Finding the Key to Pope's Rape of the Lock by Alexander Pope

The Rape of the Lock is striking in it's modernity. Not the high sense of modern novel convention, however, in the subject matter and context. Pope with deft mastery and skill weaves a satirical tale of the woes of a young lady gone awry of her protected virtue. The satirical virtue under attack from Pope is the same treasure, which the Baron of the Epic Comic seeks-her virginity.

The use of Ariel, the Sylph, a mythical and unearthly, angel-like creature, represents the reality and possibility of one protecting herself while under attack from a suitor.

"Know farther yet; Whoever fair and chaste

Rejects Mankind, is by some Sylph embrac'd:"

Canto I Line 67-68

He is likening the 'fair and chaste' as some mythically protected entity that can successfully guard her virtue. Ariel's entire nature is to protect the virtue of young Belinda.

"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,

When Musick softens, and when Dancing fires?"

Canto I Lines 71-78

Although the Sylphs are there to protect virtue, the name of title and rank can undo even the best protection. Pope relays that the gentle young girl will swoon under the title of a better at Ball or Court as our fair Belinda does in the end.

However, as Pope confers, women will swoon under the melodious tones of a man's title; he takes a sidebar and, as Swift in The Lady's Dressing Room did, attacks the vice of pride. However, beyond Swift's malodorous description of the females' boudoir, Pope appears to have a softer spot in his heart for those of the fairer sex. Where Swift comes across as misogynistic and evil spirited, Pope appears to hold some reverence to the 'sacred rites' a woman must endure to make herself available for her adoring public. However, he still subtly rails her for the pride she has for her looks although he does it with a kind heart.

Canto II

Canto II introduces the attack on her protected virtue. However, the mask is tightened down upon the first nature of the hunted. The locks in which Pope writes are not locks at all but Belinda's virginity.

"Th' adventurous Baron the bright Locks admir'd,

He saw, He wish'd, and to the Prize aspir'd:

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 of Force attain'd his Ends."

Canto II Lines 29-34

It is interesting to note, the title Baron is italicized to denote his rank recalling Pope's claim that a woman is weak to a man's inherited title. And as the Baron is wielder of the 'verdant tower,' Belinda "the painted Vessel glides" implying she is the vessel that carries her virginity. Pope foreshadows that a deleterious circumstance is going to fall upon Belinda.

As the danger of the Baron mounts upon Belinda, Ariel, the Sylph, gathers his legions to protect Belinda's virtue from the Baron. In a cacophonous battle cry, the Sylphs plead their allegiance to Belinda's virtue before protecting her from the Baron's onslaught. However, as we learn:

"This day, black Omens threat the brightest Fair

That eér 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."

Canto II Lines 101-104

Portending the eventual falling of Belinda's virtue the Sylph's man their designated areas of protection and wait the final outcome.

Canto III
The Canto opens with the forming of the Masquerade at the Hampton Court Palace. Here Pope sets the stage with an excellent description of the power and mystique the Palace holds over the "Britian's Statesmen oft the Fall foredoom Of Foreign Tyrants, and Nymphs at Home." (Line 5-6) Moreover, he satirizes the pretentious airs people of the court display when invited to the Palace. As the people mingle discussing their last visits to the Palace or the host of the ball, Belinda encounters two Knights, the Baron and Ariel, and challenge them to a metaphorical game of Ombre.

Pope uses the game to illustrate the give and take between the Baron and Belinda over the conquest of her virtue. As expertly as Flaubert illustrates the battle of virtue between Emma and Rodolphe during the county fair conversation, Pope weaves us through the advances upon Belinda through the metonymical disguise of a card game.

"The Knaves of Diamonds tries his wily Arts,

And wins (Oh shameful Chance!) the Queen of Hearts

At this, the Blood the Virgin's cheeks forsook,

A livid Paleness spreads oér all her Look;

She sees, and trembles at th'approaching Ill,

Just in the Jaws of Ruin, and Codille."

Canto III Lines 87-93

In this round of coital pursuit, the Baron is betwixt by fate and loses his sought after goal. However, as Belinda cheers her thwarting of the wayward attempt on her virtue, Pope warns that the Baron will win in the end and stand victorious over her fallen virtue.

The Baron defeated and at wits end to realize his goals turns to an unlikely source to rekindle his passions. The Baron, through the alchemy of caffeine, is renewed with coffee.

"Coffee, (which makes the Politician wise,

And see thro'all things with half-shut eyes)

Sent up in vapours to the Braon's Brain

New Stratagems, the Radiant Lock to gain."

Canto III Lines 117-120

Is Pope satirizing the public's dependency, or faith, in early 'drugs?' Does the Baron rely upon the foisting of energy supplied by quick 18^th Century Venti Macchiato? Is this the precursor to the little purple pill? Reenergized, the Baron, through the muse of Clarissa, resubmits himself to his quest and conquers the unsuspecting Belinda.

While the Baron charges for the glory, a battle between the Forfex and protecting Sylph's ensues. However, the Baron succeeds and the metaphorical lock is "dissever from the Fair Head, For ever and for ever!" (Canto III Lines 153-154) Here the duped Belinda screams when the "China Vessel," code for virginity, is broken. The Baron, as brazen and proudly as a conquering steed will do, brags of his conquests over the trussed metaphor of the hapless Belinda. The honorable Ariel and the strength of Troy's towers were unable to thwart the advances of the Baron and Belinda is left to stew in her lost virtue.

Canto IV

The imagery in Canto IV is incredible. Belinda, now missing her virtue, wishes for a prodigal virginity. She laments the lose of her feminine charm and falls into a deep melancholy. However, through Belinda's disgrace and depression, one of the most poignant lines of the work shines through.

"Of Bodie's chang'd to various forms by Spleen,

Here living Teapots stand, one arm held out,

One Bent; the Handle this, and that the Spout:"

Canto IV Lines 47-50

This deft imagery leaves one imagining the stereotypical heroine in distress standing with her swooning hand on her forehead and one arm throw askew into the air.

Canto IV also introduces the mischievous Gnome. He represents all that embodies the melancholy depression Belinda expresses over her lost virginity. With a healing fist of Spleenwort, the Gnome offers to heal and replace the lost hymen of the wayward Queen. It is this very matter that he tries to heal that

"Who rule the Sex to Fifty from Fifteen,

Parent of Vapors and of Female Wit,

Whoe give th'Hysteric or Poetic Fit,

On various Tempers act by various ways,

Make some take Physick, or others scribble Plays;"

Canto IV Lines 59-62

However, Belinda's pining only inherits the ire of an old maiden that admonishes her for giving up the goods and feeling sorry about the loss. However, as Belinda is berated for longing for a return of her lost virginity, the Baron is getting coached to be courteous and quiet of his conquest by Sir Plume. Unfortunately, for Belinda, he does not heed Plume's advice and he relishes in the conquest of Belinda.

As the Canto closes, we watch Belinda go through Kubler-Ross's five stages of grieving. She is first angry about the loss of her virtue, then saddened, and now she has moved on to rationalizing.

"Yet am not I the first mistaken Maid,

By Love of Courts to num'rous Ills betrayed."

Canto IV Lines 152 - 153

Canto V

When we return to Belinda in the final Canto, she has accepted the fate of her virtue. As with all things lost, it is to rise to the ether, where the air is pure and all lost things go. However, we find her in the beginning of the Canto still rationalizing the loss of her virtue. However, here, Pope may be satirizing the fact that virtue is far overrated.

"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?"

Canto V Lines 26-30

Critics usually agree this references as a woman ages men will become less interested in their virtue, or sex. However, I think the argument is that if the woman's virtue is not used that is when man will grow uninterested and she will die a maid.