Theme in an Essay on Man

Quinton Clark

Professor Cain

Int. Lit. 210.08

22 September 2005

Theme in An Essay on Man

An Essay on Man strives to put into perspective man’s place in this universe, as well as God’s dominion over man.

Man only knows what is possible for him to know. There is a God who has in His infinite wisdom created man and all else in all universes. He has allotted man a time and place in his creation for reasons unknown. In Epistle I, lines 17 -18, Pope writes: “Say first, of God above, or man. Below, what can we reason but from what we know?” (Pope 829). Here, Pope tries to explain how man’s perspective is limited to his own mind. Through his five senses he reasons only what those senses tell him. Man knows his station in life, he can only fathom what lies beyond. Man knows