Skip to main content

How can you apply Pope's "An Essay On Criticism" to "The Rape of Lock"?

Pope's "An Essay on Criticism" is a manual for literary critics written in verse and has many elements that are applicable to his "Rape of the Lock."


First, Pope urges that his readers justly value the models of antiquity and appreciate their greatness. This means that as a student, even if you find Pope's own writing archaic or difficult, you should put in the effort to read it carefully for yourself; just as Pope learned...

Pope's "An Essay on Criticism" is a manual for literary critics written in verse and has many elements that are applicable to his "Rape of the Lock."


First, Pope urges that his readers justly value the models of antiquity and appreciate their greatness. This means that as a student, even if you find Pope's own writing archaic or difficult, you should put in the effort to read it carefully for yourself; just as Pope learned about human nature and literary form from close study of Homer, so you can learn from reading Pope. 


Next, Pope urges critics not to judge too hastily or negatively and to understand poems in light of what the poet is setting out to accomplish. That means that as you read the "Rape of the Lock", you should focus on its nature as a mock epic and how it effectively satirizes the traditions of heroic epic.


"An Essay on Criticism" also focuses on poetic craft. You can use the "numbers" section to evaluate Pope's use of meter; Pope would suggest that you look at whether he mixes polysyllabic words with monosyllabic ones to avoid having "... ten low words oft creep in one dull line" and whether he uses metrical variations in a way appropriate to his subject matter. 


Pope also argues that it is important to use rhymes effectively. In "Rape of the Lock" he often rhymes the grand terms of traditional epic with trivial ones of everyday life for comic effect, as when he uses an extended (mock) epic simile to compare a game of cards to a war; a good example of this manner of using rhyme can be found in the following lines:



His warlike amazon her host invades,


Th’ imperial consort of the crown of Spades


Popular posts from this blog

In chapter one of The Great Gatsby, what advice does Nick's father give him? How does this make him a good person to tell this story?

Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches... Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches into a discussion of how pe...

How and why does James Gatz become Jay Gatsby? Describe the young Gatsby/Gatz.

James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune,... James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune, whereas they arose from well-to-do families. Gatz became Gatsby through determination and discipline. At the end of the novel, the narr...

Explain and discuss how the definitions of freedom change for the nation, for the freedmen and for southern whites after the Civil War.

After the Civil War, the definition of freedom changed in the nation, as slavery was ended with the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in 1865. The practice of slavery was disallowed, but definition of the freedom that would take its place was a subject of controversy, ongoing debate, and even violence in the decades to come.  For freedmen, freedom often meant reconciling with their families, who were broken up by slavery; choosing which church to... After the Civil War, the definition of freedom changed in the nation, as slavery was ended with the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in 1865. The practice of slavery was disallowed, but definition of the freedom that would take its place was a subject of controversy, ongoing debate, and even violence in the decades to come.  For freedmen, freedom often meant reconciling with their families, who were broken up by slavery; choosing which church to belong to without being ordered to attend religious services (or not to attend) by their mast...