“THE RAPE OF THE LOCK”---A PICTURE OF THE FASHIONABLE CONTEMPORARY LIFE:

The age in which Alexander pope flourished is called the classical age as well as the age of pope. The reason is that he was the first poet and chief man of letters. In his age the prose achieved the same rank as poetry achieved in Elizabethan age. This age was inspired by high emotional and imaginative fervor. It was dominated by prevailing spirit of satire and moral preaching. Under Queen Anne, moral bankruptcy prevailed over society. The petty vanities of woman increased. Fashion had great sway over men. It was one of Addison’s purposes to check this perilous wave of female vanity. In some letters of the “spectators” are given the accounts of the fashionable world; of how the high dresses have disappeared, but the covering for the lower portion of the body have increased. Dress was not the only vanity. There were other things also-rouge, puff, pomade and ornaments. Woman devoted much of their time to toilet. They dressed, visited their clubs, societies and coffee houses where young gallants assembled to please and flirt with them. In that age woman had more power over them but they cared more for their lap dogs than these young men. Alexander Pope has reflected clearly and completely the spirit of his age more than any other poet. In “The Rape of the Lock “, he reflects the life of fashionable society of his time completely.” The rape of the lock” fully reflects the aristocratic society of his age. Belinda represents the typical fashionable ladies of that time. In that age there was not a single glimpse of sincerity and faithfulness, goodness and grandeur of human life in that society. The ladies of that age were mere flirt and coquettes. Although these women showed flirtation and disdain to their lovers yet these ladies of the court secretly desired for their love. Apparently they seemed to reject their suitors. They secretly harboured ambition to get married to the lords, dukes, earls and other men of high titles. These women dreaming of rich prospects slept late at night and got up late from their beds. They engaged with their toilet and spent a lot of time in such activities. Alexander Pope gives a detailed description of the scene when Belinda’s beautiful lock is raped. The rape of the Belinda’s lock symbolizes deflowering of the young girl. There is Hampton court, the palace of the English Queen , situated on the bank of the river Thames where the lords and ladies of the time often assembled to taste the pleasures of the court and talk about society scandals. In Pope’s age, not only the young ladies but the young men were equally frivolous. Lord Peter and his followers represent the fashionable gallants of that time. They are all idle, empty minded and flirt people having nothing else to do but making love and flirting with the ladies. They have no high objectives in life. They spend much of their time in playing cards with the ladies. The card games occupied an important place in daily activities of the fashionable ladies and gentlemen of that age. Moral bankruptcy and meanness were the prominent features of women and men of that age. Their manners and behaviours were artificial and affected. They practiced lisping, hanging their heads aside, fainting fits and languishing with pride and vanity. They would sink in their quilts and pretended to be sick. The ladies of that time often practised such tricks as to lure young men and gallants. They often feigned sickness so that the young gallants come to enquire after their health and see their costly dresses and gowns. In “The Rape of the Lock” Pope has portrayed the atmosphere of that age. The poem is the real picture of the social life of that age. The style of the poem is artificial to show artificiality and affectation of the ways and life of the aristocratic class of that age.

Written&Composed By: Prof. A.R.Somroo