The Rape of the Lock

The Rape of the Lock

Digital Exhibits

The Rape of the Lock' is a satirical narrative poem about a petty squabble between two aristocratic families. A young man cut off a lock of hair from a young woman without her consent, which caused quite a scandal in high society. Pope, who personally knew both families involved, wrote the poem to diffuse the tension. By doing so, Pope turned the incident into a mock epic tale that includes mythical beings, dramatic speeches, and epic battles. This is one page of a book pulled from Google Books. It is stark white with black text printed on it. The title at the top of the page says “Canto I,” which means the first part of Pope’s longer poem.

Alexander Pope

University of Michigan

Oxford University Press

Circa 1712, later expanded in 1714

This print was edited by George Holden in 1909
Kennesaw State University, Magdaline Marks

Public Domain

English

Text

Europe 18th Century