The Rape Of The Lock

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"Discuss the themes of heroism and anti-heroism with reference to the mock epic aspects of The Rape of the Lock." Alexander Pope's 'Rape of the Lock' is in essence a mock-heroic poem. Pope satirizes the irrational behavior of women at that time through the request of his friend, John Caryll, who is in fact the real life counterpart to he events in the tale. The poem having been written to ease the tensions between the two families by showing a more comic and exaggerated version of their dispute, in the poem. This humourous persepective that was meant to provide insight on the situation with intention of healing the wounds, patching up the differences. All this dispute about a lock of hair makes it very clear to the reader why Pope has opted to use the epic style. In the true spirit of the epic, Pope makes sure to ridicule all the characteristic elements, from the invocation of the muse to the heroic couplet. In accordance with the epic style it was customary to state your purpose, he does this too in a humorous manner: What dire Offence from am'rous Causes springs, What mighty Contests rise from trivial Things, These not being the voluminous, profound subjects upon which literature disposes itself. Where the epics in all their grandeur and splendor would have invoked a muse, Pope calls on his freind, the same whose dispute he is trying to resolve. The protagonist, but by far not the heroine of this poem is a young woman called Belinda, she is the victim of the 'Rape of the Lock', which is further magnified, her only attribute being her beautiful hair that flows from her head in curly locks. One of which had been swiftly removed by Caryll who could not control his desires. Belinda, though she has beautiful hair, in fact lacks the characteristics of a heroine. Pope emphasizes her unheroine-like qualitites and dispositions. For instance her 'affected way
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