The rape of the lock text. The Rape of the Lock Study Guide 2022-10-29

The Rape of the Lock is a mock heroic narrative poem written by Alexander Pope in the early 18th century. The poem tells the story of a society feud between two aristocratic families, the Ferrers and the Petres, over the theft of a lock of hair from a young woman named Belinda. The incident, which might have been seen as a minor disagreement in a different context, becomes blown out of proportion and the subject of great scandal and outrage among the characters in the poem.

Pope's use of the mock heroic form in The Rape of the Lock allows him to satirize the ridiculousness of the situation and the overreaction of the characters. The poem is written in heroic couplets, a form typically used for epic poetry, but the subject matter is far from epic. Instead, Pope uses the form to draw attention to the absurdity of the characters' reactions to the theft of the lock of hair.

One of the main themes of The Rape of the Lock is the societal pressure placed on women to conform to certain standards of beauty and femininity. Belinda, the object of the disagreement, is described as a "beauteous nymph," and the theft of her lock of hair is seen as a violation of her beauty and virtue. Pope satirizes this societal expectation by exaggerating the importance of the lock of hair and the outrage it causes among the characters.

Another theme of the poem is the superficiality and shallowness of the characters. The poem is set in the fashionable society of Pope's time, and the characters are preoccupied with appearances and social status. Pope uses the mock heroic form to highlight the absurdity of their priorities, as they become embroiled in a feud over a trivial matter such as a lock of hair.

In addition to satirizing the society of his time, Pope also uses The Rape of the Lock to comment on the role of religion in society. The characters in the poem are depicted as being more concerned with petty squabbles and superficial matters than with their spiritual lives. Pope uses the character of the sylphs, supernatural beings who protect Belinda and her lock of hair, to critique the shallow nature of the characters' religious beliefs.

Overall, The Rape of the Lock is a satirical poem that uses the mock heroic form to comment on the superficiality and shallowness of fashionable society, as well as the societal pressure placed on women to conform to certain standards of beauty and femininity. Pope's use of the heroic couplet form serves to exaggerate the absurdity of the characters' reactions to the theft of the lock of hair and highlights the triviality of their priorities.