The Rape of the Lock, and Other Poems

Name: The Rape of the Lock, and Other Poems
Author: Pope, Alexander

Pope, Alexander

Catholics -- England -- Poetry; English poetry -- 18th century; Young women -- Poetry

In this passage Pope imagines a dialogue between one of the proud
murmurers he has described and himself. His opponent insists that the
world was made primarily for man's enjoyment (ll. 132-140). Pope asks
whether nature does not seem to swerve from this end of promoting human
happiness in times of pestilence, earthquake, and tempest (ll. 141-144).
The other answers that these are only rare exceptions to the general
laws, due perhaps to some change in nature since the world began (ll.
145-148). Pope replies by asking why there should not be exceptions in
the moral as well as in the physical world; may not great villains be
compared to terrible catastrophes in nature (ll. 148-156)? He goes on to
say that no one but God can answer this question, that our human
reasoning springs from pride, and that the true course of reasoning is
simply to submit (ll. 156-164). He then suggests that "passions," by
which he means vices, are as necessary a part of the moral order as
storms of the physical world (ll. 165-172).

'142 livid deaths':

pestilence.

'143-144'

Pope was perhaps thinking of a terrible earthquake and flood that had
caused great loss of life in Chili the year before this poem appeared.

'150 Then Nature deviates':

Nature departs from her regular order on such occasions as these
catastrophes.

'151' that end:

human happiness, as in l. 149.

'156'

Caesar Borgia, the wicked son of Pope Alexander VI, and Catiline are
mentioned here as portents in the moral world parallel to plagues and
earthquakes in the physical.

'160 young Ammon':

Alexander the Great. See note on 'Essay on Criticism', l. 376.

'163'

Why do we accuse God for permitting wickedness when we do not blame Him
for permitting evil in the natural world?

'166 there':

in nature.

'here':

in man.

'173-206'

In this section Pope reproves those who are dissatisfied with man's
faculties. He points out that all animals, man included, have powers
suited to their position in the world (ll. 179-188), and asserts that if
man had keener senses than he now has, he would be exposed to evils from
which he now is free (ll. 193-203).

'176 To want':

to lack.

'177'

Paraphrase this line in prose.

'181 compensated':

accented on the antepenult.

'183 the state':

the place which the creature occupies in the natural world.

'195 finer optics':

keener power of sight.

'197 touch':

a noun, subject of "were given," understood from l. 195.

'199 quick effluvia':

pungent odors. The construction is very condensed here; "effluvia" may
be regarded like "touch" as a subject of "were given" (l. 195); but one
would expect rather a phrase to denote a keener sense of smell than man
now possesses.

'202 music of the spheres':

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

The Rape of the Lock, and Other PoemsPope, Alexander

General

The Rape of the Lock, and Other Poems

Pope, Alexander

Catholics -- England -- Poetry; English poetry -- 18th century; Young women -- Poetry

In this passage Pope imagines a dialogue between one of the proud
murmurers he has described and himself. His opponent insists that the
world was made primarily for man's enjoyment (ll. 132-140). Pope asks
whether nature does not seem to swerve from this end of promoting human
happiness in times of pestilence, earthquake, and tempest (ll. 141-144).
The other answers that these are only rare exceptions to the general
laws, due perhaps to some change in nature since the world began (ll.
145-148). Pope replies by asking why there should not be exceptions in
the moral as well as in the physical world; may not great villains be
compared to terrible catastrophes in nature (ll. 148-156)? He goes on to
say that no one but God can answer this question, that our human
reasoning springs from pride, and that the true course of reasoning is
simply to submit (ll. 156-164). He then suggests that "passions," by
which he means vices, are as necessary a part of the moral order as
storms of the physical world (ll. 165-172).

'142 livid deaths':

pestilence.

'143-144'

Pope was perhaps thinking of a terrible earthquake and flood that had
caused great loss of life in Chili the year before this poem appeared.

'150 Then Nature deviates':

Nature departs from her regular order on such occasions as these
catastrophes.

'151' that end:

human happiness, as in l. 149.

'156'

Caesar Borgia, the wicked son of Pope Alexander VI, and Catiline are
mentioned here as portents in the moral world parallel to plagues and
earthquakes in the physical.

'160 young Ammon':

Alexander the Great. See note on 'Essay on Criticism', l. 376.

'163'

Why do we accuse God for permitting wickedness when we do not blame Him
for permitting evil in the natural world?

'166 there':

in nature.

'here':

in man.

'173-206'

In this section Pope reproves those who are dissatisfied with man's
faculties. He points out that all animals, man included, have powers
suited to their position in the world (ll. 179-188), and asserts that if
man had keener senses than he now has, he would be exposed to evils from
which he now is free (ll. 193-203).

'176 To want':

to lack.

'177'

Paraphrase this line in prose.

'181 compensated':

accented on the antepenult.

'183 the state':

the place which the creature occupies in the natural world.

'195 finer optics':

keener power of sight.

'197 touch':

a noun, subject of "were given," understood from l. 195.

'199 quick effluvia':

pungent odors. The construction is very condensed here; "effluvia" may
be regarded like "touch" as a subject of "were given" (l. 195); but one
would expect rather a phrase to denote a keener sense of smell than man
now possesses.

'202 music of the spheres':

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

The Rape of the Lock, and Other Poems

The Rape of the Lock, and Other Poems

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