Born into a Roman Catholic family
the year James II (last Catholic
monarch) was forced to abdicate his
throne
barred from attending University
caught a severe case of spinal
tuberculosis & was left dwarfed,
twisted, and delicate of
constitution
"Essay on Criticism" pub. 1711
Central idea: the eternal war between critics, who judge
according to a rigid system of regulations, and poets,
hemmed in by such rules and longing to soar
Critic's duty is to comprehend fully & disinterestedly the poet's form, matter, end
Pope presents from the poet's
perspective, but he sides with the
critics
Pope argues raw talent needs to be
educated
similar to Sidney, Pope believed poet
requires a natural genius, knowledge of
rules of art, & education based on
Neoclassicism
Pope uses his central terms
in a variety of related but
distinct ways
"Nature"
world of divine creation
human nature
instincts
"Art"
world of human invention
technique & craft
class of objects created by
human intelligence &
creativity
"Wit"
sense
intelligence
creative power
he typically
repeats his point
but he also draws a distinction
only to collpase it later