In Alexander Pope’s The Rape of the Lock, Belinda is protected by “fifty chosen Sylphs”(Canto 2. 117). These Sylphs are like little fairies, sent to be her personal guardians. This sounds like an excellent idea in theory, having little invisible protectors. Not having to worry about the dangers of the world seems pretty ideal. Unfortunately, the Sylphs don’t do their job very well, as a precious lock of Belinda’s hair is taken by a creepy guy later in the play. Did these assigned Sylphs fail their task? No!
In reality, the Sylphs’ responsibility was to take good care of Belinda “fair looks”. There are spirits assigned to her hair, face, and even her petticoats. They were only protecting her aesthetics, not her safety or wellness. In this way, Pope makes it seem like women are all about beauty and that there is nothing else of value to them. Not once is Belinda’s mind mentioned or even her personality, only her beauty. The fact that Belinda gets so upset about a little lock of hair helps concrete the idea of women’s superficiality. This belief is shared by a great number of writers of the period, as evidenced by the women presentation on Wednesday. So, in conclusion, it’s really not that great to have Sylphs standing guard, especially if they are only concerned with your looks.
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