LITERARY SPHERE

This post provides an overview of An Essay on Criticism by Alexander Pope. AN OVERVIEW OF AN ESSAY ON CRITICISM ~BY ALEXANDER POPE Alexander Pope was born in the year 1688, during the year of revolution in London. He in many respects was a unique figure of the English literary history. Firstly, because he was considered to be “the poet” of a great nation. He was an undisputed master in the narrow field of satiric and didactic verse during the early 18 th century. Pope’s influence completely dominated the poetry of his age. Many foreign writers looked to him and many English poets looked to him as their inspiration. Secondly, he was one of the writers who was a remarkable reflection of the spirit of the age he lived in. (An Overview of An Essay on Criticism) Thirdly, he was the one and only important writer of the age who gave his whole life to letters. Unlike Swift, Addison and other writers of his age, Pope was someone who chose only literature as his profession. And four...