
Pope never wrote an Ode on Solitude!!
The quotes I gave are from various poems of his.
As if I had never read Keats Ode to Solitude!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Most authorities agree that Pope's editing of Shakespeare was disastrous, as do I, but it was typical of the editorial fashion of the age. Samuel Johnson also made a similar mistake in tring to edit erroneously the masters works.
Did you know that King Lear was played with an happy ending until the late ninetenth century?
His other plays were similarly cut and distorted until the mid-twentieth century when fidelity to the artists' intentions became a principal concern.
About Shelley's 'Revolt of Islam', it is actually the edited version of 'Laon and Cythna', which was deemed unsuitable for publication due to its incestuous and politically subversive themes. Shelley was actually forced to 'reduce' the poem to see it in print.
Much as I would like to believe that Keats' poems, or any poems have improved 'civilization' (an oxymoron if ever there was one), if you think about it, poetry has often be used for evil purposes.
Much as I love Homer's Iliad, from generals of the ancient world right up to today, this work has inspired more bloodthirsty conquerors than practically any other (aside from 'The
Holy Bible').
Here's just a few names: Alexander, Caesar, Augustus, Trajan, Julian, Justinian, Charlemange, Napoleon, the list goes on of tyrants and murderers who have used poetry to inspire murder, rape and pillage to the detriment of humanity.
Even Shakespeare was used in the first and second world wars to inspire 'patriotic' feelings among the troops.
I would love to agree with Shelley that 'Poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world' but no-one today cares a fig for poesy - most world leaders are career politicians and barristers who are purely interested in their own greed and reputation than the improvement of their people - a far cry from Plato's call for a 'Philosopher King'.
I don't want to manke any enemies on here, all I ask is that you don't dismiss other poets who did not have the advantages of being born in the freer poetical atmosphere of Keats and his peers.
Poets of the era of Pope, Dryden, Gray etc. did not have the inclination to express their deepest feeelings - it just wasn't the done thing.
They all have their own merits - they aren't worse poets because of this, just different - don't be so judgmental.
P.S. don't use the name of 'friend' in such a detrimental way - to me this a sacred word not to be used lightly or in scorn. You may feel able to use this in a jokey way, but I am not so fortunate in this respect, not being so lucky as to actually have any.
PEACE, LOVE AND UNDERSTANDING, MAN!
"Oh what a misery it is to have an intellect in splints".