“THE RAPE OF THE LOCK”---SATIRE ON FEMININE FRIVOLITY:

Social satire predominates in the work of Alexander pope. At a casual glance we can judge that the
most of his work is satire on society.
Satire is a way to criticize and condemn society for its evils. In fact it is a reaction to the moral
indignation. Satire is a cynic way of depicting society. Dryden says that a satirist is no mere enemy
of the offender than a physician to the patient. He prescribes the harsh remedies of inveterate
diseases.
Alexander Pope presented his age particularly social life of that age very successfully. The poem
“The Rape of the Lock” is a masterpiece of satire on the aristocracy of that age. Lowell says that
Pope is the poet of society as Shakespeare is the poet of man. Pope so keenly observed his society
and its evils and the portrayed it with a success. He has a keen observation of the moral corruption
prevailing in society. “The rape of the lock” is a real picture of the condition of the age. It has an
immortal fame in the English literature.
The satire in “The rape of the lock” is directed not against any individual but against the follies and
vanities of the fashionable men and women in general. The object of Pope writing this poem was to
conciliate two quarreling families. But as the poem continued, he forgot the real motive of the poem
and satirized female follies and frivolities instead.
Belinda is not only a girl but a representative of the aristocratic ladies. She is the caricature of the
ladies of the higher class. She is the symbol of follies and frivolities of the ladies of the age.
Through her character, Pope has satirized frivolities of the women.
“The rape of the lock” is not only the satire on feminine frivolities but it also gives us glimpse of the
youth of the Age of pope. Byron represents on Peter alone but shows that the young men in that
time were so flirt and frivolous that they had forgotten the real motive and objective of their lives.
The strange battle between the two shows what type of they people were.
“The rape of the Lock” is a satire on the upper class of the 18th Century. When we observe the 18th
Century upper class code of morality we see that the whole society was indulged in moral
bankruptcy. The morality that Pope upholds is based on restraint, gentleness, decorum and
rationality and reason.
The poem is based on the story of quarrel between the families of Miss Arabella Former and Peter
lord. Mr. Caryll, one of the common friends asked pope to write some poems which can decrease
their ill-feelings. In a very general sense, “The Rape of the lock” is a satire according to the above
mentioned criterion. It is not a satire on the whole contemporary society but a particular class of
the society. The poem is the satire on the leisured lords and ladies of the wealthy aristocratic class.
The most satirical lines are that which show Belinda’s waking from sleep. She sleeps till noon. Her
lap dog licks her face and awakes her. She like the other aristocaratic ladies of the 18th century is
frustrated and yearns for sexual pleasure; keeps awake till late at night with her lap dog in the arms
and sleeps till noon in the day.
It was a common practice among the young gallants and lords to approach a sweet lady of the
equal status. They proposed love and marriage to her. And it was at the will of the lady to accept or
reject this amorous offer. It was customary to play flirt among men and the women alike. The young
men used amorous display and made show of their wealth and valour, while the ladies tried to
deceive them and rob of their money. They played card games and bet their costly things over it.
Pope satirically writes these lines about card games between the men and the women that these
ladies even bet their honour and dignity over minor things of no value. Belinda and Baron fly to the
extremity of passion in such amorous play that they look ridiculous.
Pope has also satirized the system of courts and judges of the 18th century. He says that at 4, O,
Clock in the afternoon the judges hurriedly sign the sentences and rush to their homes for dinner in
time. This was their sense of responsibility and punctuality.
Pope has also criticized the concept of friendship. Friends in that age were hollow and useless.
Belinda’s friend Thalestris is as shallow as the age in which she lives. As soon as the chastity of
Belinda is gone by the rape of her lock, Thalestris leaves her and does not want to be called her
friend.
To conclude we can say that the poem “The Rape of the lock” is a delicate playful, humourous,
original and witty satire on the aristocratic men and women of the age. Although it is genius and
genial criticism yet it is a deadly satire. Pope has not only exposed the follies and frivolities of the
aristocratic class but also ridiculed them.
Written & Composed By:
Prof A.R.Somroo