On Commodity and Religion in Pope's The Rape of the Lock

Alex Eric Hernandez' analysis of Alexander Pope's The Rape of the Lock, entitled Commodity and Religion in Pope's The Rape of the Lock, is an excellent discussion of the choice of commodity and religious items described on the toilet of the protagonist in Pope's work. Written at a high level for an academic audience with an appreciation for both the historical and literary context of the discussion, Hernandez' monologue is a close inspection of the presence of a Bible among the variety of worldly commodities that litter Belinda's toilet. This essay will examine both the message of Hernandez work and the construction and delivery of Hernandez message.

First, let us examine and summarize Hernandez' discussion. In short, Hernandez posits that the inclusion of the bible is carefully premeditated and that the juxtaposition of the bible among secular commodities accurately reflects the role and perception of Protestant Christianity in English society at the time as a social tool and engine for personal benefit to the detriment of the religion itself. Hernandez thoroughly supports this position by examining the text of the first canto of Pope's The Rape of the Lock and by extensively referencing historical details to provide evidence for the reader.

The tradition of "sola scriptura" is the belief of Protestants that "all things necessary for salvation and concerning faith and life are taught in the Bible" (Godfrey). In his abstract, Hernandez notes that his intent is to discuss the first canto of Pope's work using the context of "the robust tradition of sola scriptura in Protestant England during the period leading up to Pope's early career" (Hernandez 569). Hernandez also notes that through he will explore the "potential of the Bible" and the "consumer crisis" that are evident at the time (Hernandez 569).

While other critics overlook or dismiss the choice and placement of accessories and commodities on Belinda's toilette simply as an example of "proliferation of consumables," Hernandez believes there to be a deeper significance of these items, particularly given the inclusion of a Bible among the commodities (Hernandez 569). Hernandez argues that instead of simple consumerism, the juxtaposition of various secular accessories alongside a Bible betrays "confusion of religion and consumer culture" (Hernandez 569). He then valiantly proclaims the deeper meaning of Pope by inferring that the author meant to express the "insidious" nature of people at the time by showing their willingness to treat the Bible as a tool of social self-motivation or ideological manipulation (Hernandez 570).

To further his point, Hernandez turns to Ovid's Metamorphosis for inspiration. He asserts that the secular items described by Pope -- including "Indian gems, Arabian trinkets, and combs" -- signify a "culture of mercantilism" and that "the transformation of raw materials into handheld goods" is a distinctly Ovidian metamorphosis (Hernandez 571). This seems to be a bit of a stretch given that the initial assertion does not feel as solid as Hernandez' previous assertions, but Hernandez successfully supports his assertion through discussion. Hernandez then goes on to accurately discuss the incorporation of religious connotations and descriptions throughout the remainder of Pope's work, noting that such mentions are sparked by the incorporation of the Bible utilized in the first canto (Hernandez 572).

It is at this point that Hernandez takes a break from inspecting the work of Pope, and instead looks to history for guidance in his musings. He discusses the importance of the Bible during the Interregnum and Restoration among Protestants, summed up by the tradition of sola scriptura that we discussed previously. Despite this interpretation, however, Hernandez is careful to note that he does not intend to characterize the Bible as "monolithic" or uniformly overbearing in its culture presence (Hernandez 573). This sensible statement keeps his discussion concise without trying to cover too many topics at once. However, this statement also protects Hernandez from attacks by peers who might otherwise be distracted from his focal discussion by the inference of such an interpretation. Hernandez then takes this opportunity to digress into a discussion of the specific details of the historical importance of the Bible before and during the Interregnum (Hernandez 574).

Hernandez continues by discussing the resurgence of controversy surrounding bibliolatry during the Restoration as the country became more religiously moderate, and the fears about Catholicism that began to rise again. He mentions that the conflict served to reinforce the concept of sola scriptura, and that as a Catholic Pope had an interesting perspective on these happenings (Hernandez 575-576). Finding himself both "a Papist and a Protestant" as a result of reading about Christina controversies and his Catholic education, Pope enjoyed "a level of facility with the controversies that would inform his own experience as a recusant believer" (Hernandez 576). Hernandez goes on to reiterate for the reader the context of Pope's status as a Catholic, barred from living in London or participating as a full member of society, and to note that Pope was as strong in both his beliefs and his statements as permitted under English law (Hernandez 577-578). Hernandez also points out that Pope seems to have enjoyed reflecting the popular social tradition of placing a Bible in a prominent location of one's house to either use for devotional purposes or as a social indicator (Hernandez 578-579). Since printed and bound books were expensive, ownership was generally restricted to Protestant families that were financially secure. The juxtaposition of the Bible among foreign trinkets in the toilette reflects this characterization of the Bible as a social tool; both the mercantilist trinkets and the bound Bible indicate a certain social standing for Belinda, which is unspoken but obvious nonetheless.

Hernandez concludes his discussion by tying together the loose threads of bibliolatry and the devaluation of religion through ownership (Hernandez 579-580). He likens Belinda's body to religion and notes that while she is devaluing Protestant Christianity by displaying the Bible among secular trinkets as a social engine for personal benefit, Belinda's use of the social trinkets and her own body as an object of pride and social benefit in turn devalues her (Hernandez 580).

Now that we have summarized Hernandez' discussion, let us direct our focus to the construction and delivery of Hernandez' argument. Hernandez' choice of formal language and presentation result in an essay directed toward an audience of academics and critical peers. Terms like "eponymous" (Hernandez 569), "theurgical" (Hernandez 572), and "bibliolaters" (Hernandez 575) ensure that the reader is either a like-minded academic with an extensive vocabulary or a struggling student earnestly clutching a tome of the Oxford English Dictionary.

Additionally, interpreting Hernandez' product requires both interest in and prerequisite understanding of certain historical context to comprehend its argument and discussion. For example, Hernandez references "the years spanning the Interregnum and the Restoration" (Hernandez 573) with the bold assumption that his reader knows the historical significance of such things. While the English Restoration is well known as an antebellum return to a sense of normalcy following the English Civil War, the Interregnum is the lesser-known period of military rule between the end of the English Civil War and the beginning of the English Restoration.

Hernandez does little to educate his reader if they are ignorant of his references, but this is not a detriment given the approach to language that his discussion assumes. Accordingly, Alex Hernandez' position in this exposition is less of a tutor or assistant, and more of an aloof literary intellectual and historical explorer. Hernandez avoids coddling his audience, instead providing a high bar for understanding his message. However, this frees him to contemplate and explore deeply interconnected topics without the distraction and frustration of detailing basic definitions and explanations.

While Alexander Pope's The Rape of the Lock provides myriad possibilities for discussion, Hernandez avoids attempting to cover too many facets of the work. Instead, Hernandez focuses illuminating particular details and social implications regarding the juxtaposition of a Bible among various secular commodities littering Belinda's toilet during the first canto of Pope's work. Alex Eric Hernandez' analysis of Alexander Pope's The Rape of the Lock, entitled Commodity and Religion in Pope's The Rape of the Lock, is a strong discussion of the choice of accessories described on the toilette of Belinda in Pope's work. Additionally, Hernandez' choice of language and contextual approach to the monologue is suitable given the intellectual nature of the subject and the status of his audience as educated academics.

References

  • Canuel, Mark. "Romanticism, Religion, Secularization." ECL Eighteenth-Century Life 33:3 (Fall 2009): 150-155. Project Muse. Web. 14 November 2009.
  • Godfrey, Dr. W. Robert. "What Do We Mean by Sola Scriptura?" Web. 12 November 2009.
  • Hernandez, Alex Eric. "Commodity and Religion in Pope's The Rape of the Lock." SEL Studies in English Literature 1500-1900 48:3 (Summer 2008): 569-580. Project Muse. Web. 25 September 2009.
  • Pope, Alexander. "The Rape of the Lock." British Literature: 1640-1789; An Anthology. Ed. Robert Demaria, Jr. Malden: Blackwell Publishing, 2008. 631-651. Print.

Citation

Eckert, Daniel C. On Commodity and Religion in Pope's The Rape of the Lock. (2009, November 13).