Copyright
William HutchingsPublished On
2023-12-19Page Range
pp. 221–228Language
- English
Print Length
8 pages
21. The Second Epistle of the Second Book of Horace Imitated
- William Hutchings (author)
Chapter of: ‘Wit’s Wild Dancing Light’: Reading the Poems of Alexander Pope(pp. 221–228)
Chapter 21 begins by proposing that epistles and satires may be considered as overlapping genres: for Pope, the personal is the political and vice versa. Two extracts from The Second Epistle of the Second Book of Horace Imitated are then read in detail to show how Pope self-depreciatingly reviews his addiction to writing ‘verses’ in the light of the passing of time. He ought now to put away such childish things and take a sober and philosophical look at his own mind and soul. But, at the same time, Pope is advancing a counter-argument. By writing highly crafted ‘verse’, he demonstrates a fundamental principle underlying the poetic art. Truly philosophical poetry – as opposed to poetry which looks self-important by writing about philosophy – embodies truth within form.
Contributors
William Hutchings
(author)Honorary Research Fellow at University of Manchester
William Hutchings was formerly Senior Lecturer in English Literature and Director of the Centre for Excellence in Enquiry-Based Learning at the University of Manchester, UK and he is presently Honorary Research Fellow in the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures at that university. He now lectures regularly to public groups locally and nationally. He has a wealth of teaching experience on English Literature courses at undergraduate and postgraduate level, and is the editor of Andrew Marvell: Selected Poems, the author of The Poetry of William Cowper, and Literary Criticism: A Practical Guide for Students.