Literary Analysis of "The Rape of the Lock"

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Recommended: Rape of the lock canto lll by Alexander pope

Author and his times: Alexander Pope was born in London in 1688. Because he was a Roman Catholic living in a predominately Protestant society, he was largely excluded from the university system and therefore was self-taught, for the most part. At the age of twelve, he contracted tuberculosis, a disease that left him stunted and misshapen. Consequently, he suffered a great deal of emotional trauma and social anxiety. His only tool for interaction was his incredible wit and talent for writing. He soon formed a number of lifelong friendships in London's prestigious literary circles, and found his happiness there. Pope is probably the most famous writer from the Age of Reason, and his works are the most widely studied form this time period today. The Rape of the Lock, his most notable publication, was actually inspired by the real world event when a Lord Petre cut of a lock of Arabella Fermor's hair.

Form, structure, and plot: The poem is a mock epic divided into 5 short cantos, very similar in form to Shakespeare's acts. The first act is a kind of exposition, giving background information about Belinda. Canto 2 introduces the conflict--the Baron's desire to cut off and steal Belinda's locks; canto 3 encompasses the climax, when he actually succeeds; canto 4 notes the falling action, and lastly, canto 5 discusses the resolution where Belinda's stolen lock becomes a constellation. The simple plot occurs in chronological order.

Point of View: The story is told almost entirely in third person (omniscient) narrative. The only exception is the first 12 lines, in which Pope speaks in first person while invoking the aid of the muse, Caryl. Although it appears that there is little subjective commentary by the author, t...

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...ou, Cruel! been content to seize Hairs less in sight, or any Hairs but these!" (IV, 175-176)

Additional Comments and Analysis: I actually really liked the poem and would like to study it further in the future. It's absolutely packed with double meanings and satire--my favorites! I could see, however, where misunderstandings could arise in a few rare cases. Like Swift's "A Modest Proposal," The Rape of the Lock never overtly states its satirical purpose.

Before closing, though, I wanted to ask some questions about the text. First, Why All The Random Capitalization?? It drives me Nuts and makes Typing the Quotes very difficult. Also, regarding plot--If the Baron was so intent upon cutting off Belinda's lock that day, why wouldn't he have had his own pair of scissors?

Other than that, my group and I understood everything beautifully. Yay for us!

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