Samuel Johnson

Samuel Johnson was an 18th-century English poet, critic, and lexicographer. His poetry is known for its moral seriousness, classical restraint, and satirical insight into human folly. Biography ↓More ↓

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Samuel Johnson was an 18th-century English poet, critic, and lexicographer, and a central figure of the Augustan literary era. His major poems, 'London' (1738) and 'The Vanity of Human Wishes' (1749), are imitations of Juvenal that use heroic couplets to satirize contemporary society and reflect on universal human frailties. Johnson’s poetry addresses themes such as the futility of ambition, the illusions of happiness, and the need for moral resilience. His style is marked by formal precision, balanced antitheses, and a grave, didactic tone. Beyond his poetry, he is renowned for his 'Dictionary of the English Language' (1755), his critical essays in 'The Rambler' and 'The Idler', and his influential 'Lives of the Poets'. Johnson’s literary authority shaped English taste and criticism for generations, making him one of the most important figures in English letters.

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