An Analysis of the Function of Sylphs in Rape of the Lock - Book Report/Review Example

An Analysis of the Function of Sylphs in ‘Rape of the Lock’ Alexander Pope is a neo ical poet and in his poetry is found all the qualities of classical writers such as simplicity, dignity, serenity and repose. He represents his own age as Chaucer represents the fourteenth century and Tennyson, the Victorian Age. Pope’s was a ‘citified’ age and the writers of the period dealt exclusively with the life of the fashionable upper strata of London society. As for the “Rape of the lock” There were no supernatural spirits in The Rape of the Lock in its original form, which was published in 1712 in two cantos but the 1714 publication contained the supernatural machinery. The present enquiry is to throw light on the functions of the Sylphs that are supernatural but is entrusted to preserve the well being of a chosen few female sexes belonging to elite social strata. Though on a different order, the actions of the Sylphs resemble to ghosts and supernatural forces that dominate the nature and human in medieval literature, having several identical features that contribute much to their considerable bearing in the work. While considering the functions of Sylphs we must ascertain whether concept of supernatural dominating the affairs of natural is true to “The Rape of the Lock” as well. The Sylphs’ presence is remarkable even in the opening of the poems itself as they prolong her sleep and produce dreams in her mind; needless to say it avers their unquestionable bearing on the lives of Virgins elegant class. The polemic of supernatural dominating the natural is stressed even in the beginning of the poems itself. Making a mock-epic twist, Pope makes Arial say that it is only the spirits of vain-glorious, fashionable, flirtatious, quarrelsome, querulous, ostentatious women become the legitimate denizens of the air. For when the Fair in all their pride expire, To either first Elements their Souls retire: The sprites of fiery Termagants in Flame Mount up, and take a Salamander’s Name. Soft yielding Minds to Water glide away, And sip, with Nymphs, their Elemental Tea (line 57-62) These words of Ariel are meant to place Sylphs as the select supernatural beings who are of no mean birth and their actions too are of considerable import as they can decide the destiny of the precious women. So their clout on the affairs of human is obvious and unassailable; they are like supernatural elements in Shakespeare determine the ways of human. So humans are only a ploy for executing their plans and it is obviously verbalized when Ariel begins by imparting a truth that not all people can know them since there is the prime requisite of certain qualities in the human that alone can make them sensible to Sylphs’ actions. Some secret truths, from Learned pride conceal’d, To Maids alone and Children are reveal’d; What tho’no credit doubting Wits may give? The Fair and Innocent shall still believe. (37-40) It is a pointer to their loftiness while still underscores the meanness of humans, except for the stray examples like Bellinda, and in the opening of the poem itself the head of the sylph, Ariel is all out for declaring their space and significance in the universe, these words explicitly pin down the main motif that they belong to a different order of elegance and such qualities can be seen imbued in a sizable number of mortals. What is transpired from here is the dominance of supernatural over the natural for Ariel claims that only children and virgins can know them. The long drawn speech of the Ariel, ensues in the form of whisper to Bellinda’s ear, is loaded with relevance of their actions against back drop of the larger context of the universe. The above quoted passage is worthy of knowing them in a better way; through these words, emerge the counters of a hovering flock of invisible beings, and they have great missions to execute. They find lower region of the sky closer to earth as their abode. Another notable feature of the sylphs is their omnipresence, and it perspicuously strikes the idea that their action has the undercurrents of the concept that the supernatural forcers always try dominate the nature. One can find it functioning in most pertinent way in the works of Shakespeare; for instance the play Macbeth can speak a lot to the context. But contrary to the evil intensions of the witches in the play, in Rape of the Locke ,these forces are standing for edifying the faltering virgins. But there is a certain point of similarity that can be seen functioning in a most obvious manner when the omniscience and omnipresence of the Sylphs are an indication. This can be seen well expressed in the following words of Sylphs itself These tho’unseen are ever on the Wing, Hang o’er theBox and hover round the Ring. Think what an equipage thou hast in Air, And view with scorn Two pages and Chair.(43-46) Through these words sylph avers the fact that these invisible flock of elemental forces can reach out any where at any time. It again underscores their potential to influence and encroach up on the realm of humans. The words of sylphs are obviously meant to forge a dominance of the metaphysical over physical, if the functions and schemes of sylphs are an indication. While mentioning this, one must not lose sight of what sylph’s comments on servants who usually accompany elegant ladies. To him if two servants are worth nothing for a spirit. As a matter of fact, it broaches a significant question whether such a comparison is an indication of their schemes for human. They are not altogether standing to serve virgins to the point of being submissive servants. In fact, they use these elegant ladies only as instruments to get their moral plans done. While stressing the service to elegant woman of high birth, sylph has volumes to speak and hence we get full-length picture of their actions. It is all the more evident the speech of Ariel to his subordinates. Ye know the Spheres and various Tasks assingn’d By Laws Eternal to th’Ariel Kind(75-76) These words, in fact, tell again about the moral responsibility voluntarily being taken by Sylphs, and they keep vigilant watch to prevent women being hoodwinked by lusty Youngman through shows of adventurous gallantry. What transpire from here are the imperceptible services of sylphs to protect the chastity of virgins. It is highly probable that in the dancing hall hours, men may approach them with whispers and subdued serenades that can tempt them. But the moral intervention of sylph rescue them, it is in fact a statement that will undermine our hitherto held belief that moral qualities are intensely personal. But on the contrary, sylph underscores that their prompt intervention that is usually looked upon as values by the world. By this statement sylph takes the moral claims of elite society only as superficial and flawed. It contributes much to the larger action of the poem that the poet wants to emphasis that the cutting of the hair is only a trivial action. Further more, these sylphs have power to acquire any shape and any sex they like, fly without being seen anywhere they like, but are always in the service of the young virgins. They have a strange way of protecting the virginity of chaste young women. But before they are seduced by the gallant men with the promise of material prospects, the sylphs send another one and so on, each with more tempting offer. Thus the sylphs protect the virginity of the beautiful women by making them flirt more with a larger number of young men. In the second Canto, Ariel, addressing a gathering of sylphs and other kinds of spirits elaborates the comic function of his compatriots and Pope, hereby elevates mock-heroically the fantastic supernatural order of spirits to the universal order. There are, at first. Various types of spirits: sylphs, sylphids, fairies, genii, elves and demons. All of them have been assigned various functions to perform in the order of the universe. Some of them are highest up in the pure region for either controlling the movement of stars and the moon and other planets. Others guide the shooting-star and control the rainbow, the storm and the destiny of human race including the safety of the British throne. Ariel himself belongs to the group of spirits who have the charge of protecting the fashionable, sophisticated, beautiful young virgins. So to say, no sphere of universe is free from their influences. Such an account of the supernatural order or machinery served Pope’s purpose of writing the mock-epic exceedingly well, and he skillfully assimilated the whole scheme into his poetry. And Dr.Johnson himself commended Pope for having used the machinery which gives evidence of Pope’s brilliant wit. In the twentieth century, the critics are unanimous in seeing that the supernatural machinery is an integral part of the total structure of the poem. Sylphs do another function in regard to the characterization of Bellinda and she being representative of women that age, we get the life like picture of this lady through the words of Sylph in the first and second cantosand as it is evidenced in the Canto 1 , where Sylph is described as a guardian angel who hovers over her head while he lady was in a cozy snatches of sleep , dreaming .It is amusing to know that Ariel has used his art to produce dreams in Bellind’mind.the and the youth in her dream in fact is none but sylph in disguise. What transpires from it is the dominance that these airy elements exercise over mortals. They have schemes for preserving the modesty elegant women and they assiduously seek to get them executed through their magical powers. Hence Bellinda has been put under their observation even while she is asleep. These elemental forces follow Bellinda in everything that she does, ranging from the make up to evening parties. They are obviously a band of invisible forces who always hovers around her. Their action continues and that can be seen at its best when she spruces up. The chief of the Sylph has complete say on all actions and he has divided duties to all his supporting angels. Some sylphs are assigned to take care of her dressing up, so they busy engaged in adjusting and arranging her unruly hair, some of them may be folding sleeve, while others are putting pleats on her gown. There are like a retinue having been entrusted with all responsibility of a queen. In the Canto II while everyone is happy, including Bellinda as she is sailing smoothly on the Thames water, sylph Ariel alone is oppressed with ill omen of an impending danger and looked sad. He can have foresight to know what in store for Bellinda (her hair is to be cut). These two instances are pointer to acknowledge their power over both on human and nature. Sylphs are actually exerting their authority over chosen people and at the so can foresee the impending danger, though they failed to know in what form it may come. Smelling the lurking danger, Ariel exhorts other sylphs to be vigilant while mentioning their relevance as the custodians of universe. Further more he tries to galvanize them to meet the challenges by reminding them of their duties for the virgins on the earth. They have umpteen responsibilities to perform and that are no less pleasing task that they may enven take care of even the movements of heavenly bodies and what not. Their duty on the earth is to protect virgins in every aspect of their life, for instance, they have to protect the powder of the virgins make-up from being blown away by a wanton gusts of wind. Also they have to keep the perfume bottles in tact from being evaporated. They have to prepare dyes from flowers of spring season and also extract the essence of rainbow to produce bath lotion for brightening the skin of a virgin. The list may go in exhaustive, as they have to do several tasks. It is solely depended upon them to make the lady’s hair curly and blush them by augmented blood flow on their countenance. Above all sylph can manipulate virgins mind when they are dreamy and they can impart them with latest changes in fashion, and it is a telling aspect that they can impart knowledge and wisdom to humans. Presently sylph is desperate as he cannot predict what is going to happen to Bellinda and in what form the danger is to appear. Whether the Nymph shall break Diana’s Law, Or some frail China Jar receive Flaw (105-106) The grim foreboding of misfortune strike his mind so he is unable to pin down whether she will eventually submit her chastity to a lusty youth or her chin jar , which she reckons as precious possession will develop a crack. Finally Ariel calls upon all sylphs to be alerted against the danger that is to be fall on Bellinda. So he assigns Brilliante to take up the task of protecting Bellinda’s ear-drops, while Momentilla is entrusted with the duty to care the lady’s watch. Another sylph, Crispissa is given the duty to protect Bellinda’s hair. Ariel himself has taken the responsibility to guard her lap-dog, Shock. Furthermore, fifty sylphs are selected specially for guarding Bellinda’s petticoat. These preparations will make one feel that a pitched battle is about to break for actions of sylphs are meant to raise laugher by parodying the features an epic. This is occasion to know the larger action being entrust up on them by the poet; they the instrument to gauge the moral standard and frivolous nature of societal ladies, who flaunt as if powerful to withstand all such situation but Sylphs’ desperate plight is a pointer to the contrary. The presence of sylph, for the most part of Canto II underscores the fact that the poem would have been imperfect, if sylph had only a limited space in the structure of the poem. So the actions and presence of Sylph help weaving the poem to its logical texture.Thus to say the mock element in the poem is obviously maintained by the unassailable bearing of these supernatural elements. It was part of the epic to have such supernatural elements decide the schemes of the mortals. In Milton’s Paradise Lost there are angels descending from heaven to warn man of the impending dangers; soon enough Satan disguises as a snake and wrought the ultimate fall of man. In Homer’s Illiad and Odessey, the supernatural elements encroach upon the human situation and exert their influence. But in Alexander Pope the supernatural elements are primarily used for facilitating a mood of antique epic poetic elements and that are juxtaposed with the contemporary social life. The poet has really pulled off great feat of victory by the subtle use of these elements to give an unearthly experience. He can easily suspend our disbelief and our prickly reason from asking a vicious question whether it is happening on the earth. On the other hand, the reader is taken to a pleasurable journey through the timorous as well as the tenuous dreamy world of supernatural elements. One can see them fluttering their invisible wings and flapping the curly hair of Bellinda. It is not altogether pleasant and dreamy as one may presume. Pop has meticulously loaded the poem with the scathing criticism on the social morals of the day; it is veiled with the antics of the invisible sylphs. The whole poem is a critique on the flawed social morals of 18 century London, and its superfluous life is laid bare through the invisible characters. Pope wanted a medium through which he can project the seamy side of the complacent social life. So The major portion of first and second Cantos are devoted to impart how the elite people lived with extreme sophistication; hence the description on sylph is a pointer to this fact. Being a creative genius of high order, Alexander Pope wanted a mirror to reflect the snobbish urban life, and sylph is functioning with this frame work while still maintaining cardinal features of an epic with supernatural prowess to influence the earthly life of Virgins. The whole poem has its structure being maintained by the schemes and antics of the sylphs Read More