Alexander Pope stands as the foremost English poet of the eighteenth century, celebrated for his sharp satirical verse and his influential translation of Homer. He ranks as the third most quoted writer in the English language, a testament to his enduring impact. Pope's mastery of the heroic couplet allowed him to craft verses of unparalleled elegance and precision.
Homer's epic in which Greek hero Odysseus makes his long and treacherous journey home after the Tojan War, while his wife Penelope and his son Telemachos are forced to scheme to protect his throne until his return.
A translation of Homer's poem of war which is a magnificent testimony to the power of the Iliad. This volume retells the story of Achilles, the great warrior, and his terrible wrath before the walls of besieged Troy, and the destruction it wreaks on both Greeks and Trojans.
In One Volume Complete. This scarce antiquarian book is included in our special Legacy Reprint Series. In the interest of creating a more extensive selection of rare historical book reprints, we have chosen to reproduce this title even though it may possibly have occasional imperfections such as missing and blurred pages, missing text, poor pictures, markings, dark backgrounds and other reproduction issues beyond our control. Because this work is culturally important, we have made it available as a part of our commitment to protecting, preserving and promoting the world's literature.
First published with revisions as an Oxford World's Classics paperback: 2006.
Considered the preeminent verse satirist in English, Alexander Pope (1688-1744) brought wide learning, devastating wit and masterly technique to his poems. Models of clarity and control, they exemplified the classical poetics of the Augustan age.This volume contains a rich selection of Pope's work, including such well-known poems as the title selection — a philosophical meditation on the nature of the universe and man's place in it — and "The Rape of the Lock," a mock-epic of rare charm and skill. Also included are "Ode on Solitude," "The Dying Christian to His Soul," "Elegy to the Memory of an Unfortunate Lady," "An Essay on Criticism," "Epigram Engraved on the Collar of a Dog," "Epistle [IV] to Richard Boyle, Earl of Of the Use of Riches," "Epistle to Dr. Arbuthnot; or, Prologue to the Satires" and more.Taken together, these poems offer an excellent sampling of Pope's imaginative genius and the felicitous blending of word, idea and image that earned him a place among the leading lights of 18th-century literature.
An Essay on Criticism is one of the first major poems written by the English writer Alexander Pope (1688-1744), published in 1711. It is the source of the famous quotations "To err is human; to forgive, divine", "A little learning is a dang'rous thing" (frequently misquoted as "A little knowledge is a dang'rous thing"), and "Fools rush in where angels fear to tread"
When Lord Petre had the effrontery of cutting off a lock of Lady Arabella Fermor's hair, a veritable war erupted between the two noble families. A mutual friend, saddened by their estrangement, asked Alexander Pope, then a young poet, to write a poem about it, in order to make a joke of it and “laugh them together again”. But the result – which in its ingenuity and poetical brilliance reaches peaks of epic sublime – concealed darker and more dangerous undertones that unleashed an even greater storm between the parties involved – and among the whole literary world of the time. As Belinda glides along the Thames admired for her beauty and the crafty Baron schemes to take his prize, a host of supernatural beings – elfs, sylphs, gnomes – dance around them to avoid the impending doom, in what is Pope's crowning poetical achievement and perhaps the greatest satirical poem ever written. Included in this volume are the original two-canto version of The Rape of the Lock and Pope's hilarious mock-interpretation of the poem as a seditious work, A Key to the Lock.
Set in a satirical world, this mock-heroic narrative poem by Alexander Pope explores themes of vanity and social status through the trivial incident of a stolen lock of hair. Initially published anonymously, it gained immense popularity, leading to revised editions and illustrations. The poem's structure evolves from two cantos to five, culminating in a version that includes a significant speech by Clarissa. Its witty critique of high society and its influence on European literature highlight the enduring appeal of mock-heroic poetry.
Set against a backdrop of English aristocracy, this poem explores the absurdity of social norms through the lens of a trivial yet grave offense: the theft of a lock of hair. By elevating this minor incident to cosmic significance, it satirizes the values and behaviors of the upper class, highlighting the clash between the mundane and the divine. Pope's work cleverly critiques societal priorities while weaving together themes of honor, vanity, and the consequences of human folly.
Alexander Pope's interpretation of the Homeric poem, published between 1715 and 1720, is celebrated for its lyrical beauty and cultural impact, influencing British and American literature for centuries. Samuel Johnson praised it as unparalleled in literary achievement. This edition offers a faithful rendering of Pope's verse, capturing the essence of Homer's work. Additionally, it includes a new biography of Pope, enhancing the reader's understanding of the poet's significance. This modern edition aims to make this classic text accessible to a wider audience.
