The Rape of the Lock
The Rape of the Lock (dt. The Rape of the Lock ) is a pseudoheroisches, historical poem (narrative poem) by Alexander Pope . It was first published in two Cantos in May 1712 in Lintot's Miscellany . A corrected new edition, expanded to 5 Cantos (794 lines), took place under Pope's name on March 2, 1714 . After Luise Adelgunde Victorie Kulmus , Gottsched's wife, translated the work into German in the 18th century, a German translation by attorney Schröder appeared in 1908.
The poem
The poem mocks a petty skirmish by comparing it to the epic world of the gods. It was based on an incident told about Pope's friend John Caryll. Arabella Fermor and her admirer, Lord Robert Petre (7th Baron Petre), both came from aristocratic Catholic families, at a time when Catholicism was forbidden by law in England. Petre, passionate about Arabella, had cut a lock of her hair without permission. The ensuing argument led to a rift between the two families. Pope wrote the poem at the request of his friend out to try to "the two connecting funny." He used the figure of Belinda Arabella and led a whole system of " sylphs " one, guardian spirits of the virgins, a satire of the gods and Goddesses of conventional epics.
Pope's poem mocks the traditions of classic epics: The kidnapping of Helena here becomes the theft of a lock of hair; the gods become tiny sylphs, and Achilles' shield becomes one of Belinda's petticoats. Pope also uses the epic means of incantation, suit, exclaim, and comparison. In some cases, he adds a parody of the imitation by following the framework of actual speeches in Homer's Iliad . Although the poem is quite funny at times, Pope maintains the feeling that beauty is fragile, and the loss of a lock of hair hits Belinda deeply. As his opening letter makes it clear, women at this time were essentially supposed to be beautiful rather than sane, and the loss of beauty was a serious matter.
The poem's humor comes from the storm in the water glass of vanity, expressed in the elaborate, formal word structure of an epic poem.
Three of Uranus' moons are named after characters from The Rape of the Lock : Belinda , Umbriel, and Ariel . The latter, however, appeared before in Shakespeare's The Tempest .
dedication
Pope added the following dedication to the second edition:
To Mrs. Arabella Fermor
Madam,
It will be in vain to deny that I have some regard for this piece, since I dedicate it to you. Yet you may bear me witness, it was intended only to divert a few young ladies, who have good sense and good humor enough to laugh not only at their sex's little unguarded follies, but at their own. But as it was communicated with the air of a secret, it soon found its way into the world. An imperfect copy having been offered to a bookseller, you had the good nature for my sake to consent to the publication of one more correct: This I was forced to, before I had executed half my design, for the Machinery was entirely wanting to complete it.
The Machinery, Madam, is a term invented by the Critics, to signify that part which the Deities, Angels, or Dæmons are made to act in a poem: For the ancient poets are in one respect like many modern ladies: let an action be never so trivial in itself, they always make it appear of the utmost importance. These Machines I determined to raise on a very new and odd foundation, the Rosicrucian doctrine of Spirits.
I know how disagreeable it is to make use of hard words before a lady; but 'tis so much the concern of a poet to have his works understood and particularly by your sex, that you must give me leave to explain two or three difficult terms.
The Rosicrucians are a people I must bring you acquainted with. The best account I know of them is in a French book called Le Comte de Gabalis, which both in its title and size is so like a novel, that many of the fair sex have read it for one by mistake. According to these gentlemen, the four elements are inhabited by spirits, which they call Sylphs, Gnomes, Nymphs, and Salamanders. The Gnomes or Dæmons of Earth delight in mischief; but the Sylphs, whose habitation is in the air, are the best-conditioned creatures imaginable. For they say, any mortals may enjoy the most intimate familiarities with these gentle spirits, upon a condition very easy to all true adepts, an inviolate preservation of Chastity.
As to the following Cantos, all the passages of them are as fabulous as the Vision at the beginning or the Transformation at the end; (except the loss of your hair, which I always mention with reverence). The human persons are as fictitious as the airy ones, and the character of Belinda, as it is now managed, resembles you in nothing but in beauty.
If this poem had as many graces as there are in your person, or in your mind, yet I could never hope it should pass through the world half so uncensured as you have done. But let its fortune be what it will, mine is happy enough, to have given me this occasion of assuring you that I am, with the truest esteem,
Madam,
Your most obedient, Humble Servant,
A. Pope
