In last week's reading, Marianne declared that she could never be happy with any man whose taste in books and music did not exactly match her own. Willoughby is put to the test in their very first interview. As Elinor tells her " You know what he thinks of Cowper and Scott; you are certain of his estimating their beauties as he ought, and you have received every assurance of his admiring Pope no more than is proper."

Marianne prides herself on her insight and deep feelings, but many of the views she holds are precisely what being an adherent to the principles of sensibility and the Romantic movement would dictate that she feels. Alexander Pope had been very popular as a poet up until the mid-18th century but by the time S&S was set, he had fallen out of favour. In some circles he was criticized for making fun of women and for having an immoral, irreverent tone in some of his poetry and satires.

One of Pope's best known works was 'The Rape of the Lock', which is described as a 'mock-heroic epic'. The Rape of the Lock' was written because of a true incident the poet saw knew of where a gentleman who lusted after a young lady cut off a lock of her hair, and this was treated with moral outrage. The poem is called a 'mock-heroic' style and kind of satirizes making such a big deal out of such an incident and his irreverent treatment of it. An excerpt:

This Nymph, to the Destruction of Mankind,
Nourish'd two Locks, which graceful hung behind
In equal Curls, and well conspir'd to deck
With shining Ringlets her smooth Iv'ry Neck.
Love in these Labyrinths his Slaves detains,
And mighty Hearts are held in slender Chains.
With hairy Sprindges we the Birds betray,
Slight Lines of Hair surprize the Finny Prey, F
air Tresses Man's Imperial Race insnare,
And Beauty draws us with a single Hair.
Th' Adventrous Baron the bright Locks admir'd,
He saw, he wish'd, and to the Prize aspir'd:
Resolv'd to win, he meditates the way,
By Force to ravish, or by Fraud betray;
For when Success a Lover's Toil attends,
Few ask, if Fraud or Force attain'd his Ends.
For this, e're Phoebus rose, he had implor'd
Propitious Heav'n, and ev'ry Pow'r ador'd,
But chiefly Love--to Love an Altar built,
Of twelve vast French Romances, neatly gilt.
There lay three Garters, half a Pair of Gloves;
And all the Trophies of his former Loves.
With tender Billet-doux he lights the Pyre,
And breathes three am'rous Sighs to raise the Fire.
Then prostrate falls, and begs with ardent Eyes
Soon to obtain, and long possess the Prize:

The poem, of course, is much longer. Compare the incident in the poem to this scene from Ch. 12:

"Oh! Elinor," she cried, "I have such a secret to tell you about Marianne. I am sure she will be married to Mr. Willoughby very soon."

"You have said so," replied Elinor, "almost every day since they first met on High-church Down; and they had not known each other a week, I believe, before you were certain that Marianne wore his picture round her neck; but it turned out to be only the miniature of our great uncle."

"But indeed this is quite another thing. I am sure they will be married very soon, for he has got a lock of her hair."

"Take care, Margaret. It may be only the hair of some great uncle of his ."

"But indeed, Elinor, it is Marianne's. I am almost sure it is, for I saw him cut it off. Last night after tea, when you and mama went out of the room, they were whispering and talking together as fast as could be, and he seemed to be begging something of her, and presently he took up her scissars and cut off a long lock of her hair, for it was all tumbled down her back; and he kissed it, and folded it up in a piece of white paper, and put it into his pocket-book."