The Rape of the Lock

Fiction | Poem | Adult | Published in 1712

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Summary

Background

Poem Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Literary Devices

Background

Literary Context

While revered for his poetic mastery and witticism, Pope’s “The Rape of the Lock” continues to be a subject of contemporary scholarship. Many feminist theorists have examined the gender politics of the poem, and there is much scholarship exploring Pope’s interpreted misogyny. “The Rape of the Lock” has been influential in this field of inquiry, as the poem posits that female writers are inferior. Umbriel implies this opinion in his speech to the Queen of Spleen in Canto 4:

Parent of vapours and of female wit,

Who give th’ hysteric, or poetic fit,

On various tempers act by various ways,

Make some take physic, others scribble plays (Lines 60-63).

Theorists have read the lines as a condemnation of women’s writing—that it cannot be taken seriously. Pope’s critical gender politics found within this single poem can also be read across his work, and many contemporary feminist critics have challenged his works based on this lens alone.

Recently, “The Rape of the Lock” has been analyzed through the lens of Colonialism. Scholars have argued that the poem is in fact an Imperialist poem, and the card playing scene in Canto 3 is largely used in support of this theory. Though Pope was critical of government, evidence of the British Empire’s prowess is apparent in his descriptions of battle. Such theories about latent economics and power can be attributed to Marxist readings of the text. Pope’s criticism of class structures remains an inspiration for contemporary analysis.

Historical Context

When “The Rape of the Lock” was published, England’s socioeconomic class gaps were drastic: The upper classes lived lavish lifestyles that the majority of the country’s population would never have access to. There was also religious oppression, with laws banning Catholics from obtaining positions of educational and governmental authority. As a Catholic, Pope experienced his fair share of difficulties. Much of these grievances are apparent in “The Rape of the Lock.” Pope’s critical perspective of court lifestyle is largely rooted in his belief that the ruling classes lacked substantial hardships to develop defined moral character. He knew his audience would be mostly the middle classes (due to the emergence of a new popular publishing form called periodicals), so the poem was written as social comment to discourage upper-class values from trickling down into middle-class aspirations.

Satire as a literary genre was quickly becoming a popular mode of social critique and discourse in 18th-century England. One of Pope’s contemporaries, Jonathan Swift (author of Gulliver’s Travels), also employed satirical techniques in his writing. The two friends and literary rivals both commented on English government and society. However, their styles were markedly different: Each had opposing views about the intrinsic value of humankind. Pope believed in the inherent goodness of man and therefore used his satires to inspire moral righteousness and ethical developments. This value system can be read into “The Rape of the Lock” because it calls for a reassessment of the values of the societal elite.