The Rape of the Lock as a Social Satire
Pope’s
remarkable poem ‘The Rape of the Lock’ is essentially a social satire. The poem
exposes in a witty manner the follies and absurdities of the aristocratic life
of the 18th century England. The principal targets of satire in the
poem are the fashionable and aristocratic ladies and gentlemen of the time. In
this poem, Pope reveals himself essentially as the spokesman of his age.
At
the very outset of the poem, Pope calls our attention to the idleness and
late-rising aristocratic ladies of the time who possesses keen interest in
domestic pets. The vanities of those ladies, such as their love of gilded
chariots and somber are also made known to us in the very beginning of the poem.
Their ambition to get married to peers and dukes or other high officials is
also ridiculed in the opening canto of the poem.
Then,
we can find that the coquetry, the art, the artifice and the false pride and
vanities of the aristocratic ladies are the chief concern of Pope in this poem.
These ladies in the very early of their life learn how to blush in a coquettish
manner. Their heart shifts from one beloved to another according to their need.
They would sink on their rich quilts and pretend sickness so those young
gallants should come to inquiry after their health and should see the costly
gowns on their body. Besides, they feel interested in the love-letters of their
so-called beloved. When Belinda gets up from bed at last after having been
licked by Shock, her eyes first open on a love-letter.
Toilet
is the chief concern of these aristocratic ladies. On of the most celebrated
passages in The Rape of the Lock, is the one in which Belinda is described at
her dressing table. We are told that before commencing her toilet operations,
Belinda offers a prayer to ‘the cosmetic power’. She gathers all the
fashionable items from all over the world-Indian glowing gems, Arabian
perfumes, files of pins, puffs, powders, patches etc.
Moreover,
the moral bankruptcy of these ladies is further ridiculed when Thalestris
points out the need for sacrificing everything, even chastity, for the seek of
reputation. They consider that virtue might be lost, but not a good name.
The
same attitude of mind is expressed in the lines in which Belinda declares that
she would not have left so offended if the Baron had stolen any other hair from
her but spared that particular lock.
Oh, hadst thou, cruel! Been content to seize.
Thus,
we may conclude that Pope attempts to expose the follies and absurdities of the
royal English society in a witty manner. Here, he has employed all the
recognized weapons of satire in an effective way. So, The Rape of the Lock is
rightly considered the true genius of his satirical work.
👍
ReplyDeleteYou Rock thanks buddy
ReplyDeleteThanks InsaneMonk. You are welcome
Deletevery informative thank you
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome. Keep reading.
DeleteExcellent
ReplyDeleteThanks Waqar Hussain.
DeleteNice one
ReplyDeleteThanks
DeleteYour essay is splended. It helped me to complete my essay.
ReplyDeleteWe are really glad to hear that. Thanks Asad Imran.
DeleteSplendid. It helped me alot
ReplyDeleteFeeling good to hear.
DeleteInformative
ReplyDeleteThanks
DeleteInformative
ReplyDeleteThanks
DeleteTnx a lot
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome
DeleteThank you so much :)
ReplyDeleteWhy you have not monetized your blog with google adaense?
ReplyDeleteWhat pictures contemporary fashionable society of London do you find in rape of the lock ,is it the same question that mentioned above?
ReplyDelete