The Rape of the Lock

by

Alexander Pope

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Thalestris Character Analysis

A courtly lady who befriends Belinda, and laments the loss of the lock with her. Like Belinda, she is subject to the “Sighs, sobs, and passions” dumped out of Umbriel’s bag, which prompts her to take to the fight to regain the lock so aggressively. However, her name does recall that of the mythological queen of the Amazons, a group of fierce female warriors, which suggests that Pope might be teasing the reader here again with the question of how much the characters’ actions are their own. Thalestris’s name suggests she might herself be innately war-like, even without the influence of Umbriel.

Thalestris Quotes in The Rape of the Lock

The The Rape of the Lock quotes below are all either spoken by Thalestris or refer to Thalestris. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
The Triviality of Court Life Theme Icon
).
Canto IV Quotes

A wondrous bag with both her hands she binds,
Like that where once Ulysses held the winds;
There she collects the force of female lungs,
Sighs, sobs, and passions, and the war of tongues.
A vial next she fills with fainting fears,
Soft sorrows, melting griefs, and flowing tears.
The Gnome rejoicing bears her gifts away,
Spreads his black wings, and slowly mounts to day.
Sunk in Thalestris’ arms the nymph he found,
Her eyes dejected and her hair unbound.
Full o’er their heads the swelling bag he rent,
And all the furies issued at the vent.
Belinda burns with more than mortal ire,
And fierce Thalestris fans the rising fire.

Related Characters: Belinda, Thalestris, Umbriel, The Queen of Spleen
Related Symbols: The Lock
Page Number: IV. 81-94
Explanation and Analysis:
Canto V Quotes

But fate and Jove had stopped the Baron’s ears.
In vain Thalestris with reproach assails,
For who can move when fair Belinda fails?
Not half so fixed the Trojan could remain,
While Anna begged and Dido raged in vain.

Related Characters: Belinda, The Baron, Thalestris
Related Symbols: The Lock
Page Number: V.2-6
Explanation and Analysis:

“Beauties in vain their pretty eyes may roll;
Charms strike the sight, but merit wins the soul.”
So spoke the dame, but no applause ensued;
Belinda frowned, Thalestris called her prude.

Related Characters: Clarissa (speaker), Belinda, Thalestris
Related Symbols: The Lock
Page Number: V.33-6
Explanation and Analysis:

All side in parties, and begin the attack;
Fans clap, silks rustle, and tough whalebones crack;
Heroes’ and heroines’ shouts confusedly 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.
So when bold Homer makes the gods engage,
And heavenly breasts with human passions rage;
’Gainst Pallas, Mars; Latona, Hermes arms;
And all Olympus rings with loud alarms.

Related Characters: Belinda, The Baron, Thalestris, Clarissa
Related Symbols: The Lock
Page Number: V.39-48
Explanation and Analysis:
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Thalestris Quotes in The Rape of the Lock

The The Rape of the Lock quotes below are all either spoken by Thalestris or refer to Thalestris. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
The Triviality of Court Life Theme Icon
).
Canto IV Quotes

A wondrous bag with both her hands she binds,
Like that where once Ulysses held the winds;
There she collects the force of female lungs,
Sighs, sobs, and passions, and the war of tongues.
A vial next she fills with fainting fears,
Soft sorrows, melting griefs, and flowing tears.
The Gnome rejoicing bears her gifts away,
Spreads his black wings, and slowly mounts to day.
Sunk in Thalestris’ arms the nymph he found,
Her eyes dejected and her hair unbound.
Full o’er their heads the swelling bag he rent,
And all the furies issued at the vent.
Belinda burns with more than mortal ire,
And fierce Thalestris fans the rising fire.

Related Characters: Belinda, Thalestris, Umbriel, The Queen of Spleen
Related Symbols: The Lock
Page Number: IV. 81-94
Explanation and Analysis:
Canto V Quotes

But fate and Jove had stopped the Baron’s ears.
In vain Thalestris with reproach assails,
For who can move when fair Belinda fails?
Not half so fixed the Trojan could remain,
While Anna begged and Dido raged in vain.

Related Characters: Belinda, The Baron, Thalestris
Related Symbols: The Lock
Page Number: V.2-6
Explanation and Analysis:

“Beauties in vain their pretty eyes may roll;
Charms strike the sight, but merit wins the soul.”
So spoke the dame, but no applause ensued;
Belinda frowned, Thalestris called her prude.

Related Characters: Clarissa (speaker), Belinda, Thalestris
Related Symbols: The Lock
Page Number: V.33-6
Explanation and Analysis:

All side in parties, and begin the attack;
Fans clap, silks rustle, and tough whalebones crack;
Heroes’ and heroines’ shouts confusedly 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.
So when bold Homer makes the gods engage,
And heavenly breasts with human passions rage;
’Gainst Pallas, Mars; Latona, Hermes arms;
And all Olympus rings with loud alarms.

Related Characters: Belinda, The Baron, Thalestris, Clarissa
Related Symbols: The Lock
Page Number: V.39-48
Explanation and Analysis: