Rape of the Lock short notes

 Rape of the Lock short Notes

1. What is the genre of Rape of the Lock?

Ans. Written in imitation of Boileau's 'Le Lutrin', Pope's Rape of the Lock is one of the finest instance of mock-epic / mock- heroic poetry, which is an imitation or often a parody of the elaborate form and ceremonious style of the epic genre, but applies to a trivial subject.  The disparity between the theme and the technique, the manner and the matter leads to a ludicrous effect that seems to create a spectacle of a dwarf in a giants's robe.

2. "What dire Offence..... trivial Things". Explain the significance. 

Ans. The above quoted lines are an example of Proposition of the subject matter. Cowley, in one of his notes to his epic Davideis said, the custom of beginning all Poems, with a proposition of the whole work, and an invocation of some God for his assistance to successfully execute it. Hence, these lines introduce the theme of the trivility of the dispute of two families over the cut of a lock of hair of Mrs. Fermor with epic grandiloquence, alluding to the abduction of Helen and the consequent War of Troy in Homer's Iliad. 

3. " I sing" . Bring out the allusion.

Ans. The above quoted lines are an example of Proposition of the subject matter.  Traditionally the term used in epic invocations. But "I Sing" here resonates Dryden's translation of Virgil's Aeneid, " Arms and the Man I sing" . This allusion adds to the epic magnificence to a poem dealing with a trivial contest between two families. 

4.  This verse to Caryll, Muse! . Who was Caryll ? Why he was regarded as Muse ? / Explain the context.

Ans. John Caryll was a friend of Pope who asked him to write Rape of the Lock to ease out the tension between two families over the cutting of the lock of hair. 

As per the epic convention, an epic poem begins with a proposition of the whole work, and an invocation of some God for his assistance to successfully execute it. Hence, Pope, in order to apply the mock-epic touch to his poem invokes John Caryll, his patron as his poetic Muse for inspiration ( patronship). 

5. "This eve'n Belinda may vouchsafe to view" .... Bring out the context.

Ans. As per the epic convention, an epic poem begins with a proposition of the whole work, and an invocation of some God for his assistance to successfully execute it. Hence, Pope, in order to apply the mock-epic touch to his poem invoked John Caryll, his patron as his poetic Muse for inspiration ( patronship) and gently appealed to Belinda's ( Arabella Fermor's) favour for his poetic success. 

6. What is the significance of the name 'Belinda' ? 

Ans. Pope used the name Belinda as a decoy for the actual name of Arabella Fermor who was nicknamed as "Bell". Another interesting reference was Pope's deep affection for the Blount sisters Teresa and Martha. Teresa's dark curling lock of hair in her portrait hints at the similarity between her and Belinda which is further increased by Teresa's nickname among her friends "Zephalinda". Apart from that Belinda was quite a common name of the time and her values epitomize those of her world of moral vacuum and social pomp. 

7. " Slight is the Subject, but not so the Praise,

If She inspire, and He approve my Lays." 

Ans. This line summarizes the matter and manner of the poem that is how the triviality is treated with epic magnificence. "She" here stands for Belinda( Arabella Fermor) whose tolerance and approval was expected by the poet along with the favour of "he", the supposed Muse John Caryll( Pope's patron). Moreover, these lines bear an allusion to the following lines of Dryden's translation of Virgil's Georgics : 

"Slight is the subject but the Praise not small.

If Heav'n assist, and Phoebus hear my call." 

This passage was famous for the way in which Virgil discussed a humble subject in a dignified tone adding mock -heroic touch to it. 

8. Who is addressed here as a Goddess and why ? 

Ans. Belinda a decoy for Arabella Fermor, is addressed as a Goddess as Pope does not want to incur her anger and annoyance and want her appraisal instead, for his poetic venture. Hence, she is addressed as a Goddess or probably another Muse for poetic inspiration as literally the subject matter is concerned with her. 

9. " A well bred Lord to assault a gentle Belle?" Who is the Lord referred to? What is the significance of the line ?

Ans. The Lord here refere to Lord Petre, the Baron of the poem who had cut the locks of Arabella Fermor. 

The word assault contains a sexual innuendo as the Latin root of the word was "assultare" which means to "leap violently upon". This line alludes probably to Helen's abduction by Paris in Iliad. 

The word 'compel' here significantly suggests Pope's defence of Baron's act as if he was compelled to act like this despite being "well-bred". This may open a space for a feminist and psychoanalytic discourse of representation and gaze. 

10. Who are referred to as "Little Men"?

And. Lord Petre, the Baron of the poem was a short man , so as Pope himself. As Lord Petre was turned down ny Arabella Fermor ( the reason is not clear), Pope's height and physical deformity  had affected his relationships with women. Thus,"Little Men" here suggests both Lord Petre and Pope and their "tasks so bold" were to cut the lock of hair and to satirize the morality of the women respectively. 

11. "And in soft Bosoms dwells such mighty Rage?" Bring out the significance.

Ans. The phrase "mighty Rage" has often been associated with Achilles, the protagonist of Homer's Iliad. Likewise, Belinda is the central character in Pope's mock-epic. Thus, to create a ludicrous effect Belinda's anger alludes to that of Achilles. 

The phrase "soft Bosoms" adds to the feminine identity of Belinda as if she is the female (parodied) version of Achilles. In this regard it must be mentioned that throughout the text Belinda has been portrayed through her body and the Baron through his" tasks so bold", that traditionally align to the patriarchal perception of woman as "body" and man as " mind/ action". 

12. " Sol thro' white Curtains shot a tim'rous Ray". What is meant by Sol? Why it is timorous ? 

Ans. Sol is the Latinise expression of the sun. This use of Latin indicates the Neo-classical element in the poem. 

The sun timorously peeps through the curtains of Belinda as it is afraid to wake her up. For, if she is woke up, her anger would eclipse the sun and outshine it. This is an instance of comic exaggeration. 

This line also is an example of transferred epithet since the epithet " timorous" was transferred from Sol to which it properly belongs to that of rays to which it does not belong. 

13. " Her Guardian Sylph prolong'd the balmy rest"... Explain.

Ans. Pope adopted the Rosicrucian theory of the transmigration of soul as per the libido. The Guardian spirit of Belinda is a Sylph, an airy spirit whose name is Ariel. Just as the ancient gods communicate with men through dreams, similarly Ariel conjured for up a dream and helps in prolonging her morning sleep. 

14. "The morning-dream that hover'd o'er her head;".... What is the significance of the morning dream ? 

Ans. Dream in ancient Greek literature played a pivotal role as a mode of communication between the gods and the mortals or sometimes a foretelling of an incident. Pope, through Belinda's morning dream, incorporates the Neo-classical touch to his mock epic. Along with that, through this dream, Pope introduces the supernatural machinery into this mock-epic in the Rosicrucian fashion. In this dream, Ariel comes as a birthnight beau to caution Belinda against the impending danger. And Belinda's blushes in her dreams to see the charming Ariel highlights the female sexual anxiety. 

15. What is a "Birth-night Beau"?

Ans. According to Dr. Johnson, beau is a man of dress whose great care is to deck himself. Since Belinda's Guardian Sylph Ariel is a spirit, it can appear it different forms and genders in different sizes. In Belinda's morning dream Sylph appears as a fashionable beau who dressed himself as if to attend one of royal birthday parties which used to be celebrated with much splendour. This choice of appearance of Ariel brings a comparison with Satan in Paradise Lost Book I, " For Spirits when they please. Can either Sex assume, or both; .." and his tempting dream to Belinda draws a parallel to Satan's diabolical dream to Eve in Paradise Lost Book IV, 

"....close at the ear of Eve,

Assaying by his devilish art to reach

The organs of her fancy."

Ariel appearing as a "Birthnight beau " and Belinda blushing at him sums up the revelry and sexual hunting of the time.

16. "Fairest of mortals, thou distinguish'd care

Of thousand bright Inhabitants of Air!". Bring out the significance.

Ans. In this hyperbolic expression Ariel, Belinda's Guardian Sylph has addressed her to caution her against the impending danger. According to the Rosicrucian philosophy of the transmigration of the soul, after death, the souls transform into the four elements of earth, air, fire and water and ponder over human actions. In these lines Pope aligned Belinda with the Sylphs( characterized by Wit, sensuality and flirtatiousness)by saying that she needs the care of the "thousand bright Inhabitants of Air!", i.e, the Sylphs as her own flirtatious nature is associated with the element of air. 

17. What does the poet mean by the " circled green"? 

Ans. Sometimes in green laws circles of an intense green colour appears and as per the  folklore it is called " fairy circles" by children as fairies were supposed to leave a silver coin in the slippers of maids who worked hard. Later on, this belief was changed and children expected the fairies to leave a silver coin in exchange for a milk-tooth put under the pillow. Through this reference, Pope here sought to recreate the myths about the fairies to enhance his supernatural appeal with a gentle touch of humour. 

18. " Or virgins visited by Angel-pow'rs." Who are the virgins referred to? 

Ans. The virgins in the above quoted lines do refer to Virgin Mary and Joan of Arc as the former was visited by Angel Gabriel at the Annunciation and the later listened to the voice of the angels. It was believed that the virgins would receive a golden crown in heaven. Again, Pope had sought to establish the myth about the fairies to enhance his supernatural appeal with a gentle touch of humour. 

19. "Nor bound thy narrow views to things below." What does the poet mean by "narrow views"? 

Ans. By "narrow minds" Pope probably hint at the logicality of the eighteen century age of reason that hardly spares any room for such supernatural beliefs in fairies and elves. He, perhaps, means to say that these creatures were the figment of imagination and can not fit into logic. 

20."Some secret truths, from learned pride conceal'd,

To Maids alone and Children are reveal'd:". Explain.

Ans. These lines seem to echo the patriarchal perception of womanhood as a symbol of innocence and childlike  simplicity that can easily bend into believing the "fairy tales" which appear to be too fabricated by the logical mind of a "man" as manhood has traditionally been conceived as "mind". Therefore, the phrase "learned pride" perhaps hint at the eighteen century men in particular and manhood in general who do not endorse such beliefs. And these "secret truths" that are the vision of fairies and elves are revealed to woman as they are childish and have a lack of prudence. 

21. What does the term " the light militia of the lower sky"  mean? 

Ans. The word "militia" stands for army. Light indicates the fragility of the spirits and lower sky is used to explain the provinces assigned to different grades of sylphs. This line sounds like a parody of the Greek gods who from the heaven look over the human actions and often influence it, likewise these fragile, transparent army of sylphs inhabit "lower sky", perhaps , a region near earth to monitor and manipulate human course of action. This , indeed, enhances the mock-epic tone of the poem.

22. What does the poet mean by "box", "rings" and "equipage"?

Ans. The box refers to the prominent seats in the theatres of the time.

The Ring was a circular area in London's Hyde Park at that time im which the coaches of the fashionable world used to parade, to exchange gazes.

Equipage means carriage with horses nd footmen in attendance. 

All these synecdochic expressions form a part for the whole picture of the social life of Pope's time when the Beaux and Belles used to visit theatres and parks on their equipages to show off their vanity which lasts long even after their death. Thus, these spirits , even after leaving their mortal bodies still hover over the boxes, rings and equipages to which they still have an inclination. This partly parodied the participation of the Greek gods into human affairs and manipulate their course of action. 

23. What does the phrase " earthly vehicle" suggest ? 

Ans. Earthly vehicles suggests bodies which have been referred to here as the vehicles upon which the souls ride.  Ghe sylphs go though a transformation from body to spirit but their love of sport and revelry remains intact. 

24. "Her joy in gilded Chariots, when alive,

And love of Ombre, after death survive."

Ans. These two lines allude to the following lines of Dryden's translation of Virgil's Aeneid :

" The love of Horses which they had alive

And care of Chariots after Death survive."

Virgil's hero Aeneis visits the underworld where he sees happy souls of dead heroes enjoying the music and exercises which they loved on earth. Thus, Pope alluded to these lines to hint at the mock-epic element in the poem as the dead heroes are parodied as the moral vaccum beaux and belles of his time who, even after their death, retains their earthly habits. 

25.  What is an ombre ? 

Ans. A very popular card game of the time in which three players used forty cards. One player challenged the other two and if successful, the challenger became Ombre,"the man". In Canto III of Rape of the Lock, Belinda was the Ombre. 

26. "For when the Fair in all their pride expire,

To their first Elements their Souls retire:"

Ans. These two lines sum up the supernatural machinery in Rape of the Lock, based on Rosicrucian philosophy of the transmigration of soul.

"First elements"  denote the original or the predominant quality. In ancient theories human body was conceived to be an amalgamation of four elements of nature--------- earth, air, fire and water. A person's nature was thought to be determined by the particular element predominating in his/her body. These lines allude to Dryden's translation of Ovid's Metamorphosis XV  in which he describes the Pythagorean theory of transmigration of souls: 

" Those very elements, which we partake

Alive, when dead some other bodies make."

27. What is a Salamander? 

Ans. In ancient theories human body was conceived to be an amalgamation of four elements of nature--------- earth, air, fire and water. A person's nature was thought to be determined by the particular element predominating in his/her body and after death, the soul transmigrate into the first element. The termagant or turbulent woman's soul transmigrate into the element of fire and is named as Salamander, a lizardlike  eternal spirit living in fire.  

28. What is a Nymph ? 

Ans. In ancient theories human body was conceived to be an amalgamation of four elements of nature--------- earth, air, fire and water. A person's nature was thought to be determined by the particular element predominating in his/her body and after death, the soul transmigrate into the first element. The soul of a woman with a "soft, yielding mind" transforms into the element of water, after death and is named as Nymph, a spirit of water. 

29. What is a Gnome ?

Ans. In ancient theories human body was conceived to be an amalgamation of four elements of nature--------- earth, air, fire and water. A person's nature was thought to be determined by the particular element predominating in his/her body and after death, the soul transmigrate into the first element. The soul of a woman with a grave temperament transmigrates into the element of earth and is known as Gnome who " in search of mischief" still roam on earth.

30. What is a Sylph? 

Ans. In ancient theories human body was conceived to be an amalgamation of four elements of nature--------- earth, air, fire and water. A person's nature was thought to be determined by the particular element predominating in his/her body and after death, the soul transmigrate into the first element.The soul of a coquette woman transmigrates into the element of air and is known as Sylph who look for " sport and flutter in fields of air". 

31. "For Spirits, freed from mortal laws, with ease

Assume what sexes and what shapes they please."

Ans. The spirits are beyond the "mortal laws" , that is, the rules of charging over human bodies and mold in any shape or sex they like. These lines do recall the description of Satan's fallen angels in Paradise Lost Book I: 

"For Spirits when they please

Can either sex assume or both

...in what shape they choose...."

32. What is "Midnight Masquerades"?

Ans. "Midnight Masquerades" mean the mask dance that used to prolong till midnight. Courtly balls and Midnight Masquerades used to represent the socio-cultural phenomena of Pope's time where the beaux and belles used to exchange their hearts with melting music and dancing fires. Addison, in Spectator, calls the "Midnight Masquerade" a 'lawless assembly' in which all participants are masked.  It was contrived "for the Advancement of Cuckoldom". 

33. " 'Tis but their Sylph, the wise Celestials know,

Tho' Honour is the word with Men below."

Ans. In these lines Belinda's guardian spirit Ariel claims that since they are "celestial" entities, thus, they know how men on earth are concerned about honour and if a woman can easily accept the proposal of a suitor her value is taken for granted. Therefore, these sylphs detained the proposals and made the belle turn it down. This sounds a parody of the gods in Greek epic ,who aided humans to protect their honour and destiny. 

34. Some nymphs there are, too conscious of their face,

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,

And Garters, Stars, and Coronets appear,

And in soft sounds, Your Grace salutes their ear." 

Ans. Here 'nymph' does not denote the spirit of water, instead, Pope here mockingly addresses the beautiful earthly maiden who under the influence of Gnomes could analyse their values in the game of heart . Thus, through the mechanism of disdain and turning down they enhanced their pride and vanity and created an impression of "inaccessibility" till they received proposal from Dukes, Lords or Knights who are symbolized by Garters, Stars and Coronets as Garters were the sign of highest order of Knighthood in England and Coronets were small crowns to which Dukes were entitled. Here Pope used the symbols for the persons symbolized. However, those proud "nymphs", under the influence of Gnomes scrutinized their better prospect of courtship and marriage and preferred to be the Duchess of some handsome Dukes and to be addressed as "your grace", the manner in which the Dukes and Duchess were addressed at that time. Thus, these denials led those women to better prospects ( as per Pope). 

These lines are significant as per the proposition of the subject of this mock-epic "Could make a gentle Belle reject a Lord?" Pope, as it seems, pretended to defend Belinda's alias Arabella Fermor's rejection of Baron alias Lord Petre but intensely criticised that the cause of this rejection perhaps could be an eye on a better prospect. In this regard, it can be said that Pope here made a patriarchal representation of the women as 'gold-diggers' and questioned the liberty of her 'choice'. 

35."'T is these that early taint the female soul,

Instruct the eyes of young Coquettes to roll,

Teach Infant-cheeks a bidden blush to know,

And little hearts to flutter at a Beau."

Ans. "These" here refers to the Gnomes who taint the female souls by its detailed instructions to young coquettes that how they should roll their eyes or blush to get the attention of the Beaux. These Gnomes seemed to corrupt the innocence of the earthly maiden. Through the shield of Ariel's speech Pope here comments on the women's gestures to attract the attention of beaux. On one hand, he comments ( through Ariel's speech) on the "Women stray" and gave the blame upon the Gnomes and Sylphs who manipulated them. Thus, Pope here satirized the gesture and conduct of the  women of his time for their "impertinence" or frivolity. But it is interesting to note that no such comments on men's conduct is visible throughout text except of Baron's possession of the things of his beloved , but still the "force or fraud" had not been detailed in the same fashion as carefully he noted  Belinda's mischievous intrigue.

36. Who were Florio and Damon ?

Ans. Names such as Florio and Damon were common in Pastoral or love poetry of the time where they were either shown to give flattering speeches or to gently squeeze the hands of their beloved to tease them. Thus, Pope here seemed on satirize the pastoral and love poetry of the time. 

37. "With varying vanities, from ev'ry part,

They shift the moving Toyshop of their heart;

Where wigs with wigs, with sword-knots sword-knots strive,

Beaux banish beaux, and coaches coaches drive." 

Ans.  Through these lines Pope satirizes the irrational materialism of the bourgeoisie that sought to objectify human beings by giving primacy to surface over substance. He described a woman's heart like a toyshop full of gewgaws. This indicates the inconsistency of the women of his time whose hearts were metaphorized as toy shop that could be shifted effortlessly from one beau to the other for a better prospect. Pope's comment on the impertinence of women though sounds a little biased as women too were objectified as mere "body". Actually Pope has captured the glimpse of his time in which virtue has been reduced to vanity and men themselves to mere sword knots and whigs. Thus, through the metonymy of whigs and Sword knots Pope conceived men whose virtues were estimated on the basis of wealth and affluence. Levity was the only morality and swiftly the heart moved from one "coaches" to another to pick the best one. The battle of sexes were fought on the pretext of honour and wealth and people were dehumanized into materialistic objects. 

38. Describe the significance of Belinda's toilet scene. 

Ans. In Belinda's toilet scene we, the reader , like a voyeur, are intruding into a quintessential female ritual. This scene has its significance on multiple aspects. The mirror is an embodiment of a self-enclosed narcissism where Belinda's body becomes the site of both male and female gazes. The eyes that admires and nurtures her beauty in the reflection is the eyes of men who remained awestruck with her beauty and grace. Secondly, this scene is a mock -heroic parody of the epic hero's wearing the armours and invoking the God/ Goddess for prowess and victory. In this regard, Belinda is both the warrior who wears the armours of her grace to emerge victorious in the battle of sexes and invoked her own self as a Goddess whom she worships and reveres as a priestess. She plays the dual role of a deity and a devotee of her own image. She becomes the female epitome of beauty and the male eye of passion at the same time. This intensity and the merging of the object and subject creates the moments of narcissism and Belinda becomes a bodiless entity and a timeless creature who is beyond the contour of a specific sexual identity. The reference of her "cosmetic pow'rs" , however, adds to the reality of an artificial society which is implicitly suggested in the social binary of the centre and the margins, as metaphorized by the altar upon which Belinda's centrality is articulated against Betty's marginality. The "inferior priestess" was shown to be at the threshold of the margin to receive orders from her mistress. Betty's silence is indicative of the silence and invisibility of the "subalterns" in the metanarratives of history. Being a Roman Catholic, Pope mocks at the Catholic rituals of feasting and offerings by mentioning the different offerings received by the Goddess( Belinda). "India's glowing gems" and Arabia's perfume in "yonder Box" makes us wonder at the British Imperialism and Adam Smith's concept of the"drainage of wealth" from the colonies which were accumulated into the dressing rooms of the economically privileged Belindas. The macrocosmic epic battle can be witnessed in the microcosmic arrangement of the cosmetics here and there portraying the chaos of the battle field. The confusion of the dressing table "Puffs, Powders, Patches, Bibles, Billet-doux" is a bathos of the moral confusion of the time. For Belinda, Bible too is an accessory to give her an air of purity and billet doux will make her pricey. The repairing of her smile intensifies the social hypocrisy as smile was not spontaneous but artificially ornamented. Finally, with the "curious toils" of Belinda, Betty and above all the sylphs Pope raised the stature of Belinda from a mere "cosmetic" beauty to "cosmic" beauty at whom even Pope unconsciously sighs with admiration. 

                       Canto -II

39. "Not with more Glories....on her alone"(line 1-6). Explanation.

Ans. Pope started Canto II with the description of the late afternoon ambience to correlate the sparkling beauty of Belinda. " Ethereal plain" refers to the fields of aether or the upper air of the sky, whereas "purpled Main" conventionally stands for bright sea, though here, it suggests the late afternoon beauty of Thames upon which the falls the 'glorious' rays of the sun. The capitalized Sun and Thames seem to symbolize the beaux and belles as the word like "bosom" give the river Thames a female identity upon whose bosom the Sun throws its amorous light. This incites a sexual innuendo which the term "issuing forth" further justifies as it probably hints a sexual process of reproduction. Interestingly, Belinda too wore a sparkling cross that to enhance the attractiveness of her bosom. Thus, on one hand, Belinda is metaphorized with the femininity of the river Thames upon which falls the male gaze of the Sun, on the other hand, Belinda also incorporated the Sun - like dominance in her presence that " ...ev'ry Eye was fixed on her alone". Therefore, as the Sun was given an action to shine upon the Thames which reciprocated it passively on the receiving end, Belinda, deliberately had armoured herself in a charming way to dominate the "Ethereal plain" of the Beaux and Belles, and actively she remained a "passive" recipient of all the male gazes around her. Thus, she here embodies both the dominance of the Sun and the charm of the Thames, going beyond a conventional male and female identity and again became a cosmic presence (like her toilet scene). The word " issuing forth" and "silver Thames" perhaps echo the following lines from Spenser's Prothalamion : 

" From those high towers this noble lord issuing,

Like radiant Hesper when his golden hair

In th'Ocean billows he hath bathed fair,

Descended to the river's open viewing,

With a great train ensuing."