Esaay On Criticism
By : Alexander Pop
Introduction :
An Essay on Criticism was the first major poem written by the
English writer Alexander Pope (1688-1744). However, despite the title,
the poem is not as much an original analysis as it is a compilation of
Pope's various literary opinions. It is a poem in which Pope attempts to
lay down in verse the rules of 'good' art and 'good' criticism.
Stanza (1) :
Nature to all things fix'd the Limits fit,
And wisely curb'd proud Man's pretending Wit:
As on the Land while here the Ocean gains,
In other Parts it leaves wide sandy Plains;
Paraphrase:
Pope declares that Nature has defined the correct limits of
everything without needing the intelligence of man to help her.
Nature designed the ocean so that it eats into the sand in some
places and leaves wide sandy beaches in others.
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Stanza (2) :
Thus in the Soul while Memory prevails,
The solid Pow'r of Understanding fails;
Where Beams of warm Imagination play,
The Memory's soft Figures melt away.
Paraphrase:
As for man: he cannot understand events and feelings while his
memory of them is still strong. But, on the other hand, when time
passes and his imagination begins to interfere with his memories, the
reality of those memories slips away.
Stanza (3) :
One Science only will one Genius fit;
So vast is Art, so narrow Human Wit;
Not only bounded to peculiar Arts,
But oft in those, confin'd to single Parts.
Paraphrase:
Art and knowledge are vast and man's intelligence is limited. Most
people can do well in only one thing. Sometimes, indeed, they excel in
only one part of one thing.
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Stanza (3) :
Like Kings we lose the Conquests gain'd before,
By vain Ambition still to make them more:
Each might his sev'ral Province well command,
Wou'd all but stoop to what they understand.
Paraphrase:
Man should be content to do the things he does well. Often,
however, like kings fighting wars to extend their territory and so
losing their own country, we lose what we have by trying to make it
more. If each person were to stick to that which he knows best he
would be able to master it completely.
Questions and answers :
1. What is the central idea of this passage "extract" of the poem?
The maid idea is that it would be better for any person to
concentrate on what he knows . If anybody does so , he will do it well
and excel in his work.
2. What do the opening lines of this extract embody?
They embody Pope's belief in "Nature" and how wise and right it is.
In his opinion , Nature is always right and fair whatever it does.
3. What is Pope's aim of writing his long poem "Essay On Criticism"?
To register in poetry the rules of "good" art and at the same time
"good"criticism.
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4. Comment on the form which "essay on criticism" is written and give the
meaning of heroic couplet.
The whole poem is written in heroic couplet. The heroic couplet
consists of two rhyming lines of verse .
5. In what ways is the heroic couplet "distinguished in pope's verse"? Give
examples.
Pope's heroic couplets are knows as "epigrams" which are rather
like proverbs or wise sayings. A good example for that is :
- Like kings we lose conquests gained before ,
- By vain ambition still to make the m more
6. Pope used vivid visual images in his poem "Essay On Criticism". Discuss
and illustrate.
His poem is full of vivid visual images such as the image of the
ocean that sometimes engulfs the sand and in other times leaves wide
sandy beaches. There is another image of conquest of king who lose
their countries while trying to gain more lands.
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