Alexander Pope

Alexander Pope (1688-1744), a poet, critic, and translator of Homer, was one of the most iconic figures in English literature. Despite not receiving a university education and being largely self-taught, he emerged as one of the most important English writers of the 18th century and was one of the first scholars to earn a living from his books (specifically his translation of the "Iliad"). Key milestones in his poetic work, which is imbued with a strong satirical spirit, include the "Essay on Criticism," "The Rape of the Lock," "The Dunciad," and "An Essay on Man."