This paper reviews the
poem, "The Rape of the Lock" by Alexander Pope, with a focus on Clarissa's
speech. It contends that
due to Pope's clever use of poetic devises, Clarissa's
speech also points to Pope's critique of high society's overall vanity and shallowness. It also discusses how Clarissa's moralizing therefore addresses universal human issues that Pope deftly examines throughout the
poem.