Monday, May 09, 2005
ENGL2104: Second Essay
At the opening of Pope's Rape of the Lock, Ariel appears to assert that supernatural entities such as himself exert great power over human affairs when he claims, "the Sylphss contrive all" (I, 104). To what extent does the action of the poem bear out this claim?
Supernatural themes and entities are prevalent within many works of the restoration period, their purposes and descriptions vary, however within Pope’s work, The Rape of The Lock, there are two defined supernatural entities at work; the ‘sprites’ and ‘Fate’. These two entities are somewhat at battle with each other throughout the story, that is to say that the will of the Fates seems to conflict with the divine purpose of the sprites in protecting beauty that is an attribute of Belinda. Nevertheless the action of the poem does decidedly claim that supernatural entities, be it via direct interference or their internal conflict, do hold a substantial will to power in the mortal realm. Not only is this claim asserted by Ariel within the poem’s opening canto, but is also strengthened by the continual acknowledgement of the actions and motives of the sprites and Fates throughout the poem and its conclusory end. The active elements within the poem, and the deeds of the mortal characters, do not show that the supernatural beings have complete control over human affairs, but does demonstrate a control to the extent of achieving a greater ends; such as illustrated at the conclusion of the poem as the lock is placed at a heavenly abode.
The strongest supernatural actions are those of Ariel, a sprite presented as some type of commanding Sylph, who takes the charge of protecting the beauty as embodied by Belinda. Ariel’s speech to his fellow Sprites is similar to the address to the angels, and again similar to Satan’s address to the fallen angels within Milton’s Paradise Lost; the relationship here is a mock representation of the power and importance that is attributed to the scene. Pope has worked into the poem numerous references to Milton’s angelic counterparts in order to strengthen this mock relationship of the poem within the history of the epic, and also to assist the audience in their understanding of the relationship these supernatural entities supposedly have with the world of men and women – Adam an Eve.
‘Know farther yet; whoever fair and chaste
Rejects mankind, is by some Sylph embraced:
For spirits, freed from mortal laws, with ease
Assume what sexes and what shapes they please.’
(I, 67-70)
Fate urged the shears, and cut the Sylph in twain
(But airy substance soon unites again),
(III, 151)
Nevertheless, on a relative scale, quite within the bounds of the poem in itself, the Sprites do hold a relative authority to that of the Angels within Paradise Lost, for this is the aim of the mock style. Yet Ariel points out explicitly that “our humbler province is to tend the fair, / not less pleasing, though less glorious care” (II, 91). And yet the Sprites take to the task as seriously as any other, intent on staving off “some dread event” (I, 109) that is to threaten such beauty as placed on earth. It is enough to say here that the Sprites are self-aware, self-convinced, of their own abilities to affect change within human affairs; however, and it is important to note, that the Sprites do not have knowledge like that of Milton’s angels to know the will of God, or a greater plan. Such a point can be made when it becomes clear that the mortal vessel, the Baron, used to carry out the action of defilement, that of removing the lock, has in support another clear set of supernatural beings.
For this, ere Phoebus rose, he had implored
Propitious heaven, and every power adored,
But chiefly Love – to Love an altar built,
Of twelve vast French romances, neatly gilt.
There lay three garters, half a pair of gloves;
And all the trophies of his former loves.
With tender billets-doux he lights the pyre,
And breathes three amorous sighs to raise the fire;
Then prostrate falls, and begs with ardent eyes
Soon to obtain, and possess, the prize:
The powers gave ear, and granted half his prayer;
The rest the winds dispersed in empty air.
(II, 35-45)
In this essence the ‘powers’ are using the Baron’s own will and desires to in turn enact a will and ends of their own, one that us mere mortals are not intended to understand – at least not until the very end. The Sprites on one hand carry out their work and tasks whereas on the other the Fates have greater control in a way that they can shift subtly the ends to which human actions will bring about. In this course the Sprites seemed to be limited in affecting change of human affairs outside the actions of man and women themselves. However this only due to the fact that the actions of the Sprites are answerable to Fate; thus an interesting prospect is brought up whether the actions of the Sprites hindered or helped in some ways the result of Fate. In a similar fashion Shakespeare examines the actions of the supernatural and Fate on the course of mankind within MacBeth; whether the actions of the three witches shaped Fate and MacBeth himself, or ‘twas it merely human decision.
Yet in a most direct way Pope demonstrates the ability of the Sprites to directly sway human interaction via the card game in Canto III. Simply by the Sylphs’ interaction with the cards in themselves, “the aerial guard descend, and sit on each important card” (III, 31), and will these stronger cards into the playing hand of Belinda. The playing out of the game is likened to a battle within a war, an analogy that immediately conjures to the mind the ritualistic pre-war ceremonies to respective gods and powers to bring about victory. In this case, the battle between Belinda and the Baron, a similar discourse arises, the Sprites invoked perform their duty to assist in bringing about victory; not only by placing strong suit cards within Belinda’s hand but also with strategic information to bring about a coup de’tat. Pope uses this card sense and the analogy to war to draw the point of supernatural participation in a double-edged fashion. For as explained the Sprites have worked their will upon the game, yet however on a larger level Fate has had its way again. In the wake of Belinda’s victory the Baron is further enticed to take what prize he wishes and call it his own. The card game itself is suggestive of the fateful nature of cards, and their link to the spiritual via tarot, not only are the Sprites at work within the game of ‘Ombre’, but fate has used the ends of the game to shape further inevitable action. For “fate inclined the field” (III, 66) toward Baron, indicates to the audience fate’s siding with the Baron’s mischief, all the while “thoughtless mortals [are] ever blind to fate” (III, 101). In as much as Pope examples the power and control these supernatural Sprites have over human affairs, they are overshadowed by a great supernatural power, namely fate. In this sense we can limit Ariel’s, and similar supernatural entities’ ability to exert great power over human affairs within the construction of yet another supernatural power, one superior, that of Fate.
Swift to the lock a thousand Sprites repair,
A thousand wings, by turns, blow back the hair,
And thrice they twitched the diamond in her ear;
Thrice she looked back, and thrice the foe drew near.
(III, 135-138)
A Sylph too warned me of the threats of fate,
In mystic visions, now believed too late!
(IV, 160-1)
Despite the movement of the Sprites their actions do not deter the hidden intentions of Belinda and her disposition toward the Baron. However, her actions do not play into her imagined outcome, rather into a fateful position in which the Baron is easily ably to complete half of his desire. Half the desire incomplete, the Baron also becomes a ‘victim’ of fate in as much as his imagined outcome is left destitute, enacting half of his will collapsed the second – Belinda shall love him no more. And yet fate is still unfinished, because a predetermined path from above suggests that a lesson is in the making, to be arrived at when all parts are played out.
Even then before the fatal engine closed,
A wretched Sylph too fondly interposed;
Fate urged the shears, and cut the Sylph in twain
(But airy substance soon unites again),
(III, 149-152)
Suitably summarised is the Sprites ineptness to counter the compounding movement of events that from the very beginning they set out to prevent. Throughout the poem, as highlighted by the three selected passages, the actions of the Sprites seem futile when faced with the will of Fate. In essence the supernatural presence of fate has been accompanying the mortal individuals as much as it has been accompanying entities such as Ariel. The predetermined nature of the Sprites unending endeavour to preserve beauty had all along signified the work of fate and greater achievement; likewise with the intentions of the mortals entwined with the story are bound to a predetermined nature in which participation is a practical necessity.
So much as the supernatural entities work within the purpose of Fate they are able to influence, control, and exert great power over human affairs. The conclusion that pope presents within Rape of the Lock is not that one being has an assertive power over another, but that the hand of fate uses the interaction of beings to ends that outlasts all and in this case consecrates the lock to an everlasting fame. Whether this is an allusion by Pope to the poem itself (literature in general) or his message of good humour in the face of determined fate is uncertain. Nevertheless the ability of supernatural beings is questioned within Rape of the Lock, and is concluded to have the same masters as mere mortals.
Bibliogrpahy
Doody, Margarat A. The Daring Muse Cambridge university Press 1984
Price Martin. The Oxford Anthology of English Literature: the Restoration and the Eighteenth Century Oxford Press 1973
Rosseau, G.S. 20th Centruy Interpretations of “Rape of the Lock”: A Collection of Critical Essays Englewood Cliffs 1969 ¶ 11:35 pm
Supernatural themes and entities are prevalent within many works of the restoration period, their purposes and descriptions vary, however within Pope’s work, The Rape of The Lock, there are two defined supernatural entities at work; the ‘sprites’ and ‘Fate’. These two entities are somewhat at battle with each other throughout the story, that is to say that the will of the Fates seems to conflict with the divine purpose of the sprites in protecting beauty that is an attribute of Belinda. Nevertheless the action of the poem does decidedly claim that supernatural entities, be it via direct interference or their internal conflict, do hold a substantial will to power in the mortal realm. Not only is this claim asserted by Ariel within the poem’s opening canto, but is also strengthened by the continual acknowledgement of the actions and motives of the sprites and Fates throughout the poem and its conclusory end. The active elements within the poem, and the deeds of the mortal characters, do not show that the supernatural beings have complete control over human affairs, but does demonstrate a control to the extent of achieving a greater ends; such as illustrated at the conclusion of the poem as the lock is placed at a heavenly abode.
The strongest supernatural actions are those of Ariel, a sprite presented as some type of commanding Sylph, who takes the charge of protecting the beauty as embodied by Belinda. Ariel’s speech to his fellow Sprites is similar to the address to the angels, and again similar to Satan’s address to the fallen angels within Milton’s Paradise Lost; the relationship here is a mock representation of the power and importance that is attributed to the scene. Pope has worked into the poem numerous references to Milton’s angelic counterparts in order to strengthen this mock relationship of the poem within the history of the epic, and also to assist the audience in their understanding of the relationship these supernatural entities supposedly have with the world of men and women – Adam an Eve.
‘Know farther yet; whoever fair and chaste
Rejects mankind, is by some Sylph embraced:
For spirits, freed from mortal laws, with ease
Assume what sexes and what shapes they please.’
(I, 67-70)
Fate urged the shears, and cut the Sylph in twain
(But airy substance soon unites again),
(III, 151)
Nevertheless, on a relative scale, quite within the bounds of the poem in itself, the Sprites do hold a relative authority to that of the Angels within Paradise Lost, for this is the aim of the mock style. Yet Ariel points out explicitly that “our humbler province is to tend the fair, / not less pleasing, though less glorious care” (II, 91). And yet the Sprites take to the task as seriously as any other, intent on staving off “some dread event” (I, 109) that is to threaten such beauty as placed on earth. It is enough to say here that the Sprites are self-aware, self-convinced, of their own abilities to affect change within human affairs; however, and it is important to note, that the Sprites do not have knowledge like that of Milton’s angels to know the will of God, or a greater plan. Such a point can be made when it becomes clear that the mortal vessel, the Baron, used to carry out the action of defilement, that of removing the lock, has in support another clear set of supernatural beings.
For this, ere Phoebus rose, he had implored
Propitious heaven, and every power adored,
But chiefly Love – to Love an altar built,
Of twelve vast French romances, neatly gilt.
There lay three garters, half a pair of gloves;
And all the trophies of his former loves.
With tender billets-doux he lights the pyre,
And breathes three amorous sighs to raise the fire;
Then prostrate falls, and begs with ardent eyes
Soon to obtain, and possess, the prize:
The powers gave ear, and granted half his prayer;
The rest the winds dispersed in empty air.
(II, 35-45)
In this essence the ‘powers’ are using the Baron’s own will and desires to in turn enact a will and ends of their own, one that us mere mortals are not intended to understand – at least not until the very end. The Sprites on one hand carry out their work and tasks whereas on the other the Fates have greater control in a way that they can shift subtly the ends to which human actions will bring about. In this course the Sprites seemed to be limited in affecting change of human affairs outside the actions of man and women themselves. However this only due to the fact that the actions of the Sprites are answerable to Fate; thus an interesting prospect is brought up whether the actions of the Sprites hindered or helped in some ways the result of Fate. In a similar fashion Shakespeare examines the actions of the supernatural and Fate on the course of mankind within MacBeth; whether the actions of the three witches shaped Fate and MacBeth himself, or ‘twas it merely human decision.
Yet in a most direct way Pope demonstrates the ability of the Sprites to directly sway human interaction via the card game in Canto III. Simply by the Sylphs’ interaction with the cards in themselves, “the aerial guard descend, and sit on each important card” (III, 31), and will these stronger cards into the playing hand of Belinda. The playing out of the game is likened to a battle within a war, an analogy that immediately conjures to the mind the ritualistic pre-war ceremonies to respective gods and powers to bring about victory. In this case, the battle between Belinda and the Baron, a similar discourse arises, the Sprites invoked perform their duty to assist in bringing about victory; not only by placing strong suit cards within Belinda’s hand but also with strategic information to bring about a coup de’tat. Pope uses this card sense and the analogy to war to draw the point of supernatural participation in a double-edged fashion. For as explained the Sprites have worked their will upon the game, yet however on a larger level Fate has had its way again. In the wake of Belinda’s victory the Baron is further enticed to take what prize he wishes and call it his own. The card game itself is suggestive of the fateful nature of cards, and their link to the spiritual via tarot, not only are the Sprites at work within the game of ‘Ombre’, but fate has used the ends of the game to shape further inevitable action. For “fate inclined the field” (III, 66) toward Baron, indicates to the audience fate’s siding with the Baron’s mischief, all the while “thoughtless mortals [are] ever blind to fate” (III, 101). In as much as Pope examples the power and control these supernatural Sprites have over human affairs, they are overshadowed by a great supernatural power, namely fate. In this sense we can limit Ariel’s, and similar supernatural entities’ ability to exert great power over human affairs within the construction of yet another supernatural power, one superior, that of Fate.
Swift to the lock a thousand Sprites repair,
A thousand wings, by turns, blow back the hair,
And thrice they twitched the diamond in her ear;
Thrice she looked back, and thrice the foe drew near.
(III, 135-138)
A Sylph too warned me of the threats of fate,
In mystic visions, now believed too late!
(IV, 160-1)
Despite the movement of the Sprites their actions do not deter the hidden intentions of Belinda and her disposition toward the Baron. However, her actions do not play into her imagined outcome, rather into a fateful position in which the Baron is easily ably to complete half of his desire. Half the desire incomplete, the Baron also becomes a ‘victim’ of fate in as much as his imagined outcome is left destitute, enacting half of his will collapsed the second – Belinda shall love him no more. And yet fate is still unfinished, because a predetermined path from above suggests that a lesson is in the making, to be arrived at when all parts are played out.
Even then before the fatal engine closed,
A wretched Sylph too fondly interposed;
Fate urged the shears, and cut the Sylph in twain
(But airy substance soon unites again),
(III, 149-152)
Suitably summarised is the Sprites ineptness to counter the compounding movement of events that from the very beginning they set out to prevent. Throughout the poem, as highlighted by the three selected passages, the actions of the Sprites seem futile when faced with the will of Fate. In essence the supernatural presence of fate has been accompanying the mortal individuals as much as it has been accompanying entities such as Ariel. The predetermined nature of the Sprites unending endeavour to preserve beauty had all along signified the work of fate and greater achievement; likewise with the intentions of the mortals entwined with the story are bound to a predetermined nature in which participation is a practical necessity.
So much as the supernatural entities work within the purpose of Fate they are able to influence, control, and exert great power over human affairs. The conclusion that pope presents within Rape of the Lock is not that one being has an assertive power over another, but that the hand of fate uses the interaction of beings to ends that outlasts all and in this case consecrates the lock to an everlasting fame. Whether this is an allusion by Pope to the poem itself (literature in general) or his message of good humour in the face of determined fate is uncertain. Nevertheless the ability of supernatural beings is questioned within Rape of the Lock, and is concluded to have the same masters as mere mortals.
Bibliogrpahy
Doody, Margarat A. The Daring Muse Cambridge university Press 1984
Price Martin. The Oxford Anthology of English Literature: the Restoration and the Eighteenth Century Oxford Press 1973
Rosseau, G.S. 20th Centruy Interpretations of “Rape of the Lock”: A Collection of Critical Essays Englewood Cliffs 1969 ¶ 11:35 pm