Alexander Pope Essay On Criticism Analysis

The Life of Alexander Pope
"An honest man's the noblest work of God." Alexander Pope life was rough as a child because of his
illness. In his early career, and even later in life he wrote a lot of famous poets. Alexander Pope lived
his life as a famous writer until death from his childhood sickness
Alexander Pope an, English poet was born on May 21, 1688 on Lombard Street in London. His
father, Alexander Pope, a Roman Catholic, was a linen–draper who afterwards retired from business
with a small fortune, and fixed his home on 1700 at Binfield in Windsor Forest. Pope's education
was a purpose to his father's religion so that excluded him from the public schools. Before he was
twelve he had obtained a slight knowledge of Latin and Greek language masters from a priest in
Hampshire. Pope also received other masters from a school in Twyford near Winchester, Thomas
Deane School in Marylebone, and later Hyde Park Corner.
Between the age of twelve and seventeen there were a lot of applications for pope to study. During
the process it weakened his health, and he developed tuberculosis of the spine which left him
crippled and harmed his view of life in so many ways. Pope then thought of himself dying, but a
friend Thomas Southcott, gave him advice about a famous physician named John Radcliffe, which
he prescribed a diet and exercise. Under this treatment the boy recovered his strength and spirits. "He
thought himself the better," Spence says,"
Alexander Pope. 28 October 2006. 7 November 2011.
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An Essay On Criticism Essay
Pope's An Essay on Criticism
When Samuel Johnson ascribed to a new work "such extent of comprehension, such nicety of
distinction, such acquaintance with mankind, and such knowledge both of both ancient and modern
learning as not often attained by the maturest age and longest experience," he was speaking of young
Alexander Pope's An Essay on Criticism (1711), written when he was about twenty, and published
when he was only twenty–three years old (in Mack 177).1 Others have not been as generous in their
comments about the prodigy's efforts. One history of criticism textbook describes the work rather
ingloriously: "There are repetitions and inconsistencies, some conventional pronouncements along
with injunctions of lasting value;...show more content...
Also, De Quincey's remarks in the seventh edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica (1842) set the
pace for many future diagnoses of the work: "It is a collection of independent maxims, tied together
into a fasciculus [small bundle] by the printer, but having no natural order or logical dependency:
generally so vague as to mean nothing" (in Morris 145). John Dennis' immediate and hostile
response to Pope's contribution is perhaps the most celebrated. Clark tells the story (30–31): "The
`Essay' provoked an almost immediate attack and a vitriolic critique by John Dennis in his
Reflections Critical and Satyrical, upon a late Rhapsody , cal'd An Essay upon Criticism. This
abusive monograph was apparently stands as a monument to the principles of English neo–classical
poetics which revered the works of the ancients, recognized the validity of classical criteria and
genres, and desired to see the ancient criteria and genres applied to the eighteenth century English
literary scene (Isles 262). For this reason and others, many believe that An Essay on Criticism makes
an original and significant contribution to the history of critical theory (Morris 146).
Pope divided the work into three parts. Part one is an extended theoretical defense of the very
possibility of valid criticism which draws on Nature and the tradition of the ancients. The

Alexander Pope Essay
Alexander Pope
The differences between eighteenth–century literature and romantic poems, with respect to history is
constituted here. This is seen through the influential works of John Keats and Alexander Pope.
These works are acknowledged as, "The Rape of Lock" and "The Eve of St.
Agnes." Alexander Pope takes his readers on a hatred filled epic. A robust piece of literature
and love induced psychoses in, "The Rape of Lock." On the other hand, "The Eve
of
St. Agnes" told a tale of life, love, death, and eternal fate in heaven. These two brilliant writers
have given two magnificent poems. Pope exhibits many characteristics of a narcissistic human being.
His...show more content...
He complicates this with, "Moral superiority" and his visions of old styles blended
with his attitude for recognition. Pope has indulged the reader in consistent religious order, and
awkward justice for mankind. However, when viewing Keats poem stanza by stanza, much is
revealed. Keats' tale starts as a direct eagerness for future considerations. His image of love and old
age creates a stifled knot in the stomach of the reader. Enthusiastic resistance is overcome by Keats
smooth flow, and harmonizing beauty in heaven. Angels and death are brought together like
osmosis. His ability to start off in a cold bitter atmosphere of regret, and then sway the reader's
emotion to a peaceful loving atmosphere is in itself astonishing. Desire brings Keats to the
heightened point of emotional gratification within, "The Eve of St. Agnes." St.
Agnes is such a peaceful age–old memory for Keats. He presents strength when pain is being
inflicted. His early images of purgatory, show Keats in a bind of human emotion and regret for
past sins. However, Pope does this as well throughout, "The Rape of Lock." Although,
Pope is less likely to find a happy medium in his tale of tolerance. He does manage to relinquish all
his desires for the sake of his own inner strength. This strength is portrayed more intensely through
his soul. Memories are key to the

Alexander Pope Essay
The Rape of the Lock
Context
Alexander Pope was born in London in 1688. As a Roman Catholic living during a time of
Protestant consolidation in England, he was largely excluded from the university system and from
political life, and suffered certain social and economic disadvantages because of his religion as well.
He was self–taught to a great extent, and was an assiduous scholar from a very early age. He
learned several languages on his own, and his early verses were often imitations of poets he admired.
His obvious talent found encouragement from his father, a linen–draper, as well as from
literary–minded friends. At the age of twelve, Pope contracted a form of tuberculosis that settled in
his spine, leaving him stunted and...show more content...
After the publication of The Rape of the Lock, Pope spent many years translating the works of
Homer. During the ten years he devoted to this arduous project, he produced very few new poems
of his own but refined his taste in literature (and his moral, social, and political opinions) to an
incredible degree. When he later recommenced to write original poetry, Pope struck a more serious
tone than the one he gave to The Rape of the Lock. These later poems are more severe in their
moral judgments and more acid in their satire: Pope's Essay on Man is a philosophical poem on
metaphysics, ethics, and human nature, while in the Dunciad Pope writes a scathing exposГ© of the
bad writers and pseudo–intellectuals of his day.
Characters
Belinda – Belinda is based on the historical Arabella Fermor, a member of Pope's circle of
prominent Roman Catholics. Robert, Lord Petre (the Baron in the poem) had precipitated a rift
between their two families by snipping off a lock of her hair.
The Baron – This is the pseudonym for the historical Robert, Lord Petre, the young gentleman in
Pope's social circle who offended Arabella Fermor and her family by cutting off a lock of her hair. In
the poem's version of events, Arabella is known as Belinda.
Caryl – The historical basis for the Caryl character is John Caryll, a friend of Pope and of the two
families that had become

Alexander Pope and Women Essay example
Alexander Pope may have been the adversary of female behavior the extent of this has long been
in question. The writer's satirical style towards the women of his era is evidence of his opinions.
However, there are noticeable facts that generate a swaying effect on Pope's views and the meaning
of The Rape of the Lock. These details consist of the author's personal life and symbolism contained
in his mock epic poem, including the voices of Bella and Clarissa, which is an indication that he
may not have had the hardened heart towards women that everyone assumed he had. While any
evaluation on Alexander Pope's personal opinion will conclude with a questioning of who he truly
was behind his literary persona, a thorough research provides solid...show more content...
Beauty was of utmost importance and to climb any social ladder, a pleasing outward appearance
was to be achieved.
The Rape of the Lock does an excellent job of portraying this thoughtlessness that the women had
during the Eighteenth Century. In the mock poem a woman who has her hair cut off and stolen
appears to be an action that expresses hilarious sarcastic wit. However this storyline was not just
humorous but has a sad underlying tone owing to the fact that a woman in the Eighteenth Century
would have taken these circumstances to a serious degree. Alexander Pope expressed his opinion
of women in a frank and aggressive manner. As Elizabeth King put it in her notes about The Rape
of the Lock, "it styled woman a goddess and regarded her as little better than a doll"(77), this
clarifies Pope's respect of women during his time.
The prime example of Pope's opinion is written through his character Belinda, in The Rape of the
Lock. In the poem, Belinda is the epitome of loveliness and femininity. The qualities she possesses
are not of intellect or wholesome attitude, but the beauty she was born with overpowers any need
for intelligence. Due to this, a Sylph named Ariel who was once a woman of similar beauty and
class as Belinda protects her, along with the nymphs who were once too, of pleasing disposition in
their human life. Throughout the story they keep watch over her and Ariel guards her heart from
being overtaken by

Alexander Pope Essay On Criticism Analysis

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