The Rape of the Lock 夺发记 赏析.docx

The Rape of the Lock 夺发记 赏析.docx

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TheRapeoftheLock夺发记赏析

TheRapeoftheLock

夺发记

ByAlexanderPope（1688-1744）

1.Introduction:

TheMock-Epic

Atthebeginningof"TheRapeoftheLock",Popeidentifiestheworkasa“heroi-comicalpoem.”Today,thepoem–andotherslikeit–isreferredtoasamock-epicandsometimesasamock-heroic.Suchaworkparodies仿作theserious,elevatedstyleoftheclassicalepicpoem–suchasTheIliadorTheOdyssey,byHomer–topokefunathumanfollies.Thus,amock-epicisatypeofsatire;ittreatspettyhumansorinsignificantoccurrencesasiftheywereextraordinaryorheroic,likethegreatheroesandeventsofHomer'stwogreatepics.Inwriting"TheRapeoftheLock"PopeimitatedthecharacteristicsofHomer'sepics,aswellaslaterepicssuchasTheAeneid（Vergil）,TheDivineComedy（Dante）,andParadiseLost（Milton）.Manyofthesecharacteristicsarelistedbelow,under"EpicConventions."

2.Setting

TheactiontakesplaceinLondonanditsenvironsintheearly1700'sonasingleday.Thestorybeginsatnoon（CantoI）attheLondonresidenceofBelindaasshecarefullypreparesherselfforagala盛会socialgathering.Thescenethenshifts（CantoII）toaboatcarryingBelindauptheThames.ToonlookerssheisasmagnificentasQueenCleopatrawaswhenshetraveledinherbarge.Therestofthestory（CantosIII-V）takesplacewhereBelindadebarks下船–HamptonCourtPalace,aformerresidenceofKingHenryVIIIontheoutskirtsofLondon–exceptforabriefsceneinCantoIVthattakesplaceinthecaveoftheQueenofSpleen.

3.Characters

Belinda:

Beautifulyoungladywithwondroushair,twolocksofwhichhanggracefullyincurls.

TheBaron:

YoungadmirerofBelindawhoplotstocutoffoneofherlocks.

Ariel:

Belinda'sguardiansylph（supernaturalcreature）.

Clarissa:

YoungladywhogivestheBaronscissors.

Umbriel:

SpritewhoentersthecaveoftheQueenofSpleentoseekhelpforBelinda.

QueenofSpleen:

UnderworldgoddesswhogivesUmbrielgiftsforBelinda.

Thalestris:

FriendofBelinda.ThalestrisurgesSirPlumetodefendBelinda'shonor.

SirPlume:

BeauofThalestris.HescoldstheBaron.

Sylphs,Fairies,Genies,Demons,PhantomsandOtherSupernaturalCreatures

4.Source:

AReal-LifeIncident

PopebasedTheRapeoftheLockonanactualincidentinwhichaBritishnobleman,LordPetre,cutoffalockofhairdanglingtantalizingly令人着急地fromtheheadofthebeautifulArabellaFermor.Petre’sdaringtheftofthelocksetoffabattleroyalbetweenthePetreandFermorfamilies.JohnCaryll–afriendofPopeandofthewarringfamilies–persuadedthegreatwritertopenaliteraryworksatirizingtheabsurdity荒谬andsillinessofthedispute.Theresultwasoneofthegreatestsatiricalpoemsinallofliterature.Inwritingthepoem,Popealsodrewuponancientclassicalsources–notablyHomer’sgreatepics,TheIliadandTheOdyssey–asmodelstoimitateinstyleandtone.HealsoconsultedthetextsofmedievalandRenaissanceepics.

5.PlotSummary

Popeopenswithastatementannouncingthetopicofhispoem:

Agentleman–alord,infact–hascommittedaterribleoutrageagainstagentlewoman,causinghertorejecthim.Whatwasthisoffense?

Whydiditincite刺激suchangerinthelady?

ThewomaninquestionisnamedBelinda.SheissleepinglateonedayinherLondonhomewhenasylph–adainty精巧的spiritthatinhabitstheair–warnsherthat“Isaw,alas!

somedreadEventimpend.”Thesylph,namedAriel,doesnotknowwhatthiseventisorwhereorhowitwillmanifestitself.ButhedoestellBelindatobeonguardagainstthemachinationsofmen.

Belindarisesandpreparesherselfforasocialgathering,sittingbeforeamirrorandprettyingherselfwith“puffsandpowders”andscentingherselfwith“allArabia.”Afterward,shetravelsuptheThamesRivertothesiteofthesocialfestivities,HamptonCourt,thegreatpalaceonthenorthbankoftheriverthatinearliertimeswashometoKingHenryVIII.Asshesitsintheboat,“FairNymphs,andwell-drestYouthsaroundhershone,/Butev'ryEyewasfix'donheralone.”Inotherwords,shewasbeautifulbeyondmeasure.Shesmiledateveryoneequally,andhereyes–brightsuns–radiatedgoodwill.Especiallyendearingtoanyonewholookeduponherwereherwondroustresses:

一束头发

ThisNymph,totheDestructionofMankind,

Nourish'dtwoLockswhichgracefulhungbehind

InequalCurls,andwellconspir'dtodeck

WithshiningRingletsthesmoothIv'ryNeck.

AmongBelinda’sadmirersisayoungbaronatHamptonCourtawaitingherarrival.Hehasresolvedtosnipoffalockofherhairasthetrophyoftrophies.Beforedawn,beforeeventhesungodPhoebusApolloarose,theBaronhadbeenplanningthetheftofalockofBelinda'shair.Towinthefavorofthegods,hehadlightedanaltarfireand,lyingfacedownbeforeit,prayedforsuccess.

AfterBelindaarrivesatHamptonCourtwithhercompanyoffriends,thepartygoersplayOmbre,apopularcardgameinwhichonly40ofthe52cardsaredealt--theeights,nines,andtensareheldback.ItappearsthattheBaronwillwinthegameafterhisknaveofdiamondscapturesherqueenofhearts.However,Belindayethashope,evenaftertheBaronplaysanaceofhearts:

TheKingunseen

Lurk'dinherHand,andmourn'dhiscaptiveQueen.

HespringstoVengeancewithaneagerPace,

AndfallslikeThunderontheprostrateAce

TheNymphexultingfillswithShoutstheSky;

TheWalls,theWoods,andlongCanalsreply.

Belindawins!

Coffeeisserved,thevaporsofwhichgototheBaron’sbrainandemboldenhimtocarryouthisassaultonBelinda’shair.Clarissa,aladywhofanciestheBaron,withdrawsscissorsfromacaseandarmshimwiththeweapon.WhenheclosesinbehindBelinda,shebendsoverhercoffee,exposingamagnificentlock.Butathousandspritescometoheraid,usingtheirwingstoblowhairoverthelock.Theyalsotugatoneofherdiamondearringstoalerthertothedanger.Threetimestheywarnherandthreetimesshelooksaround.Butallisfornaught.TheBaronopenswidehisweapon,closesitaroundthelock,andcuts.TherapeofherlockenragesBelinda:

Thenflash'dthelivingLightningsfromherEyes,

AndScreamsofHorrorrendth'affrightedSkies.

NotlouderShriekstopityingHeav'narecast,

WhenHusbands,orwhenLapdogsbreathetheirlast,

OrwhenrichChinaVessels,fal'nfromhigh,

Inglitt'ringDustandpaintedFragmentslie!

AgnomenamedUmbrieldescendstotheUnderworldonBelinda’sbehalfandobtainsabagofsighsandavialoftearsfromtheQueenofSpleen.Withthesemagicalgifts,hemeanstocomfortpoorBelinda.First,heemptiesthebagonher.AgentlemannamedSirPlume--promptedbyhisbelle,Thalestris,afriendofBelinda--thenroundlyscoldstheBaronforhisgraveoffense.ButtheBaronisunrepentant.UmbrielthenemptiesthevialonBelinda.Griefovercomesherashereyeshalf-drownintearsandherheaddroopsuponherbosom.Shesays:

Forevercurs'dbethisdetestedDay,

Whichsnatch'dmybest,myfav'riteCurlaway!

Happy!

ahtentimeshappyhadIbeen,

IfHampton-CourttheseEyeshadneverseen!

ClarissatriestomollifyBelindainalongspeech,butfails.AbitofameleeensueswhenBelindaattemptstoretrieveherlostlock.“Fansclap,Silksrussle,andtoughWhalebonescrack.”Belindaprovesafiercecombatant.SheattackstheBaron“withmorethanusualLightninginherEyes”andthrowsahandfulofsnufffromSirPlume'sboxuphisnose.But,alas,whenthebattleends,thelockisnowheretobefound.

However,thepoemendsonahappynoteforBelinda,Popesays,becausethetrimmedlockofhergoldenhairhasrisentotheheavens,theretobecomeashiningstar.

6.Theme

ThecentralthemeofTheRapeoftheLockisthefussthathighsocietymakesovertriflingmatters,suchasbreaches破坏ofdecorum礼仪.Inthepoem,afeud争执ofepicproportionseruptsaftertheBaronstealsalockofBelinda’shair.Inthereal-lifeincidentonwhichPopebasedhispoem,thePetreandtheFermorfamilieshadafalling-outafterLordPetresnippedoffoneofArabellaFermor’slocks.OtherthemesthatPopedevelopsinthepoemincludehumanvanityandtheimportanceofbeingabletolaughatlife’slittlereversals.Thelattermotifisakindof“moraltothestory.”ClarissatouchesuponbothofthesethemeswhenaddressingtearfulBelinda,shornofherlock:

Butsince,alas!

frailBeautymustdecay,

Curl'doruncurl'd,sinceLockswillturntogrey;

Sincepainted,ornotpainted,allshallfade,

AndshewhoscornsaMan,mustdieaMaid,

WhatthenremainsbutwellourPow'rtouse,

AndkeepgoodHumourstillwhate'erwelose?

7.Climax

TheclimaxofTheRapeoftheLockoccurswhentheBaronsnipsawayoneofBelinda'slocks.

8.EpicConventions

Becauseamock-epicparodiesaclassicalepic,itusesthesameconventions,orformulas,astheclassicalepic--butusuallyinahumorousway.Forexample,aconventionofmanyclassicalepicsisaseavoyageinwhichperils危险confronttheheroateveryturn.InTheRapeoftheLock,theseavoyageisBelinda'sboattripuptheThamesRiver.Herguardiansylph,Ariel,sees"blackomens"thatforetelldisastersforBelindaeventhoughthewavesflowsmoothlyandthewindsblowgently.Willshestainherdress?

Loseherhonororhernecklace?

Missamasquerade化妆舞会?

Forgetherprayers?

SofrightfularetheomensthatArielsummons50ofhiscompanionspiritstoguardBelinda'spetticoat,aswellastheringlets小卷发ofherhair.FollowingareexamplesoftheepicconventionsthatPopeparodies:

Invocation乞灵oftheMuse:

InancientGreeceandRome,poetshadalwaysrequested“themuse”tofirethemwithcreativegeniuswhentheybeganlongnarrativepoems,orepics,aboutgodlikeheroesandvillains.I