Write the substance and explanation of the poem entitle The Essay on Man

Write the substance and explanation of the poem entitled The Essay on Man (Lines 1-30).

Ans.

Substance of the Poem

The poem deals with man’s relation to himself. He wishes to depict that there is nothing wrong with the scheme of the universe. This scheme is perfect and it is not the business of man to probe God but he should try to know himself and not leave it for God to judge and criticise. The thinkers and the scientists of those days must follow it in their life. Man must try to study himself and should not presume that he can study God and nature. Man is the mixture of various characteristics; he is good as well as bad, strong as well as weak. Man’s position in the universe is middle and over him, there is only the world of God. Man is neither a god nor an animal. He is often led to wrong conclusions.

Explanations

(1) He hangs between; in doubt to act, or rest.

In doubt to deem himself a god, or beast :

In doubt his Mind or Body to prefer,

Born but to die, and reas’ning but to err:

Reference to the Context: These lines have been taken from Essay on Man, one of the most popular didactic works by Alexander Pope.

The poet presents the real position of man in the universe and makes various philosophical comments on the status of man. His position is in the middle.

Explanation: The poet says that the position of man is quite uncertain. He is continuously hanging between faith and doubt and so he fails to take any strong and final decision. He cannot make certain whether he should work or not. His state in the universe is also equally uncertain because it is unable to decide for him whether he should work like animals or like gods follow the path of religion and spirituality and develop his intellect or enjoy physical pleasures of the world. The fact is that man is mortal, he is born to die. His wisdom and intelligence often take him to the wrong path. So, he frequently commits mistakes.

Comments: Here Pope is completely didactic. Indirectly this is an advice to man that we must take great care.

(2) Created half to rise, and half to fall :

Great lord of all things, yet, prey to all:

Sole judge of Truth, in endless Error hurl’d:

The glory jest, and riddle of the world!

Reference to the Context: As above. The poet tells that the state of indecision is very harmful for man but he is helpless. He is born to die and however much he may think, he will remain ignorant. He is attracted sometimes to one and sometimes to the other path and does not know which is right for him.

Explanation: In this state, man runs aimlessly here and there. He cannot decide the aim of his life. That is why, there is no stability. Man works according to his ideas, he is undoubtedly the master of the world and is superior to all the other creatures. Still it is his fate that he is the victim of evils and weaknesses. He falls a prey to poisonous creatures and dies. Man will have to choose the path of his life himself. In his life, he commits numberless evils and mistakes because it is his fate. Inspite of holding a peculiar position, he makes himself an object of his own ridicule.

Comments: This is the most sane advise of Pope.

(3) Go, wondrous creature ! mount where Science guides;

Go, measure earth, weigh air, and state the tides;

Instruct the planets in what orbs to run,

Correct old Time, and regulate the sun:

Go, soar with Plato to th’ empyreal sphere,

To the first good, first perfect, and first fair:

Reference to the Context: These lines have been extracted from the poem, ‘Essay on Man’ by Alexander Pope. Man is a puzzling creature and it is very difficult to define him in absolute terms.

Explanation: Addressing man as a wonderful creature, the poet asks him to do what science (his mind) asks him to do. He asks him to try to accomplish the impossible feats such as measuring the earth, weighing air and directing the of the rise and fall of sea waves. The poet would like man to instruct the planets in what sphere they ought to run. If he is really a wonderful creature, he would like him to accomplish the impossible task of regulating the movement of the sun and correcting of old Time. If man is really as great as he thinks himself to be, he (the poet) would like him to soar high to the sky or heaven and create an ideal imaginary world. It is obvious that man cannot accomplish these impossible feats and so he should not think too high of himself and remain in his limits.