The Essay on Criticism is divided into different sections in which Alexander Pope shares his thoughts on the proper rules and etiquette for critics. In how many sections was the essay divided?

Correct option is A

Explanation:

Alexander Pope’s An Essay on Criticism (1711) is a didactic poem written in heroic couplets. It is divided into three sections, each focusing on different aspects of literary criticism.

Three Sections of An Essay on Criticism

Part 1 – Discusses the nature of critics and criticism.
    -Warns against pride and ignorance in criticism.
    -Advises critics to follow Nature and classical models.
    -Famous lines: "To err is human, to forgive divine."

Part 2 – Lists common faults of critics.
    -Mentions false learning, superficial judgment, and blind admiration.
    -Encourages balanced criticism and avoiding extremes.
    -Famous lines: "A little learning is a dangerous thing."

Part 3 – Describes the ideal critic.
    -A good critic must have knowledge, judgment, and humility.
    -Criticism should be constructive, not destructive.
    -Inspired by Aristotle, Horace, and Longinus.

Information Booster:

An Essay on Criticism, didactic poem in heroic couplets by Alexander Pope, first published anonymously when the author was 22 years old. Although inspired by Horace’s Ars poetica, this work of literary criticism borrowed from the writers of the Augustan Age. In it Pope set out poetic rules, a Neoclassical compendium of maxims, with a combination of ambitious argument and great stylistic assurance. The poem received much attention and brought Pope a wider circle of friends, notably Joseph Addison and Richard Steele, who were then collaborating on The Spectator. The first of the poem’s three sections opens with the argument that good taste derives from Nature and that critics should imitate the ancient rules established by classical writers. The second section lists the many ways in which critics have deviated from these rules. In this part Pope stressed the importance of onomatopoeia in prosody, suggesting that the movement of sound and metre should represent the actions they carry. The final section, which discusses the characteristics of a good critic, concludes with a short history of literary criticism and a catalog of famous critics. The work’s brilliantly polished epigrams while not original, have become part of the proverbial heritage of the English language.

Written in Heroic Couplets – Pairs of rhymed lines in iambic pentameter (five beats per line).

Influenced by Classical Writers – Pope follows the tradition of Horace, Aristotle, and Quintilian in literary criticism.

Purpose of the Poem:

-To define good criticism and warn against bad criticism.
-To promote reason, wit, and balance in literature.

-Famous Epigrams from the Poem:
"Fools rush in where angels fear to tread."
"For fools admire, but men of sense approve."
"Good nature and good sense must ever join; to err is human, to forgive divine."

Impact on English Literature:
-Established guidelines for literary criticism.
-Influenced 18th-century neoclassical literature.
-Inspired writers like Samuel Johnson and Dryden.