Esther M. Zimmer Lederberg
Alexander Pope, by Charles Jervas: 1713-1715
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Alexander Pope, by Charles Jervas: 1713-1715 Return
Alexander Pope did not speak kindly of women. Why? At that time, women were
viewed as decidedly inferior to men (made that way by god himself)!
Pope's views might be influnced by Pope being a homosexual. In addition,
Pope might have felt inadequate as a Roman Catholic from an obscure family,
as well as another major reason. Pope's growth was stunted by Pott's disease
(a form of childhood tuberculosis that progresses with time to worsen the
curvature of the spine).
In the above painting by Charles Jervas of Alexander Pope, a bust of Homer is
at the left, a woman servant to the right reaching upwards to a shelf with a
book. The female servant "straining to reach" signifies ALL women: not able
to attain the heights (of education: reserved by god only to men).
Pope is diminutive in the large red armchair. Indeed, the overly large armchair
might represent an engorged, excited vulva, with Pope crossing his legs
protectively from the femininity of the female servant. Pope is in fear of
independent, educated and accomplished women (Bluestockings), thus has great
difficulty restraining his view that women are "defined" as inferior to men.
Pope's limitations were satirized: Pope was depicted as a hunchbacked ape.
Pope was c. 4'6" high with a long nose (the nose representing his authority/penis
of course). Bluestocking women were often depicted with large noses symbolizing
male virility as female intellect. At the time misshapen or missing noses were
associated with syphilis.
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