Bathos: AP Literature and Composition

      Bathos is a literary effect in which an author heightens the action to be very passionate and intense but then abruptly falls into an absurd or trivial idea or phrase.

      In Rape of The Lock, bathos is used when Pope steals the lock of hair from Belinda. The quote is set up to very intensely describe how triumphant Pope feels when he gets this precious item but the 'glorious prize' turns out to be extremely absurd and trivial because it is merely a lock of hair. “Let wreaths of triumph now my temples twine (The victor cry'd) the glorious Prize is mine!”(Pope, Canto III).

      Bathos is also used when describing the object that did the damage and stole the prized possession from Belinda. "The Peer now spreads the glitt'ring Forfex wide, T' inclose the Lock; now joins it, to divide"(Pope, Canto III). The magnificent 'glittering forfex' is simply just a pair of scissors.

      In The Great Gatsby, bathos is used to characterize how over the top Gatsby is, “Then came the war, old sport. It was a great relief, and I tried very hard to die, but I seemed to bear an enchanted life” (Fitzgerald, 66). The war is a harsh time but Gatsby abruptly brings up how wonderful his life is now after stating how he wanted to commit suicide.He wanted people to have sympathy towards him so they would believe his feigned story about his life.