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The Rape of the Lock

The Rape of the Lock. Alexander Pope Story Petres Fermors Carylls Lord Petre cuts a lock of Arabella’s hair Hatfields and McCoys ensues Poem written to assuage tensions. Epic.

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The Rape of the Lock

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  1. The Rape of the Lock • Alexander Pope • Story • Petres • Fermors • Carylls • Lord Petre cuts a lock of Arabella’s hair • Hatfields and McCoys ensues • Poem written to assuage tensions

  2. Epic A long narrative poem in elevated style presenting characters of high position in adventures forming an organic whole through their relation to a central heroic figure and through their development of episodes important to the history of a nation or race

  3. Epic vs. Pope’s Mock Epic • Hero has great stature • Setting is vast • Action=deeds that require courage and produce valor • Supernatural is present • Invocation to the muse • Begins in medias res and employs retrospective narration • Books or cantos • Catalogues • Epic/Homeric Similes

  4. Mock Epic Literary form that burlesques the epic by treating a trivial subject in the “grand style” or uses the epic formulas to make a trivial subject ridiculous by ludicrously overstating it; usually characteristics of classic epics are employed

  5. Epic vs. Pope’s Mock Epic • Hero has great stature • Setting is vast • Action=deeds that require courage and produce valor • Supernatural is present • Invocation to the muse • Begins in medias res and employs retrospective narration • Books or cantos • Catalogues • Epic/Homeric Similes • Hero is a vain female • Setting is a party • Guy cuts off her hair • Gnomes and sylphs are diminutive • John Caryll was Pope’s inspiration • Poem begins at the beginning • Cantos • Catalogue of trivial things • Extended similes trivialize rather than elevate

  6. More • Epic stratagem (Trojan Horse) • Descent in to the underworld • Epic battles • Weapons • A pinch of snuff • Cave of Spleen • Card game • Hair pin, scissors, snuff

  7. Questions • Find five specific examples of mock-heroic elements in the poem. • What is Pope trying to say about people’s behavior and social manners? Is there a serisous message? • What is the speaker’s attitude toward women? • What are some recurring images and what purpose to they serve? • It is said that Pope perfected the heroic couplet. How does this element function in the poem?

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