An Essay on Man
An Essay on Man ( German Man and Man: A Philosophical poems, even the attempt by the People ) is a 1734 published poem by Alexander Pope. The German translation of Barthold Heinrich Brockes was first published in 1740. It is a rationalistic effort to use philosophy in order to " justify the ways of God to man " ( "to vindicate the ways of God to man ", 1.16), a modification of John Milton's demand for a justification precisely this way in his poem Paradise Lost ( "justify the ways of God to man ", 1.26). The poem deals with the role of evil in the world and with the rank in the natural order that God has given to the people. Because man can not know the mind of God, he can not on its position on the " ladder of life " (English " Great Chain of Being ," 11.33-34 ) be clear and must accept that " whatever is always right is " ( " Whatever iS, is rIGHT ", 1292 ). This topic was soon ridiculed by Voltaire in his novel Candide. More than any other work made famous An Essay on Man, the optimistic philosophy in England and the rest of Europe.
The essay, which is in heroic couplets, or " heroic" couplets iambic pentameter written, consists of four epistles. Pope began his work on it in 1729 and had completed the first three to 1731. However, they did not appear until 1733, the fourth epistle until the following year. Originally the poem was published anonymously. It was only in 1735 confessed to a priest his authorship.
In his introductory statement Pope revealed that the Essay on Man was meant from the structure as part of a long philosophical poem with four different blocks. The present text should now be the first block. The second block should consist of a series of epistles about the human mind, the arts and sciences, the human talent and the benefits of learning and research. In addition, there should also be a " satire against the abuse " of the aforementioned things. The third block should treat the policy, the fourth "private ethics " or "practical morality" ( "private ethics", "practical morality "). Often cited the following excerpt, the first Versabsatz the second epistle, the sent summarizes some of the humanistic and religious teachings of the poem:
Know, then, thyself, presume not God to scan The proper study of Mankind is Man. Placed on this isthmus of a middle state, A Being darkly wise, and rudely great: With too much knowledge for the Sceptic side, With too much weakness for the Stoic 's pride, He hangs in between; in doubt to act, or rest; In doubt to deem himself a God, or Beast; In doubt his mind or body to prefer; Born but to die, and reas'ning but to err; Alike in ignorance, his reason -seeking, Whether he thinks too little, or too much; Chaos of Thought and Passion, all confus'd; Still by himself, abus'd or disabus'd; Created half to rise and half to fall; Great Lord of all things, yet a prey to all, Sole judge of truth, in endless error hurl'd; The glory, jest and riddle of the world.
Swell
- Selected Poems of Alexander Pope, Representative Poetry Online, University of Toronto Libraries