The Rape of the Lock, and Other Poems

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"The Rape of the Lock, and Other Poems" by Alexander Pope is a mock-heroic narrative poem first published in 1712. This celebrated example of high burlesque transforms a trivial social incident—a nobleman secretly snipping a lock of a young lady's hair—into an elaborate epic parody complete with supernatural guardians and classical conventions. Pope treats the ensuing family feud with wit and elegance, elevating drawing-room drama to mythological proportions while gently satirizing the vanities and sensibilities of eighteenth-century aristocratic society.

Summary written by Project Gutenberg, by machine.