TOEFL  - Speaking Question 4

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Directions: In this question, you will read a short passage and then listen to a talk on the same academic topic. You will then answer a question about them. After you hear the question, you will have 30 seconds to prepare your response and 60 seconds to speak. You have 45 seconds to read the passage.

  

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The Mock Epic The term mock epic or mock heroic refers to a shorter epic written in a satirical manner. It has all the characteristics of a large epic, such as starting out with the invocation of the muse, being written in iambic pentameter, containing a Homeric simile, or a long and drawn out comparison of two things, and having a hero with a tragic flaw, but is much shorter and uses satire as its centerpiece. Satire is usually used to make fun of some aspect in a society.

 

Narrator: Now listen to part of a lecture in a world literature class.

 

Professor: Alexander Pope’s poem, Rape of the Lock, is a fine example of a mock epic. Pope uses satire to reveal the triviality of the values the aristocracy held in 18th century England. Every epic is written in rhymed iambic pentameter that is broken into books or cantos. The first canto begins with the customary invocation of the muse to help Pope tell his tale. The muse in this case is just Caryll, a close friend of Pope’s, as opposed to some deity that usually inspires a poet to tell his story. One of the most important aspects of an epic, or in this case, mock epic because this is just a fraction of the size of a regular epic, is the hero/heroine with a tragic flaw that ultimately causes their own downfall. Belinda is the tragic heroine of Rape of the Lock, and her flaw is her vanity, more specifically, her hair. Pope emphasizes her vanity when he mentions that she even has a favorite lock of hair. Now, the “villain” of the story eventually cuts off this prized lock. After a heated argument, the lock escapes into the wind and falls apart. Belinda’s vanity causes her best friend to assist the villain by concealing scissors and presenting them at just the right time. Pope compares these scissors to a little, steel, engine in a Homeric or epic simile, which is a necessary component of any epic. It is an elaborate comparison that extends over a number of lines of verse.

 

Narrator: Now get ready to answer the question.

 

Narrator: The professor talked about Rape of the Lock and described several aspects. Explain why Rape of the Lock is considered a mock epic and give examples to support your answer.