The Augustan Satire: exemplified on Alexander Pope's 'The Rape of the Lock'

Seminar paper from the year 2012 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, grade: 2,7, University of Trier, course: Alexander Pope, language: English, abstract: 'Pope is the standout poet of the eighteenth century. A master of form and register, a maestro of metre, and a doyden of wit, Pope will remain among the most read and most imitated writers in the English language' (Budge 2009, 54.) Alexander Pope is often referred to as one of the greatest critics of all times. He is a great author and his poems are commonly known in the world of Literature. His satirical style is brilliant and exemplified in many of his poems. In the following, I am going to analyze the Augustan poem 'The Rape of the Lock', specifically in terms of its satirical elements. Therefore, I want to start with a look at a few definitions of the Satire. Next, I will go into more detail by defining the Augustan Satire as a subgenre of Satire. After validating these two term's definitions, there will be the actual analysis. Due to limitations of space, however, I cannot consider all of the satirical elements of the poem, and have decided to put my main focus on the role of Belinda.