The Dunciad is a mock-heroic satire, meaning it subverts all the elements traditionally associated with a heroic epic. Instead of being brave and adventurous, the protagonist is cowardly and lazy. The gifts and skills that are normally bestowed upon an epic hero are instead things like chamber pots and worthless pamphlets. Where an epic might tell a timeless tale that connects with the reader’s humanity, uplifting the soul and highlighting the best qualities of its characters, The Dunciad ridicules its characters and points out their worst flaws. The structure remains the same, but everything else is a fun-house mirror reflection of the classical hero tale.

An allusion is an indirect reference to something outside of the text, usually another literary work. Allusions differ from citations and other more direct references in that they don’t usually specify their source, so those unfamiliar with the original material might not recognize that a reference has been made at all. Alexander Pope scatters allusions all through The Dunciad. Virgil’s Aeneid and the Bible are the two most common sources, but there are many others.

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