Do you disagree with any of Pope's opinions or pronouncements in the Heroic Couplets or "An Essay on Man"?
Pope is critical of individuals who "cry, if man's unhappy, God's unjust," suggesting that the unhappiest people are people who blame God, rather than themselves for all of their troubles, or who curse God because their lives are imperfect. The need to accept life's imperfections while still working to enact positive changes within the limitations of humanity is a positive message still relevant for people today.
Based on what you have read of "The Rape of the Lock," what do you think the poem's theme or central message is? What or who are the objects of his satire? Does the epic, "The Rape of the Lock" apply in any way to society today? Identify two passages that could serve as satiric commentaries on people's behavior today. Your answer should discuss both the passage and the comment that applies to contemporary life.
An "Essay on Man" condemns people who are vain, and who confuse their own social or personal role and social aspirations in general with more important things, like God's ultimate purpose in creating the universe, much like Belinda and her suitor in "The Rape of the Lock." "The Rape of the Lock" reminds the modern reader of the paparazzi's intrusive obsession with taking pictures and scavenging in the garbage of the rich, famous, and trivial, like the snipping or rape of Belinda's hair and even the war of cards, which is analogous to the modern obsession with celebrity poker and other hobbies and habits.
Lesson 3 Journal Entry # 12 of 16
Journal Exercise 3.7A: Analyzing Humor
Satire relies on many techniques usually associated with comedy, including
Exaggeration: Pangloss' optimism, Candide's naivete, the...
When you analyze something, you take it apart and examine its elements to see how it works. The chart will show you many techniques used by Voltaire to ridicule his character and to make us laugh. At the end of your essay, describe the targets of Voltaire's satire.
Voltaire targets optimists who deny the reality of the world and uphold their philosophical doctrine of optimism, rather than seeing the world clearly. He also condemns pious hypocrites who see the world clearly but use their ability to delude good but naive people to enrich themselves.
Lesson 3 Journal Entry # 13 of 16
Journal Exercise 3.7B: Comparing Satires
Voltaire wrote Candide more that 230 years ago. In your opinion, how well has his satire held up? What value, if any, does Candide hold for someone growing up into today's world?
The modern Panglossian obsession with
