Literary notes about mock (AI summary)
The word "mock" is a multifaceted device in literature, serving both to denote imitation and to express derision or parody. In many works, it characterizes insincere behavior or feigned emotion—as when a character’s artful imitation is both a tribute and a slight ([1]), or when a request is made in earnest to avoid imitation that belittles one’s sincerity ([2]). Equally, it finds life in whimsical creations such as the Mock Turtle, whose very name has come to embody absurd parody and playful satire ([3], [4], [5], [6]). At other times, "mock" underscores the tension between genuine feeling and affectation, revealing a character’s inner struggles or societal commentary, as seen in expressions of faux sorrow or misguided reverence ([7], [8]). Furthermore, its usage spans from denoting parody in dramatic settings ([9], [10]) to offering a metaphor for imitation in objects and customs—from mock battles to mock products ([11], [12]). This varied employment illustrates the term’s power to challenge authenticity and invite critical reflection on the nature of representation.
- The fixture of her eye has motion in't, As we are mock'd with art.
— from The Complete Works of William Shakespeare by William Shakespeare - I pray thee, do not mock me, fellow-student; I think it was to see my mother's wedding.
— from Hamlet, Prince of Denmark by William Shakespeare - Mock Turtle You advance twice— Gryphon Each with a lobster as a partner.
— from Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll and Alice Gerstenberg - "I should like to have it explained," said the Mock Turtle.
— from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll - ‘And washing?’ said the Mock Turtle. ‘Certainly not!’ said Alice indignantly.
— from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll - ‘They were obliged to have him with them,’ the Mock Turtle said: ‘no wise fish would go anywhere without a porpoise.’
— from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll - "Ah! then, you never really love, Mr. Gray," answered the duchess with mock sadness.
— from The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde - Else, I should long ago have thrown off these garments of mock holiness, and have shown myself to mankind as they will see me at the judgment-seat.
— from The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne - They do it but in mocking merriment, And mock for mock is only my intent.
— from The Complete Works of William Shakespeare by William Shakespeare - I shall be rather prais'd for this than mock'd; for it is as positive as the earth is firm that Falstaff is there.
— from The Complete Works of William Shakespeare by William Shakespeare - We refreshed ourselves with a tin of mock-turtle soup and wine from the neighbouring pantry.
— from The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells - There were light boxes on shelves in the counting-house, and strings of mock beads hanging up.
— from Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens
