Question

Which statements about Alexander Pope’s An Essay on Man are accurate? Check all that apply.

It is written in iambic pentameter.
It is written in heroic couplets.
It contains ten syllables per line.
It contains twelve syllables per line.
It uses parallelism to show optimism.
It uses parallelism to create rhythm.

Answer 1

Accurate statements (check all that apply):

- It is written in iambic pentameter. — True. Pope’s lines are predominantly iambic pentameter (five iambs per line).
- It is written in heroic couplets. — True. The poem is composed in rhymed pairs of iambic pentameter lines (heroic couplets).
- It contains ten syllables per line. — True. Iambic pentameter generally yields ten syllables per line.
- It contains twelve syllables per line. — False. The poem does not regularly use twelve-syllable lines.
- It uses parallelism to show optimism. — True. Pope employs parallel and balanced constructions to reinforce his optimistic, ordered view of the universe (e.g., the “all is right” argument).
- It uses parallelism to create rhythm. — True. Parallel structures contribute to the poem’s rhythmic regularity and rhetorical clarity.