Question

In which of Alexander Popes works does he twist the conventions of the epic poem to create a satirical tone? Support your answer with examples from that text

Answer 1

In his poem "The Rap e of the Lock" Alexander Pope twists the conventions of the epic poem to create a satirical tone.

In this poem, a trivial situation like the stealing of a girl's strand of hair makes Pope mix both worlds, the satirical and the heroic. A form or style from a Greek or Roman epic is used, but it's transformed into more of a mock rather than a serious epic.

Moreover, Pope uses satire in order to exaggerate and ridicule, exposing the truth about society.

We can find an example to this mockery in Canto 5 from the poem:

"...Belinda frown'd, Thalestris call'd her prude.

"To arms, to arms!" the fierce virago cries,

And swift as lightning to the combat flies.

All side in parties, and begin th' attack;

Fans clap, silks rustle, and tough whalebones crack;

Heroes' and heroines' shouts confus'dly rise,

And bass, and treble voices strike the skies.

No common weapons in their hands are found,

Like gods they fight, nor dread a mortal wound..."

Answer 2

I believe Pope twisted the conventions of the epic poem in order to create a satirical tone in his The R.ape of the Lock.
It was created as a mock poem, written in order to ridicule heroic epic poems of the Classical and Post-Classical eras. Pope used the heroic couplets throughout the poem in order to give it an elevated style; however, if you read the poem, you will see that the theme is quite mundane - the poem talks about how somebody stole a strand of a girl's hair.