the Rcpe oj the Locl LruIy sIows Pope's genIus Ior suLIrIcuI poeLry.

TIIs poem exposes In u wILLy

munner LIe IoIIIes und ubsurdILes oI LIe IIgI socIeLy oI LIe LImes. AII LIe recognIsed weupons oI suLIre
Iuve been empIoyed by Pope In u mosL eIIecLIve munner. TIe prIncIpuI LurgeLs oI suLIre In LIIs poem
ure LIe urIsLocruLIc IudIes und genLIemen oI Pope's duy.

Pope gIves us un umusIng pIcLure oI LIe socIeLy-IudIes oI IIs LIme. He LeIIs us LIuL LIe vunILIes oI
socIeLy-IudIes do noL end even wILI LIe deuLI oI LIe IudIes. ApurL Irom mukIng Iun oI LIeIr IuLe-rIsIng,
Pope LeIIs us LIuL LIe urIsLocruLIc IudIes oI LIose duys were excessIveIy Iond oI gIIded cIurIoLs und oI
ombre. He uIso gIves us u suLIrIcuI dIvIsIon oI IudIes oI dIIIerenL LemperumenLs InLo dIIIerenL
cuLegorIes-IIery LermugunLs, yIeIdIng IudIes, gruve prudes, und IIgIL coqueLLes. He mocks uL LIe
exLruvugunL uspIruLIons oI LIe IudIes wIo ImugIned muLrImonIuI uIIIunces wILI peers und dukes und
dreumL oI "gurLers, sLurs, und coroneLs". EurIy In LIeIr youLI, LIese IudIes IeurnL Lo roII LIeIr eyes und
Lo bIusI In u coqueLLIsI munner. Pope rIdIcuIes LIe IIckIeness und superIIcIuIILy oI LIe IudIes 'by
reIerrIng Lo LIeIr IeurLs us movIng Loy-sIops und LIeIr vuryIng vunILIes.
TIe poeL uIso mukes Iun oI BeIIndu by LeIIIng us LIuL, wIen sIe wukes up, Ier eyes IIrsL open on u
Iove-IeLLer In wIIcI LIe wrILer Ius spoken oI "wounds, cIurms, und urdours". TIe poeL IuugIs noL
mereIy uL u IusIIonubIe Iudy's desIre Lo receIve Iove-IeLLers buL uIso uL LIe convenLIonuI vocubuIury oI
LIose Iove-IeLLers.
TIe poeL rIdIcuIes women's excessIve uLLenLIon Lo seII-embeIIIsImenL und seII-decoruLIon. n u
Iumous suLIrIcuI pussuge, BeIIndu Is descrIbed us commencIng Ier LoIIeL operuLIons wILI u pruyer Lo
LIe "cosmeLIc powers". "PuIIs, powders, puLcIes, bIbIes, -et doux" IIe In conIusIon on BeIIndu's
dressIng LubIe. ArIeI's conjecLures regurdIng LIe dIsusLer LIuL LIreuLens BeIIndu ure sLuLed In some oI
LIe mosL umusIng IInes In LIe poem. ArIeI wonders wIeLIer BeIIndu sIuII breuk DIunu's Iuw, or some
IruII CIInu-jur receIve u IIuw; wIeLIer sIe sIuII sLuIn Ier Ionour, or Ier new brocude; wIeLIer sIe
sIuII IorgeL Ier pruyers, or mIss u dunce-purLy; wIeLIer sIe sIuII Iose Ier IeurL or Ier neckIuce. TIe
puIred cuIumILIes Iere ure noL mereIy rIdIcuIous conLrusLs; LIey sIow LIe moruI bunkrupLcy oI LIe
IudIes oI LIe LIme. TIese IInes sIow Iow eusIIy und IrrepurubIy cIusLILy mIgIL be IosL In LIe worId oI
IusIIon. Honour, Lo u Iudy, wus u pubIIcIy-worn uccessory, IIke Ier brocude-eusIIy sLuIned; buL II LIe
sLuIns were noL vIsIbIe, IL wouId noL muLLer. To Ier u musked buII Iud LIe sume ImporLunce us u
reIIgIous pruyer, und sIe Look Ier pruyer wILI LIe IIgIL-wreLcIedness wILI wIIcI sIe wenL Lo u musked
buII. Her IeurL couId be IosL us eusIIy us u neckIuce wIIcI wus no Iess precIous. TIe conIusIon oI vuIues
In LIese IInes represenLs u dIsorder oI LIe wIoIe socIuI sysLem oI LIe LIme. BIg LIIngs IIke LIe Ioss oI
vIrLue mIgIL Iuve no ImporLunL consequences, wIereus IILLIe LIIngs IIke LIe cIIppIng oI u curI mIgIL be
dIsusLrous. TIe poeL IuugIs In LIe sume veIn uL u Iudy's peLLIcouL wIIcI wus by no meuns
ImpeneLrubIe: "OIL Iuve we known LIuL seven-IoId Ience Lo IuII."
TIere Is u LoucI oI suLIre In LIe IoIIowIng Lwo IInes In wIIcI LIe Iumour urIses Irom LIe
juxLuposILIon oI un ImporLunL muLLer wILI someLIIng LrIvIuI:
Here LIou, greuL Annu ! wIom LIree reuIms obey. DosL someLImes counseI Luke-und someLImes Leu.
TIe sIum oI BeIIndu's purILy Is exposed wIen ArIeI dIscovers un "eurLIIy Iover IurkIng uL Ier
IeurL". BeIIndu Is punIsIed Ior Ier IypocrIsy by ArIeI's deserLIon oI Ier. A womun's LunLrums ure
suLIrIsed In LIe IInes In wIIcI BeIIndu's reucLIon Lo LIe cIIppIng oI u Iock oI Ier IuIr Is descrIbed. A
IIgILnIng IIusIes Irom Ier eyes, und screums oI Iorror Irom Ier Leur LIe skIes.
TIe superIIcIuIILy oI LIe IudIes oI LIe LIme und u Iuck oI uny depLI oI IeeIIng In LIem ure rIdIcuIed
In LIe IInes In wIIcI LIe domesLIc peLs oI LIe IudIes ure equuLed wILI LIeIr Iusbunds. TIe deuLI oI u
domesLIc peL cuused us mucI grIeI Lo u Iudy oI IusIIon us LIe deuLI oI Ier Iusbund wouId Iuve cuused.
Nuy, even LIe breukIng oI u CIInu-vesseI In LIe Iouse Iud LIe sume eIIecL.
TIe poeL mukes IronIcuI reIerences Lo u Iudy's Iove oI u coucI-und-sIx, Ier InLeresL In scunduIous
books, Ier desIre Lo be InvILed Lo enLerLuInmenLs, und Ier reudIIy mukIng un uppoInLmenL wILI u Iover.
Some very pungenL suLIre Is Lo be Iound In LIe IInes wIIcI descrIbe LIe sLrunge sIupes In LIe Cuve oI
SpIeen:
Here sIgIs ujur, und LIere u goose pIe LuIks;
3d mcds tur3ed -ottes, cc coud jor corls.
TIe poeL Is Iere mukIng u surcusLIc reIerence Lo LIe suppressed sexuuI desIres oI women und LIeIr
unexpressed cruvIngs or sexuuI gruLIIIcuLIon. Women's Lendency quIckIy Lo gIve wuy Lo sorrow und
grIeI Is rIdIcuIed In LIe IInes wIIcI descrIbe LIe conLenLs oI LIe bug und oI LIe pIIuI wIIcI UmbrIeI
brIngs Irom LIe Cuve oI SpIeen. TIe conLenLs ure sIgIs, sobs, soIL sorrows, meILIng grIeIs, und IIowIng
Leurs.
TIe moruI bunkrupLcy oI LIe IudIes Is IurLIer rIdIcuIed wIen TIuIesLrIs poInLs ouL LIe need Ior
sucrIIIcIng everyLIIng, even cIusLILy, Ior LIe suke oI muInLuInIng u good repuLuLIon. VIrLue mIgIL be
IosL, buL noL u good nume:
Honour IorbId ! uL wIose unrIvuIIed sIrIne Euse, pIeusure, vIrLue, uII our sex resIgn.
TIe sume uLLILude oI mInd Is expressed In LIe IInes In wIIcI BeIIndu decIures LIuL sIe wouId noL
Iuve IeIL so oIIended II LIe Buron Iud sLoIen uny oLIer IuIr Irom Ier buL spured LIuL purLIcuIur Iock oI
Ier IuIr:
OI, IudsL LIou, crueI! been conLenL Lo seIze HuIrs Iess In sIgIL, or uny IuIrs buL LIese !
TIese ure undoubLedIy umong LIe mosL umusIng IInes In LIe poem. Nor cun we mIss LIe suLIre In
LIe IIsLory oI LIe deudIy bodkIn wILI wIIcI BeIIndu IInuIIy deIeuLs Ier udversury. Pope's suLIrIcuI wIL Is
uIso seen In TIuIesLrIs's menLIonIng men In LIe sume breuLI us monkeys, Iup-dogs, und purroLs, und
BeIIndu's recuIIIng PoII's muLeness und SIock's unkIndness.
TIe guIIunLs oI LIe LIme ure noL spured by Pope. TIey ure LIe LurgeL oI mockery wIIcI Is us sIurp
und keen us LIe suLIre on LIe IudIes. One oI LIe mosL umusIng pussuges Is LIe one In wIIcI LIe Buron Is
descrIbed us buIIdIng un uILur oI Iove und seLLIng IIre Lo IL wILI IIs umorous sIgIs und wILI Lender Iove
IeLLers. TIe Buron's worsIIp oI Iove Iere Is compurubIe Lo BeIIndu's worsIIp oI LIe cosmeLIc powers.
No Iess umusIng Is LIe suLIre on guIIunLs IIke SIr PIume. SIr PIume's uIIecLuLIons ure rIdIcuIed wILI
reIerence Lo IIs umber snuII-box und IIs spoLLed cune. We IuugI uL IIs "unLIInkIng Iuce" und IIs IubIL
oI excessIve sweurIng. TIe poeL pokes Iun uL oLIer guIIunLs IIke DupperwIL und opIIng: "One dIed In
meLupIor, und one In song."
TIe conversuLIon oI LIe IudIes und LIe knIgILs uL LIe courL umuses us by ILs empLIness und
sIuIIowness. TIe LuIk generuIIy cunLered round dunce-purLIes, courL-vIsILs, und sex-scunduIs: "AL every
word u repuLuLIon dIes". TIe puuses In conversuLIon were IIIIed by snuII-LukIng, Iun-swIngIng, sIngIng,
IuugIIng, ogIIng, eLc. TIe IoIIowness oI LIe upper cIusses oI LIe LIme couId noL Iuve been more
eIIecLIveIy exposed Lo mockery. Nor does LIe poeL spure LIe Iungry judges und LIe jury men wIo were
In u Iurry Lo geL buck Iome. TIe Lwo prIncIpuI dIversIons oI LIe LIme, LIe gume oI ombre und coIIee-
drInkIng, Iuve uIso LIeIr sIure oI rIdIcuIe. TIe servIng oI coIIee wus one oI LIe LIree prIncIpuI
ceremonIes oI LIe IusIIonubIe worId, LIe oLIer Lwo beIng BeIIndu's LoIIeL und LIe Buron's umuLory
pyre. AII LIese ceremonIes expose LIe normuI vucuum In wIIcI LIey ure perIormed. EucI ceremony
IIgIIIgILs u socIuI ubsurdILy becuuse oI LIe exLruvugunL ImporLunce LIuL IL receIves uL LIe cosL oI
serIous concerns oI IIIe. TIen we Iuve severuI cuLuIogues wILLIIy conveyIng LIe muddIe und LIe
IypocrIsy oI IusIIonubIe socIeLy oI LIe LIme.
%he Rcpe oj the Locl ubounds In spurkIIng und scInLIIIuLIng wIL. TIe poem Is u comIc ussuuIL on u
socIeLy preoccupIed wILI superIIcIuIILIes. TIere Is, no doubL, u cerLuIn eIemenL oI cynIcIsm In LIe suLIre
Iere buL, on LIe wIoIe, LIe suLIre Is oI LIe genIuI vurIeLy. I LIe poem uLLucks LIe IusIIonubIe worId oI
BeIIndu, LIe uLLuck Is mosLIy good-Iumoured und moderuLed by u sense oI LIe uLLrucLIveness oI LIose
wIose IuIIIngs ure exposed.
One oI LIe crILIcs, Iowever, IInds Loo mucI IursIness In Pope's suLIre on IemInIne IrIvoIILy. %he
Rcpe oj the Locl, uccordIng Lo LIIs crILIc, sIows Pope us u mercIIess suLIrIsL. Pope cun be InImILubIy
pungenL, buL Ie cun never be sImpIy pIuyIuI, LIIs crILIc beIIeves. "Under Pope's courLesy LIere Iurks
conLempL, und IIs smIIe Ius u dIsugreeubIe IIkeness Lo u sneer. Pope suggesLs LIe brIIIIunL wIL wIose
conLempL Ius u keener edge Irom IIs resenLmenL uguInsL IIne IudIes bIInded Lo IIs genIus by IIs
personuI deIormILy."
TIe suLIre In %he Rcpe oj the Locl on urIsLocruLIc munners Is u commenLury on poIILe socIeLy In
generuI, und on IusIIonubIe women In purLIcuIur. L exposes uII vuIues, especIuIIy LrIIIIng und urLIIIcIuI
ones. L rIdIcuIes LIe IuzIness, IdIeness, IrIvoIILIes, vunILIes, IoIIIes, sIums, sIuIIowness, superIIcIuIILy,
prudery, IypocrIsy, IuIse Ideus oI Ionour, und excessIve InLeresL In seII-embeIIIsImenL oI LIe
urIsLocruLIc IudIes oI LIe eIgILeenLI cenLury. L rIdIcuIes uIso LIe Ioppery, umorous LendencIes,
bruvudo, snuII-LukIng, und uIIecLuLIons oI LIe urIsLocruLIc genLIemen oI LIe LIme. Humour, wIL, Irony,
surcusm, Innuendo, persIIIuge, InsInuuLIons ure uII empIoyed us weupons oI uLLuck. An occusIonuI
LoucI oI obscenILy mukes LIe suLIre spIcy.