Use of Divine Machinery in “The Rape of the Lock”

In English literature, the name of Alexander Pope will always remain immortal. He has proved himself to be a master of keen observation of life in all of his works.

Combining his artistic quality of writing with his knack for delving deep into the social structure of humanity, he can present beautiful literary sketches of man and his society.

One such work is his famous satirical poem, “The Rape of the Lock.” “The Rape of the Lock” is a supreme example of a mock-epic style. It has the grand style and characteristic of the epic and relatively trivial matter.

Pope Ensures Divine Spirit’s Presence in The Mock-Epic “The Rape of the Lock”

In an epic, one of the most noticeable elements is the presence of supernatural or divine beings. In Homer’s “Iliad,” we have Zeus, Apollo, and other deities. In Milton’s “Paradise Lost, we have God, his angels, Satan, and his demonic force. In all epics, such divine spirits exist. It is a vital characteristic of an epic.

The purpose of such divine machinery is not only mere decoration, but it also serves to elevate the style, bring out human factors, and give reason to fate.

We have mentioned before that “The Rape of the Lock” is a mock-epic. Therefore, if there are divine spirits in an epic, they must exist in a mock-epic, too, even though on a lower scale.

Pope does not ignore this; it is interesting to note here that he did not include any such divine machinery in this initial writing of the poem. At that stage, though the poem was more concise, it lacked the vitality of the later edition where he included the divine spirit.

Before reading the actual poem, we find a preface on dedication addressed to Arabella Fermor. Over here, to a certain extent, he elaborates on the inclusion of the spirits. 

The Rosicrucian Doctrine Lends Divine Spirit to “The Rape of the Lock”

“The Rape of the Lock” derives the divine spirits from the Rosicrucian Doctrine. Christian and Greek theology would be inappropriate in a mock-epic as they are inherently solemn.

Pope made a fortunate choice in the Rosicrucian spirits, a fantastic system of supernatural beings believed in by a community known as the Rosicrucian; Pope came across it in a French book Le Comte de Gabalis.

According to this Rosicrucian doctrine, the spirits inhabiting the universe are the Sylphs, nymphs, gnomes, and salamanders. The Sylphs and nymphs are supposed to inhabit the air and are of excellent and sweet nature. The gnomes and salamanders live on earth and are mischievous and demonic—these spirits from the divine machinery of “The Rape of the Lock.”

Pope’s Skillful Use of Divine Machinery Beats the Critic

Though many critics speak against the inclusion of this divine machinery, one must appreciate Pope’s deft handling of the spirits’ world. It has given more machinery to the poem and curtailed any chance of its becoming dull. Pope has handled the divine machinery so skilfully that we do not feel bored with the spirits’ world.

In the poem, we find that Pope explained these Sylphs, who were once beautiful women become Sylphs after death. A woman with fiery attitudes becomes Salamanders; a woman of gentle and submissive nature becomes water spirits or nymphs.

The woman who pretends to be very modest takes inferior from a gnome. The souls of flirts go up into the air and take the forms of Sylphs.

In the poem’s context, we shall see that these Sylphs have a vast and varied number of functions. They are Belinda’s actual attendants in the poem, sort of invisible guardians. They float around her, making sure that she is pleasing to the eye at all times. They rescue her from the advances of lecherous men, helping her flirt coquettishly, and another thing that was fitting for the fashionable lady of the day.

This reminds one of a grand epic where the Gods and Goddesses interfere in the lives of the mortals. These Sylphs and gnomes, being of a lower quality, emphasize the mock-epic style. Indeed the sylph Ariel himself describes his fellow as ‘light militia of the lower sky.’

Pope Delineates The Spirits Elaborately in “The Rape of the Lock”

As the poem goes on, the function of these spirits is further elaborated. In line 178, Pope says that when men attribute a woman’s modesty to her sense of honor, these sylphs guard her purity.

The gnomes teach the young woman how to flirt early by rolling their eyes coquettishly, affecting blushes and falling for young men at the slightest chance. The Sylphs do not allow these girls to yield to any young man’s advances who are lecherous.

Pope Uses Divine Machinery to Increase Suspense in “The Rape of the Lock”

The divine machinery also serves to increase the suspense of the play. By their foreknowledge, they create suspense.

For example, Ariel forewarned Belinda that she should be alert and, most of all, aware of men when Belinda sits at her dressing table, improving her beauty with various cosmetics and ornaments.

It is not Betty, her maid, who is doing her assistance; the Sylphs hover around fixing her hair and putting her ornaments there; it is one of their jobs to adorn the female sex.

Final Words

Addison discouraged Pope from including this divine machinery, but after reading “The Rape of the Lock,” one cannot condemn Pope for it. He has given a vital spontaneity to the poem because this divine machinery is almost Homeric and Miltonic while dealing with a subject of less importance.

It further improves the style of the mock-epic. Thus we must applaud Pope for his skillful use of these tiny spirits in his delightful poem “The Rape of the Lock.” He has indeed not only delighted his reader but proved himself to be an exceptionally skillful master of his pen and imagination.

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