1. Alexander Pope Could not attend Oxford Univ. bc/ his family was Roman Catholic – also, could not vote, hold public office, or practice religion. Educated @ home – sick as a youngster with TB, pains in joints, muscles, etc. Called life, “this long disease.”

2. Pope… “An Essay on Criticism” – first publishing – inspired by Horace: “Art of Poetry” Translated the “Iliad” and the ”Odyssey” into ENG. Lesser writers ridiculed him, so he turned to satire to defend his points.

3. Pope (3) … Satires: (1) “The Duncinad” - Attacks dull uninteresting writers…Shows stupidity, folly, and ignorance taking over the world. (2) “Moral Essays” – Judging immoral people as well as the lack of common sense and good taste of the rich.

4. Pope’s character Negative: cruel, malicious, ill. Positive: Writers thought he was good-natured, generous, witty. Dress dictated his character as he wore bright colors and charmed friends.

5. Literary Genre for Pope: Antithesis – Using parallel structure to balance a contrast…ex. “Give me liberty or give me death.” Heroic Couplet Structure – 2 rhyming lines of iambic pentameter Mock Epic – A comic narrative poem, written in dignified language that parodies a trivial subject in a lofty, grand manner.