Alexander Pope, widely considered the most prominent English poet of the early 18th century, wrote "Ode on Solitude" in 1700—when he was only 12 years old! The poem bears little resemblance to the later satirical work for which he is mostly known; in a style that is more or less earnest and contemplative, this "Ode" praises people who live simple and solitary lives, arguing that the happiest people are self-sufficient and unconcerned with the opinions or recognition of others.
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The Full Text of “Ode on Solitude”
1Happy the man, whose wish and care
2 A few paternal acres bound,
3Content to breathe his native air,
4 In his own ground.
5Whose herds with milk, whose fields with bread,
6 Whose flocks supply him with attire,
7Whose trees in summer yield him shade,
8 In winter fire.
9Blest, who can unconcernedly find
10 Hours, days, and years slide soft away,
11In health of body, peace of mind,
12 Quiet by day,
13Sound sleep by night; study and ease,
14 Together mixed; sweet recreation;
15And innocence, which most does please,
16 With meditation.
17Thus let me live, unseen, unknown;
18 Thus unlamented let me die;
19Steal from the world, and not a stone
20 Tell where I lie.
The Full Text of “Ode on Solitude”
1Happy the man, whose wish and care
2 A few paternal acres bound,
3Content to breathe his native air,
4 In his own ground.
5Whose herds with milk, whose fields with bread,
6 Whose flocks supply him with attire,
7Whose trees in summer yield him shade,
8 In winter fire.
9Blest, who can unconcernedly find
10 Hours, days, and years slide soft away,
11In health of body, peace of mind,
12 Quiet by day,
13Sound sleep by night; study and ease,
14 Together mixed; sweet recreation;
15And innocence, which most does please,
16 With meditation.
17Thus let me live, unseen, unknown;
18 Thus unlamented let me die;
19Steal from the world, and not a stone
20 Tell where I lie.
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“Ode on Solitude” Summary
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“Ode on Solitude” Themes
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Solitude, Simplicity, and Self-Sufficiency
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Line-by-Line Explanation & Analysis of “Ode on Solitude”
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Lines 1-4
Happy the man, whose wish and care
A few paternal acres bound,
Content to breathe his native air,
In his own ground. -
Lines 5-8
Whose herds with milk, whose fields with bread,
Whose flocks supply him with attire,
Whose trees in summer yield him shade,
In winter fire. -
Lines 9-10
Blest, who can unconcernedly find
Hours, days, and years slide soft away, -
Lines 11-16
In health of body, peace of mind,
Quiet by day,
Sound sleep by night; study and ease,
Together mixed; sweet recreation;
And innocence, which most does please,
With meditation. -
Lines 17-20
Thus let me live, unseen, unknown;
Thus unlamented let me die;
Steal from the world, and not a stone
Tell where I lie.
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“Ode on Solitude” Poetic Devices & Figurative Language
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Consonance
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Assonance
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Alliteration
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Caesura
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Anaphora
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Enjambment
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Asyndeton
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Parallelism
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“Ode on Solitude” 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.
- Happy
- Paternal
- Acres
- Bound
- Flocks
- Attire
- Yield
- Blest
- Unconcernedly
- Recreation
- Meditation
- Unlamented
- Steal
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- See where this vocabulary word appears in the poem.
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Form, Meter, & Rhyme Scheme of “Ode on Solitude”
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Form
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Meter
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Rhyme Scheme
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“Ode on Solitude” Speaker
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“Ode on Solitude” Setting
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Literary and Historical Context of “Ode on Solitude”
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More “Ode on Solitude” Resources
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External Resources
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Pope's Publications — Visit the British Library's website to see images of some of Pope's manuscripts.
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A Reading of the Poem — Listen to the poem read aloud.
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A Biography of the Poet — Visit the Poetry Foundation to learn more about Pope's life and work.
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Neoclassicism and the Augustan Age — Learn more about Pope's era and the literary movements he's associated with.
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Quotable Quotes — Read some of Pope's famous quips: he's one of the most oft-quoted writers in the English language!
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LitCharts on Other Poems by Alexander Pope
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