write essay on man

Essay on Man

Introduction.

“Essay on Man” is a thought-provoking poem written by Alexander Pope, one of the foremost poets of the 18th century, during the Enlightenment period. This poetic essay forms part of a larger work, often celebrated for its insightful approach to understanding humanity’s place in the world. Alexander Pope, known for his sharp wit and lyrical prowess, addresses profound philosophical questions about human nature and the underlying principles of the universe. 🌌

Written in heroic couplets, which are pairs of rhymed iambic pentameter lines, “Essay on Man” is considered an exemplar of the Neoclassical movement in literature, reflecting its ideals of order and harmony in both thought and form. The poem itself is structured as an argumentative text but is rich with poetic devices, making it a staple in both the study of literature and philosophy. 📚

Meaning of Essay on Man

Opening Section The poem starts with an assertion of the unknowability of divine ways, proposing that man, limited in his perspective , cannot hope to understand the complexities of the universe. Pope begins with the famous lines:

“Awake, my St. John! leave all meaner things To low ambition, and the pride of Kings.”

These opening verses set the stage for a discussion on the human condition and the limitations inherent within it.

Mid Section In the middle sections of the poem, Pope explores various aspects of human behavior, critiquing man’s folly and pride, but also admiring human society and governance. He delves into themes of ethics, psychology, and the social order, advocating for a balanced perspective on human nature. One notable passage is:

“Reason’s whole pleasure, all the joys of sense, Lie in three words, health, peace, and competence.”

Here, Pope encapsulates the essence of human desires and the foundation of a content life.

Concluding Section The conclusion of “Essay on Man” reaffirms the harmony and order of the universe, suggesting that whatever is, is right. This is a reflection of Pope’s belief in a rational cosmic order. The poem closes with:

“That Reason, Passion, answer one great aim; That true Self-love and Social are the same.”

This reinforces the idea that personal well-being and the common good are interconnected and that human happiness lies in accepting our place within the broader system of life.

In-depth Analysis

Here we’ll examine each stanza of “Essay on Man” by breaking down the poem’s structure, themes, and use of language:

— Stanza 1: The Introduction

• Themes : Human limitations and the proper scale of human reasoning.
• Symbols : “The pride of Kings” symbolizes not only political power but also human arrogance.
• Heroic couplets : sets a formal tone and maintains a rhythmic structure conducive to philosophical discourse .
• Irony : to critique human arrogance while simultaneously acknowledging human greatness.

— Stanza 2: The Nature of Man

• Themes : The dual nature of humans—capable of great reason but equally capable of folly.
• Symbols : “The proper study of Mankind is Man” points to a reflective, introspective examination of human nature.
• Metaphors : to illustrate complex philosophical ideas in relatable terms.
• Paradoxes : highlight the contradictions inherent in human nature.

— Stanza 3: On the Universe

• Themes : The order and chaos in the universe, and the human place within it.
• Symbols : “The chain of being” represents the interconnectedness of all life and existence.
• Analogies : comparing cosmic order to a chain, suggesting both connection and hierarchy.
• Allusion : to classical and biblical sources to lend authority and depth to the arguments.

— Stanza 4: Conclusion

• Themes : Acceptance of human limitations and the embracing of the greater cosmic order.
• Symbols : “Whatever is, is right” encapsulates Pope’s belief in a benevolent, rational universe.
• Chiasmus : inverting structures to emphasize the balance and harmony of the universe.
• Epigrammatic finish : provides a memorable, concise statement of the poem’s philosophical conclusion.

This stanza-by-stanza breakdown reveals how Pope skillfully uses poetic form and devices to argue and embellish his philosophical vision, weaving dense conceptual threads into a cohesive, enlightening work.

Poetic Devices used in Essay on Man

What is the main theme of ‘Essay on Man’? The main theme of Alexander Pope’s “Essay on Man” revolves around the rationalistic belief that all things in the universe happen for a reason. It discusses human nature, societal mores, and the inherent characteristics of humans, emphasizing a stoic acceptance of our place in the natural order.

How does Pope view human nature in the poem? Pope portrays human nature as a combination of strength and weakness. He argues that while humans are capable of reason and have the potential for greatness, they are also inherently flawed and must accept their limitations.

What poetic form is used in ‘Essay on Man’? “Essay on Man” is written in heroic couplets, which are pairs of rhymed iambic pentameter lines. This form is characteristic of neoclassical poetry, emphasizing order and harmony both in thought and structure.

Why does Pope use the phrase ‘Whatever is, is right’ in the poem? This phrase encapsulates Pope’s belief in a benevolent, rational cosmic order. It suggests that everything in the universe, including human suffering and moral dilemmas, serves a divine purpose and should be accepted as part of a greater plan.

Essay on Man Study Guide

Exercise : Identify and list all the poetic devices used in the following verse from ‘Essay on Man’:

“All are but parts of one stupendous whole, Whose body Nature is, and God the soul.”

Answer Key :

• Metaphor : “Nature” and “God” are used metaphorically to represent the body and soul, respectively, illustrating the interconnectedness of the universe.
• Synecdoche : The use of “parts” and “whole” to represent individual entities and the universe.
• Alliteration : “Parts” and “parts” create a repetitive sound that emphasizes the connection between the elements discussed.
• Personification : “Nature” and “God” are personified, being attributed human-like body parts and roles.

This exercise encourages students to delve deeper into the text, understanding how poetic devices enhance the poem’s themes and Pope’s philosophical assertions.

British Literature Wiki

An Essay on Man

“Is the great chain, that draws all to agree, And drawn supports, upheld by God, or Thee?” – Alexander Pope (From “An Essay on Man”)

“Then say not Man’s imperfect, Heav’n in fault; Say rather, Man’s as perfect as he ought.” – Alexander Pope (From “An Essay on Man”)

“All are but parts of one stupendous whole, Whose body Nature is, and God the soul.” – Alexander Pope (From “An Essay on Man”)

Awake, my St. John! leave all meaner things

To low ambition, and the pride of kings., let us (since life can little more supply, than just to look about us and die), expatiate free o’er all this scene of man;, a mighty maze but not without a plan;, a wild, where weed and flow’rs promiscuous shoot;, or garden, tempting with forbidden fruit., together let us beat this ample field,, try what the open, what the covert yield;, the latent tracts, the giddy heights explore, of all who blindly creep, or sightless soar;, eye nature’s walks, shoot folly as it flies,, and catch the manners living as they rise;, laugh where we must, be candid where we can;, but vindicate the ways of god to man. (pope 1-16), background on alexander pope.

Alexander Pope is a British poet who was born in London, England in 1688 (World Biography 1). Growing up during the Augustan Age, his poetry is heavily influenced by common literary qualities of that time, which include classical influence, the importance of human reason and the rules of nature. These qualities are widely represented in Pope’s poetry. Some of Pope’s most notable works are “The Rape of the Lock,” “An Essay on Criticism,” and “An Essay on Man.”

Overview of “An Essay on Man”

“An Essay on Man” was published in 1734 and contained very deep and well thought out philosophical ideas. It is said that these ideas were partially influenced by his friend, Henry St. John Bolingbroke, who Pope addresses in the first line of Epistle I when he says, “Awake, my St. John!”(Pope 1)(World Biography 1) The purpose of the poem is to address the role of humans as part of the “Great Chain of Being.” In other words, it speaks of man as just one small part of an unfathomably complex universe. Pope urges us to learn from what is around us, what we can observe ourselves in nature, and to not pry into God’s business or question his ways; For everything that happens, both good and bad, happens for a reason. This idea is summed up in the very last lines of the poem when he says, “And, Spite of pride in erring reason’s spite, / One truth is clear, Whatever IS, is RIGHT.”(Pope 293-294) The poem is broken up into four epistles each of which is labeled as its own subcategory of the overall work. They are as follows:

• Epistle I – Of the Nature and State of Man, with Respect to the Universe
• Epistle II – Of the Nature and State of Man, with Respect to Himself, as an Individual
• Epistle III – Of the Nature and State of Man, with Respect to Society
• Epistle IV – Of the Nature and State of Man with Respect to Happiness

Epistle 1 Intro In the introduction to Pope’s first Epistle, he summarizes the central thesis of his essay in the last line. The purpose of “An Essay on Man” is then to shift or enhance the reader’s perception of what is natural or correct. By doing this, one would justify the happenings of life, and the workings of God, for there is a reason behind all things that is beyond human understanding. Pope’s endeavor to highlight the infallibility of nature is a key aspect of the Augustan period in literature; a poet’s goal was to convey truth by creating a mirror image of nature. This is envisaged in line 13 when, keeping with the hunting motif, Pope advises his reader to study the behaviors of Nature (as hunter would watch his prey), and to rid of all follies, which we can assume includes all that is unnatural. He also encourages the exploration of one’s surroundings, which provides for a gateway to new discoveries and understandings of our purpose here on Earth. Furthermore, in line 12, Pope hints towards vital middle ground on which we are above beats and below a higher power(s). Those who “blindly creep” are consumed by laziness and a willful ignorance, and just as bad are those who “sightless soar” and believe that they understand more than they can possibly know. Thus, it is imperative that we can strive to gain knowledge while maintaining an acceptance of our mental limits.

1. Pope writes the first section to put the reader into the perspective that he believes to yield the correct view of the universe. He stresses the fact that we can only understand things based on what is around us, embodying the relationship with empiricism that characterizes the Augustan era. He encourages the discovery of new things while remaining within the bounds one has been given. These bounds, or the Chain of Being, designate each living thing’s place in the universe, and only God can see the system in full. Pope is adamant in God’s omniscience, and uses that as a sure sign that we can never reach a level of knowledge comparable to His. In the last line however, he questions whether God or man plays a bigger role in maintaining the chain once it is established.

2. The overarching message in section two is envisaged in one of the last couplets: “Then say not Man’s imperfect, Heav’n in fault; Say rather, Man’s as perfect as he ought.” Pope utilizes this section to explain the folly of “Presumptuous Man,” for the fact that we tend to dwell on our limitations rather than capitalize on our abilities. He emphasizes the rightness of our place in the chain of being, for just as we steer the lives of lesser creatures, God has the ability to pilot our fate. Furthermore, he asserts that because we can only analyze what is around us, we cannot be sure that there is not a greater being or sphere beyond our level of comprehension; it is most logical to perceive the universe as functioning through a hierarchal system.

3. Pope utilizes the beginning of section three to elaborate on the functions of the chain of being. He claims that each creatures’ ignorance, including our own, allows for a full and happy life without the possible burden of understanding our fates. Instead of consuming ourselves with what we cannot know, we instead should place hope in a peaceful “life to come.” Pope connects this after-life to the soul, and colors it with a new focus on a more primitive people, “the Indian,” whose souls have not been distracted by power or greed. As humble and level headed beings, Indian’s, and those who have similar beliefs, see life as the ultimate gift and have no vain desires of becoming greater than Man ought to be.

4. In the fourth stanza, Pope warns against the negative effects of excessive pride. He places his primary examples in those who audaciously judge the work of God and declare one person to be too fortunate and another not fortunate enough. He also satirizes Man’s selfish content in destroying other creatures for his own benefit, while complaining when they believe God to be unjust to Man. Pope capitalizes on his point with the final and resonating couplet: “who but wishes to invert the laws of order, sins against th’ Eternal Cause.” This connects to the previous stanza in which the soul is explored; those who wrestle with their place in the universe will disturb the chain of being and warrant punishment instead of gain rewards in the after-life.

5. In the beginning of the fifth stanza, Pope personifies Pride and provides selfish answers to questions regarding the state of the universe. He depicts Pride as a hoarder of all gifts that Nature yields. The image of Nature as a benefactor and Man as her avaricious recipient is countered in the next set of lines: Pope instead entertains the possible faults of Nature in natural disasters such as earthquakes and storms. However, he denies this possibility on the grounds that there is a larger purpose behind all happenings and that God acts by “general laws.” Finally, Pope considers the emergence of evil in human nature and concludes that we are not in a place that allows us to explain such things–blaming God for human misdeeds is again an act of pride.

6. Stanza six connects the different inhabitants of the earth to their rightful place and shows why things are the way they should be. After highlighting the happiness in which most creatures live, Pope facetiously questions if God is unkind to man alone. He asks this because man consistently yearns for the abilities specific to those outside of his sphere, and in that way can never be content in his existence. Pope counters the notorious greed of Man by illustrating the pointless emptiness that would accompany a world in which Man was omnipotent. Furthermore, he describes a blissful lifestyle as one centered around one’s own sphere, without the distraction of seeking unattainable heights.

7. The seventh stanza explores the vastness of the sensory and cognitive spectrums in relation to all earthly creatures. Pope uses an example related to each of the five senses to conjure an image that emphasizes the intricacies with which all things are tailored. For instance, he references a bee’s sensitivity, which allows it to collect only that which is beneficial amid dangerous substances. Pope then moves to the differences in mental abilities along the chain of being. These mental functions are broken down into instinct, reflection, memory, and reason. Pope believes reason to trump all, which of course is the one function specific to Man. Reason thus allows man to synthesize the means to function in ways that are unnatural to himself.

8. In section 8 Pope emphasizes the depths to which the universe extends in all aspects of life. This includes the literal depths of the ocean and the reversed extent of the sky, as well as the vastness that lies between God and Man and Man and the simpler creatures of the earth. Regardless of one’s place in the chain of being however, the removal of one link creates just as much of an impact as any other. Pope stresses the maintenance of order so as to prevent the breaking down of the universe.

9. In the ninth stanza, Pope once again puts the pride and greed of man into perspective. He compares man’s complaints of being subordinate to God to an eye or an ear rejecting its service to the mind. This image drives home the point that all things are specifically designed to ensure that the universe functions properly. Pope ends this stanza with the Augustan belief that Nature permeates all things, and thus constitutes the body of the world, where God characterizes the soul.

10. In the tenth stanza, Pope secures the end of Epistle 1 by advising the reader on how to secure as many blessings as possible, whether that be on earth or in the after life. He highlights the impudence in viewing God’s order as imperfect and emphasizes the fact that true bliss can only be experienced through an acceptance of one’s necessary weaknesses. Pope exemplifies this acceptance of weakness in the last lines of Epistle 1 in which he considers the incomprehensible, whether seemingly miraculous or disastrous, to at least be correct, if nothing else.

1. Epistle II is broken up into six smaller sections, each of which has a specific focus. The first section explains that man must not look to God for answers to the great questions of life, for he will never find the answers. As was explained in the first epistle, man is incapable of truly knowing anything about the things that are higher than he is on the “Great Chain of Being.” For this reason, the way to achieve the greatest knowledge possible is to study man, the greatest thing we have the ability to comprehend. Pope emphasizes the complexity of man in an effort to show that understanding of anything greater than that would simply be too much for any person to fully comprehend. He explains this complexity with lines such as, “Created half to rise, and half to fall; / Great lord of all things, yet a prey to all / Sole judge of truth, in endless error hurl’d: / The glory, jest, and riddle of the world!”(15-18) These lines say that we are created for two purposes, to live and die. We are the most intellectual creatures on Earth, and while we have control over most things, we are still set up to die in some way by the end. We are a great gift of God to the Earth with enormous capabilities, yet in the end we really amount to nothing. Pope describes this contrast between our intellectual capabilities and our inevitable fate as a “riddle” of the world. The first section of Epistle II closes by saying that man is to go out and study what is around him. He is to study science to understand all that he can about his existence and the universe in which he lives, but to fully achieve this knowledge he must rid himself of all vices that may slow down this process.

2. The second section of Epistle II tells of the two principles of human nature and how they are to perfectly balance each other out in order for man to achieve all that he is capable of achieving. These two principles are self-love and reason. He explains that all good things can be attributed to the proper use of these two principles and that all bad things stem from their improper use. Pope further discusses the two principles by claiming that self-love is what causes man to do what he desires, but reason is what allows him to know how to stay in line. He follows that with an interesting comparison of man to a flower by saying man is “Fix’d like a plant on his peculiar spot, / To draw nutrition, propagate and rot,” (Pope 62-63) and also of man to a meteor by saying, “Or, meteor-like, flame lawless thro’ the void, / Destroying others, by himself destroy’d.” (Pope 64-65) These comparisons show that man, according to Pope, is born, takes his toll on the Earth, and then dies, and it is all part of a larger plan. The rest of section two continues to talk about the relationship between self-love and reason and closes with a strong argument. Humans all seek pleasure, but only with a good sense of reason can they restrain themselves from becoming greedy. His final remarks are strong, stating that, “Pleasure, or wrong or rightly understood, / Our greatest evil, or our greatest good,”(Pope 90-91) which means that pleasure in moderation can be a great thing for man, but without the balance that reason produces, a pursuit of pleasure can have terrible consequences.

3. Part III of Epistle II also pertains to the idea of self-love and reason working together. It starts out talking about passions and how they are inherently selfish, but if the means to which these passions are sought out are fair, then there has been a proper balance of self-love and reason. Pope describes love, hope and joy as being “Fair treasure’s smiling train,”(Pope 117) while hate, fear and grief are “The family of pain.”(Pope 118) Too much of any of these things, whether they be from the negative or positive side, is a bad thing. There is a ratio of good to bad that man must reach to have a well balanced mind. We learn, grow, and gain character and perspective through the elements of this “Family of pain,”(Pope 118) while we get great rewards from love, hope and joy. While our goal as humans is to seek our pleasure and follow certain desires, there is always one overall passion that lives deep within us that guides us throughout life. The main points to take away from Section III of this Epistle is that there are many aspects to the life of man, and these aspects, both positive and negative, need to coexist harmoniously to achieve that balance for which man should strive.

4. The fourth section of Epistle II is very short. It starts off by asking what allows us to determine the difference between good and bad. The next line answers this question by saying that it is the God within our minds that allows us to make such judgements. This section finishes up by discussing virtue and vice. The relationship between these two qualities are interesting, for they can exist on their own but most often mix, and there is a fine line between something being a virtue and becoming a vice.

5. Section V is even shorter than section IV with just fourteen lines. It speaks only of the quality of vice. Vices are temptations that man must face on a consistent basis. A line that stands out from this says that when it comes to vices, “We first endure, then pity, then embrace.”(Pope 218) This means that vices start off as something we know is wrong, but over time they become an instinctive part of us if reason is not there to push them away.

6. Section VI, the final section of Epistle II, relates many of the ideas from Sections I-V back to ideas from Epistle I. It works as a conclusion that ties in the main theme of Epistle II, which mainly speaks of the different components of man that balance each other out to form an infinitely complex creature, into the idea from Epistle I that man is created as part of a larger plan with all of his qualities given to him for a specific purpose. It is a way of looking at both negative and positive aspects of life and being content with them both, for they are all part of God’s purpose of creating the universe. This idea is well concluded in the third to last line of this Epistle when Pope says, “Ev’n mean self-love becomes, by force divine.”(Pope 288) This shows that even a negative quality in a man, such as excessive self-love without the stability of reason, is technically divine, for it is what God intended as part of the balance of the universe.

Contributors

• Dan Connolly
• Nicole Petrone

“Alexander Pope.” : The Poetry Foundation . N.p., n.d. Web. 14 May 2013. < http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/alexander-pope >.

“Alexander Pope Photos.” Rugu RSS . N.p., n.d. Web. 14 May 2013. < http://www.rugusavay.com/alexander-pope-photos/ >.

“An Essay on Man: Epistle 1 by Alexander Pope • 81 Poems by Alexander PopeEdit.” An Essay on Man: Epistle 1 by Alexander Pope Classic Famous Poet . N.p., n.d. Web. 14 May 2013. < http://allpoetry.com/poem/8448567-An_Essay_on_Man_Epistle_1-by-Alexander_Pope >.

“An Essay on Man: Epistle II.” By Alexander Pope : The Poetry Foundation. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 May 2013. < http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/174166 >.

“Benjamin Franklin’s Mastodon Tooth.” About.com Archaeology . N.p., n.d. Web. 14 May 2013. < http://archaeology.about.com/od/artandartifacts/ss/franklin_4.htm >.

“First Edition of An Essay on Man by Alexander Pope Offered by The Manhattan Rare Book Company.” First Edition of An Essay on Man by Alexander Pope Offered by The Manhattan Rare Book Company. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 May 2013. < http://www.manhattanrarebooks- literature.com/pope_essay.htm>.

An Essay on Man

"The Essay on Man in modern editions is a single poem, arranged in four “Epistles.” But in the beginning, each epistle was published separately, the first on February 20 [1733], the second on March 29, the third on May 17, and the fourth in the next year, on January 24, 1734. In May of 1733 the first three epistles were issued as a stitched together pamphlet, but the pamphlet was made up of separately issued copies of the three epistles. It was not until May 2, 1734, that all four parts were printed together as a single poem.", Alexander Pope; a bibliography , by Reginald Harvey Griffith (1922), Volume I, part I, p .211.

This transcription is of an edition published in 1751.

IN FOUR EPISTLES,

Alexander Pope , Esq

EDINBURGH ,

Printed for, and sold by James Reid Bookseller in Leith , MDCCLI.

• The Contents
• Epistle II.
• Epistle III.
• Epistle IV.
• The Universal Prayer
• Notes on the Essay on Man

This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.

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An Essay on Man: Epistle I

Pope, alexander (1688 - 1744).

An Essay on Man

30 pages • 1 hour read

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

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Literary Context

During the Neoclassical age in literature, poets imitated the polished refinement of classical writers such as Horace, Virgil, and Ovid. There was a greater focus on the craft of poetry and writing, as opposed to its originality or innovation. In this environment, Pope rose to literary fame through his couplets, satire , and ability to combine “sound” and “sense.” He famously wrote in his “Essay on Criticism” that the way verse sounds and its meaning should be intertwined: “The sound must seem an echo to the sense.” (Pope, Alexander. “ Essay on Criticism .” Poetryfoundation.org .) In “An Essay on Man,” Pope combines his meditations and sonic qualities to develop a unified whole.

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An essay on man: writing about the pope’s poem.

June 27, 2019

Alexander Pope is a man who was popularly known for his neoclassical poetry back in the 1700s. One of his best poems was the poem An Essay On Man. Centuries later, people still use this 18th-century poet’s work as a reference to several aspects of man’s life. Students, for instance, use it as part of their learning material to understand various writing styles. If you want to write a college essay on the poem, then follow these steps for successful creation.

Writing an Essay On Man summary

What should the reader do first before writing a poem review? How does it differ from any other book review writing? This is a question each student that aims at writing An Essay On Man summary should ask themselves. The first thing you need to know that will help you write a paper on An Essay On Man is to teach yourself how to write an outline. General knowledge on this topic will help you learn this art. One of the places to solicit for review writing information is an academic writing website. With so many of these available online, crosscheck with two or more of them, so you are sure that you are doing the right thing. You can also visit your school’s library and use the catalog texts to teach yourself how to draft an outline. However, the best places to get this intel is from your lecturer or professor. They will probably cover this topic in your English classes, so pay attention during that time.

Read An Essay On Man

Before you can attempt to write poem essays, you need to know what it entails. The best way to determine the central idea of An Essay On Man is to read the poem. You can easily find it on many of the poetry sites that host Alexander Pope’s work. In addition to these websites, you can also read Alexander Pope’s biography on the internet, then follow the links that will redirect you to different pages that have his poems. You have to go through this poem at least two times, to gain an understanding of his style, which will aid you in writing a perfect Essay On Man.

An Essay On Man Summary

One thing you should do while reading the poem on man is to write down the critical aspects of the text. Why? You may ask. It is because these short notes are what you will use in writing An Essay On Man summary. You have to pick the highlights that make the poem unique. Write as many short notes as you can on An Essay On Man, then choose those that will be enough for your review, depending on the number of words you are restricted to. At times, you may be asked to write a summary of the writing style or other different writing aspects that are visible in this poem. If this is the case, you will only have to select what is necessary then complete your Pope Essay On Man. To help in choosing the right items, you need to use the following questions as a guide.

• When was the poem on man written?
• Who is the author of this piece?
• What are the necessary materials needed for the review of this poem?
• What message does the title of the poem pass across?
• What was the essence of writing this poem?
• How innovative is the author of this piece?
• What types of artistic characteristics are depicted in this poem?
• Any direct relation to the writer’s life portrayed in it?
• Is there a specific audience that the poem is directed to?

Answering these queries will help you create a short and effective Alexander Pope Essay On Man summary.

First Draft

At this point, you should have the know-how of writing An Essay On Man summary. You should also have the snippets of information that you will use in the review writing. Take your writing material and jot down the first draft. Ensure that you plan out the draft in chronological order that readers can understand. Once your first attempt on an essay on man is complete, go through it severally to make sure that it doesn’t have any mistakes in regards to grammar and punctuation. See to it that all the information you gather is factual. And now that we know you did not compose this poem, it is best if you cite who the owner of the original piece is. More so, acknowledge the website or books that you used as inspiration for the work.

Final Thoughts

Using this writing format will help you not only come up with a compelling review of the poem on man, but it also gives you an idea on how to summarize other poems by this and other authors. More popular ones like The Rape of the Lock and Alexander Pope’s essay on criticism require consistency for you to master poetry summary, but that should take a few weeks if you are a serious student.

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Analysis of "An Essay on Man" by Alexander Pope

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Aphra Behn and Alexander Pope both present various situations of crisis and uprising in their works, Oroonoko and The Rape of the Lock, respectively. Although the nature and intensity of the crisis situations are very different, [...]

"When Thomas More wrote Utopia in 1515, he started a literary genre with lasting appeal for writers who wanted not only to satirize existing evils but to postulate the state, a kind of Golden Age in the face of reality" (Hewitt [...]

The fear of a dystopian future that is explored in both Fritz Lang’s film Metropolis and George Orwell’s novel Nineteen Eighty Four is reflective of the values of the societies at the time and the context of the authors. As [...]

In the novel Nineteen Eighty-Four, Orwell uses several literary techniques to develop the theme that totalitarianism is destructive. He does so by using extensive imagery, focusing on the deterioration of the Victory Mansions, [...]

The title year of George Orwell's most famous novel is nineteen years past, but the dystopian vision it draws has retained its ability to grip readers with a haunting sense of foreboding about the future. At the heart of many of [...]

“How does one man assert his power over another, Winston?” O’Brien asks. Winston’s answer: “By making him suffer” . These two characters inhabit George Orwell’s vision of a future totalitarian government that has evolved to its [...]

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