English: Epigrams from "Essay on Man" by Alexander Pope

What is the speaker saying in lines 3-4: "Plac'd on this isthmus of a middle state, A being darkly wise, and rudely great"?

First, an isthmus is a narrow piece of land connecting two larger pieces, such as the area in southern Panama that connects Central America to South America. However, Pope is using the term figuratively, comparing the man who seeks to study mankind as an isthmus between two larger bodies: a being that is "darkly wise" and one that is "rudely great." Both of these are different sides of humanity and each one is sort of its own paradox. The first is wise, but also dark, meaning there's still plenty of ignorance and mistakes to be made. The second is "great," but only "rudely" so, meaning that man is often capable of greatness and absolute rudeness at any given moment.

What is the human condition compared to in Line 3 and how does this metaphor sum up humanity's "middle state"?

In Line 3, the speaker compares man to an isthmus, or land that connects two larger bodies of land. Like an isthmus, man is constantly being stretched between two larger things, which are the two sides of man that the speaker goes on to explain.

What advice is given in the first couple of lines? What attitude towards God do these lines convey?

The advice that the speaker gives is to know yourself. He is saying that since God can't be fully understood, you should instead focus on studying the human condition.

What is the speaker saying in lines 5-6: "With too much knowledge for the sceptic side, With too much weakness for the stoic's pride"?

The speaker continues to explain the paradox of humanity, saying first that the skeptic, who is often very wary of believing what he hears or sees, knows too many things are true in the world to disbelieve them all. This could also be a religious statement, meaning that even the biggest religious skeptic has seen too many signs of God's existence to completely deny belief. In the second line, a stoic is a person who works to keep their emotions in check in life, never getting too excited or angry about anything. However, the speaker is saying that mankind is too weak to keep up that stoicism forever.

What is the speaker saying in lines 7-8: "He hangs between; in doubt to act, or rest;In doubt to deem himself a god, or beast"?

The speaker is first pointing out that man is always stuck in between with doubt being so strong that it keeps them from being able to take action or to rest properly. This doubt also keeps man from considering himself as grand as a god or as lowly as a beast, staying stuck in the middle.

What is the speaker saying in lines 15-16: "Created half to rise, and half to fall;Great lord of all things, yet a prey to all"?

The speaker is saying that half of man is created to rise and half created to fall. This could mean that some live and some die, some gain success and riches while some are poor and stricken, or that within each person is the potential to rise or fall. In the second of the two lines, the speaker is saying that man is "Great lord of all things," meaning that man is meant to be the master of all things that are on Earth. However, man is also "prey to all," meaning that seemingly almost anything can cause a person's death.

What is the speaker saying in lines 13-14: "Chaos of thought and passion, all confus'd; Still by himself abus'd, or disabus'd"?

The speaker is saying that man is full of chaos created by different thoughts and passions, causing him to be confused. The second line says that man is still abused by himself, meaning that many people are too hard on themselves. Or, they are "disabus'd," meaning that people don't look at themselves critically when they really should.

What is the speaker saying in lines 9-10: "In doubt his mind or body to prefer;Born but to die, and reas'ning but to err"?

The speaker is saying that man is in doubt over whether he should prefer his mind or his body because the body will eventually die and the mind is destined to make mistakes.

What is the speaker saying in lines 17-18: "Sole judge of truth, in endless error hurl'd:The glory, jest, and riddle of the world!"?

The speaker is saying that man is the only creature that can judge truth but is also burdened by endless errors. In the last line, he says that man is simultaneously the glory of the world, the joke of the world, and a complete mystery!

What is the speaker saying in lines 1-2: "Know then thyself, presume not God to scan; The proper study of mankind is man"?

The speaker is telling the reader to take the measure of their own character—not to just live life however you want and let God sort it out later. He says that man should be the ones who study mankind.

Overall, what is the speaker trying to say about human nature?

The speaker is trying to tell us that part of human nature is that we are full of contradictions. Thinking we are wise will show that we are ignorant of something. If we try to stay strong and stoic, our weakness will undoubtedly come shining through at some point. We are the glory of the world, its joke, and a mystery all at the same time.

What is the speaker saying in lines 11-12: "Alike in ignorance, his reason such,Whether he thinks too little, or too much"?

This is a continuation of the last two lines, saying that, just like doubting his reasoning abilities, man also isn't sure whether he thinks too much or not enough. Either one can lead a person to ignorance.

This word means a thing said or done for amusement; a joke

jest

This word means a person who tends to be suspicious about the statements of others

skeptic

This word means a person who appears to be unaffected by pain or pleasure

stoic