30 pages 1 hour read

Alexander Pope

An Essay on Man

Fiction | Poem | Adult | Published in 1734

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Epistle 2

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Summary Epistle 2: “On the Nature and State of Man with Respect to Himself, as an Individual”

In Section 1 (Lines 1-52), the speaker argues that humanity should try to understand itself before trying to understand God. They describe people as stuck between many contradictory impulses: The ability to reason and the ability to feel, the desire to act and the desire to contemplate. The “chaos of thought and passion” (Line 13) empowers humans to be masters over nature, but people are still weak compared to nature’s power. People can understand the movements of the comets but cannot control their own passions: “What Reason weaves, by Passion is undone” (Line 42). Because human reason is fallible, it is important to regard the products of rationality with a healthy skepticism and do away with reason that has been corrupted by pride, vanity, or “curious pleasure” (Line 48).

Section 2 (Lines 53-92) explores the speaker’s idea of self-love and reason as two opposing forces that coexist in the psyche of every person. Reason “restrains” (Line 54) self-love. The speaker argues that self-love motivates people to act, and reason provides necessary balance: “Attention, habit, and experience” (Line 79) strengthen the ability to reason. The speaker says that many “subtle schoolmen” (Line 81) teach that reason and self-love are divided against each other.

Related Titles

By Alexander Pope

Study Guide

logo

An Essay on Criticism

Alexander Pope

An Essay on Criticism

Alexander Pope

Study Guide

logo

Eloisa to Abelard

Alexander Pope

Eloisa to Abelard

Alexander Pope

Study Guide

logo

The Dunciad

Alexander Pope

The Dunciad

Alexander Pope

Study Guide

logo

The Rape of the Lock

Alexander Pope

The Rape of the Lock

Alexander Pope