An Essay on Man
Alexander Pope
Read by Martin Geeson
Pope’s Essay on Man, a masterpiece of concise summary in itself, can fairly be summed up as an optimistic enquiry into mankind’s place in the vast Chain of Being.
Each of the poem’s four Epistles takes a different perspective, presenting Man in relation to the universe, as individual, in society and, finally, tracing his prospects for achieving the goal of happiness.
In choosing stately rhyming couplets to explore his theme, Pope sometimes becomes obscure through compressing his language overmuch. By and large, the work is a triumphant exercise in philosophical poetry, communicating its broad and commonplace truths in superbly balanced phrases which remind us that Pope, alas, is one of the most quoted but least read writers in English:
“Hope springs eternal in the human breast: Man never is, but always To be Blest.”
(Summary by Martin Geeson) (1 hr 47 min)
Chapters
| Author's Preface | 5:00 | Read by Martin Geeson |
| Epistle I | 23:05 | Read by Martin Geeson |
| Epistle II | 22:54 | Read by Martin Geeson |
| Epistle III | 25:43 | Read by Martin Geeson |
| Epistle IV | 31:10 | Read by Martin Geeson |
Reviews
Geeson reads Pope superbly!
Joseph A. Marcus
Martin Geeson, who has contributed his time and talents in enormous measure to Librivox projects, does an excellent job narrating Pope's "An Essay on Man." He reads with great clarity, precision, accuracy and sensitivity — neither monotonous nor melodramatic, with perfect pronunciation, enunciation and phrasing indicative of an obviously deep and appreciative understanding of this poem. I suppose some listeners will be put off by Pope's extreme theodicy — and think immediately of Leibniz and Dr. Pangloss in Voltaire's "Candide" — but "An Essay on Man" is a jam-packed with famous phrases, wit, and historical significance. Thanks to Mr. Geeson's carefully nuanced reading, it is easy on the ears to listen to his recording repeatedly, which is useful since, whereas Pope is not really all that difficult, we are talking early 18th-Century English and a classic work densely packed with important philosophical ideas and allusions.
Matthew ferrari
great poems, read it to my babies👍 it's illuminati propaganda but they always have the best music and entertainment, the silver tongue you know😂
life a river
jJ
the format makes it feel life a river so glad that alexander pope chose
A Pope is a gaint
mush max
A great teacher
Know then thyself, presume not God to scan, The proper study of mankind is Man.
adam
Inspired and quite true. Wonderful to hear the context of so many well known quotations that are part of the English language now. Well read. Thank you.