The poem satirizes eighteenth-century high society, fashion, and manners and ridicules the life of the entire beau monde in which ethical values are as lasting as the latest fashion.
Publication History
The poem appeared in three versions. The first appeared in 1712 as a two-canto (two-part) poem. In 1714, Pope revised and extended the poem, publishing the second version, which was twice as long as the original. The extended version most frequently anthologized was published in 1717 and was enormously influential in the literary landscape.
Real-life Inspiration for the Poem
Pope’s satirical poem is based on a real-life incident involving Arabella Fermor, a young aristocratic lady, and her suitor, Lord Petre. Enamoured with Ms. Fermor, Lord Petre cut off a lock of her hair without permission, creating a rift between the families. Pope’s friend, John Caryl, suggested that Pope write the poem, using a humourous tone, in order to help mend the rift.
What is a Mock Epic?
“The Rape of the Lock” is an example of a highly successful mock epic, which, like its label implies, is a poem which utilizes and subverts the conventions of epic poetry to make a satirical point. In this case, Pope uses the form to emphasize the sheer silliness of the genesis of the family feud. Two particularly effective strategies include, from among the many he employs in the poem, the use of the heroic couplet and the diminuition of the epic setting.
The Use of the Heroic Couplet
One of the ways that Pope mocks the epic, and the trifling nature of his subject is through the use of the heroic couplet. An heroic couplets is a unit of two rhyming lines in iambic pentameter. A line of verse in this poem thus consists of ten syllables, in which the first syllable is unaccented, the second accented, the third unaccented, fourth accented, and so on. The couplets are created by the rhyming end syllables of each line.
Pope’s entire poem consists of one heroic couplet followed by another, which highlights the satire by repeatedly setting up an heroic tone and then undercutting it with a silly rhyme. In addition, the form mocks the content because the heroic couplet is actually a restrictive, artificial mode of writing: Pope’s chosen style mirrors the artifice and constraints of the world about which he writes.
The Epic Setting Diminished
Notable epics, such as John Milton’s Paradise Lost, are set in appropriately grand locales, such as Heaven and Hell, over expansive periods of time. Pope manipulates and minimizes the epic scale by locating the action of his poem in compressed, largely domestic settings in London.
The poem takes place in London and its environs in early 1700s on a single day. The story begins at noon at the London residence of Belinda and follows her up the Thames to Hampton Court Palace, where the bulk of the action takes place. Belinda’s “epic” journey up the Thames immediately signals an epic parody if the reader keeps in mind, for example, the journey of Odesseus in The Odessey. The process of diminution in the structure is essential part of Pope’s playfulness and satire through the contrast of the trivial event with the grandeur of epic.
The Mock Epic as Social Critique
Indeed, Pope’s inversion of epic convention, such as his use of high-flown language, style, and tone satirizes high society and its overreaction to such trifling matters, such as breaches of decorum. Moreover, through the use of such literary techniques, Pope develops a critique of vanity and stresses the importance of being able to laugh at trivial events.
More resonant with contemporary readers, perhaps, is Pope’s critique of social mores that emphasize physical appearance to the exclusion of all else: to a young society lady, the reputation of chastity is more important than its reality.
Further Reading:
The Rape of the Lock homepage.
