THE MOCK HEROIC POEM (p. 204)
ALEXANDER POPE (1688 – 1744) - THE RAPE OF THE LOCK (1712) – CANTO I
BELINDA’S TOILET (p. 205)
1 And now, unveil'd, the Toilet stands display'd,
2 Each Silver Vase in mystic Order laid.
3 First, robed in White, the Nymph intent adores
4 With Head uncover'd, the Cosmetic Pow'rs.
5 A heavenly Image in the Glass appears,
6 To that she bends, to that her Eyes she rears;
7 The inferior Priestess, at her Altar's side,
8 Trembling, begins the sacred Rites of Pride.
9 Unnumber'd Treasures ope at once, and here
10 The various offerings of the world appear;
11 From each she nicely culls with curious Toil,
12 And decks the Goddess with the glittering Spoil.
13 This casket India's glowing Gems unlocks,
14 And all Arabia breathes from yonder Box.
15 The Tortoise here and Elephant unite,
16 Transform'd to Combs, the speckled and the white.
17 Here Files of Pins extend their shining Rows,
18 Puffs, Powders, Patches, Bibles, Billet-doux.
19 Now awful Beauty puts on all its Arms;
20 The Fair each moment rises in her Charms,
21 Repairs her Smiles, awakens ev'ry Grace,
22 And calls forth all the Wonders of her Face;
23 Sees by Degrees a purer Blush arise,
24 And keener Lightnings quicken in her Eyes.
25 The busy Sylphs* surround their darling Care;
26 These set the Head, and those divide the Hair,
27 Some fold the Sleeve, whilst others plait the Gown;
28 And Betty's* prais'd for labours not her own.
Ed ora, senza veli, il tavolo dei trucchi appare in bella mostra,
ogni vaso d’argento disposto in un ordine mistico.
Per prima cosa, vestita di bianco, la ninfa (Belinda)assorta adora
col capo scoperto, le potenze (divinità) cosmetiche.
Un’immagine celestiale appare allo specchio,
e a quell’immagine lei si inchina, verso quell’immagine lei solleva i suoi occhi;
La sacerdotessa di grado inferiore (la cameriera), a lato dell’altare,
tremante comincia i sacri riti dell’orgoglio.
Apre subito innumerevoli tesori, e qui
Appaiono le varie offerte del mondo;
Da ciascuna lei amabilmente sceglie con attenta cura
E adorna la Dea con le spoglie (bottino di guerra) abbaglianti.
Questo scrigno svela gemme scintillanti dell’India,
e tutti i profumi d’Arabia esalano da quel cofanetto laggiù.
Qui la tartaruga e l’elefante si uniscono,
trasformati in pettini, quello chiazzato e quello bianco.
Qui file di spilloni stanno in lucidi squadroni,
Piumini, Ciprie, Nei Finti, Bibbie, biglietti galanti.
Ora la terribile Bellezza mette tutta l’armatura (il trucco);
La Divina cresce in fascino di momento in momento,
Addolcisce i suoi sorrisi, risveglia ogni grazia,
e mostra tutte le meraviglie del suo volto;
(La Bella) vede piano piano un rossore più puro apparire,
e lampi più penetranti sfavillare/brillare nei suoi occhi.
Gli indaffarati Silfidi circondano la loro beneamata (oggetto della loro cura);
Questi le abbelliscono la testa, e quelli le dividono le ciocche,
Alcuni le piegano la manica, mentre altri le pieghettano (lett.: intrecciano) la gonna,
E Betty è lodata per fatiche che non sono sue (ma della Natura stessa = la bellezza).
*1Betty was a generic name for female servants in the eighteenth century.
*Silfidi: spiriti dell’aria
1. The following sentences summarise the events described in the passage. Put them in the right order and write
down the lines they refer to.
1. A (2)-Everything is ready for Belinda's daily make-up.
2. B (3)- Belinda and Betty are in front of the dressing table.
3. C (5)- Belinda looks at herself in the mirror while Betty is getting things ready for her toilet.
4. D (1)- Betty uses perfumes, combs, pins, puffs, powder and patches.
5. E (6)- Belinda's beauty is emphasized by the make-up which ends with a touch of blush and some drops
in her eyes.
6. F (4)- The Sylphs help Betty arrange Belinda's hair and dress.
A2 (lines 1-2); B3 (lines 3-4; 7); C5 (lines 5-12); D1 (lines 13-18); E6 (lines 19-24); F4 (lines 25-28).
2. Identify the kind of verse used by Pope. Mark the rhyme scheme and the stresses in the first two lines.
The rhyme scheme is AA BB CC. Pope uses rhyming couplets. The lines are iambic pentameters.
Fill in the following chart with other examples from the passage which parallel epic poetry and explain what
meaning is achieved thanks to the juxtaposition of the epic with the trivial.
THE RAPE OF THE
LOCK
The nymph intent adores
the cosmetic powers (lines
3-4).
EPIC POETRY
MEANING
The goddess of nature,
represented as a young girl,
worships the divinities presiding the battle.
Belinda worships the
cosmetics she sees on the
toilet table.
A heavenly Image in the Glass
appears, To that she bends, to
that her Eyes she rears
In Homer or Virgil the hero
used to worship Gods before
being armed for the battle
goods taken from a defeated
enemy after a battle
Belinda worships the image
of her beauty in the mirror
From each she nicely culls with
curious Toil, And decks the
Goddess with the glittering Spoil.
files of pins
Now … Arms (line 19).
The busy Sylphs surround
their darling care (line 25).
Typical military image: lines
of soldiers in their shining
uniforms
The hero puts on his arms
before the battle.
The air spirits who attend to
protect the hero.
Her jewellery are “glittering
spoil”, prizes for the many
“social battles”
Personification: pins help her
to win the “social battle”
Belinda's beauty is increased
by the aggressive power of
the arms of make-up.
The spirits attend to Belinda's
make-up.
4. Pick out words which refer to Belinda and her behaviour. How is she described?
robed in white, the nymph (line 3);
the goddess (line 12);
with head uncovered (line 4);
her charms (line 20);
A heavenly image (line 5);
her smiles (line 21);
she bends, her eyes she rears (line 6);
all the wonders of her face (line 22).
Belinda is described with almost divine attributes, as an object of cult.
5. The parody of the rite of the toilet is reinforced by religious language. Circle some examples. . 'mystic (line 2);
adores (line 3); A heavenly image (line 5); priestess (line 7); altar (line 7); sacred rites (line 8); offerings (line
10); goddess (line 12).
6. What impression do you get of the society represented in these lines? What were its ideals? Can you find any
similarities with the society you live in? Discuss.
Class discussion. The teacher may expand this topic comparing Pope's social satire with that of Addison about
Steele (T61).
Ecco agli occhi or dispiegata senza velo la toeletta
E in bell’ordine schierata ogni argentea sua anforetta.
Prima, candido-vestita, fa la ninfa riverenze,
col bel capo disvelato, a cosmetiche potenze.
Un’immagine, celeste nello specchio si rimira,
cui la ninfa pronta inchinasi, cui graziosi gli occhi gira.
La minor sacerdotessa, stando al fianco dell’altare,
dell’orgoglio i sacri riti, trema, pronta a cominciare.
Tutto a un tratto son dischiusi, ecco innumeri tesori,
contributi svariati dei mondani territori;
da cui essa bellamente con industre cura toglie,
e riveste la sua dea d’abbaglianti vezzi e spoglie.
Scintillanti indiche gemme son che questo scrigno apprezzano,
son profumi dell’Arabia che da quella cassa olezzano.
Le testuggini qui unite se ne stan con gli elefanti,
trasformatesi in chiazzati, bianchi pettini eleganti.
Qui colonne di spilloni stanno in lucidi squadroni,
bibbie, nei, piumini, ciprie, d’amor dolci letteroni.
Or riveste tutte l’armi la terribile beltà,
e la ninfa ad ogni istante cresce in vezzi e maestà;
già risveglia ogni lusinga, già addolcisce il suo sorriso,
mette in campo le superbe meraviglie del suo viso.
La vediamo a grado a grado,di rossor puro brillar,
sorprendiam più acuti lampi nei suoi occhi sfavillar.
Stanno attorno affaccendati alla cara i silfarelli,
chi la testa le abbellisce, chi dividele i capelli,
chi la manica le acconcia, chi la gonna le pieghetta,
e di quei capolavori, vien Bettina benedetta.