"The Rape of the Lock" is a " mock heroic " poem written by Alexander Pope. We know very well that a mock heroic poem concerns with imagination and judgment. It is a masterpiece of mock heroic poems, first published in 1712. It is both a reflection and production of the first half of 18th century. Through this poem, Alexander Pope shows the picture of contemporary fashionable life of society that shows the follies and vanities of fashionable people.
About Author
Alexander Pope was the poet and satirist of the 18th century, known as Augustan Age. He was known as master of "heroic couplet". He was born in London on 21 May, 1688 and died on 30 May, 1744. His best known satirical poems are "The Rape of the Lock", "An Essay on Criticism" and "The Dunciad". Pope translated Homar's "Iliad and Odyssey", because of these traditions Pope became much popular and wealthy.
Alexander Pope is the true successor of Dryden in the line of satirical verse because Dryden is also a contemporary writer of 18th century. Pope is known as a delineator of manners, an exposer of the social motives and a critic of social evils of his time. About Pope, Lowell says, " Pope is the poet of society, the delineator of manners. He represents his own age as Chaucer represents the 14th century and Tennyson the Victorian Age".
As a Social Satire
The Rape of the Lock is a masterpiece of satirical poetry. It is both a realistic and satirical poem of eighteenth century. As in the "Essay on Criticism ", Pope satirizes the follies of poets and critics, and in the "Essay on Man", he satirizes the follies of mankind, so in " The Rape of the Lock ", he satirizes the follies and foibles of women, commenting on The Rape of the Lock.
Pope's age was an age of fashionable and gay lords of the upper class and frivolous and empty headed ladies of aristocratic society. Society had a highly artificial life. So, Pope satirizes the aristocratic ladies of 18th century in which their laziness, idleness, frivolities, superficialities, false ideas of honour, excessive interest in toilet and self embellishment and high matrimonial aspirations are mentioned very well. The snuff-taking aristocratic gentlemen have also been satirized.
"The Rape of the Lock" presents an amusing picture of the society ladies. We are told that the vanities of the society ladies don't end even with the death of the ladies. In their lifetime, they were excessively fond of gilded chariots and of Ombre. Pope ridicules that to aristocratic lady a masked ball has the same importance as a religious prayer. Her heart could be lost as easily as a necklace. To her, big things like the loss of virtue might have no importance whereas little things like the clipping of a carl might be disastrous.
The superficialities of the ladies of the time and a lack of any depth of feeling in them are ridiculed in the lines in which the pet dog of a lady is similar with her husband. The death of a domestic pet dog has the same effect as the death of her husband. Even the breaking of a China pot has the same effect. Pope satirizes that the aristocratic ladies have lack of moral feelings. Pope has made a sarcastic reference to the suppressed sexual desires of women and their unexpressed cravings for sexual gratification.
Pope had not spared the male sex also. Pope satirizes that the young gallant lords dressed themselves up in the fashion of medieval knights while they were, at heart, cowards and pursuers of the female sex. Their chief occupation was sex - intriguing. They passed time in gossiping about women or insignificant social events or fashionable exotic things. Pope had not spared even the hungry judges and the jury - men who were in haste to get back home.
In " The Rape of the Lock ", we are given the true pictures of palace and court as well as politicians and judges. Pope mocks at the kind of conversation that went on among the ladies and knights in the Hampton Palace. Their talk generally centered around dance - parties, courts visits and the scandalous behavior of some members of the court.
Of the social manners of the aristocrats, two find mention in "The Rape of the Lock" one was their delight in the game of playing cards called " Ombre ". The description of this game played among Belinda and other knights is one of the most brilliant part of the whole narrative. The other pastime was coffee drinking. A reference to coffee houses is also made. " Coffee which makes the politicians wise and see through all the things with half shut eyes ".
To conclude, we can say that Pope's satire is inspired by vices and weaknesses, personal animosity is the feather with which Pope's satire arrows are fledged.
About Author
Alexander Pope was the poet and satirist of the 18th century, known as Augustan Age. He was known as master of "heroic couplet". He was born in London on 21 May, 1688 and died on 30 May, 1744. His best known satirical poems are "The Rape of the Lock", "An Essay on Criticism" and "The Dunciad". Pope translated Homar's "Iliad and Odyssey", because of these traditions Pope became much popular and wealthy.
Alexander Pope is the true successor of Dryden in the line of satirical verse because Dryden is also a contemporary writer of 18th century. Pope is known as a delineator of manners, an exposer of the social motives and a critic of social evils of his time. About Pope, Lowell says, " Pope is the poet of society, the delineator of manners. He represents his own age as Chaucer represents the 14th century and Tennyson the Victorian Age".
As a Social Satire
The Rape of the Lock is a masterpiece of satirical poetry. It is both a realistic and satirical poem of eighteenth century. As in the "Essay on Criticism ", Pope satirizes the follies of poets and critics, and in the "Essay on Man", he satirizes the follies of mankind, so in " The Rape of the Lock ", he satirizes the follies and foibles of women, commenting on The Rape of the Lock.
Pope's age was an age of fashionable and gay lords of the upper class and frivolous and empty headed ladies of aristocratic society. Society had a highly artificial life. So, Pope satirizes the aristocratic ladies of 18th century in which their laziness, idleness, frivolities, superficialities, false ideas of honour, excessive interest in toilet and self embellishment and high matrimonial aspirations are mentioned very well. The snuff-taking aristocratic gentlemen have also been satirized.
"The Rape of the Lock" presents an amusing picture of the society ladies. We are told that the vanities of the society ladies don't end even with the death of the ladies. In their lifetime, they were excessively fond of gilded chariots and of Ombre. Pope ridicules that to aristocratic lady a masked ball has the same importance as a religious prayer. Her heart could be lost as easily as a necklace. To her, big things like the loss of virtue might have no importance whereas little things like the clipping of a carl might be disastrous.
The superficialities of the ladies of the time and a lack of any depth of feeling in them are ridiculed in the lines in which the pet dog of a lady is similar with her husband. The death of a domestic pet dog has the same effect as the death of her husband. Even the breaking of a China pot has the same effect. Pope satirizes that the aristocratic ladies have lack of moral feelings. Pope has made a sarcastic reference to the suppressed sexual desires of women and their unexpressed cravings for sexual gratification.
Pope had not spared the male sex also. Pope satirizes that the young gallant lords dressed themselves up in the fashion of medieval knights while they were, at heart, cowards and pursuers of the female sex. Their chief occupation was sex - intriguing. They passed time in gossiping about women or insignificant social events or fashionable exotic things. Pope had not spared even the hungry judges and the jury - men who were in haste to get back home.
In " The Rape of the Lock ", we are given the true pictures of palace and court as well as politicians and judges. Pope mocks at the kind of conversation that went on among the ladies and knights in the Hampton Palace. Their talk generally centered around dance - parties, courts visits and the scandalous behavior of some members of the court.
Of the social manners of the aristocrats, two find mention in "The Rape of the Lock" one was their delight in the game of playing cards called " Ombre ". The description of this game played among Belinda and other knights is one of the most brilliant part of the whole narrative. The other pastime was coffee drinking. A reference to coffee houses is also made. " Coffee which makes the politicians wise and see through all the things with half shut eyes ".
To conclude, we can say that Pope's satire is inspired by vices and weaknesses, personal animosity is the feather with which Pope's satire arrows are fledged.
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