ENGLISH LITERATURE (CBSE/UGC NET)

Detailed explanation-1: -The Vanity of Human Wishes: The Tenth Satire of Juvenal Imitated is a poem by the English author Samuel Johnson. It was written in late 1748 and published in 1749 (see 1749 in poetry).

Detailed explanation-2: -It is a long poem of twenty five stanzas with varying lengths written in heroic couplet. The ambitious speaker investigates all the kinds of human beings and their desires and wishes, which ultimately comes to the point of futility.

Detailed explanation-3: -from The Vanity of Human Wishes by Samuel Johnson | Poetry Foundation.

Detailed explanation-4: -Power is a big theme in “The Vanity of Human Wishes.” The speaker explores all types of power: from political power to sexual power to intellectual power. Johnson’s speaker suggests that power-and especially our pursuit of it-isn’t good for us. When we want power, we want control, but we can’t have control.

Detailed explanation-5: -First of all, the first half of the title-"The Vanity of Human Wishes"-suggests the pessimistic outlook of the poem. These words are telling us not to even try to have hopes, desires and wishes. They ain’t gonna come true. Or if they do, they will crumble into dust in no time.