The two most important elements in Alexander Pope's life were his being born a Catholic and his contracting, during his twelfth year, a severe tubercular infection from which he never fully recovered. Because of his Catholicism, Pope was compelled to live outside of London and was not allowed to enroll in a formal university program. ... Arbuthnot to "this long disease, my life,"" is no literary confabulation but an accurate description of his sufferings (Adler Internet; Gurney Internet). ... Pope's masterful translation of the Iliad, from which he earned £9,000, enabled h...

• Word Count: 590
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: Graduate