from essays on criticism

[abu bakr 5]

_______________________

By Alexander Pope
(1688-1744)

He was born on 21st May 1688, in London and died in Twickenham in 1744..
An Essay on Criticism was the first major poem written by the English writer Alexander Pope (1688-1744). It is a poem in which Pope attempts to lay down in verse the rules of 'good' art and 'good' criticism.
Stanza one:

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;
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.

Vocabulry:

fix'd arranged; determined
curb'd restrained; controlled
plains a large stretch of flat land
prevails to be widespread; to gain control
beams rays of light
fit right and suitable
wit intelligence; power of thought
thus hence; with this result;

so
melt to disappear
pretending wit pretending to have intelligence and know more

The opening lines of this poem reflect the poet's belief in the wisdom of nature. Nature has arranged the correct and right limits of everything without the false help or intelligence of man. Nature has designed the ocean to eat into the sand in one place, while it leaves wide sandy beaches in another. The poet believes that man's reason is not as powerful as his emotions. Memories have dominance over understanding and knowledge. But as time passes, both man's imagination and memory merge together and cause the fragile memories to disappear and end.

Personification:

b) Metaphor:
Line 7 "Where bea

ms of warm imagination p

lay;"
* Man's imagination is compared to the warm beams of sun.
Line 8 "The memory's soft figures melt away."
* Man's memories are compared to figures that melt away.

c) Alliteration:
Line I "Nature to all things fix'd the limits fit/'
* The consonant sound T is repeated in 'fix'd' and 'fit'.
Line 2 "And wisely curb'd proud man's pretending wit.
* The consonant sound 'p' is repeated in 'proud' and 'pretending'
d) Assonance:
Line 1 "Nature to all things fix'd the limits fit,"
* The same vowel sound is repeated in 'things', 'fix'd', 'limits', and 'fit'.
Rhyme Scheme: a a b b c c d

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 confined to single parts.
Like kings we lose the conquests gained before,
By vain ambition still to make them more:
Each might his sev'ral province well command,
Would all but stoop to what they und

genius: intelligence; a person of very great ability or very high intelligence

fit: suit
bounded: limited
oft: often
conquests: victories; things conquered
vain: conceited; full of self-admiration; useless
ambition: strong desire for success or power
province: an area of knowledge or activity
command: to control; to master
vast: very large and wide
peculiar: exclusive; particular
confined: restricted; kept within limits
stoop: stick to; adhere to; bow

The poet compares man's limited intelligence and knowle

dge to the limitless horizons of art. Man has the ability to acquire very little knowledge and can excel in only one domain. The poet believes that man should be satisfied with what he gets and with what he does. Man's foolish and arrogant ambition to augment what he possesses may make him lose what he already owns, just as the kings who lose their countries in their attempts to extend their territories and conquer new lands. In the last couplet, Pope says that although man may have mastery over various branches of knowledge, it is preferable that he adheres to one particular area of that knowledge so that he can master it efficiently.
Literary terms:

a) Simile:
Line 13 "Like kings we lose the conquests gained before/'
* People are compared to kings.
b) Repetition:
Line 9 "One science only will one genius fit;"
* The word 'one' is repeated twice.
c) Contrast:
Line 10 "So vast is art so narrow human wit:"
* Vast' and 'narrow' are opposites.
d) Personification:
Line 14 "By vain ambition still to make them more:"
* 'ambition' is personified as a person who can boast.
Rhyme Scheme: aa ee ff gg








1-What type of sonnet is " From the essay on criticism"
►It is written in a type of rhyming verse called heroic couplets. 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.
2-According to the poem " From the essay on criticism "which of the two elements has arranged the correct and right limits of everything man or nature ?
►Nature has arranged the correct and right limits of everything without the false help or intelligence of man, and restrained man's pretentious ability and understanding.

3-How has nature arranged the world?
►Nature has designed the ocean to eat into the sand in one place, while it leaves wide sandy beaches in another.

4-What is the theme of Pope's sonnet" From the essay on criticism"?
►Pope's belief in the essential Tightness and wisdom of Nature. He continues through several lines to develop and re-express one idea; the central idea: each man would do well to stick to what he knows.

5-What are Pope's tools to express his idea?
►Pope uses visual images such as the image of the ocean eating into the land on the one hand and leaving wide sandy beaches on the other; or that of the king trying to conquer new lands.

6-What did Alexander Pope mean in these lines from ''An Essay on Criticism''? Nature to all things fix'd the limits fit,

And wisely curb'd proud man's pretending wit..
►Nature has arranged the correct and right limits of everything without the false help or intelligence of man
7-Pick out the lines that state Pope's opinion that memories have dominance over understanding and knowledge.
►"Thus in the soul while memory prevails,"
"The solid pow'r of understanding fails;"

8- What is the definition of "Genius" in An Essay on Criticism?
►Although man may have mastery over various branches of knowledge, it is preferable that he adheres to one particular area of that knowledge so that he can master it efficiently.

1-What type of sonnet is " From the essay on criticism"
►It is written in a type of rhyming verse called heroic couplets. 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.
2-According to the poem " From the essay on criticism "which of the two elements has arranged the correct and right limits of everything man or nature ?
►Nature has arranged the correct and right limits of everything without the false help or intelligence of man, and restrained man's pretentious ability and understanding.

3-How has nature arranged the world?
►Nature has designed the ocean to eat into the sand in one place, while it leaves wide sandy beaches in another.

4-What is the theme of Pope's sonnet" From the essay on criticism"?
►Pope's belief in the essential Tightness and wisdom of Nature. He continues through several lines to develop and re-express one idea; the central idea: each man would do well to stick to what he knows.

5-

What are Pope's tools to express his idea?
►Pope uses visual images such as the image of the ocean eating into the land on the one hand and leaving wide sandy beaches on the other; or that of the king trying to conquer new lands.

6-What did Alexander Pope mean in these lines from ''An Essay on Criticism''? Nature to all things fix'd the limits fit,
And wisely curb'd proud man's pretending wit..
►Nature has arranged the correct and right limits of everything without the false help or intelligence of man
7-Pick out the lines that state Pope's opinion that memories have dominance over understanding and knowledge.
►"Thus in the soul while memory prevails,"
"The solid pow'r of understanding fails;"

8- What is the definition of "Genius" in An Essay on Criticism?
►Although man may have mastery over various branches of knowledge, it is preferable that he adheres to one particular area of that

knowledge so that he can master it efficiently.