The Baron's Prayer from "The Rape of the Lock"

The Baron's Prayer is from the poem, The Rape of the Lock by Alexander Pope. I researched the poem to see what the poem dictates is the Baron's role. The poem is a dark comedy, but not in a humorous state, more like Dante's Inferno – The Divine Comedy an epic poem. The poem is hard to decipher; finding a site that explains the dark poem in current day English made it easier for me to understand the position Beardsley draws the Baron.

The Baron's Prayer

The Baron is dressed in a full figured gown and night cap, he kneels on one knee before what seems to be an altar made from highly decorated books. On top of the books are ribbon and garments. It is difficult to clearly see the objects due to the black and white of the illustration. However, due to Beardsley high detailed work you can see the shaped on the spine of the books that these could possibly be expensive. It is also clear that the figure or the Baron is of high class due to the large landscape artwork in the background and objects on the right placed on a table that looks of french antiquity.The Baron's hands seem to be at a praying position; this makes the viewer think it is a religious ceremony at first glance, but due to the altar. As the Baron is praying in front of the altar it look as though the objects are burning as you can see the flame shape above the stack.

The Baron looks as though he may be praying, but what the altar is built from it's almost close to a ritual; with the Baron making a request. It states that the altar consists of twelve French romances gilt (gilt is defined as, covered thinly with gold leaf or gold paint) of rococo decorations, topped by the relics of impotent baron's voracious fetishism.* When reading the poem it seemed as though the baron was asking for the lock of a curl from, Belinda whose is the female character in the poem. Belinda is a virgin, the Rape of the Lock representing the removal of her chastity.

*Fletcher, Ian. Aubrey Beardsley. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1987.