Alexander Pope
Alexander Pope (1688–1744) was an English poet, translator and editor. His poetry includes satire, literary criticism and philosophical argument, often written in rhyming pairs of lines known as heroic couplets.[1]
Life and writing
Pope was born in London into a Roman Catholic family. Restrictions on Catholics prevented him from attending university. His education included extensive reading on his own, and he studied Greek and Latin.[1][2]
His Pastorals appeared in 1709, followed by An Essay on Criticism in 1711. John Dryden was an important influence on his writing. The Rape of the Lock, first published in 1712 and expanded in 1714, was among his early successes.[2]
Pope’s translations of Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey attracted subscribers and brought him financial security. He moved to Twickenham in 1719. His publications also included an edition of Shakespeare’s plays and The Dunciad, a satire which he revised and enlarged.[1][2]
An Essay on Man appeared in 1733–1734. His verse letters included An Epistle to a Lady, first published in 1735. Pope died in 1744.[2][3]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Academy of American Poets, “Alexander Pope”, biographical account. Accessed 10 October 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Donald W. Nichol, “Alexander Pope (1688–1744)”, Grub Street Project, August 2022, modern biographical account. Accessed 10 October 2026.
- ↑ Alexander Pope, “Epistles to Several Persons: Epistle II: To a Lady on the Characters of Women”, Representative Poetry Online, University of Toronto, poem and editorial notes by D. F. Theall. Accessed 10 October 2026.