An Essay on Satire, Particularly on the Dunciad

This scholarly treatise offers a clear‑headed look at how eighteenth‑century critics understood satire, using Alexander Pope’s celebrated mock‑epic as a focal point. It traces two long‑standing ways of judging satirical work: one that emphasizes its coarse, confrontational roots in Elizabethan tradition, and another that aligns it with the higher, more polished standards set by classical models. By laying out these opposing lenses, the essay invites listeners to see how the genre’s reputation shifted over time.

The author also shares a personal dimension, recounting his own indebtedness to Pope and the mentorship that shaped his critical voice. Alongside this, the text explains why reviving the work matters today, highlighting its rarity in modern editions and its potential to deepen appreciation of Pope’s influence. Listeners will come away with a richer sense of satire’s evolving status and the scholarly conversation that still surrounds one of its most famous examples.