An Essay on Criticism

An Essay on Criticism is Alexander Pope’s verse essay of 1711 on literary judgment and the qualities of a responsible critic. Pope connects sound criticism with study, humility, and attention to the principles embodied in earlier literature. The poem warns against narrow rules, fashionable judgments, and confidence unsupported by understanding. Its heroic couplets demonstrate the formal control that the argument values, using balance, contrast, and memorable phrasing to carry a sequence of reflections. The result is both a discussion of literary standards and a poem whose rhythm and arrangement put those standards into practice.