The Christian Perspective in an Essay on Man Some might argue that Alexander Pope's "An Essay on Man" presents the viewpoint of a deist. Others might argue that the poem fails to expound Christian concepts of good and evil, especially since the poet concludes his first epistle with the seemingly non-Christian statement that "all that IS, is right" (I. 1. 294). Yet Pope's arguments actually reflect a traditional Christian perspective, which can be verified by comparing his poetry to the teachings of the New Testament. In his attempt to vindicate God in the face of suffering, he does not, like the pantheist, exclude the existence of evil. The Pope knows that men are capable of vice and that suffering is real. The Pope does not claim that evil does not exist; rather he argues that its existence does not preclude the justice of God. Like the writers of the New Testament, particularly the apostle Paul, the Pope states that pride and envy lead man to question the justice of God , and insists that men submit to God, remaining content with their lot in life. Although the Pope states that "[a] truth is clear: 'All that is, is right'" (I. 1.294), he acknowledges suffering: But nature does not err from this merciful end, from burning suns when livid dead descend, when earthquakes engulf, or when storms sweep cities into a grave, entire nations into the abyss? , paints a horrific picture of plagues caused by excessive heat, of destructive earthquakes, and of storms decimating entire cities and nations. He also writes of Ammon, who was “left free to scourge mankind” (I. l. 160). maintain that nature does not err... in the middle of the paper... he himself realizes this for a moment at the end of the second epistle. In fact, he does not conclude by attempting to explain the existence of evil comfort has yet to arise, / It is this, though man be a fool, yet GOD IS WISE" (II. ll. 292-293). In the end, it is better to believe that every man (including the Pope) is a fool for failing to explain evil than to believe that God is unwise for allowing it. This couplet is further evidence of Christian influence in Pope's "Essay on Man." In the Letter to the Romans, Paul writes: "Let God be truthful, but let every man be a liar" (Romans 3:4). Works Cited Pope, Alessandro. "An essay on man." Ed. Gordon N. Ray. Boston: Houghton Miflin Company, 1969. The New American Bible. Nashville: Catholic Publishers, Inc., 1971. The King James Bible. Cleveland: The World Publishing House, 1967.