Materialism In The Pope's Rape Of The Lock

The views of women have changed over time, but have always had objectifying tendencies. During the 18th century, cosmetic alteration to natural beauty peaked and materialism heightened throughout societal views. Authors such as Alexander Pope and Jonathan Swift vividly spew these views throughout their writings. Pope’s Rape of the Lock exposes the materialism used in objectifying women, mainly in the upper-class societal levels. The whole plot of the story centers around a cosmetic appearance creating a materialistic goal, as since the lock of hair was cut from a woman's head, the missing lock became, so called, evidence of a man’s sexual conquest. Other sexual conquests, forced or not, are spoken with anything but love and only those of material …show more content…
When Pope speaks of the sexual conquests in The Rape of the Lock, he only focuses on the material aspects that result from the sex. He first speaks of the Baron, who states he will win his, so called, prize “by force to ravish, or by fraud betray;” as he will try anything to achieve his goal (Pope II 32). The aspect of using force really emphasizes the objectification used with women. The Baron then describes his past accomplishments as “there lay three garters, half a pair of gloves…” which are all trophies taken from past sexual conquests (Pope II 39). The trophies affirm that there is a mainly material goal associated with sex. The plot of the story revolves around the cutting off a lock of hair from Belinda. This lock of hair is also used as a type of sexual trophy, apparently providing evidence that the conquest occurred and “shall the ravisher display [her] hair,/ while the fops of envy, and the ladies stare!/ Honor forbid? At whose unrivaled shrine/ ease, pleasure, virtue, all our sexual resign,” as since the trophy is won, the sexual encounter must have occurred (Pope IV 103-106). The misinterpretation of the lock of hair truly indicates the materialism in the society because, even though the sexual conquest never occurred, the material item holds more bearing than the word of Belinda or the truth of how it was truly …show more content…
The voice he gives her regarding the missing lock is very self sabotaging. He makes her have a claim that “Oh, hadst thou, cruel! Been content to seize/ hairs less in sight, or any hairs but these!” as in she would rather have his sexual trophy be her pubic hair and for them to actually have had sex, instead of him stealing a lock of her hair and having the fabricated sexual encounter seem true (Pope IV 175-175). By Belinda claiming this preferred alternative, Pope is forcing her into a sense of shame and embarrassment for something that was thrust upon her. It also legitimizes a claim to society that she would rather have actually had sex with this man, than have everyone think it to be true. And although these claims are far from the truth, as she did not have sex with that man, society only believes what the materialized trophy says. Pope reflects these societal ideas in the last line of his poem, as the very last line of a text is a critical piece because that is the last information that the reader will be exposed to and one of the most memorable aspects of the story. In Rape of the Lock, Pope uses the last line to immortalize the already victimized Belinda, while tarnishing her name by establishing a promiscuous nature about her. He makes the claim that her name is now “‘midst the stars inscribe Belinda’s name” and forever there as long