Pope's use of critical personae in select annotated Moral essays and Horatian satires
Date
1987
Authors
Hudacin, Nancy Ellen
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Abstract
This paper examines Alexander Pope's use of critical personae in select annotated Moral Essays and Horatian Satires . Specifically, the satires discussed are as follows: "Epistle I (To Cobham)," "Epistle II (To a Lady )," "Epistle III (To Bathurst )," "Epistle IV (To Burling ton)," "The First Satire of the Second Book of Horace, Imitated," "Sober Advice from Horace," "An Epistle from Mr. Pope to Dr. Arbuthnot," "The First Epistle of the Second Book of Horace, Imitated," "The First Epistle of the First Book of Horace , Imitated," "Epilogue to the Satires ,Dialogue I ," and "Epilogue to the Satires , Dialogue II." Various critical personae are identified, such as the knowledgeable critic , the naive critic , " Bentley ," "pseudo-Bentley," and "Curl." There is a detailed analysis of the relationship of these personae to the notes in which they appear, as well as an examination of their relationship to the poetical personae which exist in the poems.
The thesis addresses the manner in which the notes, and their respective critical personae , "amplify, complicate or ironically deepen" the poetry . The critical personae interact with the poetical personae, both supporting and challenging the position assumed by the dominant poetic speaker. The effect of so doing is that Pope successfully speaks to his main issues: false taste, bad sense, the misuse of riches, vice, and corruption. Furthermore, the subtle 'interaction ,between the poetical and the critical personae exhibits Pope's skill and ability as a writer, and allows him an opportunity to demonstrate his writing skills.
Although the absence of the notes does not affect the integrity of the poetry - it is amusing, provocative, and clever without the annotations, as well as with them - the addition of the critical commentary increases the humour and the sharp socio/political satire. Pope achieves this by allowing the critical personae both to echo his own sentiments (i.e. the knowledgeable critic), and challenge his basic propositions (i.e. "Bentley"). In fact, "Bentley" regards the "Imitator" as an incompetent who cannot read Latin. However, Pope manipulates this persona in such a way that "Bentley" damns himself, thereby increasing the distance between himself and the "Imitator." Ultimately, it is Pope who emerges triumphant.
The Moral Essays and Horatian Satires were written with the intention of addressing the moral ills which Pope perceived in his world. He believed that modernism ("madness"), corruption, and vice had gripped the universe. Only something as forceful as specific satire could potentially restore moral order. His poetry embodies just that: specific attacks on specific individuals. The critical personae aid him to this end, and their interaction with the poetical personae strengthens Pope's cause. The result of this "collaboration" (unconscious on the part of some of the personae), enriches the reader's experience with the poetry.