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Her lively looks a sprightly mind disclose, / Quick as her eyes, and as unfix'd as those: / Favours to none, to all she smiles extends; / Oft she rejects, but never once offends.
This quotation comes from the beginning of Canto 2, describing Belinda’s bearing at court. She behaves like the ideal coquettish woman, demonstrating the delicate balance she must walk. She is pretty and vivacious, fun to be around. Her “unfx’d eyes” and smiles imply that she is flirtatious. Not showing favor means she doesn’t give any one man undue hope. That she consistently rejects men decorously, means that she remains chaste without anyone accusing her of prudishness. In other words, she is flirtatious, but not too flirtatious, modest but not too modest.
Belinda now, whom thirst of fame invites, / Burns to encounter two advent'rous Knights, / At Ombre singly to decide their doom; / And swells her breast with conquests yet to come. / Straight the three bands prepare in arms to join, / Each band the number of the sacred nine.
This quotation comes from Canto 3, as Belinda sits down to cards. She approaches the card table like a warrior, her “thirst of fame” echoing the desire for glory of the warriors in the Iliad. Belinda’s portrayal as a warrior is an essential part of how Pope crafts a mock epic. Instead of a warrior fighting for something consequential, like Achilles or Hector, Belinda is playing a game of cards to show off for the other guests.
For ever curs'd be this detested day, Which snatch'd my best, my fav'rite curl away! / Happy! ah ten times happy had I been, / If Hampton-Court these eyes had never seen! / Yet am not I the first mistaken maid, / By love of Courts to num'rous ills betray'd.
Belinda’s lament comes from Canto 4. Here, Belinda wishes she had stayed home instead of tempting fate at court, behavior that would be considered prudish. However, Umbriel is the one who provokes Belinda into giving this speech. By raising Belinda’s anger over how much work she puts into her curl and her fears over the detrimental effect this incident could have to her reputation, Umbriel has implicitly made Belinda far more upset over the incident than she might otherwise have been. Belinda is not in control over her emotions here, instead led astray by Umbriel.
See, fierce Belinda on the Baron flies, / With more than usual lightning in her eyes: / Nor fear'd the Chief th' unequal fight to try, / Who sought no more than on his foe to die.
This quotation comes from Canto 5. Unmoved by Clarissa’s appeal to reason, Belinda physically attacks the Baron. Her behavior here is portrayed as foolish and over the top, however, no sillier than her peers who also attack the men around them and shout at the Baron to return Belinda’s hair to her. This phrasing echoes earlier portrayals of Belinda as a mock epic hero, with her ridiculous fury contrasting with the Homeric phrasing.
