The Vanity of Human Wishes

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The Vanity of Human Wishes

poem by Johnson

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discussed in biography

In Samuel Johnson: The Vanity of Human Wishes
In 1749 Johnson published The Vanity of Human Wishes, his most impressive poem as well as the first work published with his name. It is a panoramic survey of the futility of human pursuit of greatness and happiness. Like London,…
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English literature

In English literature: Johnson’s poetry and prose
Johnson’s finest poem, The Vanity of Human Wishes (1749), also takes its cue from Juvenal, this time his 10th satire. It is a tragic meditation on the pitiful spectacle of human unfulfillment, yet it ends with an urgent prayer of Christian hope.
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