Name: HASINA KHAN

M.A. ENGLISH 3C (EVENING)

ROLL NO :819570
End term paper submitted to ma’am Zunaira Khalid
Date: 21st Aug 2020.
TOPIC: Alexander Pope exposes the follies of time in 'The Rape of the Lock.'
Discuss with reference to the poem
Alexander Pope (May 21, 1688- May 30, 1744)
Alexander Pope, an English satirist, essayist, critic and one of the greatest poets in the age of
enlightenment was born in London in 1688. His father was a Roman Catholic, Linen merchant.
He was best known for his literary works in Augustan period . An Essay on Criticism
(1711), The Rape of the Lock (1712–14), The Dunciad (1728), and An Essay on
Man (1733–34). Alexander pope wrote poetry during Augustan age of English Literature
(which is also defines the pope ‘s career). During this time, the nation had recovered from the
English Civil wars and the Glorious Revolution. Alexander pope poem “THE RAPE OF THE
LOCK “is one of the most famous English –Language examples of the mock –epic. Its first
version was published in 1712, when pope was only 23 years old and poem served to forge his
reputation as a poet and remains his most frequently studied work. The inspiration for the poem
was an actual incident among Pope ‘s acquaintances in which Robert, lord Petre, cut off a lock of
Miss Arabella Fermor ‘s hair, and the young people ‘s families fell into strife as a result. John
Caryll another member of this same circle of prominent Roman Catholics, asked pope to write a
light poem that would put the situation into humorous perspective and reconcile the two families.
In Rape of the lock there are many characters such as Belinda, The Baron, Caryll, Clarissa, Ariel,
Umbriel, Thalestris . Pope is called the child of his age because his poetry embodies the true
spirit of 18th century London life. In Rape of the lock Pope has shown a mirror to his age as
Geoffrey Chaucer has done for his own age. Pope is the most representative poet of his age. His
masterpiece The Rape of the Lock has caught up the spirit of contemporary age in two respects.
1)Poetry was classical and satirical. 2) it is a social picture of that age in many respects such as
social, moral, political, judicial economical and artistic. The poem is also a social document that
shows the contemporary society and contains a social satire.
In Rape of the Lock, poet gives us an amusing picture of the society Ladies of his time. He has
criticized the fashions, the artificiality the vanity and frivolity of this class. The poem ‘s main
character Belinda represents the typical fashionable ladies of the time. The study of the poem
The Rape of the Lock tells us about the ladies of that time, they were confined to sleeping,
makeup, enjoyment and alluring the lords. Their life was marked by affectionate, ill –nature,
mischievousness, coquetry, cheapness, meanness, trivialities. Toilets was the chief concern of the
ladies of 18th century. Belinda is thus portrayed before her dressing table as a priestess
administrating the sacred rites of pride at the altar. The articles of makeup are very expensive
and are gathered from the four corners of the world. Pope describes this to show the lavish and
false sense of values of his age.

This casket India “glowing gems unlocks,

And all Arabia breathes from yonder box,”
Religion was only a matter if show in that age. The same sense is reflected in the Bible mixed
with the litter of puffs, powders, patches, powders, patches and billet –doux on the altar.

“puffs, powders, patches, bibles, billet-doux

Now awful beauty puts on all is arms.”
All the fashionable women and beaus gathered at a place where they exchanged talks on trivial
things e.g. visits, balls, films, looks, eyes etc. .and at every word reputation dies. There was
singing, laughing, dancing etc. The entire business of women was to allure dukes and lords. They
had the shifting temperament and shifting choices.

“With varying vanities from every part

They shift the moving toyshop of their hearts.”
These lines show the moral bankruptcy of the ladies. Honour is a little word for them with little
meaning. According to them loss of honor does not matter if reputation is not lost. The poem
expresses the superficiality, shallowness, laziness, idleness, prudery, hypocrisy, aristocracy, false
concept of dignity, excessive self-embellishment. The Rape of the Lock also gives a real picture
of the fashionable gentlemen of that age. They were very careful in dressing up and wore wide
skirted coats, high heeled shoes. The chivalry was dead and the fops visited clubs and coffee
houses. They spend their time in frivolities and amorous intrigues. Pope also gives a detailed
description of famous places of London. For example, there is Hampton court, the palace of
English queen, situated on the banks of river Thames. It was in this place when Belinda and her
companions played cards and enjoyed coffee.
According to Pope, use of pompous expressions for low action is the perfection of mock epic.
The rape of the lock truly shows Pope ‘s genius for satirical poetry. This poem in a witty manner
exposes the follies and absurdities of high society of the time. All the recognized weapons of
Satie have been employed by pope in the most effective manner. The principal targets of satire
in this poem are the aristocratic ladies and gentlemen of Pope’s day. Their artificiality, frivolity,
pretension, showiness and vanity are further satirized by Pope when says that in order to show
their new dresses, the ladies pretend some feigned disease and hide themselves under the rich
quilts so that visitors may watch their new gowns well rich cozy quilts.

“On the rich quilt sinks with becoming woe,

Wrapt in a gown, for sickness, and for show
The fair ones feel much maladies as these”.
Pope with his masterly skill, has so beautifully satirized the high-class society of the 18th century
that we feel where to weep and where to laugh. We feel ourselves helpless in knowing that where
poet is admiring the values and where he is ridiculing the human follies. Rape of the lock is
mainly concerned with the aristocratic fashionable society; the Pope also brings into account the
politicians who do not have deeper insight and take steps only for personal benefits. There is a
bitter satire on Politicians in the following two lines in which an important matter is juxtaposed
with something trivial.

“Here thou, great Anna, whom three realms obey

Dost sometimes counsel take and sometimes tea.”
Pope satirizes the judicial system and indirectly hints at the corruption found in the sacred
institutions. In the afternoon judges hurriedly signs the sentence so that they could have their
dinner in time. This shows their sense of responsibility.

“The hungry judges soon the sentence sign

And wretches hang that jurymen may dine.”
The Rape of the Lock is one of the three poems in which pope shows himself emphatically
as the spokesman of his age. It pains the elegance and the emptiness, the meanness and the
vanity, the jealousies, treacheries of young men and women of the aristocratic families of that
time. In this poem Pope has particularly exposed the laziness, frivolities, hypocrisy excessive
interest in toilet and high matrimonial aspirations of the ladies of his age.
Belinda represents the typical fashionable ladies of the time. There is not the slightest glimpse of
seriousness or sincerity, goodness or grandeur of human life in any of her words and actions. Her
character is a bundle of contradictions. she is the object of satire and on the other hand she is the
goddess of beauty and charm. The brightness of Belinda surpasses the brightness of sun. But at
the same we learn that she is lazy woman who continues to sleep till twelve in the day and who
on working up at that hour fall asleep again. When she does open her eyes, she goes through a
love letter which is waiting for her and which makes her forget the vision she had seen. Her
beauty and charm is emphasized when she gets busy with her toilet. The toilet table is like a
church to her. Her cosmetics are like her offspring to the goddess of beauty. Apart from her maid
servant who helps her in her toilet, there are a number of sylphs to perform the various duties
assigned to them. As Pope remarks

Now awful beauty puts on all its arms

Belinda ‘s outdoor life begins with her boat. Which sails on the Thames. Again, Pope
emphasizes her physical charm namely sparkling cross and white breast. He is an embodiment of
grace and sweetness which covers up her flirtation and faults. here the poet asserts

“If to her share some female errors fall

Look on her face, and you will forget all,”

Belinda visits Hampton court which is a place of merrymaking and getting together. This place
attracts courtiers, politicians, writers, men of different professions. Here young ladies exhibit
their charms and entice the heart if he young lovers. Young women and men play cards which is
nothing but the game of flirtation. It shows Belinda’s inner mind which is fickle and given to
tantrums outwardly she wishes to be virtuous but inwardly she is ready to have fun with young
folk. She loves Baron at heart but rebukes and abuses him. Ariel, her guardian spirit gives up his
duty of guarding her virtues when he observes that an earthly liver is lurking at her heart. All her
anger is intended only to deceive others. The primary quality of Belinda is spiritual shallowness,
an incapacity for moral awareness. Belinda is a complex character. It is not possible to find a
single line to cover up her qualities. Pope’s attitudes towards Belinda is mixed and complicated.
She is also the representative of upper-class women of the 18th century as well as the modern, but
she is more than a mere type.
To sum up we can say that the Rape of the Lock is nan evident proof of Pope ‘s mastery in the
art of satire. In his power and range of satire, Pope is unrivaled and the satire sparkles in almost
every line of The Rape of the Lock. Pope ‘s Rape of the lock is a perfect example and faithful
reflection of literary tendencies and tasks of 18th century England. The Rape of the Lock is a
satirical and the poet exposes the follies and frivolities in a delightful manner. His picture of
contemporary life is vivid, realistic and faithful. He wonderfully exceeds in depicting the world
of fashion in its most gorgeous and attractive way. Burlesque, parody, heroic couplet, criticism
and satire was the business of 18th Century English poets or poets of Augustan age. Pope
presented true picture of 18th century society. As Leslie Stephen says;

“No writer reflects so clearly and completely the spirit of his

own day as pope does”.