A Comparative Analysis of The Rape of the Lock and The Spectator

Alexander Pope's The Rape of the Lock and Joseph Addison's The Spectator are both satires that gently criticize the lives of the wealthy classes in the early eighteenth century. The mock epic narrates the uproar that results when the Baron cuts Belinda's lock of hair. The diarist in The Spectator chronicles his banal daily routine. The mock epic critiques young aristocrats while Addison mocks the life of a wealthy diarist. Pope's mock epic creates Belinda …showed first 75 words of 406 total…

…showed last 75 words of 406 total…urned off his cook maid" (62) because he was so concerned with his food and his stomach. The diarist highlights only the trivial pursuits in his life, which demonstrates neglect of humanity. The mock epic critiques young aristocrats who lounge around and are lack of any goals or individuality. The journal trivializes the activities of a wealthy diarist. Both pieces demonstrate the satiric guidelines of the time, which includes highlighting the trivial instead of the relevant.