Greed within the Rape of the Lock Greed is often perceived as wanting to have something no matter who it affects. The Augustan time period was riddled with greed and was not a great time period to live in. A poet named Alexander Pope wrote a poem to push the issue of greed to the spotlight. In his poem, The Rape of the Lock, Pope uses one of the main characters, the Baron,to prove the true greed the courses through the veins of the average human. The Baron’s rudeness, persistence, and disregard for others helps to prove that greed is a problem in the era of which the poem was written. In May of 1714, Pope released The Rape of the Lock to the public. The public took the poem well. They took it so well in fact that Mr. Pope himself boasted that it sold more than three thousand copies in its first four days. Pope’s poem was not only comedic, it was also relatable. The poem directly represented the time period it was written in. Since others that read it could relate to it, it helped them to open their eyes to all the greed and wrong-doings of their society. The contents of the poem, which mainly had to do with greed and conflict, assisted others to see their own greediness. This allowed others to understand each other more …show more content…
The Baron’s complete disregard for the feelings of Belinda are shown when it is described that the Baron “remains impassive to the tears of Belinda”. (Boloton) The Baron does not care how badly he affects this poor woman. His wretched and wicked soul is filled with greed. He has became a poison to the society that he represents. The Baron is also very conniving. He wants her hair and is “determined to steal a lock for himself.” (Boloton) The Baron has a set plan to steal a piece of Belinda’s hair. His conniving and nasty personality is fueled by the massive amounts of greed that his heavy heart barely can