Difference between revisions of "Alexander Pope"
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| − | '''Alexander Pope''' (1688–1744) was a prominent English [[poet]], essayist and satirist who is considered one of the finest poets of the [[Enlightenment]]. | + | [[File:Alexander Pope by Michael Dahl.jpg|thumbnail|right|250px|Alexander Pope]] |
| + | '''Alexander Pope''' (1688–1744) was a prominent English [[poet]], essayist and [[Satire|satirist]] who is considered one of the finest poets of the [[Enlightenment]]. He has been called the "English [[Horace]]." | ||
| − | He began writing verses at the | + | He began writing verses when 12; at which age he wrote: |
| + | ::''Happy the man,whose wish and care'' | ||
| + | ::''A few paternal acres bound,'' | ||
| + | ::''Content to breathe his native air'' | ||
| + | ::''In his own ground.'' | ||
| + | :and completed his finest work, ''[[An Essay on Criticism]]'' (1711), at only age 23. That work is best known for its insight: | ||
| + | ::''To err is human, to forgive, divine.'' | ||
| − | + | His great intellectual achievement was to translate the [[Iliad]] and [[Odyssey]], classical Greek works, into English. | |
| − | + | Pope remained a [[Catholic]] his entire life despite discrimination against [[Catholics]] in [[England]] at the time. He remains one of the most-quoted of all English writers with gems that include: | |
| + | ::''Damn with faint praise'' | ||
| + | ::''A little knowledge is a dangerous thing'' | ||
| + | ::''Expression is the dress of thought'' | ||
| + | ::''For fools rush in where wise men fear to tread'' | ||
| + | ::''Hope springs eternal to the human breast'' | ||
| + | ::''An honest man’s the noblest work of God'' | ||
| + | :On a lighter note... written on the collar of a dog he gave to the [[Prince of Wales]]... | ||
| + | ::''I am his highness's dog at Kew; / Pray tell me, sir, whose dog are you?'' | ||
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| − | {{DEFAULTSORT: Pope, Alexander}} | + | {{DEFAULTSORT:Pope, Alexander}} |
| − | [[ | + | [[Category:British Poets]] |
[[Category:People who were Educated at Home]] | [[Category:People who were Educated at Home]] | ||
Latest revision as of 16:31, July 29, 2025
Alexander Pope (1688–1744) was a prominent English poet, essayist and satirist who is considered one of the finest poets of the Enlightenment. He has been called the "English Horace."
He began writing verses when 12; at which age he wrote:
- Happy the man,whose wish and care
- A few paternal acres bound,
- Content to breathe his native air
- In his own ground.
- and completed his finest work, An Essay on Criticism (1711), at only age 23. That work is best known for its insight:
- To err is human, to forgive, divine.
His great intellectual achievement was to translate the Iliad and Odyssey, classical Greek works, into English.
Pope remained a Catholic his entire life despite discrimination against Catholics in England at the time. He remains one of the most-quoted of all English writers with gems that include:
- Damn with faint praise
- A little knowledge is a dangerous thing
- Expression is the dress of thought
- For fools rush in where wise men fear to tread
- Hope springs eternal to the human breast
- An honest man’s the noblest work of God
- On a lighter note... written on the collar of a dog he gave to the Prince of Wales...
- I am his highness's dog at Kew; / Pray tell me, sir, whose dog are you?