How to Write a Criticism Essay Text

an essay on criticism was the first major poem written by the english writer alexander pope 1688–1744. However, despite the title, the poem is not as much an original analysis as it is a compilation of pope's various literary opinions. A reading of the poem makes it clear that he is addressing not so much the ingenuous reader as the intending writer. 'tis with our judgements as our watches, none go just alike, yet each believes his own. Compare: but as when an authentic watch is shown, each man winds up and rectifies his own, so in our very judgments , john suckling. Let such teach others who themselves excel, and censure freely who have written well.

Some are bewildered in the maze of schools, and some made coxcombs nature meant but fools. From vulgar bounds with brave disorder part, and snatch a grace beyond the reach of art. some figures monstrous and mis shap'd appear, consider'd singly, or beheld too near, which, but proportion'd to their light, or place, due distance reconciles to form and grace. line 171 174.

a prudent chief not always must display his pow'rs in equal ranks, and fair array, but with th' occasion and the place comply, conceal his force, nay seem sometimes to fly. those oft are stratagems which errors seem, nor is it homer nods, but we that dream. Compare: quandoque bonus dormitat homerus translated: even the worthy homer some times nods , horace. Of all the causes which conspire to blind man's erring judgment, and misguide the mind what the weak head with strongest bias rules, is pride, the never failing vice of fools. trust not your self but your defects to know, make use of ev'ry friend and ev'ry foe. lines 13 14.

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a little learning is a dang'rous thing drink deep, or taste not the pierian spring: there shallow draughts intoxicate the brain, and drinking largely sobers us again. commonly misquoted as a proverb, a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, which ironically illustrates the point. Compare: travel, in the younger sort, is a part of education in the elder, a part of experience. He that travelleth into a country before he hath some entrance into the language, goeth to school, and not to travel , francis bacon.

'tis not a lip, or eye, we beauty call, but the joint force and full result of all. Whoever thinks a faultless piece to see, thinks what ne'er was, nor is, nor e'er shall be. Compare: 'high characters', cries one, and he would see / things that ne’er were, nor are, nor e'er will be , john suckling. True wit is nature to advantage dressed, what oft was thought, but ne'er so well expressed.

words are like leaves and where they most abound, much fruit of sense beneath is rarely found. line 109. Such labored nothings, in so strange a style, amaze th' unlearned, and make the learned smile. In words, as fashions, the same rule will hold, alike fantastic if too new or old: be not the first by whom the new are tried, nor yet the last to lay the old aside. These equal syllables alone require, though oft the ear the open vowels tire while expletives their feeble aid do join, and ten low words oft creep in one dull line. Then, at the last and only couplet fraught with some unmeaning thing they call a thought, a needless alexandrine ends the song, that, like a wounded snake, drags its slow length along. true ease in writing comes from art, not chance, as those move easiest who have learned to dance. 'tis not enough no harshness gives offense the sound must seem an echo to the sense.

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Soft is the strain when zephyr gently blows, and the smooth stream in smoother numbers flows but when loud surges lash the sounding shore, the hoarse rough verse should like the torrent roar. When ajax strives some rock's vast weight to throw, the line too labours, and the words move slow: not so when swift camilla scours the plain, flies o'er th' unbending corn, and skims along the main. At ev'ry trifle scorn to take offence, that always shows great pride, or little sense.

Yet not let each gay turn thy rapture move for fools admire, but men of sense approve. Some judge of authors' names, not works, and then nor praise nor blame the writings, but the men. What woeful stuff this madrigal would be, in some starved hackney sonneteer, or me! but let a lord once own the happy lines, how the wit brightens! how the style refines! line 218. But let a lord once own the happy lines, how the wit brightens! how the style refines! part ii. some praise at morning what they blame at night, but always think the last opinion right. line 230.

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We think our fathers fools, so wise we grow our wiser sons, no doubt, will think us so. Fondly we think we honour merit then, when we but praise our selves in other men. Envy will merit as its shade pursue, but like a shadow proves the substance true. Be thou the first true merit to befriend his praise is lost, who stays till all commend. Ah ne'er so dire a thirst of glory boast, nor in the critick let the man be lost! good nature and good sense must ever join to err is human, to forgive divine. lines 322 325. All seems infected that th' infected spy, as all looks yellow to the jaundic'd eye. Learn then what morals critics ought to show, for 'tis but half a judge's task, to know.

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'tis not enough your counsel still be true, blunt truths more mischief than nice falsehoods do men must be taught as if you taught them not and things unknown propos'd as things forgot. The bookful blockhead, ignorantly read, with loads of learned lumber in his head, with his own tongue still edifies his ears, and always list'ning to himself appears. Most authors steal their works, or buy garth did not write his own dispensary. No place so sacred from such fops is barr'd, nor is paul's church more safe than paul's church yard: nay, fly to altars there they'll talk you dead for fools rush in where angels fear to tread. lines 63 to 66. But where's the man who counsel can bestow, still pleased to teach, and yet not proud to know? line 72. Content if hence th' unlearn'd their wants may view, the learn'd reflect on what before they knew. Compare: indocti discant et ament meminisse periti translated: let the unlearned learn, and the learned delight in remembering .

Appeared for the first time as an epigraph to president hénault's abrégé chronologique. And in the preface to the third edition of this work hénault acknowledges that he had given it as a translation of this couplet. Careless of censure, nor too fond of fame, still pleased to praise, yet not afraid to blame, averse alike to flatter or offend, not free from faults, nor yet too vain to mend. essay on criticism … displays such extent of comprehension, such nicety of distinction, such acquaintance with mankind, and such knowledge both of ancient and modern learning as are not often attained by the maturest age and longest experience. One of his greatest … of his earliest works is the essay on criticism. Which if he had written nothing else would have placed him among the first criticks and the first poets, as it exhibits every mode of excellence that can embellish or dignify didactick composition, selection of matter, novelty of arrangement, justness of precept, splendour of illustration, and propriety of digression.

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I know not whether it be pleasing to consider that he produced this piece at twenty, and never afterwards excelled it: he that delights himself with observing that such powers may be so soon attained, cannot but grieve to think that life was ever after at a stand.

alexander pope

'tis hard to say, if greater want of skill appear in writing or in judging ill, but, of the two, less dang'rous is th' offence, to tire our patience, than mis lead our sense: some few in that, but numbers err in this, ten censure wrong for one who writes amiss a fool might once himself alone expose, now one in verse makes many more in prose. 'tis with our judgments as our watches, none go just alike, yet each believes his own. In poets as true genius is but rare, true taste as seldom is the critick's share both must alike from heav'n derive their light, these born to judge, as well as those to write. Let such teach others who themselves excell, and censure freely who have written well.