Satirical works of Kshemendra (study)
by Arpana Devi | 2017 | 60,954 words
This page relates ‘Summary of The Rape of the Lock� part of the study on the Satirical works of Kshemendra: an 11th century poet from Kashmir, who composed three satirical works. Kshemendra himself says that in composing the satirical works his only motive is to reform the mindset of the people.—He exposes all the vices and follies prevailing in the society with the intention to reform it.
8.5. Summary of The Rape of the Lock
The Rape of the Lock is a well-known satiric poem of Alexander Pope. Pope is a celebrated poet as well as a satirist of the Augustan English period. He was born in London in 1688. He is a great versifier for all the time and is an often quoted poet after Shakespeare.
Rape of the lock is a wonderful illustration of social satire. The poem was composed in two cantos in 1712 and later on appeared in five cantos in 1714. In the Rape of the lock, Pope tried to laugh back into good humour two families who had been alienated when Lord Petrie cut off a lock of hair from the head of Arabella Fermor (known as Belle). It is a blend of the mock-heroic, the satirical, the fanciful and the unmatched poetry. In the poem, the poet exposes the follies of the aristocratic society of the 18th century England. He satirizes the weakness of women and society manners.