“The Rape of Lock” As “Social Satire”

1. Alexander Pope: Life and Work

Well known poet Alexander Pope was born in middle class Roman Catholic Family on May 21 1688
in London, England. His life was a “Long disease” in itself. He suffered all his life and did not attain
the University because only protestant were allowed to attain the Higher Education. He was self
taught.
He started to write when he was only 12 years old. His early work is based on translating Horace
and other Greek writers. Then he started to write his own. Essay on Criticism and The Rape of
Lock is his most famous work.
He died in the age of 56 on May 30, 1744.
Before discussing “The Rape of Lock” as s social satire we have to address the question what is
Satire? What are its classes and elements? What is aim and purpose of Satire?
We will give a brief touch to these questions to have enough knowledge to discuss “The Rape of
Lock” as a “Social Satire”.

2. Satire and its Classification

Merriam-Webster Dictionary says that satire is “a literary work holding up human vices and follies
to ridicule or scorn”
“a way of using humor to show that someone or something is foolish, weak, bad, etc. : humor that
shows the weaknesses or bad qualities of a person, government, society, etc.”
Satire is a genre of literature in which vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to
ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, corporations, government or society itself,
into improvement.
Satire is a technique employed by writers to expose and criticize foolishness and corruption of an
individual or a society by using humor, irony, exaggeration or ridicule. It intends to improve
humanity by criticizing its follies and foibles.
3. Classification of Satire
Satire is classified in the following two categories
1. Juvenalian
2. Horatian

3.1. Juvenalian Satire

This type is named after the Roman satirist Juvenal. He utilized the satirical tools of exaggeration
and parody to make his targets appear monstrous and incompetent. Just like him this type of satire
does not deals the follies, abuse and shortcomings of society as Horace did. This satire regards
these follies not wrong but considers them evil. Juvenalian satire tends to be more serious, even
harsh and bitter in tone. Harsh language is used to satirize. Juvenalian satire addresses social evil
through scorn, outrage, and savage ridicule.

3.2. Horatian Satire

Horatian satire, named for the Roman satirist Horace, playfully criticizes some social vice through
gentle, mild, and light-hearted humor. A Horatian satirist’s goal is to heal the situation with smiles,
rather than by anger. Horatian Satire tends to be lighter, gentler and less serious in tone. A Horatian
satirist makes fun of general human folly rather than engaging in specific or personal attacks.
“The Rape of Lock” is Horatian Satire.

4. Elements of Satire
There are many elements of satire but only few mostly used are discussed below.
4.1. Exaggeration
4.2. Irony
4.3. Sarcasm
4.4. Understatement

4.1. Exaggeration
Exaggeration is a representation of something in an excessive manner. It is also called hyperbole.
This is the most widely used tool of satire to portrait something more important or more extreme
than its actuality.

Examples:
My mom is going to kill me.
He knows everything about Literature.

4.2. Irony
Difference between appearance and reality is called Irony. Main feature of every irony is its
deference between appearance and reality. It has further its types called irony of words,
irony of character, irony of situation, thematic irony and dramatic irony.
Examples:
In Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen, Mr. Darcy says of Elizabeth Bennett that she is not
"handsome enough to tempt me," but he falls in love with her in spite of himself.
In Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, the audience/reader knows that Juliet has faked her death, but
Romeo does not and he thinks she is really dead.

4.3. Sarcasm
Sarcasm is an ironic or satirical remark that seems to be praising someone or something but is really
taunting or cutting.
Examples:
"Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go." - Oscar Wilde
"Honesty is the best policy -- when there is money in it." - Mark Twain
4.4. Understatement
An understatement is a figure of speech employed by writers or speakers to intentionally make a
situation seem less important than it really is.
Example:
"I have to have this operation. It isn't very serious. I have this little tumor on the brain."
The Cather in the Rye

5. Aim of Satire
The aim of satire, as satirists often describe it, is to reform the society by exposing vice and follies.
Whether or not a satirist is inspired by the desire to reform his society, he always claims that his
aim is didactic and reformist. Satire, in literature, has its moral end. It is used to criticize the vices
and follies of the society either in pleasant tone (Horatian Approach) or in harsh tone (Juvenalian
Approach).

6. The Rape of Lock: General Introduction

The rape of lock is based on the trivial incident of Pope’s age. There were two aristocrat Roman
Catholic Families in friendship with each other named Petre and Fermor. Young gentleman Lord
Petre and Lady Arabella Fermor fall in love with each other. Lord Petre was more enthusiast than
Lady. He cut her lock. Relationship between two families cooled down. Mr. John Caryll, well wisher
of both families, asked Pope’s to write a poem showing insignificance of the incident and bring the
families together.
Pope accepted to do this job. He wrote a short poem. The poem achieved its desired effect.
A publisher got an access to the manuscript and published it. It got a positive feedback. Pop decided
to write it again with his great attention. He got his fable to fulfill his desire of writing an epic. Then
He wrote the new version of it that is available to us now.

7. The Rape of Lock: Social Satire

It is accepted that “Shakespeare is the poet of Man and Alexander Pope is the Poet of society.”
“The Rape of the Lock” is a social portrait of 18th century. The whole theme of “The Rape of the
Lock” revolves around the false standards of that time. Pope satirizes the
1. Young Girls and Boys
2. Nature of Husbands and wives
3. Justice and Judges
4. Fashionable Ladies
5. Queen is satirized
6. Friendship

7.1. Young girls and Boys

At the very beginning Pope satirizes the idleness late rising of aristocratic woman by Belinda. It was
the hour of twelve when Belinda opened her eyes to fall asleep again-
"Now Lap-dogs give themselves the rowzing Shake, And sleepless Lovers, just at Twelve, awake:
Pope goes on to make fun of the vanities of woman .The aristocratic ladies of those days were over
fond of gilded chariots and of ombre. And he makes fun of that over fondness here. These vanities,
he says, do not end even with the death of the woman:
"Think not, when Woman's transient Breath is fled, That all her Vanities at once are dead."
All the women and beaus gather at the place where they exchange talks on trivial things such as
visits, balls, films, looks, eyes, ‘at every word’ and ‘a reputation dies’.
“A beau and witling perished in the throng, One died in metaphor, and one in song.”

7.2. Nature of husbands and wives

Pope also satirizes of the husbands and wives of that days. Husbands always suspect their wives.
They think that their wives have been merry-making with their lovers. On the other hand, wives are
also not virtuous at all. They love their lap-dogs more than their husbands. And the death of
husbands is not more shocking than the death of a lap dog or the breakage of a china vessel.
“Not louder shrieks to pitying Heave are cast, When husbands, or when lapdogs breathe their last;”

7.3. Justice and Judges

“The hungry judges soon the sentence sign, And wretches hang that jurymen may dine”
Professional judges of that age are being satirized here. Pope says that judges signs their documents
of decisions in great hurry. So that they don’t like to dine late, for this they don’t care to what they
are going to sign. Their meal is more important than their public decisions.

7.4. Fashionable Ladies

Pope also ridicules the women’s excessive attention of self embellishment and self decoration of a
famous satirical passage. Belinda is described as commencing her toilet operations with prayer to
the cosmetic power, puffs, and powders lie on Belinda's dressing table. “Here Files of Pins extend
their shining Rows, Puffs, Powders, Patches, Bibles, Billet-doux.”

7.5. Queen is satirized
Even the greatest of the great, the Queen herself is satirized to produce a truly comical and witty
effect.
Here thou, a great Anna whom three realms obey
Dost sometimes counsel take – and sometimes tea

7.6. Friendship
The concept of friendship has been satirized. Friends are hollow and fickle. Belinda’s friend
Thalestris is as shallow as the age he lives in. As soon as Belinda’s reputation is gone, she doesn’t
like to be called her friend. Thus it is a direct satire on the upper-class society of Pope’s time.

8. Conclusion

On the base of the upper discussed pints it could be concluded that “The Rape of Lock”
is social satire. It is said the “Poet is the representation of his/her age”. This saying is so
true for Pope. He, in the Rape of Lock, amazingly pertained and satirized the follies and
vices of the 18th century.
Posted by Farooq Khan