Question

Why does Alexander Pope use the style and narrative form of epics to describe a relatively insignificant incident in “The Rape of the Lock”?

Answer 1

The R-pe of the Lock is written as a satire. Satire is a type of writing that mocks society, social institutions, the government, corporations, social conventions, etc. Its purpose is to criticize their shortcomings, often in order to produce social change. In this case, Pope wanted to make fun of epics, and the way they narrate events as magnificent through exaggerated language and descriptions. In order to do so, he tells an insignificant event (the theft of a lock of hair) in the style of heroic epics.

Answer 2

Alexander Pope use the style and narrative form of epics to describe a relatively insignificant incident in “The Rape of the Lock” because he wants to  mock society for attaching too much importance to trivial things. He wants to open up the minds of the people by showing real life incidents that happened among his acquaintances.