Belinda arises to prepare for the day’s social activities after sleeping late.

Her guardian sylph, Ariel, warned her in a dream that some disaster will befall her, and promises to
protect her to the best of his abilities. Belinda takes little notice of this oracle, however.

After an elaborate ritual of dressing and primping, she travels on the Thames River to Hampton
Court Palace, an ancient royal residence outside of London, where a group of wealthy young
socialites are gathering for a party.

Among them is the Baron, who has already made up his mind to steal a lock of Belinda’s hair. He has
risen early to perform and elaborate set of prayers and sacrifices to promote success in this
enterprise.

When the partygoers arrive at the palace, they enjoy a tense game of cards, which Pope describes
in mock-heroic terms as a battle.

This is followed by a round of coffee. Then the Baron takes up a pair of scissors and manages, on the
third try, to cut off the coveted lock of Belinda’s hair. Belinda is furious.

Umbriel, a mischievous gnome, journeys down to the Cave of Spleen to procure a sack of
sighs and a flask of tears which he then bestows on the heroine to fan the flames of her ire.

Clarissa, who had aided the Baron in his crime, now urges Belinda to give up her anger in favor of
good humor and good sense, moral qualities which will outlast her vanities.

But Clarissa’s moralizing falls on deaf ears, and Belinda initiates a scuffle between the ladies
and the gentlemen, in which she attempts to recover the severed curl.

The lock is lost in the confusion of this mock battle,

however; the poet consoles the bereft Belinda with the suggestion that it has been taken up into the
heavens and immortalized as a constellation.

CANTO 1

The poet begins the mock epic poem in the manner as if it were some great event ready to be
unfolded but he himself clarifies that "slight is the subject"; therefore, no real tale of glory is to be
expected of it. The poet tells us that the poem is about a lady Belinda that rejects a lord and the lord's
assaulting that "gentle belle" and the consequences. After this introduction, the poet leads us to the
room of Belinda where sun has of late been shining its rays but "sleepless lovers, just at twelve,
awake". So, she is sleeping with her "pillow prest". The guardian sylphs of Belinda have caste the
dream of such a "beau" which has caused her cheeks to shine. Belinda is surrounded by a multitude
of guardian angels: "Know then, unnumbered Spirits round thee fly, The light Militia of the lower Sky"
The poet ironically implies that the task of these spirits is of varied kinds which include not only
guarding the beauty and chastity of the maids but also the tools of her beautification e.g. "Hang o'er
the Box, and hover round the Ring." These sylphs were once women and after their deaths, they
have transformed into sylphs. The poet describes in detail of the transition and formation the sylphs
that are entrusted with the task of Belinda's care. "For when the Fair in all their Pride expire, To their
first Elements the Souls retire" The poet describes four types of the airy militia which guards the
chastity of maids. The "fiery" sort of women transform and assume the shape of "Salamander" and
"Soft yielding" turn into nymphs. While "the graver Prude sinks downward to a Gnome" and the "light
Coquettes" becomes sylphs and play about in the earth. Gnomes are the spirits which were
transformed of women that were too conscious of their face. These spirits can assume any shape
they please. The poet then directs his attack one women claiming: "Know farther yet; Whoever fair
and chaste Rejects Mankind, is by some Sylph embrac'd" He advances in the same theme and
asserts that these light militia of air guard "the Purity of melting Maids" when they are about to fall
during midnight balls or masquerades and treacherous friends. These are the cause of the women to
reject a lord's love and these sylphs not only guard but also teach numerous ways to attract men and
how to blush while the poet accuses women of having a "vacant brain". Whenever a woman is stray,
these sylphs guide her way to the correct path. The Ariel introduces itself as the guardian of Belinda:
"Of these am I, who thy Protection claim, A watchful Sprite, and Ariel is my Name." Ariel whispers in
the air of Belinda that it has seen some bad omen but does not know when and where it is likely to
take place: "I saw, alas! some dread Event impend" and then she advises Belinda to be "most beware
of Man!". Then Belinda wakes up by licking of her dog, Shock. She unveils the toilet of wonderful
"Unnumber'd Treasures ope at once" that are meant to turn her beauty into a goddess of earth. "Th'
inferior Priestess, at her Altar's side, Trembling, begins the sacred Rites of Pride.

CANTO 2

Pope describes the beauty of Belinda in a party near Thames where she alone is the centre of all
eyes. Belinda meets everyone with a smile and her eyes "shine on all alike" like the sun while she
never accepts anybody's love. She is never offensive even when refusing: "Favours to none, to all
she Smiles extends, Oft she rejects, but never once offends." She is so beautiful that no one can be
offended by her. She is devoid of pride. And even if she had some errors: "Look on her Face, and
you'll forget 'em all". She has two locks of hair which hang behind her neck. These have charming
effects on the viewers and her appreciators. An "adventrous Baron the bright Locks admir'd", he
"wish'd, and to the Prize aspir'd". He was willing to do any either to "by Force to ravish, or by Fraud
betray". The poet says that it is seldom asked of how one got successful, it is the success which is
envied alone. Then the poet makes fun of the petty standards of bravery and courage of the upper
class of his era and presents a comic scene of how that "adventurous Baron" built an altar to love
with gloves and love letters. On its side, Love gave ear and "granted half his pray'r". Then it is
evening and party is on. Belinda smiles and greets all. She is not aware of the dread; this only Ariel
worries. Ariel soon gathers all the militia of air to give air to him. It reminds them that their kind has
been entrusted various tasks such big as to keep the sun and heavenly bodies within their spheres as
well as to monitor other worldly tasks such to guard the British throne while their "humbler Province is
to tend the Fair". It tells them that "This Day, black Omens threat the brightest Fair"; therefore, it
appoints the duties of different spirits on various tasks: Petticoat is entrusted "to Fifty chosen Sylphs,
of special Note". It threatens the spirits that neglect of duty would mean sharp vengeance by
transfixing them in pins, bodkins or capturing in vials. Soon the sylphs took charge; some on the ear
pendants while other on her ringlets and powder of her face. The poet says: "With beating Hearts the
dire Event they wait, Anxious, and trembling for the Birth of Fate."

The poet compares the rage of Belinda with those of "Kings in Battel seiz'd alive" and "scornful
Virgins who their Charms survive". Ariel leaves Belinda weeping while Umbriel goes to the "cave of
spleen". Here the queen of spleen is seated with maids and here "stood Ill-nature like an ancient
Maid". Here affectation and fake sickness abode. Here strange things are seen like "teapots stand,
one Arm held out" while another is "bent" and "Maids turn'd Bottels, call aloud for Corks". She
addresses the queen thus: "Hail wayward Queen! Who rule the Sex to Fifty from Fifteen, Parent
of Vapors and of Female Wit, Who give th' Hysteric or Poetic Fit" She requests help from the
queen of spleen. The queen grants the wish and Umbriel returns with the gift of: "There she collects
the Force of Female Lungs, Sighs, Sobs, and Passions, and the War of Tongues. A Vial next she fills
with fainting Fears, Soft Sorrows, melting Griefs, and flowing Tears." Here Belinda is lying in sorrow
and agony of her loss. But she also conscious of what the Baron would do with her hair: "Gods! shall
the Ravisher display your Hair, While the Fops envy, and the Ladies stare!" Sir Plume is involved into
the matter for getting back the lock of the lady but the Baron flatly refuses to give back the hair. He
intends to keep the hair forever with him as a token of honour and shall display it openly: "This Hand,
which won it, shall for ever wear". Umbriel reaches Belinda and breaks the vial causing sorrow and
gloom over Belinda. And under the impact of the spleen, she feels guilty of having visited the
Hampton court. She thinks it was better if she had stayed home in loneliness. She curses the day.
She mocks herself by saying that the Baron should have cut "any hair" but not that hair which added
beauty to her neck. "Oh hadst thou, Cruel! been content to seize Hairs less in sight, or any Hairs but
these!"

Themes and Important Topics: Rape of the Lock by Alexander Pope Immoral and Carefree Manner of
Upper Classes: Pope has presented the careless and casual response of aristocracy in matters of
life; he presents a society where high ups are busy in pursuit of their own goals though trivial and
vain. The society on display in this poem is one that fails to distinguish between things that matter
and things that do not. What they care about is their own personal life, card games, pomp, vanity and
a life that is matchless to the ordinary and the common. He makes fun of their stupid deeds. He
considers it serious that a woman's hair is cut but by the nobility because she has rejected a lord and
such crimes are frivolities and funs of life! There is a war! Alexander Pope exposes moral values
prevalent in nobility by use of irony: "In tasks so bold, can little men engage? And in soft bosoms
dwells such mighty rage?" Frivolties and Stupidity of Female Sex: Pope has made fun of women and
their unthinking minds which are concerned for their beauty aids alone. He presents Belinda like an
epic heroin. The stakes in this mock-heroic epic are Belinda's maidenhood. Pope does not invoke a
heavenly muse like Milton rather Ariel reads of bad omens: "Beware of all, but most beware of Man!"
Belinda's performance of her toilette, assisted by Betty, her "inferior priestess", is described as the
arming of the epic hero: "Now awful Beauty put on all its arms" and then poet describes the various
creams and perfumes on Belinda's vanity invests them with a value and exoticism they don't deserve:
"Unnumbered treasures," "glittering spoil," "India's glowing gems," and "all Arabia breathes from
yonder box". The "Fairest of Mortals" has "unnumbered Spirits round" flying as guards: "To Fifty
chosen Sylphs, of special Note, We trust th' important Charge, the Petticoat." Love: Love is no more
than trifle for the characters in this poem. For the poet, upper class believes only in victory and defeat
and love has no value in their unthinking minds. Belinda meets all with a smile but yields to none. The
Baron would love to have an affair but without feelings, it would be considered a victory. Pride No
beauty can be without pride and our dear Belinda is the best of all. She takes due care not to let
anyone go without looking at her with a full look. This is for one such vanities of Belinda that the
baron decides to take revenge for by stripping her beloved lock of hair.