The Rape of the Lock: A Comedy! The inspiration for The Rape of the Lock was an actual incident among Pope's acquaintances in which Robert, Lord Petre, cut off lock of Arabella Fermor's hair, and the young people's families fell into strife as a result. John Caryll, another member of the same circle of prominent Roman Catholic, asked Pope to write a light poem that you put the episode into a humorous perspective and reconcile …showed first 75 words of 1151 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1151 total…Rape of the Lock that is meant to satirize not immortalize her. The only heroic characteristic that Belinda has is courage, but not in the epic sense instead in the flirtatious game of 'keep-away' sense. (Pope V. 37-104). Belinda may not be an epic heroine, but she makes a good mock epic heroine and al! ong with the formal statement of theme and invocation they all aid the satirical mood of the poem. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ **Bibliography**