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Subject: Pope’s Essay on Criticism edited by John Churton Collins (pages 1-22)

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<aside> 💡 Key Points:

• Main Ideas
• Key words
• Questions that connect points
• Important points

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<aside> ✏️ Notes:

Alexander Pope (pages 34-35)

• Neoclassical age 1600 to 1789
• His early poems establish him as a major British poem but with the publication of his Essay on Criticism he becomes for all practical purposes the “literary pope” of England
• He directly adresses critics rather than poets because he undertakes to codify Neoclassical literary criticism.
• Old writers (Aristotle, Horace , Longinus) discovered the truth abouth unerring Nature. It is the critic an the poet’s task first to know and then to copy these authors and not nature because “To copy nature is to copy them”
• Without good breeding truth is disapproved/ That only makes superior sense beloved”
• To be a good critic or poet one must follow the established traditions as defined by the ancients.
• Great concern for poetic diction, the establishment of the heroic couplet as a standard for verse and the personification of abstract ideas.
• The critic’s task is clear: to validate and maintain classical values in the ever-shifting flux of cultural change. In effect the critic becomes the custodian and defender of good taste and cultural values.
• Pope grounds his criticsim in both the mimetic and rhetoric literary theories.

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<aside> 📎 Summary:

A brief summary and conclusion about the notes/lecture

• An Essay on Criticism is a didactic poem in heroic couplets inspired by Horace’s Ars poetica
• The poem is a discussion of what good critics should do, and it also provides wisdom on the qualities poets should strive for in their works.
• It iis known for its brilliantly polished epigrams, such as “A little learning is a dang’rous thing” and “Fools rush in where angels fear to tread”
• Pope stresses the order in nature and the value of the work of the Ancients of Greece but also states not all good work be explained by rules.
• He advises against too much ornamentation in writing, and against a fancy style that communicates little of merit
• • Offers advice to critics on how to judge poetry with taste, judgment, learning, and candor. He also warns them against the common errors and vices of criticism, such as pride, prejudice, envy, and ignorance
• Satirizes amateurish criticism and poetry by exposing their faults and follies, such as lack of originality, correctness, and sense. He also mocks the pretensions and affectations of bad poets and critics, who either imitate poorly or deviate wildly from the rules and models of the ancients
• Explores themes of shallow learning vs. deep understanding, the arts, and the Muse by using various metaphors, analogies, and examples from classical and modern literature. He contrasts the dangers of superficial knowledge with the benefits of profound study, the harmony and order of nature with the chaos and confusion of art, and the inspiration and guidance of the Muse with the folly and rashness of the poet.

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Alexander Pope: The Literary Pope of England

Alexander Pope, a prominent figure in the Neoclassical age (1600 to 1789), is renowned for his significant contributions to English literature. His early poems established him as a major British poet, but it was the publication of his “Essay on Criticism” that earned him the title of the “literary pope” of England.

Pope’s “Essay on Criticism” is a didactic poem in heroic couplets, inspired by Horace’s “Ars Poetica”. It undertakes to codify Neoclassical literary criticism, directly addressing critics rather than poets1. Pope believed that old writers like Aristotle, Horace, and Longinus had discovered the truth about unerring Nature. He argued that the task of the critic and the poet was first to know and then to copy these authors, not nature, because “To copy nature is to copy them”.

Pope held a great concern for poetic diction, the establishment of the heroic couplet as a standard for verse, and the personification of abstract ideas2. He believed that to be a good critic or poet, one must follow the established traditions as defined by the ancients3. He grounded his criticism in both the mimetic and rhetoric literary theories.

In his essay, Pope discusses what good critics should do and provides wisdom on the qualities poets should strive for in their works. He is known for his brilliantly polished epigrams, such as “A little learning is a dang’rous thing” and “Fools rush in where angels fear to tread”4. Pope stresses the order in nature and the value of the work of the Ancients of Greece but also states not all good work can be explained by rules5.

Pope advises against too much ornamentation in writing and against a fancy style that communicates little of merit6. He offers advice to critics on how to judge poetry with taste, judgment, learning, and candor7. He also warns them against the common errors and vices of criticism, such as pride, prejudice, envy, and ignorance8.

Pope satirizes amateurish criticism and poetry by exposing their faults and follies, such as lack of originality, correctness, and sense9. He also mocks the pretensions and affectations of bad poets and critics, who either imitate poorly or deviate wildly from the rules and models of the ancients10.

Pope explores themes of shallow learning vs. deep understanding, the arts, and the Muse by using various metaphors, analogies, and examples from classical and modern literature11. He contrasts the dangers of superficial knowledge with the benefits of profound study, the harmony and order of nature with the chaos and confusion of art, and the inspiration and guidance of the Muse with the folly and rashness of the poet12.

In conclusion, Alexander Pope’s contributions to literature and literary criticism were profound and far-reaching. His exploration of the sublime in literature and his advocacy for the power of criticism have left an indelible mark on the field of literary studies. His work continues to inspire and inform scholars and readers alike, underscoring the enduring relevance and vitality of his insights.