Unit 14: Alexander Pope & *The Rape Unit 12: John Dryden & *Absalom

of the Lock*** and Achitophel***

**1. Context & The "Machinery"** **1. Political Context**
The poem is based on a real feud *Absalom and Achitophel* (1681) is a
between two aristocratic Catholic political satire written during the
families, the Petres and the Fermors, **Exclusion Crisis**. It addresses the
after Lord Petre (the Baron) cut a lock of conflict between the **Whigs** (led by
hair from Arabella Fermor (**Belinda**). the Earl of Shaftesbury), who wanted to
Pope wrote it to "laugh them together exclude the Catholic James (Duke of
again." He uses "machinery" based on York) from the throne, and the **Tories**
the **Rosicrucian doctrine** of spirits to (Royalists), who supported King Charles
replace the gods of classical epics: II’s legitimate succession. The poem
* **Sylphs (Air):** Guardians of was written at the request of Charles II
chastity who protect young ladies (e.g., to sway public opinion against the
Ariel). Whigs.
* **Gnomes (Earth):** Mischievous **2. The Biblical Allegory**
spirits who create sexual prudery and Dryden uses a story from the Old
ill-humour (e.g., Umbriel). Testament (Second Book of Samuel) to
**2. The Mock-Heroic Genre** allegorize 17th-century English politics,
*The Rape of the Lock* is the supreme elevating a sordid political squabble into
example of a **mock-heroic** (or a grand narrative:
mock-epic) poem. It applies the grand * **King David:** Represents **King
style, structure, and seriousness of Charles II** (Israel’s monarch).
classical epics (like the *Iliad*) to a * **Absalom:** Represents the **Duke
trivial subject—the cutting of a lock of of Monmouth** (Charles’s illegitimate
hair. By treating a drawing-room son), who is misled into rebellion.
flirtation as a "mighty contest," Pope * **Achitophel:** Represents the **Earl
satirizes the pettiness and distorted of Shaftesbury**, the cunning tempter
values of 18th-century society. who incites the rebellion.
**3. Social Criticism** * **Zimri:** Represents the **Duke of
Pope exposes the vanity and artificiality Buckingham**, ridiculed for his
of the age. Belinda’s "toilet" (dressing inconsistency.
table) is described as a religious altar **3. Dryden as a Satirist**
where she worships her own image, Dryden defined the true end of satire as
with the Sylphs assisting her like "the amendment of vices by correction."
priestesses. The poem critiques a He acts not as an enemy but as a
society where "mighty contests rise from physician curing a disease. His style is
trivial things" and where the loss of a "heroic" and "argumentative," utilizing
lock of hair is mourned with the same the dignity of the epic style to treat
screaming horror as the death of a contemporary politics. He refrains from
husband or the breaking of a china jar. attacking Absalom (Monmouth) too
harshly, blaming his rebellion on the
 "false Achitophel" to leave room for
reconciliation.

Unit 11: Introducing Neoclassical Unit 8: Andrew Marvell**

Poetry** **1. Context & Style**
**1. Definition & Historical Context** Andrew Marvell is considered one of the
Neoclassical poetry flourished in finest and last of the 17th-century
England roughly from 1660 to 1780 Metaphysical poets. His work bridges
(Restoration to late 18th Century). It the gap between the intellectual wit of
was a reaction against the "excesses" Donne and the polished grace of the
and enthusiasm of the Renaissance, coming Neoclassical age. He is noted
seeking instead to restore order by for his "metaphorical complexities,"
imitating the great classical writers of "logical subtleties," and the tension of
Greece and Rome (like Virgil, Horace, opposing values. T.S. Eliot described
and Homer). his style as having a "tough
**2. Key Characteristics** reasonableness beneath the slight lyric
* **Adherence to Rules:** Literature grace."
was conceived as an art requiring **2. "To His Coy Mistress" (Theme:
"correctness" and adherence to Carpe Diem)**
established "rules" (like the dramatic This poem is the finest example of the
unities) derived from the ancients. **"Carpe Diem"** ("seize the day")
Writers believed these rules theme in English. It is structured as a
represented reason and nature. logical argument (syllogism) to
* **Imitation of Nature:** Poetry was a persuade a lady to surrender her
"mirror held up to nature," focusing on virginity:
"general nature"—universal human * **Thesis (The "If"):** The speaker
truths and commonplaces rather than argues that "Had we but world enough
individual eccentricities. and time," her coyness would be no
* **Didactic and Satirical:** Literature crime. He would spend thousands of
aimed to "instruct and delight." It was years praising her beauty, mocking the
often satirical, attacking human pride slow growth of their passion with the
and folly to enforce the "golden mean" famous metaphor of **"vegetable
(avoidance of extremes). love."**
* **The Heroic Couplet:** The * **Antithesis (The "But"):** However,
dominant form was the heroic couplet time is limited. He warns that "Time’s
(rhyming iambic pentameter), perfected winged chariot" is hurrying near and that
by **John Dryden** and **Alexander in the "deserts of vast eternity" (death),
Pope** to achieve precision, wit, and her beauty will turn to dust and worms
satiric edge. will try her "long-preserved virginity."
**3. Major Poets** * **Synthesis (The "Therefore"):**
* **John Dryden:** The "father of Consequently, they should "devour"
English criticism" and a master of verse their time like "amorous birds of prey"
satire (*Absalom and Achitophel*). He and "tear our pleasures with rough
adapted to changing political tides and strife," using physical love to defeat the
established the heroic couplet. passage of time.
* **Alexander Pope:** The perfectionist **3. "The Garden" (Theme: Nature and
of the Neoclassical style, known for Solitude)**
*The Rape of the Lock* and his In this poem, the speaker rejects the
translations of Homer. He famously "rude" society and the ambitious
defined wit as "what oft was thought but struggle for fame (represented by "the
ne'er so well expressed." palm, the oak, or bays") in favor of the
"delicious solitude" of nature.**Nature
vs. Passion:** He argues that nature is
superior to human lovers; the gods
Apollo and Pan chased Daphne and
Syrinx not for their love, but to turn them
into trees (Laurel and Reed). The color
green ("lovely green") is preferred over
the white and red of female beauty.
* **The Mind:** The garden allows the
mind to withdraw into happiness,
described as an "ocean" that can create
"far other worlds" and annihilate reality
to "a green thought in a green shade.”

*
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Unit 6: Introducing Metaphysical characterized by an intimate dialogue

Poetry with God.
**1. Introduction & Definition** * **Andrew Marvell (1621–1678):** A
transitional figure whose work bridges
Metaphysical poetry refers to a specific
the Metaphysical and Neoclassical
group of 17th-century lyric poets who styles, known for his political and lyrical
revolted against the sweet, complexity.
conventional, and sensuous poetry of
the Elizabethan age. The term **4. Critical Reception**
"metaphysical" was not used by the While 18th-century critics like Johnson
poets themselves; it was first applied by viewed them as "wits" who lost the
"grandeur of generality" by pursuing
**John Dryden**, who noted that John
thoughts too far, the 20th century saw a
Donne "affects the metaphysics" rather major revival. **T.S. Eliot** praised them
than focusing on the heart. Later, **Dr. for possessing a **"unified sensibility,"**
Samuel Johnson** popularized the term meaning they could fuse thought and
in his *Lives of the English Poets*, feeling into a whole—a quality lost in
famously criticizing them for their later periods due to a "dissociation of
display of learning where "the most sensibility" where intellect was
separated from emotion.
heterogeneous ideas are yoked by
violence together."
**2. Key Characteristics**
* **The Metaphysical Conceit:** This is
the most defining feature of the genre. It
is an "extended metaphor with a
complex logic" that draws a surprising
comparison between two highly
dissimilar things (e.g., comparing lovers
to a compass or the soul to a drop of
dew). It juxtaposes images to startle the
reader into a sophisticated
understanding.
* **Wit and Intellect:** Unlike the
romantic idealism of the Elizabethans,
these poets mixed intellect with
emotion, creating "cerebral" poetry.
They used "wit" to explore philosophical
and religious notions, often employing
logical arguments and dialectics within
their lyrics.
* **Dramatic Quality:** The poems
often open abruptly or dramatically
(e.g., Donne’s "For God’s sake hold
your tongue"), resembling a speech or
conversation rather than a song.
**3. Major Practitioners**
* **John Donne (1573–1631):** The
central figure and "Monarch of Wit." His
poetry fuses passion with reason and is
marked by vigour and freshness.
* **George Herbert (1593–1633):**
Known for religious poetry (*The
Temple*) that is simpler and more
colloquial than Donne’s,