Alexander Pope and Gender Identity Throughout Alexander Pope’s poetry, the reader is presented with not only a characterization of Alexander Pope as a larger than life poet, but one is also shown characters with fluid gender identities, which may be a reflection of Pope’s inner turmoil related to his own gender identity. The critical lens of psychoanalytic theory utilizes the concept of the Oedipus complex, which was coined by the psychologist Sigmund Freud. This concept describes the phenomenon of a son developing an unhealthy love for his mother, which, in turn causes him to be jealous of his father (Morgenstern 779). Furthermore, according to Freud, this extreme affection causes the child to differ from the norm as he continues to develop
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In this context, sylphs are women who were flirts in life who become the protectors of living women’s chastity in death. This concept of women guarding and thus hindering the sexuality of other women has interesting implications. For one, it is an allusion to Pope’s feelings toward his mother and how he wishes for his mother to remain chaste. He uses women to protect this chastity because he identifies with stereotypical qualities of the female gender and views his father as his rival, which could also stem to men in general as well. For instance, in this poem, Belinda’s adversary is the Baron who seeks to cut a lock of her hair. Innocent Belinda is unaware of the egregious act the Baron is about to commit, but the army of sylphs try all they can to stop him, including the lead sylph, Ariel. Ariel is a fascinating character because unlike the typical sylph, he is a male. His varied gender is coupled with the fact that he has a traditionally feminine name. Therefore, it could be surmised that Ariel is an extension of Pope, the feminine male who desperately strives to fulfill the role of his mother’s aide. Ultimately, both Pope and Ariel fail because Pope’s mother passes away and Belinda’s hair must succumb to the Baron’s scissors: “The meeting points the sacred hair dissever/ From the fair head, for ever, and for ever!” (2697). To Pope, gender is a fluid concept, as illustrated by a male sylph named Ariel who is a written representation of Pope’s
In this context, sylphs are women who were flirts in life who become the protectors of living women’s chastity in death. This concept of women guarding and thus hindering the sexuality of other women has interesting implications. For one, it is an allusion to Pope’s feelings toward his mother and how he wishes for his mother to remain chaste. He uses women to protect this chastity because he identifies with stereotypical qualities of the female gender and views his father as his rival, which could also stem to men in general as well. For instance, in this poem, Belinda’s adversary is the Baron who seeks to cut a lock of her hair. Innocent Belinda is unaware of the egregious act the Baron is about to commit, but the army of sylphs try all they can to stop him, including the lead sylph, Ariel. Ariel is a fascinating character because unlike the typical sylph, he is a male. His varied gender is coupled with the fact that he has a traditionally feminine name. Therefore, it could be surmised that Ariel is an extension of Pope, the feminine male who desperately strives to fulfill the role of his mother’s aide. Ultimately, both Pope and Ariel fail because Pope’s mother passes away and Belinda’s hair must succumb to the Baron’s scissors: “The meeting points the sacred hair dissever/ From the fair head, for ever, and for ever!” (2697). To Pope, gender is a fluid concept, as illustrated by a male sylph named Ariel who is a written representation of Pope’s