The Rape of the Lock and Other Poems

Alexander Pope enjoyed in his lifetime a fame and fortune that few poets have received. Known for his brilliant epigrams, he was an uncompromising social critic and razor-sharp satirist of fashionable society’s foibles. His poetry was characterized by a graceful mastery of the English language, a biting wit, and a moral alertness that ranged from contemptuous to compassionate to dryly humorous. Considered England’s greatest living poet by the age of 25, Pope would be hailed by Lord Byron as “the greatest name in our Poetry.”

Presented here in their entirety are several of Pope’s principal works, including the delightful mock-epic, The Rape of the Lock, Windsor Forrest, Essay on Man, Eloïse to Abelard, Essay on Criticism, and his satirical masterpiece, The Dunciad. Together, they represent the writings of one of the Enlightenment’s greatest poets.