In Alexander Pope's "An Essay on Man", he depicts man's recognition of his actual role in the universe versus his perceived role that is dominated by pride, passion, and envy. Pope writes that man "Is the great chain, that draws all to agree, And drawn supports, upheld by God, or thee?" (I.I. 33-34) In this excerpt Pope implies that man is part of a scheme, the great chain of being, that has its place in the universe:
             "So Man, who here seems principal alone,
             Perhaps acts second to some sphere unknown,
             Touches some wheel, or verges to some goal;
             'Tis but a part we see, and not a whole." (I.II. 57-60)
             Here Pope suggests that despite man's inability to grasp a firm understanding of the totality of the universal plan everything made by God has its purpose; and it is made according to His design.
             Likewise, if man could conceptualize that he was created exactly the way God intended:
             "And God said, Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and our all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in His own image..." (Gen. 1:26-27)
             Pope also indicates " The general ORDER, since the whole began Is kept in Nature, and is kept in Man." (I.V. 171-172) The psalmist David, stated that God "has made him (man) a little lower that the angels, ...and madest him (man) to have dominion over the works of Thy hands..." (Ps. 8:5-6) These illustrations further solidify the argument that nature knows its place; therefore, so should man.
             Although man should know his place in the Great Chain of Being, his passion and pride often force him to lose control of this concept. Pope affirms that pride, envy, and passion leads man to question the justice of God. He ascribes these criticisms to the pr...