“The Rape of the lock” as a mock heroic epic poem

 

An epic is a long narrative poem which deals with grand battles, conflict or the heroic deed of a legendary heroes.

The subject matter, or content of an epic  is usually serious and it concerns with grand battles or conflict .

Mock epic, also called mock heroic, is a form of satire that adapts the elevated heroic style of the classical epic poem to a trivial subject. Mock-epic is actually a long satirical poem written in lofty and exalted manner imitating the style of classical epic in which the subject is trivial.

Rape of the lock is a mock epic because in this epic a trivial issue is presented in lofty and exalted manner. Likewise other famous epic it also starts with an invocation where the author invokes his friend Carryll to provide him the story of this epic and summons beautiful woman Belinda to accept his poem.

 

Producing amusement and humor is the sole purpose of mock epic. In the poem” The rape of the lock” the author gives us amusement and humor by sketching the trivial thing in grandeur style. Instead of using sword and battle the author uses cosmetics and game of cards to make reader laugh. Mock epic usually gives us a moral lesson by mocking the society manner. In this poem we also finds the criticism of 18th century where morality is totally absent in aristocratic society. Pope satirizes this society manner to give a moral lesson to the readers that social vanity and status are not important.

 

Existence of supernatural elements is one of the important feature of epic diction.

In this poem, the sylphs  are presented in comic manner and their comical duties like putting on make up ,protecting chastity of women has been depicted in grandeur style which gives this poem some comical effects. Pope represents some tiny or small things in grandeur manner in this poem to make this epic a comical epic. For example, the subject matter of this poem is cutting of a lock from a beautiful lady’s head. This simple issue has been portrayed in epic style by using irony and satire to mock the vanity of 18th century people.

 

In the poem we find, while Belinda is putting on makeup; this simple issue has been depicted in epic style by saying that it seems like she is preparing for a battle. When Baron cuts Belinda lock off by using a pair of scissors. The expression of Baron is comparable to the joy of winning a huge Battle. And after losing the lock when Belinda cries out; her weeping has been compared with the thundering. 

 

Finally for losing a lock of hair a battle arises between aristocratic men and women and it was not a serious battle .it was the battle of altercation, but pope presents it in such a manner like its a battle Which seems the battle of two nations. Portrayal of these simple issues in grandeur manner produces lots of humor to the readers. The author uses lofty and high sounding epic diction and exaggeration on simple incidents to mock the 18th century society manner.

 If we analyze this poem we finds quite a few epic qualities which are presented in comical manner to Mock the 18th century society. Thus, it is well defined as a mock epic.