The Rape of the Lock as a Mock Heroic Poem

A mock-epic or mock heroic poem is a kind of narrative poem which deals with a very trivial theme in a lofty and grand style with a view to satirizing and reformation. It is considered to be a ‘Parody of the Epic’. Alexander Pope, the representative poet of the 18^th century in England, brought mock heroic poem to its highest peak of perfection in his masterpiece The Rape of the Lock. A critical analysis of the theme and manner of the poem is necessary to justify how far The Rape of the Lock is a model of mock epic.

The mock heroic quality of The Rape of the Lock lies in the very beginning of the poem which parodies the conventional epic invocation that we find in Homer’s Iliad, Virgil’s Aenied and Milton’s Paradise Lost. The opening lines echo classical epic:

‘What dire offence from am’rous causes springs,

What mighty contests rise from trivial things,

I sing- This Verse to caryll, Muse! Is due;’

The statement of the central problem of the poem is presented in an epic manner. Belinda’s dream reminds us of the Eve’s dream in Paradise Lost. If Eve dreams of Satan’s instigation, Belinda dreams of Ariel’s advice and suggestion.

The trait of the mock epic is that the theme is very trivial and ridiculous. In Iliad, Homer glorifies war and heroism, in Paradise Lost, Milton justifies the ways of God of man but in The Rape of the Lock Pope deals with the cutting of a lock of hair from the fashionable lady’s head, the quarrel and battle between the two opposite sexes. Instead of genuine passions and deep thought, we found mock passions and artificial sentiments and emotions in The Rape of the Lock.

Another important aspect of a mock epic is its satiric and moral tone and The Rape of the Lock satisfies the requirement completely. In the poetry Pope attacks the so called fashionable 18^th century English society where young men and women passed their time in making flirtations and false love, visiting club and park, drinking and pleasure seeking. Pope exposes the ills and evils, faults and follies of his society.

Pope uses mock heroic aspects in handling the ‘machinery’ or supernatural elements in The Rape of the Lock. In this poem Pope has used spirits such as Sylphs and Gnomes. They play various functions and even take part in the battle of the mortals. In fact his futile function of the spirits cannot but mock us laugh.

There is also a mock epic quality in the presentation, description and allusions of combat and battle that takes place between male and female sexes. The heroic bombast of the Baron must parody Hectorian orations. Then the battle between the Beaux and the Belles is a right royal Homeric battle, even the game of Ombre is a delicate parody of epical fights. Holden observes this mock epic manner.

To wind up, we can say that The Rape of the Lock is the finest of all epic poems we have ever read. It is mock heroic not only in content but also in its style.