Page 81 - DENG402_HISTORY_OF_ENGLISH_LITERATURE

History of English Literature

Notes 10.5 Summary

Pope, in short, represents the best as well as the worst in the poetic diction of the 18th
century.
Robert Bridges is a great stylist of the 20th century, who tries consciously to cultivate an
effective and elevated poetic style.
Satire differs from humour in that it has a definite moral purpose. “It is our purpose, Crites,
to correct/and punish with our laughter......” says Mercury in Cynthia’s Revels.
Winny contends that Chaucer does not see his company of pilgrims simply as an incongru-
ous assortment of pantomime figures, to be enjoyed for their grotesquely comic oddity.

10.6 Keywords
Pope : Pope was called "The Wicked Wasp of Twickenham" for his stinging
literary satires of his fellow writers.
Poetic Diction : Poetic diction means the choice and arrangement of words in a
line of poetry.

10.7 Review Questions

1. Who was pope? Explain.
2. What is Heroic couplet?
3. What is Poetic Diction? Explain.
4. What is satire? Explain.

Answers : Self Assessment

1. Essay on criticism 2. English literature 3. Geoffrey Chaucer
4. Alexander pope 5. Sun

10.8 Further Readings

Books The Concise Cambridge History of English Literature, 3rd edition CUP, New
Delhi 2005: Sampson, George.
An outline of History of English Literature, G. Bell and sons, London, 1930:
Hudson, W.H.
A critical history of English literature, IV Vol, 2nd ed. Ronald, New York, 1970:
Daiches, David.

Online links www.enotes.com/alexander-pope-criticism/pope-alexander-79090/introduction
neoenglishsystem.blogspot.com/2010/12/heroic-couplet.html
neoenglish.wordpress.com/2010/12/27/poetic-diction/

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