Alexander Pope

Alexander Pope Synopsis

This volume in the 21st Century Oxford Authors series presents a substantial selection of Pope's writings, arranged in chronological order to give a sense of the development of his literary career. As well as the poems for which Pope is still best remembered-An Essay on Criticism, The Rape of the Lock, the Essay on Man, the Imitations of Horace, and the Dunciad-readers will find a broad range of lesser-known comic and occasional poems and of his satirical and critical prose. In addition, this volume pays due attention to Pope's genius as a translator, and includes generous selections from his versions of Chaucer, Ovid, Statius, and especially Homer. Several of Pope's letters are also included. Particular care has been taken to give a sense of Pope's arrangement of his verse on the page, in order to reflect his particular interest in the printed form of his work. Extensive commentary will guide readers to a full understanding and enjoyment of these ground-breaking works. The edition also includes a substantial introduction to Pope's writing, and a detailed chronology of his life.