Generic Classification in Interpreting Pope's The Rape of the Lock and Beckett's Waiting for Godot

Abstract

The literary devices of a text are by and large dependent on genre. This, of course, is a broad question whose answers may vary when considering every genre individually. This essay explores the importance of generic classification considering The Rape of the Lock by Alexander Pope and Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett. It draws from the work of scholars like Roland Barthes, Martin Esslin, and David Fishelov to examine the role of generic classification generally, and how it impacts readings of drama and poetry in particular. The two works are indicative of the multiplicity of ways that generic classification can play a role in the reading of a text because of their distinct handling of genre and generic devices. Pope’s work relies on genre to inform the reader of its message as a mock-epic. He employs ekphrasis and burlesque to subvert the genre of epic poetry. Conversely, Beckett plays with genre, avoiding any definite categorisation of his play, and thus allows a wider interpretation of Waiting for Godot. Genre brings with it a set of techniques and conventions that give authors a range of tools to enrich their works. The essay concludes that generic classification is a key part of interpreting any text, and its conventions are necessary for forming a coherent picture of textual meaning.