英國文學首頁   /   The 18th Century 十八世紀  /  作家  /  Alexander  Pope  亞歷山大.波普  /  作品
The Rape of the Lock (Canto III)
作者Author  /  Alexander  Pope  亞歷山大.波普

The Rape of the Lock

釋意paraphrase): Canto III

 
 
 
  The scene now shifts to the royal palace at Hampton Court (lines 18). Here the heroes and the nymphs come to engage in all kinds of gossip and chatter (lines 9-18).

Evening has come, and Belinda is ready to play ombre (a card game) with the Baron and another young man. Her sylphs watch over her important cards (lines 19-36). Kings, queens, and knaves along with the other cards ("parti-colored troops") are ready for the combat (lines 37-44). Belinda declared spades to be trumps, and the game proceeds. Her "Matadors" conquer the opposition (line 45-64). Now, the Baron's queen of spades takes Belinda's king of clubs (lines 65-74). The Baron's diamonds attack the enemy, which is overwhelmed like a broken army (lines 75-86). After her queen of hearts is taken by the knave of diamonds, Belinda triumphantly attacks with her king of hearts (lines 87-100).

Pope inserts a mock-moralizing comment on fate and pride (lines 101-104). Coffee is prepared, and Belinda drinks, watched over by her sylphs. Stimulated by the coffee, the baron thinks of new stratagems for getting the lock (lines 105-124). Clarissa hands the Baron a "two-edged weapon" (scissors), with which he approaches the lock. Ariel tries to warn Belinda, but finds that she is thinking of a lover (lines 125-146). The Baron opens the scissors ("glittering forfex") and (having cut a sylph in two) cuts off the lock (147-154). "Screams of horror" follow this act (lines 155-160). He exults in his achievement, predicting that his fame shall last as the various activities he lists. For his steel has conquered her hairs (lines 161-178).
 
   
 
   
導讀
Copyright ©2009 國科會人文學中心 All Rights Reserved.