Alexader Pope’s A Little Learning is a Dangerous Thing is a poem about youthful exuberance and aged wisdom. The poem seems to suggest that a small amount of education is dangerous and that to not deeply drink from the fountain of knowledge will cause intoxication. Lines one through four are a very interesting study. “A little learning is a dangerous thing;/Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring;/There shallow draughts intoxicate the brian,/And drinking largely sobers us again.” (Pope, 1709) Pope is speaking of the fire that having only a portion of the available information may cause. For example, a person reads an article and gains some information regarding a situation. The person is angry and rages around town about the information …show more content…
As a result, much of the education that Pope received, he received through his own pursuits after having been taught to read by his aunt. This poem being one of his earlier works, perhaps it was the search for knowledge which led Pope to pen A Little Learining. When the work is examined in this context, it is possible to read some of Pope’s frustrations at the early limitations placed on his education. The line, “New distant scenes of endless science rise” (Pope, 1709), could refer to the fact that Pope was striving to learn new things and while it was exciting to chase the new knowledge, it was difficult and exhausting. By being able to glimpse, by reading a little, a much more vast world of knowledge, frustration may have taken root, and by the end of the poem, Pope’s youthful exuberance for learning has been quelled somewhat by the obvious fact that he would never be able to learn everything, evidenced by his assertion that after having obtained the knowledge that was desperatley sought, “But those attained, we tremble to survey/The growing labours of the lengthened way;/The increasing prospect tires our wandering eyes,/Hill peep o’er hills, and Alps on Alps arise!” (Pope, 1709) It is in these lines where Pope shows the audience that no matter how much one learns, there is a vast amount of information that they will never know. It is impossible to attempt to discover how a formal …show more content…
This poem fits within the scope of the period due to its mention of arts and sciences. Its focus on those things which are measuarable and seen rather than the Romantic period that it followed. Pope, not only turned away from his Catholic upbringing but identified with those around him who believed that if something existed, then it was supposed to exist, without much faith that God had much to do with any of it. Knowing that Pope’s beliefs aligned with those writing during the Age of Reason and was focused on science rather than religion and arts more than the upper echelons of society makes the work clearer in its focus. Pope put his belief in those things that he could see, feel and experince rather than in something that was potentially hidden from his view. His loss of faith could be a result of the struggles that he went through when he was younger, simply by being associated with a certain religion. It could also be argued that by being born sickly, never reaching a normal height, having a twisted spine and other maladies which haunted him could have angered him at God, and he hoped that science could potentially provide him with some relief for some of his
In "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley, Victor Frankenstein creates a monster that brings chaos and deaths to Victor Frankenstein's family and friends for revenge. This is one example of how too much knowledge can be dangerous. In addition to Frankenstein, the classical novel, "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Hyde." exemplifies why too much knowledge can cause chaos. In the novel, Dr. Jekyll creates salt in his laboratory that changes his physical appearance. Thus makes an alter ego named Hyde who murders citizens of England for pleasure. This changes Dr. Jekyll since he keeps switching appearances until one day, he changes to Hyde permanently. These examples show that the misuse of knowledge is dangerous. From bringing misery to Frankenstein to changing into a murderous alter ego, humans cannot handle too much
Pope chose to utilize the heroic couplet to trivialize this mock- epic “But when to mischief mortals bend their will, how soon they find it instruments of ill!” (3. 53-54). He also employs in many instances, historic allusions to give the poem a serious feel “Fear the just Gods, and think of Scylla's fate! chang'd to a bird, and sent to flit in air, she dearl...
...lusion, the quest for more knowledge and power can only be perceived as bad if it twists and corrupts the mind. But in reality, it is indeed a good thing to gain more knowledge and the power that comes with it since development and human advancement cannot have come this far without it. Knowledge, a popular adage says, is power!
Albert Einstein once said “A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. So is a lot.” Knowledge can be good because it makes one successful. Then, it can also be very bad such as a criminal being too smart for the police, he or she can keep committing crime. Too much knowledge is dangerous because it may harm many, which means that many die or get scarred for life because of one simple guy with an excess of knowledge.
In the gothic novel Frankenstein, humans have a bottomless, motivating, but often dangerous thirst for knowledge. This idea was clearly illustrated throughout the novel by Mary Shelley. The three main characters in the novel shared the thirst for knowledge that later lead to their downfall. In the novel knowledge is a huge theme that led to atrocious life to anyone that tried to gain it. Knowledge is hazardous; therefore, I support Dr. Frankenstein’s warning about knowledge being dangerous and that knowledge shouldn’t be gained.
...cided to condemn Galileo’s work. While it does not discredit God’s power or the Bible, the overall tone of the scientist’s letter is quite sarcastic towards the clergy. While defending his first argument, Galileo appears to undermine the intellectual capabilities of his opponents. He implies that those who interpret the Holy Writ word for word belong to the “common people” whom he describes as “rude and unlearned”, and that other “wise expositors” should be the ones who search for the true meaning of the Bible. Galileo makes a similar implication while presenting his second argument, when he writes that the purpose of the Holy Scriptures is “infinitely beyond the comprehension of the common people”. The Catholic Church likely viewed these claims as an attempt to weaken its authority, which would explain why Galileo’s discoveries were condemned for nearly 300 years.
The theme of "man’s relationship to God and the universe" presented in Epistle 1 of Alexander Pope’s "An Essay on Man" complements Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe. Crusoe is an inconsistent character who turns to God whenever he is in need, yet fails to maintain respect for nature and for his fellow man. In the first year of Robinson Crusoe’s solitary life on the island, he falls ill and has a terrifying dream that alters his awareness of his place in the universe and God’s control of it. This experience leads him to contemplate his past ingratitude and to embark on a life of piety, reading the Bible daily, though without a drastic or permanent change in his character. Throughout his adventures in the novel, Crusoe has moments of awareness and appreciation of God, yet each moment of faith fades as he regains control over his situation. The ideals presented in the last three sections of Epistle 1 — that life exists in a "chain of being" and is interdependent, that the spirit of God exists in all things, and that man should accept existence as good — speak directly to the understanding that Crusoe comes to as a result of his illness and the life he leads throughout the novel.
This poem also grasps the concept of religion and how it plays a role in this work. The character sets himself on religion and makes that as his "sanctuary" from the sea. "Thus the joys of God are fervent wit...
Even though many of his writings and sermons did not last, The Canticle of Brother Sun has survived the many centuries and is now looked at as one of Francis’ greatest writings. The Canticle is a poem which talks of the different aspects of nature, such as earth, wind, and water, and praises God for creating them. The Canticle also contains many parallels to the gospels. After his experience in the church, Francis was inspired by the life of Jesus. As G. K. Chesterton says, “Francis of Assisi was a mirror of Christ”. Francis saw great promise in the life that Jesus lived in the gospels and tried to be an example of Him through his own work. The poem reveals many of Francis’ own teachings of chastity, poverty, and obedience along with the call to respect nature.
“Well, Marianne…for one morning I think you have done pretty well…. You know what he thinks of Cowper and Scott; you are certain of his estimating their beauties as he ought, and you have every assurance of his admiring Pope no more than proper.” (Chapter 10)
Just as it is human nature to feel desire, it is also human nature to long for an understanding of Earth’s unanswerable questions. Prior to scientific discoveries, humans developed their own means of understanding- religion. Although religion originally served as a means to explain natural phenomenona as well as spiritual ones, as science began to answer those kinds of questions, religion evolved to explain what science could not. Questions about the meaning of life and the mortality of man were answered in various formats. Unfortunately, as it is human nature to desire knowledge, it is also human nature to physically see manifestations of this knowledge. By creating immutable answers to mutable questions, mankind accidentally created a paradox. In order to achieve the answers that men desired, they must have faith in them. Since faith and doubt go hand in hand, it is impossible to have one without the other. For some, doubt wins over and they refuse to be associated with anything spiritual. Yet others are willing to take a leap of faith and believe in the unknown, their rational minds clinging to the idea that this knowledge will perhaps grant them immortality. After all, it is only human nature to desire survival. Nevertheless, doubt often worms itself into their minds, often in times of intense emotional time periods, often brought on by the grief over losing a loved one. Since art is often a reflection of the human mind, many works of art mirror the artist’s most intense emotional experiences. An example of such a work is Sir Alfred Tennyson’s series of poems, entitled In Memoriam A.H.H. These poems follow Tennyson throughout a three year mourning period after the sudden death of his close friend, Arthur Henry H...
Humans can not attain complete knowledge because we do not live long enough to. As humans, we’re biological beings and as such, share the destiny of eventual death. (http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_man_as_a_biological_being) The main character in the library is a man who is in the library and informs us of different sects and the different beliefs they hold of what true knowledge is, then points out the flaws in each of these sects’ beliefs; all the while, restating his own belief of an infinite library. He says, “Like all men of the library, I have traveled in my youth...in search of a book” (Pg 52). This sentence serves to show how just like any human, the man innately seeks knowledge. He goes on to say, “...now that my eyes can hardly decipher what I write, I am preparing to die…” (Pg 52). This sentence illustrates how the man realizes that his life is coming to an end. Further on, he talks about how his body will be thrown down a bottomless fall and right after, states his belief of an infinite library. He uses this imagery to portray the infiniteness of the...
...y men of the age. An affinity between them is revealed by Pope's empathy, fine judgements, and carefully aimed criticisms, and Pope must have been at least a little fascinated by the 'beau-monde' to apply his talents to this poem which, in an ironic way, celebrates Belinda and her world and, as Pope himself suggests in the final couplet of the poem, has preserved them for posterity.
There are three main issues that Pope talks about in his long poem "An Essay on Man." First, the poet evokes a timeless vision of humanity in which the universe is connected to a great chain that extends from God to the tiniest form of life. Secondly, Pope discusses God's plan in which evil must exist for the sake of the greater good, a paradox not fully understandable by human reason. Thirdly, the poem accuses human beings of being proud and impious. Pope feels that man claims more insight into the nature of existence then he possesses.
No,w in the twenty first century, many moral values have changed and stayed the same, even some of the Catholic views on the sins condemned in The Inferno have been changed and are now allowed. Throughout the epic, the morality of the dark age condemnation system are subjugated and scrutinized through analysis of the characters. After perusing The Inferno an obvious bias and contortion in the determination of good and evil, sinful and the righteous emerge. The views of the poem and in this essay were not an attempt to castigate catholicism at all, but to put into question the ideas and morality of the catholic church in the thirteen hundreds.