“An Essay on Man” Chilo Llamas & Jahani Pittman

●May 21, May 30, 1744; Born in London, England ●Had Pott’s disease, curvature of the spine, left 4’6’’ ●Poet/satirist ○Famous works include “The Rape of the Lock” and translation of Homer’s “Iliad.” ○“Pastorals” written at 16, brought him initial recognition ○“Essay on Criticism” established the use of the heroic couplet as Pope’s main measure ○“Rape of the Lock” mock heroic of two Catholic families’ fighting over stolen lock of hair ○Translated “Odyssey” and “Iliad” ○“Dunciad” - four book satire, Pope criticizes critics/scholars in his day ●Considered dominant poetic voice of his century Alexander Pope

Introduction to “An Essay on Man” ● Dealt wholly with aspects of human life and that the proper study of mankind is man ● There is an army of bold questioners who wonder the ways and endeavour to justify God to man ● Pope had the idea and justification that the root of faith in existence of a God, by declaring that the state of Man and of the world about him met such faith with an absolute denial ● He dealt with the question unanswered about how God in Nature and the World of Man ●The essay was arranged in four books/epistles: -treatment of man in the abstract -treatment of man intellectually -Social aspect of Man (ties of church and state) -Moral values of Man ●His satires used in his essays and poems dealt with the character of men ●Pope incorporates the Lord’s Prayer in the closing h literature ●He is very religious and sought for grounds of faith to show that God is love

Purpose of the Text Meaning: Mankind is its own creature and is separate from anything else in nature. Tone: Questioning & thoughtful Meaning/Tone’s Effect: Makes the reader think about what Pope is trying to tell them and makes them think about his ideas and such. Purpose: To explore humanity’s place in the world and society. The poem also writes about the nature of mankind. Pope pushes man to find himself and not rely on religion. Around the time this poem was written, Enlightenment ideas had begun to spread, advocating reason and the acquirement of new knowledge rather than sticking with old, traditional thoughts.

Analysis of Poem “Know then thyself; presume not God to scan,” (1). Do not rely on religious values/god to determine who/what you are. “Placed on the isthmus of a middle state,” (3). Man has the intellect of angels but has the body of a beast; man is unique to other creatures/beings. “With too much knowledge for the skeptic side, With too much weakness for the Stoic’s pride” (5 and 6). Humans were doubted to not have any knowledge about anything with their limitations, as well as Stoics who can endure pain without facing any hardships, and are proud because they refuse to recognize humans limitations.

Analysis of Poem cont. “Whether he thinks too little, or too much: Chaos of thought and passion, all confused” (12 and 13). Man has to not think about things too little or too much, but to know what he wants and has a passion for to go for it, so that he is not confused in the end of the world. “Created half to rise,and half to fall; Great Lord of all things, yet a prey to all” (15 and 16). Men in life are going to gain knowledge the way the Lord intended them to and use it to the best of their ability, while other men will have to achieve things they want the hard way and learn from their mistakes. The Lord gives his perspective on what he thinks, but Man has to do what they think is right. *Epistle 1 focused on the relationship of man and the universe. Dont question what God does because he made us with imperfections that are not really imperfections because man is created in his image.

Word Choice/Language Isthmus: Strip of land connecting two larger bodies of land Middle state: Refers to having a body of a beast, mind of an angel Stoic: Someone who can endure hardship without showing feelings/emotions Jest: A joke; something for amusement

Poetic Devices ● Metaphors “In doubt to deem himself a god, or beast;” ● Rhyme Scheme - AABB “Know then thyself, presume not God to scan; The proper study of mankind is man. Plac'd on this isthmus of a middle state, A being darkly wise, and rudely great:” ● Repetition “With too much knowledge for the sceptic side, With too much weakness for the stoic's pride” “In doubt to deem himself a god, or beast; In doubt his mind or body to prefer;”

Satirical Elements Satire: The use of irony, sarcasm, ridicule, in exposing, denouncing, or deriding vice, folly, and stupidities. Mock Heroic: Satires/parodies that mock common heroes or heroic qualities. “An Essay on Man” examples: “He hangs between; in doubt to act, or rest; In doubt to deem himself a god, or beast;” Hyperbole & Understatement: Comparing man to a god or an animal/beast.

“Hamlet” vs. “Essay on Man” - The Essay on Man is related to the Nature represented in Hamlet because they both deal with humanism. Essay on Man by Alexander Pope implicates how many individuals think that Man does not know any knowledge and their living in a world not knowing what’s going on which causes chaos. An Essay on Man introduces how Man being prideful is the cause of his misery and the imitation of nature also plays a part in the love of Man for human society. Hamlet uses humanism to represent the relationships that Polonius had with his daughter. He was willing to break his relationship with his daughter in order to show Ophelia who Hamlet truly is. Also, when Hamlet figures out that his uncle poisoned his own brother because he wanted to be on the throne and take his wife. - This essay can also relate to Frankenstein and how Victor got too caught up into the knowledge of nature and how to bring dead people back to life which causes him to create a monster that kills his family. The monster wants to be loved, but Victor disowns him which causes him to go on a rant to make him build a women or he will pay for his loneliness. Both men figures don’t truly know what love is because they have not gained enough knowledge to fully understand what love truly is.