Comparing A Modest Proposal And The Rape Of The Lock
426 Words2 Pages
The Enlightenment, a period during the 18th century commonly called the “Age of Reason,” valued reason over irrationality. Happiness, pleasure, science, reasoning, religion, punishment, prison, and the separation of public and private affairs are all important aspects of Enlightenment. Authors during this time used wit and satire to challenge issues of equality. Although “A Modest Proposal” and “The Rape of The Lock” are both great examples of Authors’ use of satire for social justice, Alexander Pope’s “An Essay On Man” most clearly exemplifies the value of reasoning and happiness, two important ideals of The Enlightenment. Reasoning was the main idea of the Enlightenment, and Pope encouraged the human race to reason for their own good. He questions the human ability to reason when he asks, “What can we reason, but from what we know?” (Pope II.18) Essentially, the line is saying how mankind can only reason with what information they already have. Pope uses the second epistle to address man’s ability to reason, and suggest that they look for evidence in the information they receive from people,…show more content… They do not have to wait for another world, somewhere higher and purer; there is a road to happiness in life on Earth, and it is humankind’s goal and purpose to find their inner happiness and peace. Pope reinforces his views on enlightenment when he says, “What nothing earthly gives, or can destroy, / The soul’s calm sunshine, and the heart-felt joy, / Is virtue’s prize: a better would you fix?” (Pope IV.167-69) This means that nothing worldly can add to your happiness or take away from it; happiness doesn’t come from materialistic items, money, popularity, your blood lines, etc., but rather from good