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 omber 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.
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