Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In "epigram. Ozell's Translation of Boileau's Lutrin," Alexander Pope skewers John Ozell, a translator known for his renditions of French literature into english. The poem serves as a satirical indictment not only of Ozell but also of the broader literary milieu that Pope sees as promoting mediocrity. This epigram is laden with Pope's signature wit, finely crafted meter, and biting irony, encapsulating his disdain for those he considers subpar in the literary realm.

The poem opens with a jab at both Ozell and e. Sanger, presumably a publisher or patron who commissioned the translation. Pope suggests that Ozell's poetic abilities are as mediocre as Sanger's taste, stating, "His numbers such, as Sanger's self might use." This line carries a double entendre: "numbers" can refer to poetic meter or simply to the quantity of work. Pope insinuates that both the quality and the quantity are equally abysmal.

Pope then takes aim at Ozell's translations, stating that he revives Perault while "murd'ring Boileau." This line packs a critical punch. Charles Perrault was a French writer known for popularizing fairy tales, and his works were not held in the same critical esteem as those of Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux, a respected French critic and poet. By saying that Ozell revives Perrault while killing Boileau, Pope implies that Ozell's translations reduce great works to a level of mediocrity, destroying their essence.

Ozell's purported slander of William Wycherley, another english playwright, is also noted, though Pope suggests that Wycherley should not be too offended because Ozell's praise is itself a form of slander. Pope's satire is relentless; he's saying that being criticized by Ozell could be a compliment because his judgments are so poor.

The epigram concludes by taking a swipe at Nicholas Rowe, an english dramatist who praised Ozell's work. Pope sarcastically commends the "great, how just, the Judgment of that Writer!" who could simultaneously damn Wycherley's "Plain-dealer" while endorsing Ozell. Here, Pope isn't just attacking Ozell; he's critiquing an entire system that he sees as rewarding mediocrity while overlooking genuine talent.

In a compact form, Pope manages to critique not just a poorly executed translation but an entire ecosystem of literary patronage and criticism that he finds lacking in discernment and taste. His epigram serves as a microcosm of his broader concerns about literary culture, rendered with the precision and incisiveness that make him one of the great satirical poets.

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