“From An Essay on Criticism: A little learning is a dangerous thing” Introduction

• Read the full text of “From An Essay on Criticism: A little learning is a dangerous thing”

“From An Essay on Criticism: A little learning is a dangerous thing” Summary

“From An Essay on Criticism: A little learning is a dangerous thing” Themes

• 

  Shallow Learning vs. Deep Understanding

  • See where this theme is active in the poem.

Line-by-Line Explanation & Analysis of “From An Essay on Criticism: A little learning is a dangerous thing”

• Lines 1-4

  A little learning is a dangerous thing;
  Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring:
  There shallow draughts intoxicate the brain,
  And drinking largely sobers us again.

  

  

  

  

  Unlock with LitCharts A⁺

• Lines 5-8

  Fired at first sight with what the Muse imparts,
  In fearless youth we tempt the heights of Arts,
  While from the bounded level of our mind,
  Short views we take, nor see the lengths behind,

  

  

  

  

  Unlock with LitCharts A⁺

• Lines 9-10

  But, more advanced, behold with strange surprise
  New, distant scenes of endless science rise!

  

  

  

  

  Unlock with LitCharts A⁺

• Lines 11-14

  So pleased at first, the towering Alps we try,
  Mount o'er the vales, and seem to tread the sky;
  The eternal snows appear already past,
  And the first clouds and mountains seem the last;

  

  

  

  

  Unlock with LitCharts A⁺

• Lines 15-18

  But those attained, we tremble to survey
  The growing labours of the lengthened way,
  The increasing prospect tires our wandering eyes,
  Hills peep o'er hills, and Alps on Alps arise!

  

  

  

  

  Unlock with LitCharts A⁺

“From An Essay on Criticism: A little learning is a dangerous thing” Symbols

• 

  The Mountains/Alps

  • See where this symbol appears in the poem.

“From An Essay on Criticism: A little learning is a dangerous thing” Poetic Devices & Figurative Language

• Alliteration

  

  

  

  

  Unlock with LitCharts A⁺
  • See where this poetic device appears in the poem.

• Antithesis

  

  

  

  

  Unlock with LitCharts A⁺
  • See where this poetic device appears in the poem.

• Irony

  

  

  

  

  Unlock with LitCharts A⁺
  • See where this poetic device appears in the poem.

• Extended Metaphor

  

  

  

  

  Unlock with LitCharts A⁺
  • See where this poetic device appears in the poem.

• Repetition

  

  

  

  

  Unlock with LitCharts A⁺
  • See where this poetic device appears in the poem.

“From An Essay on Criticism: A little learning is a dangerous thing” Vocabulary

Select any word below to get its definition in the context of the poem. The words are listed in the order in which they appear in the poem.

• A little learning
• Pierian spring
• Draughts
• Intoxicate
• Largely
• Sobers
• Fired
• The Muse
• Imparts
• Tempt
• Bounded level
• Short views
• Science
• Alps
• Mount
• O'er
• Vales
• Tread
• Attained
• Survey
• The lengthened way
• Prospect
• Peep

• • See where this vocabulary word appears in the poem.

Form, Meter, & Rhyme Scheme of “From An Essay on Criticism: A little learning is a dangerous thing”

• Form

• Meter

• Rhyme Scheme

“From An Essay on Criticism: A little learning is a dangerous thing” Speaker

“From An Essay on Criticism: A little learning is a dangerous thing” Setting

Literary and Historical Context of “From An Essay on Criticism: A little learning is a dangerous thing”

More “From An Essay on Criticism: A little learning is a dangerous thing” Resources

• External Resources

  • The Poem Aloud — Listen to an audiobook of Pope's "Essay on Criticism" (the "A little learning" passage starts at 12:57).

  • The Poet's Life — Read a biography of Alexander Pope at the Poetry Foundation.

  • "Alexander Pope: Rediscovering a Genius" — Watch a BBC documentary on Alexander Pope.

  • More on Pope's Life — A summary of Pope's life and work at Poets.org.

  • Pope at the British Library — More resources and articles on the poet.

• LitCharts on Other Poems by Alexander Pope

  • Ode on Solitude