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Introduction:
The Mock-Epic
.
At
the beginning of "The Rape of the Lock," Pope identifies the work as a
“heroi-comical poem.” Today, the poem–and others like it–is referred to
as a mock-epic and sometimes as a mock-heroic. Such a work
parodies the serious, elevated style of the classical epic poem–such as
The Iliad or The
Odyssey, by Homer–to poke fun at human follies. Thus, a mock-epic
is a type of satire; it treats petty humans or insignificant occurrences
as if they were extraordinary or heroic, like the great heroes and events
of Homer's two great epics. In writing "The Rape of the Lock," Pope imitated
the characteristics of Homer's epics, as well as later epics such as The
Aeneid (Vergil), The Divine
Comedy (Dante), and Paradise
Lost (Milton). Many of these characteristics are listed below,
under "Epic Conventions." |
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Setting
.
The action takes place in
London and its environs in the early 1700's on a single day. The story
begins at noon (Canto I) at the London residence of Belinda as she carefully
prepares herself for a gala social gathering. The scene then shifts (Canto
II) to a boat carrying Belinda up the Thames. To onlookers she is as magnificent
as Queen Cleopatra was when she traveled in her barge. The rest of the
story (Cantos III-V) takes place where Belinda debarks–Hampton Court Palace,
a former residence of King Henry VIII on the outskirts of London–except
for a brief scene in Canto IV that takes place in the cave of the Queen
of Spleen.
.
Characters
.
Belinda Beautiful
young lady with wondrous hair, two locks of which hang gracefully in curls.
The Baron Young admirer
of Belinda who plots to cut off one of her locks.
Ariel Belinda's
guardian sylph (supernatural creature).
 Clarissa
Young lady who gives the Baron scissors.
Umbriel Sprite
who enters the cave of the Queen of Spleen to seek help for Belinda.
Queen of Spleen Underworld
goddess who gives Umbriel gifts for Belinda.
Thalestris Friend
of Belinda. Thalestris urges Sir Plume to defend Belinda's honor.
Sir Plume Beau of
Thalestris. He scolds the Baron.
Sylphs, Fairies, Genies,
Demons, Phantoms and Other Supernatural Creatures
Source:
A Real-Life Incident
.
Pope
based The Rape of the Lock on an actual incident in which a British
nobleman, Lord Petre, cut off a lock of hair dangling tantalizingly from
the head of the beautiful Arabella Fermor. Petre’s daring theft of the
lock set off a battle royal between the Petre and Fermor families. John
Caryll–a friend of Pope and of the warring families–persuaded the great
writer to pen a literary work satirizing the absurdity and silliness of
the dispute. The result was one of the greatest satirical poems in all
of literature. In writing the poem, Pope also drew upon ancient classical
sources–notably Homer’s great epics, The
Iliad and The Odyssey–as
models to imitate in style and tone. He also consulted the texts of medieval
and Renaissance epics.
Plot
Summary
By
Michael J. Cummings...©
2005
.
.......Pope
opens with a statement announcing the topic of his poem: A gentleman–a
lord, in fact–has committed a terrible outrage against a gentlewoman, causing
her to reject him. What was this offense? Why did it incite such anger
in the lady?
.......The
woman in question is named Belinda. She is sleeping late one day in her
London home when a sylph–a dainty spirit that inhabits the air–warns her
that “I saw, alas! some dread Event impend.” The sylph, named Ariel, does
not know what this event is or where or how it will manifest itself. But
he does tell Belinda to be on guard against the machinations of men.
.......Belinda
rises and prepares herself for a social gathering, sitting before a mirror
and prettying herself with “puffs and powders” and scenting herself with
“all Arabia.” Afterward, she travels up the Thames River to the site of
the social festivities, Hampton Court, the great palace on the north bank
of the river that in earlier times was home to King Henry VIII. As she
sits in the boat, “Fair Nymphs, and well-drest Youths around her shone,
/ But ev'ry Eye was fix'd on her alone.” In other words, she was beautiful
beyond measure. She smiled at everyone equally, and her eyes–bright suns–radiated
goodwill. Especially endearing to anyone who looked upon her were her wondrous
tresses:
This Nymph, to the Destruction
of Mankind,
Nourish'd two Locks which
graceful hung behind
In equal Curls, and well
conspir'd to deck
With shining Ringlets the
smooth Iv'ry Neck.
.......Among
Belinda’s admirers is a young baron at Hampton Court awaiting her arrival.
He has resolved to snip off a lock of her hair as the trophy of trophies.
Before dawn, before even the sun god Phoebus Apollo arose, the Baron had
been planning the theft of a lock of Belinda's hair. To win the favor of
the gods, he had lighted an altar fire and, lying face down before it,
prayed for success.
.......After
Belinda arrives at Hampton Court with her company of friends, the partygoers
play Ombre, a popular card game in which only 40 of the 52 cards are dealt--the
eights, nines, and tens are held back. It appears that the Baron will win
the game after his knave of diamonds captures her queen of hearts. However,
Belinda yet has hope, even after the Baron plays an ace of hearts:
...........................................The
King unseen
Lurk'd in her Hand, and
mourn'd his captive Queen.
He springs to Vengeance
with an eager Pace,
And falls like Thunder on
the prostrate Ace
The Nymph exulting fills
with Shouts the Sky;
The Walls, the Woods, and
long Canals reply.
.......Belinda
wins! Coffee is served, the vapors of which go to the Baron’s brain and
embolden him to carry out his assault on Belinda’s hair. Clarissa, a lady
who fancies the Baron, withdraws scissors from a case and arms him with
the weapon. When he closes in behind Belinda, she bends over her coffee,
exposing a magnificent lock. But a thousand sprites come to her aid, using
their wings to blow hair over the lock. They also tug at one of her diamond
earrings to alert her to the danger. Three times they warn her and three
times she looks around. But all is for naught. The Baron opens wide his
weapon, closes it around the lock, and cuts. The
rape of her lock enrages Belinda:
Then flash'd the living
Lightnings from her Eyes,
And Screams of Horror rend
th' affrighted Skies.
Not louder Shrieks to pitying
Heav'n are cast,
When Husbands, or when Lapdogs
breathe their last,
Or when rich China Vessels,
fal'n from high,
In glitt'ring Dust and painted
Fragments lie!
.......A
gnome named Umbriel descends to the Underworld on Belinda’s behalf and
obtains a bag of sighs and a vial of tears from the Queen of Spleen. With
these magical gifts, he means to comfort poor Belinda. First, he empties
the bag on her. A gentleman named Sir Plume--prompted by his belle, Thalestris,
a friend of Belinda--then roundly scolds the Baron for his grave offense.
But the Baron is unrepentant. Umbriel then empties the vial on Belinda.
Grief overcomes her as her eyes half-drown in tears and her head droops
upon her bosom. She says:
For ever curs'd be this
detested Day,
Which snatch'd my best,
my fav'rite Curl away!
Happy! ah ten times happy
had I been,
If Hampton-Court these Eyes
had never seen!
.......Clarissa
tries to mollify Belinda in a long speech, but fails. A bit of a melee
ensues when Belinda attempts to retrieve her lost lock. “Fans clap, Silks
russle, and tough Whalebones crack.” Belinda proves a fierce combatant.
She attacks the Baron “with more than usual Lightning in her Eyes” and
throws a handful of snuff from Sir Plume's box up his nose. But, alas,
when the battle ends, the lock is nowhere to be found.
.......However,
the poem ends on a happy note for Belinda, Pope says, because the trimmed
lock of her golden hair has risen to the heavens, there to become a shining
star.
 .
.
Theme
The central theme of The
Rape of the Lock is the fuss that high society makes over trifling
matters, such as breaches of decorum. In the poem, a feud of epic proportions
erupts after the Baron steals a lock of Belinda’s hair. In the real-life
incident on which Pope based his poem, the Petre and the Fermor families
had a falling-out after Lord Petre snipped off one of Arabella Fermor’s
locks. Other themes that Pope develops in the poem include human vanity
and the importance of being able to laugh at life’s little reversals. The
latter motif is a kind of “moral to the story.” Clarissa touches upon both
of these themes when addressing tearful Belinda, shorn of her lock:
But since, alas! frail Beauty
must decay,
Curl'd or uncurl'd, since
Locks will turn to grey;
Since painted, or not painted,
all shall fade,
And she who scorns a Man,
must die a Maid,
What then remains but well
our Pow'r to use,
And keep good Humour still
whate'er we lose?
Climax
.
The
climax of The Rape of the Lock occurs when the Baron snips away
one of Belinda's locks.
.
Epic
Conventions
Because
a mock-epic parodies a classical epic, it uses the same conventions, or
formulas, as the classical epic--but usually in a humorous way. For example,
a convention of many classical epics is a sea voyage in which perils confront
the hero at every turn. In The Rape of the Lock, the sea voyage
is Belinda's boat trip up the Thames River. Her guardian sylph, Ariel,
sees "black omens" that foretell disasters for Belinda even though the
waves flow smoothly and the winds blow gently. Will she stain her dress?
Lose her honor or her necklace? Miss a masquerade? Forget her prayers?
So frightful are the omens that Ariel summons 50 of his companion spirits
to guard Belinda's petticoat, as well as the ringlets of her hair. Following
are examples of the epic conventions that Pope parodies:
-
Invocation
of the Muse: In ancient Greece and Rome, poets had always requested
“the muse” to fire them with creative genius when they began long narrative
poems, or epics, about godlike heroes and villains. In Greek mythology,
there were nine muses, all sisters, who were believed to inspire poets,
historians, flutists, dancers, singers, astronomers, philosophers, and
other thinkers and artists. If one wanted to write a great poem, play a
musical instrument with bravado, or develop a grand scientific or philosophical
theory, he would ask for help from a muse. When a writer asked for help,
he was said to be “invoking the muse.” The muse of epic poetry was named
Calliope [kuh LY uh pe]. In "The Rape of the Lock," Pope
does not invoke a goddess; instead, he invokes his friend, John Caryll
(spelled CARYL in the poem), who had asked Pope to write a literary
work focusing on an event (the snipping of a lock of hair) that turned
the members of two families--the Petres and the Fermors--into bitter enemies.
Caryll thought that poking fun at the incident would reconcile the families
by showing them how trivial the incident was.
-
Division
of the Poem Into Books or Cantos: The traditional epic is long, requiring
several days several days of reading. Dante's Divine Comedy, for
example, contains 34 cantos. When printed, the work consists of a book
about two inches thick . Pope, of course, presents only five cantos containing
a total of fewer than 600 lines. Such miniaturizing helps Pope demonstrate
the smallness or pettiness of the behavior exhibited by the main characters
in the poem.
-
Descriptions
of Soldiers Preparing for Battle: In The Iliad, Homer describes
in considerable detail the armor and weaponry of the great Achilles, as
well as the battlefield trappings of other heroes. In The Rape of the
Lock, Pope describes Belinda preparing herself with combs and pins–with
"Puffs, Powders, Patches"–noting that "Now awful Beauty puts on all its
Arms."
-
Descriptions
of Heroic Deeds: While Homer describes the exploits of his heroes during
the Trojan War, Pope describes the "exploits" of Belinda and the Baron
during a card game called Ombre, which involves three players and
a deck of 40 cards.
-
Account
of a Great Sea Voyage: In The Odyssey, Odysseus (also known
as Ulysses) travels the seas between Troy and Greece, encountering many
perils. In The Aeneid, Aeneas travels the seas between Troy and
Rome, also encountering perils. In The Rape of the Lock, Belinda
travels up the Thames in a boat.
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Participation
of Deities or Spirits in the Action: In The Rape of the Lock--as
in The Iliad, The Odyssey, The Aeneid, The Divine Comedy, and Paradise
Lost--supernatural beings take part in the action.
-
Presentation
of Scenes in the Underworld: Like supernatural beings in classical
epics, the gnome Umbriel visits the Underworld in The Rape of the Lock.
Publication
Information
Pope
published three versions of The Rape of the Lock. The first was
a two-canto version published in 1712. The second, published in 1714, was
a five-canto version that added references to sylphs and other supernatural
creatures. The final version, published in 1717 in a volume of Pope's poetry,
added Clarissa's speech in Canto V.
Verse
Format
.
Pope
wrote The Rape of the Lock in heroic couplets. A heroic couplet
is a unit of two rhyming lines in iambic
pentameter. A line of verse in iambic pentameter consists of 10 syllables.
The first syllable is unaccented, the second accented, the third unaccented,
the fourth accented, and so on. The entire poem consists of one heroic
couplet followed by another, as demonstrated by the first four lines of
the poem:
What
dire offence from am'rous causes springs,
What
mighty contests rise from trivial things,.......................[First
Couplet: springs and things rhyme]
I
sing–This verse to CARYL, Muse! is due:
This,
ev'n Belinda may vouchsafe to view............................[Second
Couplet: due and view rhyme]
Each of the lines has 10 syllables
in a succession of accented and unaccented pairs (iambic pentameter), as
follows:
What
dire offence from am'rous causes springs,
What
mighty contests rise from trivial things,
I
sing–This verse to CARYL, Muse! is due:
This,
ev'n Belinda may vouchsafe to view
You may have noticed that Pope
turned amorous into two syllables by eliminating the o and
attempted to turn even into a single syllable by eliminating the
second e. Poetic license permits poets to make such adjustments
to achieve their ends.
.
Figures
of Speech
.
The
main figure of speech in The Rape of the Lock is hyperbole.
Pope uses it throughout the poem to exaggerate the ordinary and the commonplace,
making them extraordinary and spectacular. In so doing, paradoxically,
he makes them seem as they really are, small and petty. Examples of hyperbole
include the following:
Sol
through white Curtains shot a tim'rous Ray,
And
ope'd those Eyes that must eclipse the Day.
...Hyberbole:
Belinda's eyes are so bright that they outshine a ray of sunlight
This
Nymph, to the Destruction of Mankind,
Nourish'd
two Locks which graceful hung behind
...Hyperbole:
Belinda is so beautiful--and her wondrous locks so inviting--that she can
bring mankind to ruin with desire.
Examples
of Other Figures of Speech in the Poem
Personification
Love
in these Labyrinths his Slaves detains
Anaphora
He
saw, he wish'd, and to the Prize aspir'd
Alliteration
Where
Wigs with Wigs, with Sword-knots Sword-knots strive,
Beaux
banish Beaux, and Coaches Coaches drive.
Questions
and Writing Topics
-
Is there a serious message about
the world, about human conduct, behind Pope's mischievous mockery?
-
Pope uses many allusions
to Greek and Roman mythology. Why did so many writers of his time--and
why do so many writers today--allude to mythology to make comparisons or
describe situations and characters?
-
Write a short poem that uses
heroic couplets and allusions.
-
Write an essay explaining the
role of nature imagery (including references to the sun, the sky, the moon,
lakes, rivers, grass, flowers, parks, and meadows) in the poem.
The Rape of
the Lock
By Alexander Pope
Complete Text With Detailed
Explanatory Notes
Please
Note: The text has been broken up into blocks to make it reader
friendly and to make it easy for
readers to match the
text on the left with the annotations on the right.
What
dire offence from am'rous causes springs,
What
mighty contests rise from trivial things,
I
sing--This verse to CARYL,
Muse! is due:
This,
ev'n Belinda may vouchsafe to view:
Slight
is the subject, but not so the praise,
If
She inspire, and He approve my lays.
Say
what strange motive, Goddess! could compel
A
well-bred Lord t' assault a gentle Belle?
O
say what stranger cause, yet unexplor'd,
Could
make a gentle Belle reject a Lord?.........
10
In
tasks so bold, can little men engage,
And
in soft bosoms dwells such mighty Rage?
Sol
thro' white curtains shot a tim'rous ray,
And
oped those eyes that must eclipse the day:
Now
lap-dogs give themselves the rousing shake,.........
15
And
sleepless lovers, just at twelve, awake:
Thrice
rung the bell, the slipper knock'd the ground,
And
the press'd watch return'd a silver sound.
Belinda
still her downy pillow prest,
Her
guardian Sylph prolong'd the balmy rest:...........
20
'Twas
He had summon'd to her silent bed
The
morning-dream that hover'd o'er her head;
A
Youth more glitt'ring than a Birth-night Beau,
(That
ev'n in slumber caus'd her cheek to glow)
Seem'd
to her ear his winning lips to lay,..........
25
And
thus in whispers said, or seem'd to say. |
What
. . . sing: I am writing (I sing) about a terrible offense resulting
from an amorous cause.
CARYL,
Muse: A friend of Pope, John Caryl, whom
Pope addresses as the muse. An acquaintance of Caryl, Lord Petre, cut off
a lock of hair of a young lady, Arabella Fermor. A quarrel erupted between
the families. Caryl suggested that Pope write a poem to point up the silliness
of the quarrel. Pope addresses Caryl as if he were a muse.
For further information on "invoking the muse,"
see Epic Conventions,
above.
Belinda:
Arabella Fermor. Belinda is a poetic name associated with gentleness.
For further information about
Arabella Fermor, see Source, above.
Goddess:
Another reference to Caryl as the muse.
Sol:
the sun
curtains:
the curtains on Belinda's bed
tim'rous:
timorous, meaning shy, timid
oped:
opened
must
eclipse the day: Belinda's eyes
are so bright that they rival the brightness of the sun.
lap-dogs:
dogs small enough to be held in the lap
press'd
watch: a kind of clock. Pressing
a button on it caused a bell to sound the current hour or quarter hour.
Sylph:
fairy, sprite
Birth-night:
evening celebration of a royal person's birthday |
Fairest
of mortals, thou distinguish'd care
Of
thousand bright Inhabitants of Air!
If
e'er one vision touch'd thy infant thought,
Of
all the Nurse and all the Priest have taught;........
.
30
Of
airy Elves by moonlight shadows seen,
The
silver token, and the circled green,
Or
virgins visited by Angel-pow'rs,
With
golden crowns and wreaths of heav'nly flow'rs;
Hear
and believe! thy own importance know,..........
35
Nor
bound thy narrow views to things below.
Some
secret truths, from learned pride conceal'd,
To
Maids alone and Children are reveal'd:
What
tho' no credit doubting Wits may give?
The
Fair and Innocent shall still believe....................
40
Know,
then, unnumber'd Spirits round thee fly,
The
light Militia of the lower sky:
These,
tho' unseen, are ever on the wing,
Hang
o'er the Box, and hover round the Ring.
|
Fairest
. . . Air: The youth in her dream (Line 23) addresses Belinda as the
fairest mortal, saying she is watched over by a thousand sprites inhabiting
the air.
silver token: coin
left by a fairy as a gift for a favored mortal
Some . . . give:
Certain secrets are revealed only to maidens like Belinda and to children,
but not to highly educated people. Skeptics may doubt the truth of these
secrets but Belinda and innocent children believe them.
Box, Ring: The spirits
of the air hover around Belinda while she is in her theatre box or traveling
in her carriage on a circular road (ring) in Hyde Park, a large park in
the Westminster borough of London. |
Think
what an equipage thou hast in Air,.......
45
And
view with scorn two Pages and a Chair.
As
now your own, our beings were of old,
And
once inclos'd in Woman's beauteous mould;
Thence,
by a soft transition, we repair
From
earthly Vehicles to these of air.................................50
Think
not, when Woman's transient breath is fled
That
all her vanities at once are dead;
Succeeding vanities she
still regards,
And tho' she plays no more,
o'erlooks the cards.
Her joy in gilded Chariots,
when alive,..................................55
And love of Ombre,
after death survive.
For when the Fair in all
their pride expire,
To their first Elements
their Souls retire:
The Sprites
of fiery Termagants in Flame
Mount up, and take a Salamander's
name............................60
Soft
yielding minds
to Water glide away,
And
sip, with Nymphs, their elemental Tea.
The
graver Prude sinks downward to a Gnome,
In
search of mischief still on Earth to roam.
The
light Coquettes in Sylphs aloft repair,............................
65
And
sport and flutter in the fields of Air. |
Think . . .Chair:
You now have an army of sprites to look after you, not just two pages
As
. . . air: The sprites were once women with beauteous forms.
After death, they became spirits of the air.
Think
. . . dead: After a woman dies, she retains an interest in amusements.
gilded Chariots:
splendid carriages to ride in
Ombre: a popular
card game for three players in which only 40 of the 52 cards are dealt--the
eights, nines, and tens are held back.
Sprites . . . Termagants:
The spirits of quarrelsome, overbearing women.
Salamander: in myth,
a lizard-like reptile that lived in fire; a spirit in the alchemy of Paracelsus
(1493-1541), a Swiss physician
Soft
yielding: Beginning here and continuing down to Line 66, the
meaning is as follows: Other sprites live in water, keeping company with
nymphs (minor goddess inhabiting the sea). Some sprites in the earth as
gnomes (dwarflike creatures), and some of them live in the air.
.
|
"Know further yet; whoever
fair and chaste
Rejects mankind, is by some
Sylph embrac'd:
For Spirits, freed from
mortal laws, with ease
Assume what sexes and what
shapes they please.
70
What
guards the purity of melting Maids,
In
courtly balls, and midnight masquerades,
Safe
from the treach'rous friend, the daring
spark,
The
glance by day, the whisper in the dark,
When
kind occasion prompts their warm desires,..............75
When
music softens, and when dancing fires?
'Tis
but their Sylph, the wise Celestials know,
Tho' Honour is the word
with Men below.
Some
nymphs there are, too conscious of their face,
For life predestin'd to
the Gnomes' embrace............................80
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,...........................85
And in soft sounds, Your
Grace salutes their ear.
'Tis 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........................................90
|
What
. . . Sylph: Sylphs (sprites) guard the purity of maidens from men
who would take advantage of them.
daring
spark: a bold gentleman; an aggressive beau
Some
nymphs: From this phrase down to Line 90, the poem says that
some sprites urge young ladies to be proud. In their vanity, these women
refuse the offers of gentlemen.
Garters, Stars, and Coronets:
the badges and other insignia of persons of high rank.
Your Grace: a member
of the nobility. Although the phrase is in second-person point of view,
it is to be read in third-person point of view as if it says, "His Grace."
Coquettes: flirtatious
women
Teach . . . blush:
Teach young ladies to wear rouge |
Oft, when
the world imagine women stray,
The Sylphs thro' mystic
mazes guide their way,
Thro' all the giddy circle
they pursue,
And old impertinence expel
by new.
What tender maid but must
a victim fall..................................95
To one man's treat, but
for another's ball?
When Florio speaks
what virgin could withstand,
If gentle Damon did
not squeeze her hand?
With varying vanities, from
ev'ry part,
They shift the moving Toyshop
of their heart;.........................100
Where wigs with wigs,
with sword-knots sword-knots strive,
Beaux
banish beaux, and coaches coaches drive.
This
erring mortals Levity may call;
Oh
blind to truth! the Sylphs contrive it all.
Of
these am I, who thy protection claim,..............................105
A
watchful sprite, and Ariel is my name.
Late, as I rang'd
the crystal wilds of air,
In the clear Mirror of thy
ruling Star
I saw, alas! some dread
event impend,
Ere to the main this morning
sun descend,...........................110
But heav'n reveals not what,
or how, or where:
Warn'd by the Sylph, oh
pious maid, beware!
This to disclose is all
thy guardian can:
Beware of all, but most
beware of Man!"
|
Florio,
Damon: Names commonly used in poetry
in Pope's time the way we use Tom, Dick, and Harry--or John Doe--today.
They do not refer to a specific person but to men in general.
Where . . . drive:
The young gentlemen are vying for the attention of the young ladies.
sword-knots:
A sword knot was a loop of fabric or leather attached to the handle of
a sword. A swordsman placed the loop around his wrist as a support for
maintaining his grip. Some sword knots were intended only as ornaments.
Beaux:
plural of beau
This
. . . all: Humans are wrong to think that young women are responsible
for their frivolous and flirtatious behavior (levity). The truth is that
sprites cause this behavior.
Of
these: Beginning with this phrase and continuing down to Line
114, Belinda's guardian sprite introduces himself as Ariel, then discloses
that a dreadful event is about to happen. He does not know what will occur,
or how or where, but warns Belinda to beware.
rang'd:
ranged
|
He said;
when Shock, who thought she slept too long,...........115
Leap'd up, and wak'd his
mistress with his tongue.
'Twas then, Belinda, if
report say true,
Thy eyes first open'd on
a Billet-doux;
Wounds, Charms, and Ardors
were no sooner read,
But all the Vision vanish'd
from thy head................................120
And now, unveil'd, the Toilet
stands display'd,
Each silver Vase in mystic
order laid.
First, rob'd in white, the
Nymph intent adores,
With head uncover'd, the
Cosmetic pow'rs.
A heav'nly image in the
glass appears,..................................125
To that she bends, to that
her eyes she rears;
Th' inferior Priestess,
at her altar's side,
Trembling begins the sacred
rites of Pride.
Unnumber'd treasures ope
at once, and here
The various off'rings of
the world appear;................................130
From each she nicely culls
with curious toil,
And decks the Goddess
with the glitt'ring spoil.
This casket India's
glowing gems unlocks,
And all Arabia breathes
from yonder box.
The Tortoise here
and Elephant unite,.................................135
Transformed to combs, the
speckled, and the white.
Here files of pins extend
their shining rows,
Puffs, Powders, Patches,
Bibles, Billet-doux.
Now
awful Beauty puts on all its arms;
The fair each moment rises
in her charms,............................140
Repairs her smiles, awakens
ev'ry grace,
And calls forth all the
wonders of her face;
Sees by degrees a purer
blush arise,
And keener lightnings quicken
in her eyes.
The busy Sylphs surround
their darling care,.........................145
These set the head, and
those divide the hair,
Some fold the sleeve, whilst
others plait the gown:
And Betty's prais'd for
labours not her own. |
Shock: Belinda's
dog.
Billet-doux: love
letter. From the French billet (note, letter) and
doux (sweet). The French pronunciation is be yay DOO; the
English pronunciation is BIL ay DOO.
Toilet: dressing
table or dressing room.
Th' inferior Priestess:
Servant, maid.
decks . . . spoil:
adorns Belinda with jewels and other ornaments.
casket: box, case.
Tortoise: The shell
of a tortoise was used in making combs.
Elephant: Reference
to ivory.
Bibles: Small Bibles
were fashionable accessories on ladies' dressing tables.
Now
. . . arms: Here begins an epic convention,
a warrior putting on his armor. In this case, of course, it is a woman
putting on her clothes in preparation for vying in the battle of the sexes.
|
Not
with more glories, in th' ethereal plain,
The Sun first rises o'er
the purpled main,
Than, issuing forth, the
rival of his beams
Launch'd on the bosom of
the silver Thames.
Fair Nymphs, and well-drest
Youths around her shone...............5
But ev'ry eye was fix'd
on her alone.
On her white breast a sparkling
Cross she wore,
Which Jews might kiss,
and Infidels adore.
Her lively looks a sprightly
mind disclose,
Quick as her eyes, and as
unfix'd as those:............................10
Favours to none, to all
she smiles extends;
Oft she rejects, but never
once offends.
Bright as the sun, her eyes
the gazers strike,
And, like the sun, they
shine on all alike.
Yet graceful ease, and sweetness
void of pride,.......................15
Might hide her faults, if
Belles had faults to hide:
If to her share some female
errors fall,
Look on her face, and you'll
forget 'em all.
|
Not . . . plain:
Here begins an epic convention, the great voyage.
In this case, Belinda is traveling in a boat on the Thames River with youths
and guardian sprites. They all look so glorious that they rival the sunshine.
Which . . . kiss:
An offensive line that is out of place in an otherwise delightful poem |
This Nymph,
to the destruction of mankind,
Nourish'd two Locks, which
graceful hung behind.....................20
In equal curls, and well
conspir'd to deck
With shining ringlets the
smooth iv'ry neck.
Love in these labyrinths
his slaves detains,
And mighty hearts are held
in slender chains.
With
hairy springes
we the birds betray,............................25
Slight
lines of hair surprise the finny
prey,
Fair
tresses man's imperial race ensnare,
And beauty draws us with
a single hair.
Th' advent'rous Baron the
bright locks admir'd;
He saw, he wish'd, and to
the prize aspir'd..............................30
Resolv'd to win, he meditates
the way,
By force to ravish, or by
fraud betray;
For when success a Lover's
toil attends,
Few ask, if fraud or force
attain'd his ends.
|
Love . . . detains:
Young men fall in love with her glorious curls (labyrinths) of hair, becoming
slaves to her beauty.
With . . . ensnare:
Just as we catch game birds in snares and fish ("finny prey") in nets,
Belinda catches men with her hair.
springes:
traps, snares
finny:
having fins |
For this,
ere Phoebus rose, he had implor'd...........................35
Propitious heav'n, and ev'ry
pow'r ador'd,
But chiefly Love--to
Love an Altar built,
Of twelve vast French Romances,
neatly gilt.
There lay three garters,
half a pair of gloves;
And all the trophies of
his former loves;...................................40
With tender Billet-doux
he lights the pyre,
And breathes three am'rous
sighs to raise the fire.
Then prostrate falls, and
begs with ardent eyes
Soon to obtain, and long
possess the prize:
The pow'rs gave ear, and
granted half his pray'r,.......................45
The rest, the winds dispers'd
in empty air.
|
Phoebus: Apollo,
the sun god. Phoebus means bright one. In Greek mythology,
Phoebus Apollo became the sun, driving his golden chariot across the sky.
Thus, Phoebus became a synonym for sun.
he:
the baron (mentioned in Line 29).
to . . . built: From
here down to Line 46, the poem says the baron places mementoes of young
ladies of his acquaintance on an altar. Then he burns them in a "funeral"
fire (pyre) fueled with love letters; he is offering a sacrifice that the
gods may grant his wish to obtain locks of Belinda's hair. |
But now
secure the painted vessel glides,
The sun-beams trembling
on the floating tides:
While melting music steals
upon the sky,
And soften'd sounds along
the waters die;...............................50
Smooth flow the waves, the
Zephyrs gently play,
Belinda smil'd, and all
the world was gay.
All but the Sylph--with
careful thoughts opprest,
Th' impending woe sat heavy
on his breast.
He summons strait his
Denizens of air;................../............55
The lucid squadrons round
the sails repair:
Soft o'er the shrouds
aerial whispers breathe,
That seem'd but Zephyrs
to the train beneath.
Some to the sun their insect-wings
unfold,
Waft on the breeze, or sink
in clouds of gold;..........................60
Transparent forms, too fine
for mortal sight,
Their fluid bodies half
dissolv'd in light,
Loose to the wind their
airy garments flew,
Thin glitt'ring textures
of the filmy dew,
Dipt in the richest tincture
of the skies,...................................65
Where light disports
in ever-mingling dyes,
While ev'ry beam new
transient colours flings,
Colours that change whene'er
they wave their wings.
Amid the circle, on the
gilded mast,
Superior by the head, was
Ariel plac'd;....................................70
His purple pinions
op'ning to the sun,
He rais'd his azure wand,
and thus begun.
|
Zephyrs: west winds
or soft breezes.
Sylph: Ariel
He . . . repair:
Ariel summons his helpers, and they gather around Belinda.
shrouds: ropes or
wires attached to a mast and secured on the sides of a ship. They keep
the mast steady.
light . . . flings:
The light displays a variety of colors.
disports:
plays; amuses itself
pinions: wings |
Ye Sylphs
and Sylphids, to your chief give ear!
Fays, Fairies, Genii, Elves,
and Daemons, hear!
Ye know
the spheres and various tasks assign'd.....................75
By laws eternal to th' aerial
kind.
Some in the fields of purest
Aether play,
And bask and whiten in the
blaze of day.
Some guide the course of
wand'ring orbs on high,
Or roll the planets thro'
the boundless sky...............................80
Some less refin'd, beneath
the moon's pale light
Pursue the stars that shoot
athwart the night,
Or suck the mists in grosser
air below,
Or dip their pinions in
the painted bow,
Or brew fierce tempests
on the wintry main,............................85
Or o'er the glebe
distil the kindly rain.
Others on earth o'er human
race preside,
Watch all their ways, and
all their actions guide:
Of these the chief the care
of Nations own,
And guard with Arms divine
the British Throne.........................90
|
Sylphids: Female
sylphs, female sprites
Ye know:
From this phrase down to Line 90, Ariel describes the tasks assigned to
the various kinds of sprites.
glebe: earth |
Our
humbler province is to tend the Fair,
Not a less pleasing, tho'
less glorious care;
To save the powder from
too rude a gale,
Nor let th' imprison'd-essences
exhale;
To draw fresh colours from
the vernal flow'rs;...........................95
To steal from rainbows e'er
they drop in show'rs
A brighter wash;
to curl their waving hairs,
Assist their blushes, and
inspire their airs;
Nay oft, in dreams, invention
we bestow,
To change a Flounce,
or add a Furbelow............................100
This day, black Omens threat
the brightest Fair,
That e'er deserv'd a watchful
spirit's care;
Some dire disaster, or by
force, or slight;
But what, or where, the
fates have wrapt in night.
Whether the nymph shall
break Diana's law,........................105
Or some frail China jar
receive a flaw;
Or stain her honour or her
new brocade;
Forget her pray'rs, or miss
a masquerade;
Or lose her heart, or necklace,
at a ball;
Or whether Heav'n has doom'd
that Shock must fall................110
Haste, then, ye spirits!
to your charge repair:
The flutt'ring fan be Zephyretta's
care;
The drops to thee, Brillante,
we consign;
And, Momentilla,
let the watch be thine;
Do thou, Crispissa,
tend her fav'rite Lock;..............................115
Ariel himself shall be the
guard of Shock.
|
Our humbler province:
From this phrase down to Line 100, Ariel tells his sprites that one of
their jobs is to tend to the needs of fair ladies--to keep their powders
and perfumes in place, to curl their hair, to put color in their cheeks,
etc.
wash: skin lotion
Flounce: frill or
ruffle
Furbelow: also a
ruffle or any other ornament
Diana's law: the
law of Diana (Greek name, Artemis), Apollo's twin sister and the
virgin goddess of chastity. This law required young women to maintain their
chastity.
Zephyretta: Sprite
in charge of regulating the wind generated by a fan.
drops: earrings.
Brillante: Sprite
in charge of earrings
Momentilla: Sprite
in charge of watching the time
Crispissa: Sprite
in charge of guarding Belinda's favorite lock of hair.
Shock: Belinda's
dog. |
To fifty chosen Sylphs,
of special note,
We trust th' important charge,
the Petticoat:
Oft have we known that seven-fold
fence to fail,
Tho' stiff with hoops, and
arm'd with ribs of whale;..................120
Form a strong line about
the silver bound,
And guard the wide circumference
around.
Whatever spirit, careless
of his charge,
His post neglects, or leaves
the fair at large,
Shall feel sharp vengeance
soon o'ertake his sins,.................125
Be stopp'd in vials, or
transfix'd with pins;
Or plung'd in lakes of bitter
washes lie,
Or wedg'd whole ages in
a bodkin's eye:
Gums and Pomatums
shall his flight restrain,
While clogg'd he beats his
silken wings in vain;.....................130
Or Alum styptics
with contracting pow'r
Shrink his thin essence
like a rivel'd flow'r:
Or, as Ixion fix'd,
the wretch shall feel
The giddy motion of the
whirling Mill,
In fumes of burning Chocolate
shall glow,..............................135
And tremble at the sea that
froths below!
He spoke; the spirits from
the sails descend;
Some, orb in orb, around
the nymph extend;
Some thrid the mazy
ringlets of her hair;
Some hang upon the pendants
of her ear:.............................140
With beating hearts the
dire event they wait,
Anxious, and trembling for
the birth of Fate.
|
Pomatums:
ointments
styptics: preparations
that stop bleeding
rivel'ed: shriveled,
shrunken
Ixion: In Greek mythology,
King of Lapithae, who dared to fall in love with Hera, queen of the gods
and wife of Zeus. To punish him, Zeus had him tied in Hades to a wheel
that revolved nonstop.
Mill: chocolate mill.
thrid: threaded
mazy: like a maze |
Close by those meads,
for ever crown'd with flow'rs,
Where Thames with pride
surveys his rising tow'rs,
There stands a structure
of majestic frame,
Which from the neighb'ring
Hampton takes its name.
Here Britain's statesmen
oft the fall foredoom............................5
Of foreign Tyrants and of
Nymphs at home;
Here thou, great Anna!
whom three realms obey.
Dost sometimes counsel take--and
sometimes Tea.
Hither the heroes and the
nymphs resort,
To taste awhile the pleasures
of a Court;.................................10
In various talk th' instructive
hours they past,
Who gave the ball, or paid
the visit last;
One speaks the glory of
the British Queen,
And one describes a charming
Indian screen;
A third interprets motions,
looks, and eyes;............................15
At ev'ry word a reputation
dies.
Snuff, or the fan, supply
each pause of chat,
With singing, laughing,
ogling, and _all that_.
|
meads:
meadows
structure: the royal
palace at Hampton Court
Anna . . . three:
Anne (1665-1714), queen of England, Scotland, and Wales from 1702 to 1714.
At . . . dies: There
was much gossip at the court.
|
Meanwhile, declining from
the noon of day,
The sun obliquely shoots
his burning ray;................................20
The hungry Judges soon the
sentence sign,
And wretches hang that jury-men
may dine;
The merchant from th' Exchange
returns in peace,
And the long labours of
the Toilet cease.
Belinda now, whom thirst
of fame invites,................................25
Burns to encounter two
advent'rous Knights,
At Ombre
singly to decide their doom;
And swells her breast with
conquests yet to come.
Straight the three bands
prepare in arms to join,
Each
band the number of the sacred nine.
. 30
Soon as she spreads her
hand, th' aerial guard
Descend, and sit on each
important card:
First Ariel perch'd upon
a Matadore,
Then each, according to
the rank they bore;
For Sylphs, yet mindful
of their ancient race,...........................35
Are, as when women, wondrous
fond of place.
Behold, four Kings in majesty
rever'd,
With hoary whiskers
and a forky beard;
And four fair Queens whose
hands sustain a flow'r,
Th' expressive emblem of
their softer pow'r;.............................40
Four Knaves in garbs succinct,
a trusty band,
Caps on their heads, and
halberts in their hand;
And particolour'd troops,
a shining train,
Draw forth to combat on
the velvet plain.
|
two
. . .Ombre:
Ombre requires three players. Here, Belinda will vie with two gentlemen.
Straight . . . join:
Here begins an epic convention, the battle.
Each . . . nine:
In Greek mythology, the nine muses of Mount Olympus. The cards, dealt
in groups, correspond in number to the nine muses in Greek mythology.
Matadore (also Matador):
card of the highest value in ombre
hoary whiskers: gray
mustaches
halberts (also halberds
or halbards): A halbert was a weapon with a shaft five to six feet
long topped by a pike, or spearhead, and below the pike an axe blade. A
warrior could thrust with a halbert, as with a spear, or hack, as with
a battle-axe.
|
The skillful Nymph reviews
her force with care:........................45
Let Spades be trumps! she
said, and trumps they were.
Now move to war her sable
Matadores,
In show like leaders of
the swarthy Moors.
Spadillo first, unconquerable
Lord!
Led off two captive trumps,
and swept the board......................50
As many more Manillo
forc'd to yield,
And march'd a victor from
the verdant field.
Him Basto follow'd,
but his fate more hard
Gain'd but one trump and
one Plebeian card.
With his broad sabre next,
a chief in years,............................55
The hoary Majesty of Spades
appears,
Puts forth one manly leg,
to sight reveal'd,
The rest, his many-colour'd
robe conceal'd.
The rebel Knave,
who dares his prince engage,
Proves the just victim of
his royal rage....................................60
Ev'n mighty Pam, that Kings
and Queens o'erthrew
And mow'd down armies in
the fights of Lu,
Sad chance of war! now destitute
of aid,
Falls undistinguish'd by
the victor spade!
Thus far both armies to
Belinda yield;.....................................65
Now to the Baron fate inclines
the field.
His warlike Amazon her host
invades,
Th' imperial consort of
the crown of Spades.
The Club's black Tyrant
first her victim dy'd,
Spite of his haughty mien,
and barb'rous pride:.......................70
What boots the
regal circle on his head,
His giant limbs, in state
unwieldy spread;
That long behind he trails
his pompous robe,
And, of all monarchs, only
grasps the globe?
|
Spadillo:
ace of spades
Manillo: two of spades,
a card of high value
Basto: ace of clubs,
card with third-highest value
Plebeian: card of
little value
Knave: jack
Pam: jack of clubs
Lu: Loo, a card game
in which the jack of clubs had the highest value
mien: manner
What boots the regal
circle: what good is the regal circle
globe: golden ball
which, along with a scepter, was an emblem of royal power
|
The Baron now his Diamonds
pours apace;
75
Th' embroider'd King who
shows but half his face,
And his refulgent Queen,
with pow'rs combin'd
Of broken troops an easy
conquest find.
Clubs, Diamonds, Hearts,
in wild disorder seen,
With throngs promiscuous
strow the level green.
80
Thus when dispers'd a routed
army runs,
Of Asia's troops, and Afric's
sable sons,
With like confusion different
nations fly,
Of various habit, and of
various dye,
The pierc'd battalions dis-united
fall,
85
In heaps on heaps; one fate
o'erwhelms them all.
The Knave of Diamonds tries
his wily arts,
And wins (oh shameful chance!)
the Queen of Hearts.
At this, the blood the virgin's
cheek forsook,
A livid paleness spreads
o'er all her look;
90
She sees, and trembles at
th' approaching ill,
Just in the jaws of ruin,
and Codille.
And now (as oft in some
distemper'd State)
On one nice Trick depends
the gen'ral fate.
An Ace of Hearts steps forth:
The King unseen
95
Lurk'd in her hand, and
mourn'd his captive Queen:
He springs to Vengeance
with an eager pace,
And falls like thunder on
the prostrate Ace.
The nymph exulting fills
with shouts the sky;
The walls, the woods, and
long canals reply.
100
|
strow:
archaic form of strew
Codille: A development
in which the challenger failed to win the necessary cards. On the next
play, Belinda wins the game.
long canals: The
canals on the grounds of Hampton Court
|
Oh thoughtless mortals!
ever blind to fate,
Too soon dejected, and too
soon elate.
Sudden, these honours shall
be snatch'd away,
And curs'd for ever this
victorious day.
For lo! the board with cups
and spoons is crown'd,
105
The berries crackle,
and the mill turns round;
On shining Altars of
Japan they raise
The silver lamp; the fiery
spirits blaze:
From silver spouts the grateful
liquors glide,
While China's earth receives
the smoking tide:
110
At once they gratify their
scent and taste,
And frequent cups prolong
the rich repast.
Straight hover round the
Fair her airy band;
Some, as she sipp'd, the
fuming liquor fann'd,
Some o'er her lap their
careful plumes display'd,
115
Trembling, and conscious
of the rich brocade.
Coffee, (which makes the
politician wise,
And see thro' all things
with his half-shut eyes)
Sent up in vapours to the
Baron's brain
New Stratagems, the radiant
Lock to gain.
120
Ah cease, rash youth! desist
ere't is too late,
Fear the just Gods, and
think of Scylla's Fate!
Chang'd to a bird, and
sent to flit in air,
She dearly pays for Nisus'
injur'd hair!
|
berries
crackle: The coffee beans crackle when roasted on the mill.
Altars of Japan:
tables coated with varnish made from a substance of a Japanese tree of
the cashew family.
China's . . . tide:
The china coffee cups receive the steaming coffee.
Scylla's . . . hair:
In Greek mythology, Scylla betrayed her father, Nisus, King of Megara,
by cutting off a lock of his hair--a purple lock with magical powers that
safeguarded him and his kingdom. Scylla did so because she was in love
with her father's enemy, King Minos of Crete, who was attacking Megara.
Nisus died and was changed into a sea eagle. Scylla later drowned and was
changed into a sea bird that was chased by the eagle. |
But when to mischief mortals
bend their will,
125
How soon they find fit instruments
of ill!
Just then, Clarissa drew
with tempting grace
A two-edg'd weapon
from her shining case:
So Ladies in Romance assist
their Knight,
Present the spear, and arm
him for the fight.
130
He takes the gift with rev'rence,
and extends
The little engine on his
fingers' ends;
This just behind Belinda's
neck he spread,
As o'er the fragrant
steams she bends her head.
Swift to the Lock a thousand
Sprites repair,
135
A thousand wings, by turns,
blow back the hair;
And thrice they twitch'd
the diamond in her ear;
Thrice she look'd back,
and thrice the foe drew near.
Just in that instant, anxious
Ariel sought
The close recesses of the
Virgin's thought;
140
As on the nosegay
in her breast reclin'd,
He watch'd th' Ideas rising
in her mind,
Sudden he view'd, in spite
of all her art,
An earthly Lover lurking
at her heart.
Amaz'd, confus'd, he found
his pow'r expir'd,
145
Resign'd to fate, and with
a sigh retir'd.
|
fragrant
steams: steam from the hot coffee
weapon: scissors
nosegay: small bouquet
of flowers |
The Peer now
spreads the glitt'ring Forfex wide,
T' inclose the Lock; now
joins it, to divide.
Ev'n then, before the fatal
engine clos'd,
A wretched Sylph too fondly
interpos'd;
150
Fate urg'd the shears, and
cut the Sylph in twain,
(But airy substance soon
unites again)
The meeting points the sacred
hair dissever
From the fair head, for
ever, and for ever!
Then flash'd the living
lightning from her eyes,
155
And screams of horror rend
th' affrighted skies.
Not louder shrieks to pitying
heav'n are cast,
When husbands, or when lapdogs
breathe their last;
Or when rich China vessels
fall'n from high,
In glitt'ring dust and painted
fragments lie!
160
Let wreaths of triumph now
my temples twine
(The victor cry'd) the glorious
Prize is mine!
While fish in streams, or
birds delight in air,
Or in a coach and six the
British Fair,
As long as Atalantis
shall be read,
165
Or the small pillow grace
a Lady's bed,
While visits shall be paid
on solemn days,
When num'rous wax-lights
in bright order blaze,
While nymphs take treats,
or assignations give,
So long my honour, name,
and praise shall live!
170
What Time would spare, from
Steel receives its date,
And monuments, like men,
submit to fate!
Steel could the labour of
the Gods destroy,
And strike to dust th'
imperial tow'rs of Troy;
Steel could the works of
mortal pride confound,
175
And hew triumphal arches
to the ground.
What wonder then, fair nymph!
thy hairs should feel,
The conqu'ring force of
unresisted steel?
|
The
Peer: the baron
Forfex: Latin for
scissors
Atalantis: Reference
to The New Atlantis, a popular gossip novel by Mary de la Riviere
Manley (1663-1724). It alluded to real-life scandals.
Steel receives: From
this phrase down to Line 178, the poem tells of the power of steel to endure,
to destroy the work of gods and men, and, of course, to trim a lock of
hair.
strike . . . Troy:
In the Trojan War, the Greeks--using swords and spears of steel--slaughtered
the Trojans and destroyed their city after gaining entry to the city inside
a wooden horse.
triumphal arches:
arches built to honor and memorialize great men and heroes. |
But anxious cares the pensive
nymph oppress'd,
And secret passions labour'd
in her breast.
Not
youthful kings in battle seiz'd alive,
Not
scornful virgins who their charms survive,
Not
ardent lovers robb'd of all their bliss,
5
Not
ancient ladies when refus'd a kiss,
Not
tyrants fierce that unrepenting die,
Not
Cynthia when her manteau's pinn'd awry,
E'er felt such rage, resentment,
and despair,
As thou, sad Virgin! for
thy ravish'd Hair.
10
For, that sad moment, when
the Sylphs withdrew
And Ariel weeping from Belinda
flew,
Umbriel, a dusky, melancholy
| |