Greatest High School Term Paper Ever

This "epic" if it can honestly be called that is reminiscent of a high school term paper written last minute on a story unread. It takes me back to reading peer's essays that were clearly written after reading only the back cover of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The word choice and phrasing are wonderful at disguising the lack of real plot development. On page 1234 lines 25-29 Pope writes, "Belinda now, whom thirst of fame invites, burns to encounter two adventurous knight, at ombre singly to decide their doom, and swells her breast with conquests yet to come." This is a fantastic dramatization of a simple card game. I wish I could look at the world through Belinda's eyes, comprehending everything as an incredible adventure. Sadly I don't see the world that way, so her interpretation is laughable. I get the impression that Pope was paid a considerable sum to write an epic story, but soon forgot about it. After enough time had passed, he received a letter from his benefactor questioning the status of the novel. In a panic he wrote this fluff overnight and submitted it. Much like my peers' essays in high school, this is hilarious to read because of the clear lack of content and the overemphasis of every minor detail that he does mention. Acknowledging that he wrote this as satire, it is inspiring to see how much flourish can be attributed to everyday life. I have to ask how did he get away with writing such an empty piece? How much time did he really spend on it relative to how much time he was given? What possible message could he have been trying to get across aside from a woman's hair is her life? Most importantly, how was a grown man overpowered by a dainty woman whose most strenuous activity is playing cards?