Look at that hiney, so scanlalous! A look into the mock-epic

Of late I've been reading Sophie Gee's Scandal of the Season, a historical novel based on the events leading up to Alexander Pope's 1712 writing of The Rape of the Lock. Pope was a poet and a Roman Catholic, which during the early 18th centrury meant he was an outsider and a victim of Protestant rule in England. Growing up in the country, Pope was mostly self-taught and spent years translating the works of Homer and Virgil, fascinated with the profound morals and larger-than-life epic heroes.

The Rape of the Lock is considered one of the greatest examples in the English language of the mock-epic. Modeled after the serious epic tales of Homer and Milton, The Rape of the Lock pokes fun at the vanities and idleness of 18th century high society. The poem was inspired by an incident among Pope's acquaintances in which Lord Petre cut off a lock of Arabella Fermor's hair, and the young people's families fell into strife as a result. Pope was encouraged by another mutual friend to write something light and humorous in an effort to reconcile the two families. Thus, the birth of The Lock of the Rape.

Gee manages to create deep and sympathetic characters while maintaining vigilant historical accuracy. A great read for anyone interested in poetry, lofty ideals, and the Brits.