Alexander Pope (1[zasłonięte]688-17) is regarded as the most
important poet of the early eighteenth century. An
invalid from infancy, Pope devoted his energies towards
literature and achieved remarkable success with his
first published work at the age of 21. A succession of
brilliant poems followed, including An Essay on
Criticism (1711), Windsor Forest (1713), and his
masterpiece The Rape of the Lock (1712). A second period
of great poetry was begun in 1728 with the appearance of
the first Dunciad. All these works, which exhibit Pope's
astonishing human insight, his wide sympathies, and
powers of social observation (displayed to greatest
effect in his talent for satire), feature in this
selection. In his introduction - an eloquent defence of
Pope's poetic practice - Pat Rogers argues that we must
abandon our Romantic conception of poetry as a record of
fleeting and subjective states if we are to understand
Pope fully. Instead, we must see him as an accomplished
practitioner of the poetry of ideas and of satirical
reflection on human society. This collection is chosen
from the Oxford Authors critical edition of Pope's major
works.ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford
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