The Downfalls of Materialism in Alexander Popes The Rape...

The Downfalls of Materialism in Alexander Popes The Rape of the Lock Commodities have been a part of human culture from the start of the first civilizations. They can be crudely constructed or richly made works of art; they are still objects, however. Some people treasure their possessions more than anything in the world. These objects can become the driving force behind a persons life and desires. When someones prized possession is stolen, it may seem as though a disaster has taken place. Those who witness the aftermath of a stolen possession may comment on the triviality of both the theft and the owners reaction to the loss. In The Rape of the Lock, Alexander Pope is commenting on the triviality of a lost possession. Pope blurs†¦show more content†¦He continues to criticize the nature of the people in the poem in the lines, Slight is the subject, but not so the praise, / If she inspire, and he approve my lays (1.5-6). The first twelve lines in canto one set up the background of the poem, after which Pope begins his critical look at the poss essions that abound in the poem. He opens this critical look by observing Belinda sleeping. She is surrounded by personal possessions, such as the white curtains (1.13), the lapdogs (1.15), and the pressed watch (1.18). The watch is described as chiming with a silver sound (1.18), which illustrates the richness of Belindas possessions. Belindas guardian Sylph, Ariel, warns her in a dream of the triviality of worldly goods: Hear and believe! Thy own importance know, / Nor bound thy narrow views to things below (1.35-36). Ariel continues his warning to Belinda about the triviality of the desire for objects when he describes men, With varying vanities, from every part, / They shift the moving toyshop of their heart; / Where wigs with wigs, with sword-knots sword-knots strive, / Beaux banish beaux, and coaches coaches drive (1.99-102). According to Paul Baines, Men become a succession of metonymic objects, a series of external stimulants which substitute for desire in a heart which is itself no more than aShow MoreRelatedLiterary Analysis of The Rape of the Lock Essays1922 Words   |  8 Pages Author and his times: Alexander Pope was born in London in 1688. Because he was a Roman Catholic living in a predominately Protestant society, he was largely excluded from the university system and therefore was self-taught, for the most part. At the age of twelve, he contracted tuberculosis, a disease that left him stunted and misshapen. Consequently, he suffered a great deal of emotional trauma and social anxiety. His only tool for interaction was his incredible wit and talent for writing