This article intends to study Alexander Popes "The Rape of the Lock" from a
psychological point of view with emphasis on the myth of rape and the
symbolic connotations of the rape. In the fancy world of sylphs, gnomes, and
nymphs, there are two forces of superego that challenge the power of ego :one
representing tradition/art and the other functioning as the good sense. It is
through the clash between these two forces that Popes protagonist takes her
journey to the wishes of id. Despite the sociological interpretations of the
poem, the writer wishes to prove that Popes poem is a masterpiece not for its
mock-heroic style nor for its satiric and moral purposes. "The Rape of the
Lock" is rather a deep portrayal of human nature in the stream of works that
continue the tradition of passion vs. purity.