Alexander Pope’s heroi-comical poem, The Rape of the Lock, continues to sparkle after 300 years as a peerless gem in the canon of English literature.

In celebration of its tercentenary, this collection brings together 10 eminent scholars with new perspectives on the poem. Dr. Don Nichol, a professor of English at Memorial and notable Pope authority, is editor of the work recently published by University of Toronto Press.

The scholars’ approaches reflect the vast range of interpretation of Pope’s text, from discussions of religion, gender and 18-century biological science to an interview with Sophie Gee about her novelization of the poem in The Scandal of the Season. The stimulating analyses will be essential reading for students and teachers of The Rape of the Lock and a valuable resource for investigating 18th-century culture.

“This volume has contributors ranging from Pat Rogers, one of the most prolific and respected names in 18th-century studies over the past 45 years, to Kate Scarth, a Memorial student who completed her PhD at Warwick University in the U.K.,” said Dr. Nichol.

This celebration of the 300th birthday of Pope’s best-selling poem is introduced by J. Paul Hunter, professor emeritus at the University of Virginia, and one of the most renowned literary scholars in the U.S.A.