The Rape of the Lock discloses Pope's thoughts concerning the consequence of beauty upon women as distinctive persons, a variety of males, religion and the public at large. It is apparent that Pope evaluates the effects of beauty on women as silly. Pope would concede that beauty is the basis of female vanity. Pope distinctly deems female vanity to be trivial and he uses satirical means throughout the piece to convey this perspective. For example, when he says "her joy in gilded chariots, when alive, And love of ombre, after death survive," he ridicules the fact that the women are so concerned with the card game; he ridicules the profound preparation that the women undertake. He jeers female vanity by comparing the "arming of the soldier" to a toilet scene. The most evident satirical stratagem used to mock female vanity is seen in the form of a speech, which is presented by Ariel, the head of the Sylphs and Gnomes. These characters symbolize the Meddling Gods and Goddesses that are present in many epics. The speech, however, isn't a motivational speech to improve the protection a true battle hero might experience, but rather a woman who contrives to look her best. The speech draws a distinct comparison, as well as a preposterous yet sincere connection, between critical battle events and simple trifling womanly aspects, "Whether the nymph shall break Diana's law,/ Or some frail china jar receive a flaw;/ Or stain her honor, or her new brocade,/ Forget her prayers, or miss a masquerade." Additionally, he used a very fundamental method to expose the absurdity of female vanity. He compares smaller less important objects to larger more outstanding things. Just as Eve in Milton's Paradise Lost is mesmerized by her own image as she sees it reflected in the water of one of Eden's rivers, to her own image Belinda "bends, to that her eyes she rears." Thus, Pope demonstrates the strong effect of female vanity upon the nature of woman.
