Rape of the Lock, The

By Pope, Alexander

Book Id: WPLBN0002950238
Format Type:
File Size: 28.31 MB
Reproduction Date: 2011

Title:	Rape of the Lock, The
Author:	Pope, Alexander
Volume:
Language:	English
Subject:	Poetry, Poetry, Satire
Collections:	Audio Books Collection, Rape of the Lock, The
Historic Publication Date:	1717
Publisher:	LibriVox Audio Books


Citation APA MLA Chicago Pope, B. A. (1717). Rape of the Lock, The. Retrieved from http://www.self.gutenberg.org/

Description
The Rape of the Lock is a mock-heroic narrative poem written by Alexander Pope, first published anonymously in Lintot's Miscellany in May 1712 in two cantos (334 lines), but then revised, expanded and reissued under Pope's name on March 2, 1714, in a much-expanded 5-canto version (794 lines). The final form was available in 1717 with the addition of Clarissa's speech on good humour. The poem satirizes a petty squabble by comparing it to the epic world of the gods. It was based on an incident recounted by Pope's friend, John Caryll. Arabella Fermor and her suitor, Lord Petre, were both from aristocratic recusant Catholic families at a period in England when under such laws as the Test Act, all denominations except Anglicanism suffered legal restrictions and penalties (for example Petre could not take up his place in the House of Lords as a Catholic). Petre, lusting after Arabella, had cut off a lock of her hair without permission, and the consequent argument had created a breach between the two families. Pope, also a Catholic, wrote the poem at the request of friends in an attempt to comically merge the two. He utilized the character Belinda to represent Arabella and introduced an entire system of sylphs, or guardian spirits of virgins, a parodized version of the gods and goddesses of conventional epic.

Summary
Electronic recorded live performance of a reading

Excerpt
Poetry, Satire