Frankenstain by Mary Shelley

 Creation of Creature Frankenstein

1) What are some major differences between the movie and the novel Frankenstein?

The Modern Prometheus, by Mary Shelley is hailed as the first real science-fiction novel. Following Dr. Victor Frankenstein, it chronicles Frankenstein’s journey to create life and his clash with his creation after he succeeds. Touching on themes of ambition, lost of innocence, revenge, humanity, responsibility and creattion, Frankenstein is a dense but very worthwhile classic of its genre. However, it unfortunately has been largely displaced in the popular consciousness by its film adaptations. To celebrate its publication anniversary, here are five facts about Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and its many differences to work that adapted its spooky tale.

 

1. The Framing Device

The original novel uses a framing device to tell its story. Captain Walton, a sailor in the arctic, picks up Victor Frankenstein on the ice and brings him aboard his ship. There, Frankenstein tells the tale of how he got here, turning the entire book into one long flashback. The Creature confronts Captain Walton at the end, vowing it will destroy itself via funeral pyre. However, Captain Walton is a character who is very rarely adapted, the framing device being almost entirely omitted from films based on or inspired by the book.

2. There was no Igor

Dr. Frankenstein’s hunchbacked assistant, Igor, is purely a creation of popular culture. In the original novel, Frankenstein worked entirely alone, creating the monster in a hidden room at his college. He kept the experiment entirely secret and had no outside help at all. The character of an assistant first appeared in 1931’s Frankenstein film in the form of Fritz, before being codified, ironically enough, by Mel Brook’s spoof film Son of Frankenstein.

3. The Monster Speaks

The Monster is a very different character from the mute, lumbering brute that was made famous in the Universal Horror films. Although he begins as a borderline feral creature after his ‘birth’, the Monster slowly learns language and reasoning over the course of the novel. He becomes extremely intelligent and articulate, often spending pages contemplating his unnatural existence. He even learns how to make clothes and uses weapons to defend himself as he survives in the wilderness. Compared to his film counterpart, he’s a wholly different beast.

4. The Creation is Offscreen

Doubtlessly one of the most famous in cinema is the creation of Frankenstein’s monster. Everything about it is iconic, from the slab the monster rests upon to the flashing laboratory equipment to the bolt of lightning that brings him to life to Frankenstein proclaiming “Its alive, its alive!” But the sequence in question actually isn’t in the original novel! Yes, the creation of the Monster in the book is entirely offscreen and left to the reader’s imagination. Oddly, this makes it more compelling to the imagination…how did Frankenstein do it? We’ll never know but it certainly makes good food for thought.

 

Victor Frankenstein leans over the inert form of the monster in his lab

5. Frankenstein Dies

In the novel, Victor Frankenstein pays for his hubris. After trekking the Monster to the Arctic, he collapses on the ice and is rescued by Captain Walton. But it is too late for him and after telling the Captain his story, he expires. Subsequent adaptations have spared Frankenstein his untimely demise, doubtlessly to keep a relatively happy ending.

2)who do you think is a real monster ?

Answer:In Mary Shelley's novel "Frankenstein," the character Victor Frankenstein can be seen as a complex figure who creates the creature but later regrets his actions. Some readers view Victor as a kind of "monster" due to his irresponsible pursuit of scientific knowledge and his abandonment of the creature. However, the novel raises questions about who the true monster is, as the creature also experiences isolation and mistreatment, which leads to his own acts of violence. Ultimately, the novel leaves it to the reader to decide who, if anyone, is the real monster. It's a theme that prompts moral and philosophical reflection.

While Victor Frankenstein creates the creature, often referred to as "Frankenstein's monster," the novel invites readers to consider whether the true monster is Victor himself. Victor's reckless pursuit of scientific knowledge and his abandonment of the creature after its creation lead to tragic consequences. Some argue that Victor's actions and neglect make him the real monster, while others emphasize the creature's loneliness and mistreatment, suggesting that society's rejection makes it the true victim. Ultimately, the novel explores the idea that both Victor and the creature have monstrous qualities, highlighting the destructive potential of unchecked ambition and societal prejudice.

For example, in Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein," the question of who the real monster is can be debated. Some argue that Victor Frankenstein's reckless pursuit of scientific knowledge and his abandonment of his creation make him the real monster, while others see the creature's violent actions as monstrous.

In real life, discussions about who the "real monster" might be often revolve around individuals or groups who have committed heinous acts or caused harm to others. These discussions are highly subjective and depend on the perspectives and values of those engaging in the conversation.

Ultimately, the designation of who the "real monster" is can vary widely depending on the specific context and the moral or ethical criteria being applied.

3)do you think the search for knowledge is dangerous and destructive?

Answer:The search for knowledge itself is not inherently dangerous or destructive. Knowledge can empower individuals and societies to make informed decisions, solve problems, and improve our understanding of the world. However, how knowledge is used and applied can have both positive and negative consequences. It's important to consider the ethical and responsible use of knowledge to ensure it benefits humanity rather than causing harm.

4)DO you think victor Frankenstein's creature  was inherently evil or did society's rejection  and  mistreatment turn him into a monster?

Answer:The interpretation of Victor Frankenstein's creature varies among readers and scholars. Some argue that the creature was not inherently evil but became a "monster" due to society's rejection and mistreatment, highlighting the impact of nurture over nature. Others see the creature as inherently flawed due to his creation process and the abandonment by his creator, suggesting a nature-versus-nurture debate in Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein." Ultimately, it's a complex theme open to different perspectives and interpretations.

5) should there be limits on scientific exploration? If so ,  what should  those limits be?

Answer: The question of limits on scientific exploration is a complex and ethical one. Many people believe that there should be limits in place to ensure the responsible and ethical use of scientific knowledge. Some potential limits include:

1. Ethical Boundaries: Research that involves human experimentation, cloning, or genetic modification should be subject to strict ethical guidelines to prevent harm or exploitation.

2. Environmental Impact: Scientific experiments and research that could have severe and irreversible environmental consequences, such as certain forms of geoengineering, should be carefully regulated.

3. Dual-Use Research: Scientific research that has the potential for both beneficial and harmful applications, such as in the field of biotechnology, should be closely monitored and regulated to prevent misuse.

4. Biosecurity: Research involving dangerous pathogens or technologies that could be used for bioterrorism should be subject to strict security measures and oversight.

5. Privacy and Data Security: Scientific research that involves personal data should adhere to strong privacy protections to prevent misuse and breaches.

6. Cultural and Social Sensitivity: Research that could infringe upon cultural, religious, or social norms should consider the potential consequences and respect for diverse perspectives.

It's important to strike a balance between promoting scientific progress and safeguarding against potential harms. Regulations and oversight mechanisms should be developed through a collaborative effort involving scientists, ethicists, policymakers, and the broader society to ensure that scientific exploration remains responsible and aligned with societal values and needs.

wordsworth's preface

 Wordsworth's preface to lyrical ballads.

William Wordsworth was a great English Romantic Poet. Wordsworth and  Samuel Taylor Coleridge together launch the Romantic Age in English literature with their joint publication of  Lyrical Ballads. In the preface of Lyrical Ballads Wordsworth gave his famous definition of poetry and his idea of What is a Poet.

Difference between classicism and romanticism.

Classicism: 

  The imitation or use primarily of the style and aesthetic principles of ancient Greek and Roman classical art and literature. The term 'neoclassicism' is often used in reference to revival of classicism.

Romanticism: 

     It is a movement in literature that lasted from about 1750 to 1870. Characterised by reliance on the imagination and subjectivity of approach freedom of thought and expressions and idealization of nature.

In classicism poets believed in the intellectual. Poets like Pope and Dryden, their poetry was intellectual. They believed that restrained was ruling the world. They relied on classical masters like Aristotle,Plato and Socrates. They believed in them and followed tham. So their poems were well made but they lacked emotions and not connecting to common people. Classical poems were more based on city and urban life. The classical poems were more focused on objectivity. 

In romanticism, there were poets like Wordsworth, Keats, Shelly. They believed that  imagination is the guiding source for creating poetry. Their poetry was highly imaginative. They believed in liberty, so we find their free play of emotions and imagination. They turned to inspiration from mediaeval poets and writers. Medievalism prevailed during the romantic period. They wrote about rustic life and rural people. They were subjective writers.

Wordsworth says "what is a poet?" rather than who is the poet?

According to Wordsworth " A poet is a man speaking to men, endowed with more lively sensibility, more enthusiasm and tenderness. Who has a greater knowledge of human nature and a more comprehensive soul, who rejoices more than other men in the spirit of life; habitually impelled to creative volition, passion and situation where he does not find them.

A poet not only has a more lively sensibility but also a more comprehensive soul and greater powers of imagination. He is also a man who has thought long and deep. He does not create on the spur of the moment, but contemplates and reflects in tranquillity till he passions anew and it is then that creation begins.

 What is Poetic Diction? According to Wordsworth's preface.

Poetic diction is a choice of words that lends unique style for each individual poet or author in their chosen language.

Wordsworth in his preface describes his poetic diction.He says in it that " the majority of the following poems are to be considered as experiments. They were written chiefly with a view to ascertain how far the language of conversation in the middle and lower classes of society is adapted to the purpose of poetic pleasure."

Wordsworth's poetic diction was about the common language of the common people. He believed that the language of poetry should be easier to understand for all kinds of people. The class language is only used to express that kind of feeling. His poetic diction expresses the overflow of the fillings that he gets when he is with nature and he does not fake it with exaggerating language elements or using strong language that is considered classic.

The definition of poetry.

According to Wordsworth’s definition of poetry, “ The spontaneous overflow of powerful feeling: it takes its origin from emotions recollected in tranquillity.”

So the poet said that poetry is based on the powerful feelings that are reflected as memories.those emotions are too strong that he expresses it by the poetry. Expressing those emotions is not that easy, poets have to think deeper about those emotions because poets are more learned and thoughtful than other people, so they have to become more aware of their actions.

That’s why the poet says “it takes its origins from emotions recollected in tranquillity.”

Wordsworth's poem The Daffodils and his poetic creed

We can easily understand Wordsworth’s definition of poem  by his own famous poem “The Daffodils”

The Daffodils is a lyric poem by William Wordsworth and was written in 1804 and was published in 1807 in Poems, in Two Volumes.

The poem contains four stanzas, the first three stanzas are in the past tense where he sees the field full of daffodils and becomes impressed by that natural scenery.  He describes daffodils in second stanza like,

“Continuous as the stars that shine

and twinkle on the Milky Way,”

And he express his feelings in third stanza by lines’

“A poet could not but be gay,

in such a jocund company:

I gazed—and gazed—but little thought

what wealth the show to me had brought:”

The fourth stanza is written in the present tense as he lies on the couch in his house and is in the mood of seriousness and in tension he tries to remember that field of Daffodils to feel the joy and content that he felt in the past when he visited it. He express it in lines like,

“For oft, when on my couch I lie

In vacant or in pensive mood,

They flash upon that inward eye

Which is the bliss of solitude;”

After remembering those movements of solitude and of nature he comes back to the joyful mood and is pleased by those memories. We can see that in the line’

“And then my heart with pleasure fills,

And dances with the daffodils.”

In this poem we can easily see that the poet used two tenses, for the first three stanzas he used past tense and for the last stanza he used present tense. If we see his poetry definition he says that, "it is a spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings.” as we can see that in the first three stanzas  he is overwhelmed by the daffodils. And in the third stanza he remembers daffodils when he is in deep thoughts. So that presents the later portion of definition that “ it takes its origins form emotions recollected in tranquillity”. So this poem becomes a perfect example of Wordsworth's definition of poetry.

So we can say that Wordsworth had very good insight for poetry and had deeper knowledge to understand and also explain the poetry to the other people and use the language of the common men. Provide reading of easy language and try to break the barrier of so called class of language and experiment poetry and bring in the romantic movement.

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 Lord Byron

• His Life:-

                                          Lord Byron was born in 1788. George Gordon Byron, sixth Lord Byron, was as proud of his ancestry as he was his poetry. The poet's father was a rake and scoundrel. He married a Scottish heiress, Miss Gordon of Gight, whose money he was not long in squandering. Though the poet was born in London, his early years were passed in Aberdeen, his mother's native place. As the age of ten, he succeeded his grand-uncle in the title

                                     He was educated at Harrow and Cambridge, where he showed himself to be heir to the ancestral nature, dark and passionate but relieved by humour and affection. 

• Journey of Lord Byron:-

A Second generation Romantic poet.

A Revolutionary and a fan of Napoleon.

His father Captain John [ Mad Jack Byron]

His Mother Catherine.

                                                  They Separated after Byron's birth. His father then had an affair with his own sister. Aged nine his nursemaid, May Gay, preached Calvinism to him by night and play tricks upon his person.Aged ten he inherited his title and returned to the family seat of New stead only to discover. It was a ruin. He then went to Harrow. Where he formed relationships' too romantic to last' with younger boys.

                                                    Byron graduated from Trinity College Cambridge. As a nobleman he did not have to attend lectures or sit examinations forbidden by college regulations from keeping a dog, Byron kept a bear. After graduating Byron went to London, organized prize fights and bought the freedom of a prostitute.

                                                   He then undertook the grand tour; became sympathetic to the Greek fight for freedom; swam the Hellespont; started to write' Child Harold's Pilgrimage' and collected souvenir costumes. He became one of the most celebrated men in Europe and was sought after socially and sexually.

                                                  He had affair with the married lady Caroline Lamb. She would dress as a page and visit him in his rooms. She was anorexic and Byron's friends called her " The Mad Skeleton". She had cut herself when obtaining it. When he ended the affair she stalked him, cut herself at a party to gain his attention and burned an effigy of him.

He had many relationships including affairs with:

a] Lady Jane Elizabeth countess of oxford.

b] Lady Frances Webster.

c] Augusta Leigh , his half sister.

                                                 He felt guilty and wanted to fly from his dissolute life. To pay off his debts and in an attempt to reform he proposed by post to the " golden dolly" Annabella.

                                                 On his way to the wedding he stopped and wrote a letter calling it off his half sister persuaded him not to send it. His best man tried to persuade the vicar to cancel the ceremony claiming Byron was a " monster of cruelty".

                                                 The vicar said it was too late when his daughter, Augusta Ada, was born Annabella took the child to her parents. Neither saw Byron again. He was accused of being syphilitic and insane and having committed sodomy and incest.

                                                 He left England and started an affair with Marry Shelly's step sister Claire Clairmant. At Geneva he met Percy Shelley who signed himself into hotel's under the name " Atheist" and the destination"hell". They exchanged roses Byron stayed at the Villa Diodati where Mary Shelly wrote " Frankenstein".

                                                 Claire became pregnant. Byron looked after the child, Allegra, but wanted nothing more to do with Claire. 

                                                 Byron then went to Italy and fell " most painfully in love " with Teresa Guiccioli. She was "as lovely as dawn and warm as noon". She was also nineteen and married. When she was ill he bought poison, intending to die with her. She survived.

                                                 Byron then joined the revolutionary forces in Italy. While living in Count Guiccioli's house, he slept with Guiccioli's wife and imported guns to overthrow him. 

                                                 He wrote " Don Juan" and a further can to of " Child Harold" in which women are the sexual predators. Byron then formed the 'Byron Brigade' and went to fight for Greek freedom from the Turks.

                                                 He fell in love with fifteen year old Greek boy the love was not returned. He caught a fever was bled and died. He asked that his boy be not"hacked or be sent to England ". His wishes were ignored. His lungs were left in Greece- the rest of him was pickled and sent to England. His body was refused burial in West minister Abbey- his friends claimed that had the body been lain in the Abbey his corpse would have risen and walked out.

Character and psyche:-

          I am such a strange mélange of good and evil that it would be difficult to describe me.

                                              As a boy, Byron's character is described as a "mixture of affectionate sweetness and playfulness, by which it was impossible not to be attached", although he also exhibited "silent rages, moody sullenness and revenge" with a precocious bent for attachment and obsession.

Byronic hero:-

                                           The Byronic hero presents an idealised, but flawed character whose attributes include: great talent; great passion; a distaste for society and social institutions; a lack of respect for rank and privilege (although possessing both); being thwarted in love by social constraint or death; rebellion; exile; an unsavory secret past; arrogance; overconfidence or lack of foresight; and, ultimately, a self-destructive manner. These types of characters have since become ubiquitous in literature and politics.

• famous quote:-

“Pleasure's a sin, and sometimes sin's a pleasure.”

                                                                   

                                                                                         —Lord Byron

•  Popular Poems:-

A] 'English Bards and Scotch Reviewers'

                                                  After receiving a scathing review of his first volume of poetry, Hours of Idleness, in 1808, Byron retaliated with the satirical poem "English Bards and Scotch Reviewers." The poem attacked the literary community with wit and satire, and gained him his first literary recognition. Upon turning 21, Byron took his seat in the House of Lords. A year later, with John Hobhouse, he embarked on a grand tour through the Mediterranean and Aegean seas, visiting Portugal, Spain, Malta, Albania, Greece and Turkey.

B] 'Child Harold's Pilgrimage'

                                           It was during his journey, filled with inspiration, he began writing "Childe Harold's Pilgrimage," a poem of a young man's reflections on travel in foreign lands.

  C] 'Don Juan'                                               

                                         In October 1816, Byron and John Hobhouse sailed for Italy. Along the way he continued his lustful ways with several women and portrayed these experiences in his greatest poem, "Don Juan." The poem was a witty and satirical change from the melancholy of "Childe Harold" and revealed other sides of Byron's personality. He would go on to write 16 cantos before his death and leave the poem unfinished.

Principal work:-

1]Manfred 1817

2]Cain 1821

3]Marino Faliero, Doge of Venice 1821

4]Sardanapalus 1821

5]The Two Foscari 1821

6]Heaven and Earth 1823

7]Werner (1823)The Deformed Transformed 1824

9]Hours of Idleness (poetry) 1807

10]English Bards and Scotch Reviewers (satire) 1809

11]Childe Harold's Pilgrimage: A Romaunt (poetry) 1812

12]The Bride of Abydos: A Turkish Tale (poetry) 1813

13]The Giaour: A Fragment of a Turkish Tale (poetry) 1813

14]Waltz: An Apostrophic Hymn (poetry) 1813

15]The Corsair (poetry) 1814

16]Lara (poetry) 1814

17]Ode to Napoleon Buonaparte (poetry) 1814

18]Hebrew Melodies (poetry) 1815

19]Childe Harold's Pilgrimage: Canto the Third (poetry) 1816

20]Parisina (poetry) 1816

Absalom And Achitophel

 Absalom and Achitophel by Dryden

Overview :

John Dryden’s “Absalom and Achitophel” was first published in 1681, in direct response to a political crisis faced by King Charles II from 1679 to 1681. In what became known as the “Exclusion Crisis,” the king’s opponents in Parliament tried to exclude Charles’s brother James from the succession on the grounds that he was a Roman Catholic. “Absalom and Achitophel” is a satiric narrative poem in which Dryden uses a biblical allegory to discuss the events and main personalities involved in this crisis. The poem mocks the King’s opponents and openly reveals Dryden’s staunchly royalist sympathies. The poem is also notable for featuring one of Dryden’s literary trademarks: the “heroic couplet.” “Absalom and Achitophel” is one of Dryden’s major poetic works, displaying both the characteristic elements of his style and his political and religious sympathies at that time.

John Dryden (1631-1700) was born in Northamptonshire, England, into a large and relatively prosperous landowning family. As a young boy, Dryden received a fashionable humanist education at Westminster School and later attended Trinity College, Cambridge. His education gave him a thorough grounding in works of classical Greek and Latin literature, which would remain an important literary touchstone for him throughout his life. Dryden was a successful student, graduating from Cambridge in 1654. In 1659, he made his literary debut with a poem marking the death of Oliver Cromwell, but although his family were Puritans and supporters of the Parliamentary cause during the English Civil War, Dryden personally welcomed the Restoration of the Stuart Monarchy in 1660. He wrote two poems celebrating King Charles II’s return and coronation: “Astraea Redux” (1660) and “To His Sacred Majesty” (1661). Dryden’s royalist beliefs and deep mistrust of civil discord are reflected in several of his other poetic works, including “Absalom and Achitophel” (1681).

John Dryden

Dryden first established himself as a dramatist, producing a large body of work that included both comedies and tragedies. Notable works include Secret Love, or the Maiden Queen (1667), The Conquest of Granada (1670), Marriage à la Mode (1673), and All for Love (1678). In 1668, Dryden published a critical essay, “Of Dramatick Poesie”, reflecting on English drama and its relationship to both its French contemporaries and classical predecessors. In the same year, Dryden became the first Poet Laureate of England, a post he would hold until 1689. In 1678, Dryden tired of the stage and turned his attention more fully to writing verse. He soon became famous for his satiric poems, many of which were political themed and reflected contemporary events.

Absalom and Achitophel” by John Dryden. A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics.

In 1685, Dryden converted to Roman Catholicism and wrote “The Hind and the Panther” (1687) in defense of the Roman Catholic faith. When King James II was forced to abdicate in 1688, Dryden’s political and religious leanings were suddenly out of step with the times, and he lost his post as Poet Laureate. Dryden returned to writing for the stage, producing his final play, Love Triumphant, in 1694 before permanently retiring as a playwright. In his final years, Dryden devoted himself to translating classical texts, including works by such authors as Juvenal and Virgil. He died in 1700 and was buried in the Poets’ Corner of Westminster Abbey. Dryden’s influence was enormous both in his own time and posthumously, due to his large and acclaimed body of work, the confidence and elegance of his style, and—perhaps most notably—his perfection of the heroic couplet in many of his poems. Major 18th-century writers such as Alexander Pope and Samuel Johnson credited Dryden among their major influences, and he has remained an established part of the traditional English literary canon ever since.

On the surface, “Absalom and Achitophel” appears to be a retelling of a story from the Bible. David, the King of Israel, has many sons from many wives and concubines, but his favorite son is Absalom. The poem’s speaker implies that Absalom’s character contains certain flaws, all of which are either excused or overlooked by his doting father.

Meanwhile, King David’s subjects grow restless and dissatisfied, even though King David is a competent and merciful monarch. Plots soon arise that threaten the stability of David’s rule, and a man named Achitophel soon takes the lead. In the past, Achitophel distinguished himself in royal service, but he has now grown corrupted by ambition and seeks to stir up popular resentment for his own gain. Achitophel turns to Absalom, using his rhetorical powers to persuade the young man that he should join the plot against the king and seize power for himself over the rightful heir. At first Absalom resists, praising his father’s rule, but he is soon overcome by his dissatisfaction with his illegitimate status and his own desire for power.

Politics, Allegory, and Satire :

On the surface, John Dryden’s poem “Absalom and Achitophel” is a rehashing of the story of David, the third king of Israel, and his illegitimate son Absalom, who rebels against his father and tries to usurp his throne. However, this biblical story is merely an allegory, a form of extended metaphor, for the political events that unfolded in Dryden’s time. In 1678, an alleged Catholic conspiracy to assassinate King Charles II, known… read analysis of Politics, Allegory, and Satire.

God, Religion, and the Divine Right of Kings :

At the center of John Dryden’s poem “Absalom and Achitophel” is God and religion. The poem is a satirical critique of contemporary politics, but Dryden couches his argument in a biblical story from the Book of Samuel. Instead of the happenings of 17th century England, “Absalom and Achitophel” focuses on David, the third king of Israel, and his illegitimate son Absalom, who, under the direction and influence of Achitophel.

Power and Ambition :

Power and ambition drive the plot of John Dryden’s poem “Absalom and Achitophel.” King David of Israel has all the power in theory, but in practice, he has little ambition. According to Achitophel, the King’s deceitful counselor, David is lacking “manly force,” and he gives in too easily to the people. The King is “mild” and hesitant to draw blood, and Achitophel, in his own ambition for increasing power, sees David as weak. “But… read analysis of Power and Ambition.

Biblical Allegory :

This work is considered one of the greatest examples of political satire in history, and it accomplishes this through biblical allegory. England was a far more literate country than many others at the time, but even so, if most people actually owned a book, that book was likely to be the Bible. The Bible acted as metaphor for most Christians to a level far exceeding anything else ever published, and Dryden was well aware of that. Therefore, he made the brilliant calculation to not cast his satire as an allegory of ancient myth or British heroes: instead, his satire is situated within an allegorical framework that nearly every reader would immediately understand. Furthermore, Dryden chose as his figures for transforming the contemporary state of the right succession in England what is perhaps the most famous story of succession in the entire Bible. Thus, Charles II is transformed into King David—in the top five of almost every Bible reader’s list of heroes—while the Duke of Monmouth is appropriately cast as Absalom, David’s son. The false Shaftesbury is the false Achitophel, a smart, manipulative, cunning figure.

Desire for Power :

Dryden's poem suggests that the desire for power is a common one in the hearts of men. Almost all men want it in some fashion or another, and they are easily swayed from their rightful place and beliefs if given the opportunity to amass it. Absalom is generally a good, loving, and moral son (albeit a tempestuous one), but he cannot help himself when Achitophel comes calling with whispers of the throne. Achitophel also holds a significant position, but it is not enough for him. Whether one is in politics, the law, or religion, one still has these desires. Dryden doesn't condemn ambition outright, but he asserts that one must know his place and that, if it is not moral or legitimate to seek a specific office or position, then the one who occupies it has the right to resist with force.

Conclusion:

This work contains Political, Religion, Satirical poem on Monarchy.

Alexander pope - Rape of the lock

RAPE OF THE LOCK

"The Rape of the Lock" was first published anonymously in 1712 before it was reworked and republished in 1714 by Alexander Pope. It is a mock-epic or mock-heroic poem.

• According to you, who is the protagonist of the poem Clarissa or Belinda? Why? Give your answer with logical reasons.

The protagonist of the poem, Belinda, is a wealthy and beautiful young woman who travels to Hampton Court for a day of socialising and leisure. Her remarkable beauty attracts the attention of the Baron, who snips off a lock of her hair in his infatuation.

The Pope has presented Belinda as a complex character. He has presented her in different roles and under different shades, some are satirical, others ironical but all entertaining. The character of Belinda has created much controversy since the publication of the poem. Some critics consider her treatment fair while others are unfair.

There are several aspects of the personality of Belinda as portrayed by Pope in The Rape of the Lock. It will be wrong to regard her purely as a goddess, or as a pretty spoiled child, or as a flirt. She is a combination of all three and yet much more than such a combination. We see her in many different lights. We see her as a vamp, an injured innocent, a sweet charmer, a society belle, a rival of the sun, and a murderer of millions. She has a Cleopatra- like variety. However, the reality lies in between these two extremes we can discuss her character as below.

Belinda is the heroine of the story. It is her character around whom the story of the whole poem is woven. We see her sleeping till noon and her awakening by her lap dog “Shock”. We are present at her toilet and watch the progress of the sacred rites of pride. Then we see her proceeding from the Thames River to the Hampton Court. Then her smiting looks upon the well dressed youths that crowd her. Pope compares Belinda to the sun and suggests that it recognizes in Belinda a rival. Belinda is like the sun not only because of her bright eyes and not only because she dominates her special world. She was as beautiful as every eye was fixed on her alone. She is like the sun in another regard:

“Bright as the sun, her eyes the gazers strike.

And, like the sun, shines on all alike.”

Belinda is a model who more specifically represents the fashionable, aristocratic ladies of Popes age. Such social butterflies in the eighteenth century were regarded as petty triflers, having no serious concern with life, and engrossed in dance and gaiety. Belinda’s fall indicates the decadence of her class. Through her, Pope describes the flippancy and depravity of the English society of his day.

Belinda is a central character of the play. Opening lines of the poem make it very clear to the readers that Belinda is the central character and heroine of this mock-epic. Belinda is a complex character in Rape of the Lock. Her character is presented under different roles and shades. Her depiction is both satirical and ironic but with a tincture of entertainment. There are lots of controversies among critics about character of Belinda since the publication of the Rape of the Lock. Some consider Belinda’s treatment fair while others consider it unfair.

Famous Character Among English Literature:

Belinda’s character is an outstanding portrait by Pope in his mock epic The rape of the lock. Among all the other heroines in English Literature like Shakespeare’s Caleopetra Ophillia Emillia; Fielding’s Pameila; Eliot’s Maggi; Belinda had been the favourite character of Pop. The way Pope pays attributes to Belinda’s beauty with his pen; it seems that he has been enamoured with his own creation. Pope describes her paragon of beauty and wittiness: the goddess of beauty, the nymph, the fair, the rival of the sun’s beams. Pope’s Belinda resembles Shakespeare’s Cleopatra. Like her, she is a paragon of beauty and the winner of men of her age.

“Law In these labyrinths his slaves detains,

And mighty hearts ate held in slender chains”

Belinda is a perfect creation of wit and beauty. Pope describes the way she paints and decorates herself with ornaments, diamonds, powders, patches, perfumes and puffs in front of a mirror. Then she leaves to win the heart of lovers.

• What is beauty? Write your views about it.

Beauty:

Alexander Pope’s “The Rape of the Lock” offers an ironic glance of court life in the 18th-century, highlighting societies centralized on beauty and appearance. The poem’s centre of focus is around the experience of a beautiful woman, Belinda, who lost her lock of remarkable hair to a nobleman known as the Baron. As the poem starts to go along, it steadily becomes sillier and sillier and the characters collapse into a battle over the lock. Pope added Clarissa’s speech into the poem, which argues that women spend much time on their looks rather than thinking to become a better person and serve society. The main thesis of Pope was that this kind of self-obsession is useless and radically nonsense. However, the poem’s conclusion seems to suggest that true beauty would be of some value, but if it becomes the subject of poetry, thus it achieves a kind of literary immortality.
Pope mocks Belinda’s obsession with her beauty by comparing it with a hero which is about to go into battle. She beautifies herself all day and appears at court as insignificant. When she lost the lock of her hair, her furious reaction allowed Pope to poke fun at her vanity.  Alexander Pope kept defending the intellectual and moral authority of his female characters through the wisdom of Clarissa’s speech, demonstrating female intellect and morality. He further questioned the wisdom of such a maternal system by outlining the Baron’s behaviour as immoral. His fellow male courtiers are foolish. They allowed him to suggest that a maternal society is both unfair and unfounded.

It is important to note that at the time the Pope wrote the poem it was generally believed that women were both intellectual and moral inferiors of men. The Pope seems to say that vanity itself is folly, but to appreciate great art, thus it can be said that one should be careful not to underestimate the role of beauty in inspiring great works like poetry. By using a mock epic into the poem, he not only glamped up the whole scenario by giving it huge fairy dust powder, but also entertained the question of responsibility in the poem.

According to me: beautiful face is not important but beautiful heart is most important.

• Find out a research paper on "The Rape of the Lock". Give the details of the paper and write down in brief what it says about the Poem by Alexander Pope.

Pope’s transformations are numerous, striking, and loaded with moral -implications. Pope’s use of the mock -epic genre is intricate and exhaustive. TheRape of the Lock is a poem in which every element of the contemporary scene conjures up some image from epic tradition or the classical world view, and the pieces are wrought together with a cleverness and expertise that makes the poem surprising and delightful. loaded with moral -implications. Pope’s use of the mock -epic genre is intricate and exhaustive. TheRape of the Lock is a poem in which every element of the contemporary scene conjures up some image from epic tradition or the classical world view, and the pieces are wrought together with a cleverness and expertise that makes the poem surprising and delightful.

Work cited :

Shah, Umama. “Majors Themes in Rape of the Lock by Alexender Pope.” Academia.edu, 24 Oct. 2014, https://www.academia.edu/8949032/Majors_themes_in_Rape_of_the_Lock_by_Alexender_Pope.

• Write your views about the significance of hair. Is it symbolic?

Belinda's lock of hair comes to symbolise the absurdity of the importance afforded to female beauty in society.

Belinda’s lock of hair comes to symbolise the absurdity of the importance afforded to female beauty in society. Pope offers a hyperbolically metaphorical description of the two locks in Canto II, humorously framing the locks as alluring enough to virtually incapacitate any man who looks at them. The locks are “labyrinths” in which Love “detains” “his slaves” by binding their hears with “slender chains,” thus poking fun at the idea that Belinda’s beauty is truly powerful enough to make such a deep impact. This absurdity only grows as the poem progresses and after the Baron has snipped of Belinda’s lock. Under the influence of Umbriel, Thalestris laments the loss of the lock as the symbolic loss of Belinda’s reputation in society, exclaiming, “Methinks already I your tears survey, / Already hear the horrid things they say.” In Pope’s day, the respectability of a woman in society depended upon her having a spotless reputation and being perfectly virtuous, and, in particular, sexually pure. Thalestris then is essentially saying that the loss of Belinda’s lock is a rupture which damages all of the rest of her beauty, and the Baron’s having taken it in so intimate a fashion compromises the idea that she is chaste, and that people will think she in some way allowed him to violate her body. Obviously, this makes very little sense, allowing the Pope to satirise the idea that beauty and virtue are so closely related. The lock’s final ascension into the heavens is the most absurd part of the whole thing, and Pope’s choice to cap off the whole poem with the transparently silly idea that the lock is too precious to remain on earth, that no mortal deserves to be so “blest” as to possess it, emphasises the ridiculous amount of emphasis placed on female beauty in society.

The Lock:

The lock of Belinda's hair referred to in the title is also a powerful symbol both of vanity and of the power of female beauty over men. According to the poem, Belinda has nourished her locks, meaning she has trained them to be at their most fabulous, hanging temptingly down her neck. As such, they are portrayed as "Chains" or even "Sprindges," or snares, to entrap an unsuspecting young beau. When Pope initially introduces the locks, he says they have been nourished "to the destruction of mankind," meaning they have great power and have been groomed in such a way as to have even more power. They are doing their job—in fact, they do it too well, causing the Baron to fall so completely in love (as it turns out later) with Belinda that he simply has to have her locks, or one of them, as a souvenir. This results in the entire battle and, indeed, the resentment between the two that comes as a result of it.