In An Essay on Criticism, Pope
(A) analyses the causes of faulty criticism and praises the great critics of the past.
(B) analyses the causes of faulty criticism and characterizes the good critics
(C) analyses the structure of a good essay and praises the great critics of the past.
(D) analyses the structure of a good essay and suggest how such an essay could be converted into good criticism.
(E) analyses the merits of the poetry of Wordsworth and praises the great critics of the past.
Which of the above statements are correct?

Correct option is A

In An Essay on Criticism (1711), Alexander Pope discusses the art of literary criticism in heroic couplets.

He analyses the causes of faulty criticism — such as pride, envy, prejudice, and lack of classical learning.

He characterizes the good critics — emphasizing qualities like humility, knowledge of the classics, sound judgment, and a love for truth.

He also praises great critics of the past, like Aristotle, Horace, and Longinus.


Information Booster:

Famous lines: “A little learning is a dangerous thing” and “To err is human, to forgive, divine” originated from this poem.

An Essay on Criticism was written when Pope was only 23 years old and became a significant work for its insights on literary taste.

The poem is divided into three parts: (1) the rules of good criticism, (2) the causes of bad criticism, and (3) the characteristics of a good critic.

True taste is natural, but it needs refinement through study.

Criticism should be constructive and aim to improve art, not destroy it.

Key Points:

Pope emphasizes “Nature” as the ultimate guide for both poets and critics.

He identifies traits of poor criticism, such as partiality, pride, ignorance, and false judgment.

The poem advocates balance between knowledge and creativity in criticism.