ENGL 2104
Poetry, Virtue, Corruption: Milton to Burns
Major Essay
Veronica Woods
Z3217862
Re-submission due: Thursday October 30th 2008
Word Count- 1600
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Question-In A Glossary of Literary Terms, Abrams defines mock epic as a poem “which imitates, in a sustained way, both the elaborate form and the ceremonious style of the epic genre, but applies it to narrate at length a commonplace or trivial subject matter.” Given this definition, is Pope’s Rape of the Lock a mock epic?
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Alexander Pope’s 18th Century ‘Rape of the Lock’ ridicules the triviality of his ‘high society’ by contrasting the themes of vanity, stupidity and absurdity of contemporary society with the significance of classic history portrayed in traditional epic poetry.Abram defines a mock epic as: a poem “which imitates, in a sustained way, both the elaborate form and the ceremonious style of the epic genre, but applies it to narrate at length a commonplace or trivial subject matter”.[1] It is clear therefore that Alexander Pope’s ‘Rape of the Lock’ parallels this genre – is written in epic form based on trivial events within society. The mock epic style transforms the extravagant events of traditional epics whilst focusing on insignificant issues to provide a humorous indictment to the subject matter. Alexander Pope’s “Rape of the lock” is a riotous reflection of the many vanities present in his view of eighteenth century high society. Pope’s parallel is the epic form of Homer and Milton in their long verse structure, formal and elevated style, with the central actions of on a heroic figure. He uses his microcosmic ‘Belinda’ to represent the failures of his high society, to identify his cultures pointlessness and to satirise his mediocre historical importance.[2]
The purpose of Pope's poem is not to mock the form of epic, but to ridicule his aristocratic society, portraying how eighteenth century England fails to be placed on the same level of the canonical epic figures. Pope in “Rape of the lock” identifies the “pettiness of eighteenth century England by casting it against traditional epic subjects.[3] He trivialises his society by centralising the universal failure to understand the difference between the important and the un-important, and between the “mundane and the exotic”.[4] The poem satirises his culture by depicting them as unworthy of being a heroic character. This is presented in two ways; through his alliteration “Belinda still her downy Pillow prest” where he questions the significance of her existence, and through the hyperbole “just at twelve, awake”. Popes “Rape of the lock” consequently supports Abram’s definition of mock epic, as it resembles the traditional epic genre while microcosmically satirising the triviality of his pointless society.
In the eighteenth century, literary art was the epitome of the upper classes; it was the domain of a culture for an educated high society. Alexander Pope questioned why a society with so much potential wasted so much energy in trivial behaviour, thinking, and judgment and hence paralleled his poem with a similar pointlessness. Traditional epics are extended narrative poems presented in prominent and ostentatious styles of language. They are composed around the celebration of heroic feats of the character that is generally based on a traditional hero. Abram describes an epic referring to a piece of work that is: long verse narrative on a serious subject, told in formal and elevated style, and centred on a heroic or quasi-divine figure on whose actions depends the fate of a tribe, nation, or human race. Much of the epic subject matters revolve around societal evolution and progression by means of love, war, and faith; which is evident in Milton’s Paradise lost. The term Mock Epic therefore narrates in epic verse; a trivial subject matter. Hence Popes “Rape of the lock” does in-fact typifies the definition of a mock epic. Pope writes in the epic form, paralleling his canto form with the books of Homer and Milton. Popes relatively longer sentence and narrative structure to other eighteenth century writers obviously draws inspiration from the epic form.[5] His elevated style of writing borrows iconic images from Homer’s Iliad: “Imperial Tow’rs of Troy” and Milton’s Paradise Lost: “Snakes on rolling Spires”. The continual repetition of metaphorical images reinforces this elevated writing style. Pope successfully portrays traditional epic text with his alliterative terminology: “Lakes of liquid” and parallelism: “Crystal Domes, and Angels in machines”. Finally with Pope’s focus on his satirical heroine ‘Belinda’, he incorporates all aspects of the epic genre. Pope uses the epic form successfully to trivialise his society, and hence making his ‘Rape of the Lock’ a mock epic poem.
In Popes “Rape of the lock” Belinda becomes a microcosm of her society, where she represents a lack of historical importance or legendary significance. Her character represents “am’rous causes” and triviality as she wakes “just at twelve”. Unworthy emphasis is placed on her, as she becomes a tool depicting Pope’s satire of Eighteenth century England. Furthermore he foreshadows the insignificance of his society by indicating that his Belinda and consequently his society revolve around “mighty contests [arising]… from trivial things”. Within the poem Belinda becomes the product of her culture and social class. The ironic richness of the poem however, reveals more than a straightforward satirical attack, it becomes a critical observation of societies aristocracy which moulds the development and portrayal of Belinda. Pope juxtaposes the grandiose of traditional epic style with his monotonous society through his description of Belinda’s grooming routine: “Puffs, Powders, Patches, Bibles, Billet-Doux”. He identifies society’s imprudent ability to determine priority matters over those that are insignificant. This is portrayed through his recurring motif of beauty and vanity being the sole rulers of this society: “little hearts to flutter at a Beau”. Pope inspired by the factually based story John Caryll satires the conflict between Lord Petre and Arabella Fermor. Petre had stolen a lock of Fermor’s hair, which had caused bitterness between the Petre and Fermor families, who had previously existed in great friendship.[6] Pope mocked the dispute between the families as though it were comparable to the mighty quarrel between Greeks and Trojans, which had been Homer’s theme: “and burn in Cupid’s Flames-but burnt alive”. Therefore he uses the epic genre to mock the absurdity of the issues and conflicts within his own society. Hence ‘Rape of the Lock’ is a mock epic as it parallels the epic form while trivialising his high society.
Pope uses the motif of the “Ombre” card games as a way of contrasting the trivial events of his society with traditions of homers' epic battles. He uses an ordinary round of cards but describing it in a ceremonious and elaborate style. Through this recurring image in Canto 3, Pope maintains the mock-epic genre through his elaborately described yet trivial event. He ironically projects the card game as a mighty battle between armies of suits, and a war in ranks: “four kings, in majesty...[and] four fair queens”. He trivialises this ironic conflict in terms of a heroic battle, where the cards metaphorically represent troop warfare on a “velvet plain… where they [draw forth combat]”. Consequently, the card-table is hyperbolically transformed into an extraordinary field. Pope parodies scenes from Homer's epic Iliad, as he contrasts classic customs with the vanity and superficiality of his own society. The serious and meaningful epic traditions are then trivialised as his “kings and queens” are overthrown. He describes the irrelevance of his culture by personifying the cards as; “armies in the flights... to Belinda’s [they] yield”. Pope expresses the card game in an elaborate style; highlighting the triviality of society in a contrast to epic traditions. Pope's further trivialises this through his personification of a victorious hand of cards as: “the knave of diamonds tries his Witty arts, and wins (oh shameful chance)! The victorious feast is a final satirical device used to parallel the traditional epics in terms of its elaborate form: “shining Altars of Japan”, while distinguishing between the significance of the epic genre and the triviality of Pope’s society. The feast is ironically conducted around sips of coffee instead of the traditional ambrosia and wine. The epic struggle is contrasted by the cleaver innuendos of winks, nods, and frowns as opposed to weapons of Homer. Therefore the elaborate and ceremonious style of the epic form, coupled with the triviality of its subject reveals a comparable definition of Abrams mock epic.
Pope borrows from the iconic gods of Homers classics and converts them into insignificant spirits. These spirits are introduced to mimic the gods present in homers' epics, however are portrayed in a trivial way as to satirise their inferior importance within the poem and consequently his high society. Their existence is purely structured around their mediocre ability to “sport and flutter in the fields of air”. Pope parallels the self-indulgence of his society with the structure Homers' epics to immortalise the egotism and vanity present within his society: “'midst the stars inscribe Belinda's Name!” The gods existing within ‘Rape of the lock’ have no defining power over progression or contextual development. Pope instead converts, through alliteration; the great gods of Homer into the ignored and insignificant spirits “guards the Purity of melting Maids, In Courtly Balls, and Midnight Masquerades”. Pope emphasises his materialistic, using the epic form to trivialise his metaphorical society. Therefore through its existing elevated style and trivial content, Pope’s ‘Rape of the Lock’ clearly follows Abrams definition, and supports the mock-epic genre.
In conclusion based on Abrams’ definition, the mock epic genre is “an elaborate form… [which] applies…to at length a common place or trivial subject matter.”[7] Whilst exaggerating the important compared to the un-important, Pope’s technique of mock epic, does not “mock” the style of traditional epic; it in fact suggests that eighteenth-century high-class English society, is concerned with obtuse details to insignificant events. Pope uses the microcosm of Belinda to represent the vain superficial society and the unimportant card game parallels to the epic battles portrayed in Homer’s traditional epics. Pope changes the classical Gods expressed in Homer into the ignored and metaphorical spirits whilst juxtaposing the feast of wine and ambrosia with sips of coffee and witty innuendos. It is clear therefore that “Rape of the lock” through the continuous trivial events satirise his society and hence incorporate Abrams’ definition of mock epic.
REFRENCES-
Abrams, M.H. A Glossary of Literary terms. Eighth Edition, Thomson Wardsworth, United States of America, 2005
Cf. eg. Cunningham, J. S.: Pope: The Rape of the Lock. London: Edward Arnold Ltd., 1970 (1st ed. 1961), p. 9f. Hereafter cited as: Cunningham, J. S.: Pope: The Rape of the Lock.
Edwards. M The Year of English Studies Vol 15 pp48-63 Maney publishing – University of Essex JSTOR
http://www.jstor.org/pss/3508547
Esser. D 18th-Century English Satires: Swift and Pope” Alexander Pope’s The Rape of the Lock 2001 University of Paderborn
http://www.grin.com/e-book/6571/alex...pe-of-the-lock
[1] Abrams, M.H. A Glossary of Literary terms. Eighth Edition, Thomson Wardsworth, United States of America, 2005
[2] Michael Edwards The Year of English Studies Vol 15 pp48-63 Maney publishing – University of Essex JSTOR
http://www.jstor.org/pss/3508547
[3] Michael Edwards The Year of English Studies Vol 15 pp48-63 Maney publishing – University of Essex JSTOR
http://www.jstor.org/pss/3508547
[4] Daniela Esser 18th-Century English Satires: Swift and Pope” Alexander Pope’s The Rape of the Lock 2001 University of Paderborn
http://www.grin.com/e-book/6571/alex...pe-of-the-lock
[5] Daniela Esser 18th-Century English Satires: Swift and Pope” Alexander Pope’s The Rape of the Lock 2001 University of Paderborn
http://www.grin.com/e-book/6571/alex...pe-of-the-lock
[6] Cf. eg. Cunningham, J. S.: Pope: The Rape of the Lock. London: Edward Arnold Ltd., 1970 (1st ed. 1961), p. 9f. Hereafter cited as: Cunningham, J. S.: Pope: The Rape of the Lock.
[7] Abrams, M.H. A Glossary of Literary terms. Eighth Edition, Thomson Wardsworth, United States of America, 2005