;
So Ladies in Romance assist
their Knight,
Present the Spear, and arm
him for the Fight.
He takes the Gift with
rev'rence, and extends
The little Engine on his Finger's
Ends:
This just behind Belinda's Neck
he spread,
As o'er the fragrant Steams
she bends her Head:
Swift to the Lock A
THOUSAND Sprights repair,
A THOUSAND Wings, by
turns, blow back the Hair,
And thrice they twitch'd the
Diamond in her Ear,
Thrice she look'd back, and
thrice the Foe drew near.
Just in that instant, anxious
Ariel sought
The close Recesses of the
Virgin's Thought;
As on the Nosegay in her
Breast reclin'd,
He watch'd th' Ideas rising in
her Mind,
Sudden he view'd, in spite of all
her Art,
An Earthly Lover lurking at her
Heart.
Amaz'd, confus'd, he found his
Pow'r expir'd,
Resign'd to Fate, and with a
Sigh retir'd.

The Peer now spreads the

glitt'ring Forfex wide,
T'inclose the Lock; NOW
JOINS IT, to divide.
Ev'n then, before THE
FATAL ENGINE clos'd,
A wretched Sylph too fondly
interpos'd;
Fate urg'd the Sheers, and
cut the Sylph in twain,
(But Airy Substance soon
unites again)
The meeting Points that
sacred Hair dissever
From the fair Head, for ever
and for ever!
Then flash'd the living
Lightnings from her Eyes,
And Screams of Horror rend
th' affrighted Skies.
Not louder Shrieks to pitying
Heav'n are cast,
When Husbands or when
Lap-dogs breath their last,
Or when rich China Vessels,
fal'n from high,
In glittring Dust and painted
Fragments lie!

Let Wreaths of Triumph now

my Temples twine,
(The Victor cry'd) the
glorious Prize is mine!
While Fish in Streams, or Birds
delight in Air,
Or in a Coach and Six the
British Fair,
As long as Atalantis shall be
read,
Or the small Pillow grace a
Lady's Bed,
While Visits shall be paid on
solemn Days,
When numerous Wax-lights in
bright Order blaze,
While Nymphs take Treats, or
Assignations give,
So long my Honour, Name, and
Praise shall live!

What Time wou'd spare, from

Steel receives its date,
And Monuments, like Men,
submit to Fate!
Steel cou'd the Labour of the
Gods destroy,
And strike to Dust th' Imperial
Tow'rs of Troy.
Steel cou'd the Works of mortal
Pride confound,
And hew Triumphal Arches to
the Ground.
What Wonder then, fair
Nymph! Thy Hairs shou'd feel
The conqu'ring Force of
unresisted Steel?