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What are the features of Dryden's poetry?
Dryden's poems have the qualities of his plays―some middling songs and unspontaneous lyrics, careful and melodic versification, and lack of poetic expression of the different emotions.
What did Dryden do?
Besides being the greatest English poet of the later 17th century, Dryden wrote almost 30 tragedies, comedies, and dramatic operas. He also made a valuable contribution in his commentaries on poetry and drama, which are sufficiently extensive and original to entitle him to be considered, in the words of Dr.
What was the most popular verse form of Dryden?
Dryden's heroic couplet became the dominant poetic form of the 18th century.
Which was the first play of Dryden?
After the Puritan ban, when theatres reopened in 1660, Dryden began writing plays. His first, a comedy entitled The Wild Gallant (1663), despite being a failure, won the support of another influential aristocrat, Barbara Villiers Palmer, Countess of Castelmaine, to whom Dryden addressed another verse epistle.
Why is Dryden called the father of criticism?
John Dryden is rightly considered as “the father of English Criticism”. He was the first to teach the English people to determine the merit of composition upon principles. With Dryden, a new era of criticism began. Before, Dryden, there were only occasional utterances on the critical art.
How does Dryden define poetry?
According to Dryden, the poet is neither a teacher nor a bare imitator – like a photographer – but a creator, one who, with life or Nature as his raw material, creates new things altogether resembling the original. According to him, poetry is a work of art rather than mere imitation.
Which type of poet is Dryden?
satiristDryden the poet is best known today as a satirist, although he wrote only two great original satires: Mac Flecknoe (1682) and The Medall (1682). His most famous poem, Absalom and Achitophel (1681) contains several brilliant satiric portraits.
What are the three unities of Dryden?
The three unities are: unity of action: a tragedy should have one principal action. unity of time: the action in a tragedy should occur over a period of no more than 24 hours. unity of place: a tragedy should exist in a single physical location.
What is the main theme of Dryden's All for Love?
The theme of All for Love is the conflict of reason and honor with passion in the form of illicit love. From the preface it seems that Dryden wished to show how Antony, torn between these two, chooses unreasonable, passionate love and is conse- quently punished for his denial of reason.
Why Dryden's age is also called the age of reason?
Reason was an unchanging, uniquely human characteristic that served as a guide for man. Thus this time is often also called the Age of Reason or Enlightenment. Characteristics of this period included observing human nature and nature itself which were considered unchanging and constant.
What is Dryden political satire?
Satire. Absalom and Achitophel is "generally acknowledged as the finest political satire in the English language". It is also described as an allegory regarding contemporary political events, and a mock heroic narrative. On the title page, Dryden himself describes it simply as "a poem".
Is Dryden a metaphysical poet?
The term “metaphysical,” as applied to English and continental European poets of the seventeenth century, was used by Augustan poets John Dryden and Samuel Johnson to reprove those poets for their “unnaturalness.” As Johann Wolfgang von Goethe wrote, however, “The unnatural, that too is natural,” and the Metaphysical ...
Who were the major influences of Dryden?
Dryden was also very influential due to his translations of Homer, Lucretius, Horace, Ovid, Juvenal, Persius, Giovanni Boccaccio, Geoffrey Chaucer, and notably Virgil.
What Pope said about Dryden?
He [Pope] professed to have learned his poetry from Dryden, whom, whenever an opportunity was presented, he praised through his whole life with unvaried liberality.
What did Shakespeare say about Dryden?
Seventeenth century John Dryden, in his essay “Of Dramatick Poesie” (1668) and other essays, condemned the improbabilities of Shakespeare's late romances. Shakespeare lacked decorum, in Dryden's view, largely because he had written for an ignorant age and poorly educated audiences.
What is the main theme of Dryden's All for Love?
The theme of All for Love is the conflict of reason and honor with passion in the form of illicit love. From the preface it seems that Dryden wished to show how Antony, torn between these two, chooses unreasonable, passionate love and is conse- quently punished for his denial of reason.
How many characters are in the dialogue of Dramatick Poesie?
Dryden constantly defended his own literary practice, and Of Dramatick Poesie, the longest of his critical works, takes the form of a dialogue in which four characters—each based on a prominent contemporary, with Dryden himself as 'Neander'—debate the merits of classical, French and English drama.
How many children did John Dryden have?
Though some have historically claimed to be from the lineage of John Dryden, his three children had no children themselves.
Why was John Dryden expelled?
However, Dryden was inactive in Society affairs and in 1666 was expelled for non-payment of his dues. Dryden, by John Michael Wright, 1668. Dryden, by James Maubert, c. 1695. On 1 December 1663 Dryden married the royalist sister of Sir Robert Howard —Lady Elizabeth.
What is the name of the panegyric that describes the restoration of the monarchy?
In 1660 Dryden celebrated the Restoration of the monarchy and the return of Charles II with Astraea Redux , an authentic royalist panegyric. In this work the Interregnum is illustrated as a time of chaos, and Charles is seen as the restorer of peace and order.
Why do we not end sentences in prepositions?
Dryden is believed to be the first person to posit that English sentences should not end in prepositions because Latin sentences cannot end in prepositions. Dryden created the proscription against preposition stranding in 1672 when he objected to Ben Jonson 's 1611 phrase, "the bodies that those souls were frighted from," though he did not provide the rationale for his preference. Dryden often translated his writing into Latin, to check whether his writing was concise and elegant, Latin being considered an elegant and long-lived language with which to compare; then Dryden translated his writing back to English according to Latin-grammar usage. As Latin does not have sentences ending in prepositions, Dryden may have applied Latin grammar to English, thus forming the rule of no sentence-ending prepositions, subsequently adopted by other writers.
What happened to John Dryden's father?
In June of the same year Dryden's father died, leaving him some land which generated a little income, but not enough to live on. Returning to London during the Protectorate, Dryden obtained work with Oliver Cromwell 's Secretary of State, John Thurloe.
Why did John Dryden leave the George Inn?
In his will, he left The George Inn at Northampton to trustees, to form a school for the children of the poor of the town. This became John Dryden's School, later The Orange School.
Why did John Dryden convert to Catholicism?
Biographers will never ascertain just why Dryden converted, and critics will probably always accuse him of being an opportunist. But there is a logic to his conversion if one studies his works. They are preoccupied with the need for political stability and the concomitant necessity of loyalty to de jure monarchs, whose titles are inherited through primogenitive patrilinearity. As Dryden shifted from his early optimism concerning Britain’s future as an expansionist imperial power to his defensive posture with regard to the principle of succession amid threats of civil war, his own loyalty to James and to unbroken succession grew stronger. It appears that the more he examined his Religio Laici position, the more he came to doubt the Church of England’s claim to authority. By the time he wrote The Hind and the Panther the analogy between church and state was ironclad. Only Catholicism can trace its origins in unbroken succession back to the primitive church; Anglicanism dates from Henry VIII’s break with Rome (a break that occurred for dubious reasons at that, Dryden argues throughout). And without a final arbiter in doctrinal matters, no church can claim authority: “Because no disobedience can ensue, / Where no submission to a Judge is due.” Dryden’s fears of political anarchy are reflected in his fears of doctrinal anarchy, especially where the Protestant theory of individual interpretation of the Bible obtains. Thus it should come as no surprise that he would finally swear allegiance to Rome. Moreover, Dryden’s religious theory of infallibility as residing in both pope and General Council can be seen as homologous to his political theory of a government balanced between king and Parliament. And his religious theory of authority based upon historical priority can be seen as homologous to not just a political but an economic theory of succession: “An old possession stands, till Elder quitts the claim” is as true for power and property as it is for the True Church. The problematics of the transmission of the Savior’s “Testament” are developed in terms of homology to a contested will, precisely because an unerring guide is needed in both religious and sociopolitical realms. Dryden has the Catholic Hind assert to the Anglican Panther, “For that which must direct the whole, must be / Bound in one bond of faith and unity”: both church and state need one leader, to whom his subjects are bound by word-as-bond. In language that expresses Dryden’s merged religious and political theory, the Hind concludes triumphantly that “the mother church … with unrivall’d claim ascends the throne.
What is Dryden's most famous poem?
His most famous poem, Absalom and Achitophel (1681) contains several brilliant satiric portraits. But unlike satire, it comes to a final, tragic resolution.
What does Dryden mean by the art of empire?
Dryden identifies civilization itself, as opposed to a primitive “lawless salvage Libertie,” with the “Arts” of “Empire” from Rome to contemporary England , an empire that is at once patriarchal, hierarchal, monarchal, and commercial.
Why did John Dryden not publish?
Perhaps because of family pressure, Dryden largely avoiding publishing again until he had left Cambridge, where he was an undergraduate at Trinity College, and had been in the employ of Oliver Cromwell’s government, probably in the Office of Latin Secretary along with Milton and Marvell.
When did John Dryden write his satire?
Beginning most likely in the summer of 1676, Dryden wrote one of the two greatest satires in English against rival poets, Mac Flecknoe (the other is Pope’s Dunciad, 1728—1743). He certainly had finished it by 1678, though it circulated in manuscript until unauthorized publication in 1682.
Where was John Dryden born?
Dryden was born August 9, 1631 into an extended family of rising Puritan gentry in Northamptonshire. But as a teenager he was sent to the King’s School at Westminster to be trained as a King’s Scholar by the brilliant Royalist headmaster Richard Busby.
What does "Providence" mean in Dryden?
In this poem “Providence” rules not by sheer power but by law and thus ensures that Charles’s “right” is ultimately upheld, that he cannot be “Gods Anointed” in vain.
What genre is John Dryden?
Over the span of nearly 40 years, he dabbled in a wide range of genres to great success and acclaim. As a poet, Dryden is best known as a satirist and was England's first poet laureate in 1668. In addition to satires, Dryden wrote elegies, prologues, epilogues, odes, and panegyrics. His most famous poem is Absalom and Achitophel (1681).
How did John Dryden die?
At the end of his career, Dryden returned to theatrical writing and also took up translation. He died in 1700 from gout.
How sweet is to love John Dryden?
Ah, How Sweet It Is To Love John Dryden. John Dryden was England's first Poet Laureate (1668) and still remains an influential poet in the British literary canon. He has written some of the most valuable work that has emerged from Restoration England, to the extent that the period was... Study Guide. Q & A.
Where was John Dryden born?
Born at a vicarage in Northampshire in 1631, Dryden was the son of parliamentary supporters, but exhibited royalist sympathies early. His poem “Upon the Death of Lord Hastings” supports a royalist agenda. Three years after graduating from Trinity College, Cambridge, he moved to London and wrote his "Heroic Stanzas" in 1659. After writing the poem " Annus Mirabilis " in 1667, Dryden was named poet laureate of England.
What is the play All for Love about?
Dryden himself acknowledged that his 1667 play All for Love is an imitation of William Shakespeare's Anthony and Cleopatra, which was written in the early 1600s). It is a heroic drama that follows many of the same story beats of Shakespeare's ... Study Guide.
What is the most famous play of John Dryden?
Marriage à la Mode is widely regarded as John Dryden's most famous play. It was first performed in London by the King's Company in 1673, and centers around two different plots that entangle in a tragicomic web of mistaken identity, romantic...
Who was the poet who wrote Annus Mirabilis?
After writing the poem " Annus Mirabilis " in 1667, Dryden was named poet laureate of England. Dryden wrote plays throughout the 1670s, and was at the forefront of Restoration comedy. His best-known plays were Marriage à la Mode in 1673 and All for Love in 1678.
How to see the rapids in Dryden?
The Roy Wilson Suspension Bridge can be accessed through Johnston park which is just off the Trans Canada Highway. The park is also a starting point for some of the urban trails in Dryden. You'll find the beautiful 'Pieces of Dryden' tile mosaic among the trees. Head down towards the river and you'll find the bridge. Cross the bridge to get a great view of the rapids on the Wabigoon River. Depending on the season, they'll either be rushing strongly or gently flowing down. After you view the rapids, head down one of the walking trails and then finish up with a picnic lunch in Johnston Park.
How many loons are there in Ghost Lake?
Ghost Lake is also a staging lake for up to 200 Common Loons. There are also the Dryden Area Trans Canada Trails. The City of Dryden has maps of the trail systems on their website.
What time is Dryden Days of Summer?
Held most Thursdays in the summer, the Dryden Days of Summer takes place on King Street between 3 & 6pm. There are vendors, artisans and crafters, a farmers market, and various entertainment and activities each week. There's often free admission to the Dryden Museum too.
Where to see the Dryden Buck?
5. Visit the Museum, home of 'the Dryden Buck'. Centrally located, the historic Hambleton House is the home of the Dryden Museum with over 10,000 artifacts in its collection. They have both permanent and travelling exhibits. The famous 'Dryden Buck' , the unofficial Ontario record whitetail deer shot in 2003 scoring 192 7/8 on the Boone and Crockett scale stands proudly in the museum.
Where to cross the suspension bridge in Dryden?
There's such a variety, you can do one or do them all: 1. Cross the Suspension Bridge over the Wabigoon River. The Roy Wilson Suspension Bridge can be accessed through Johnston park which is just off the Trans Canada Highway. The park is also a starting point for some of the urban trails in Dryden.
What are the plants that live in the marsh?
Aquatic plants such as reeds, cattails, arrowheads, water lilies and pond weeds can also be found. The marsh provides a spawning and nursery area for fish and amphibians, a winter refuge for deer and songbirds, and a food source for beavers and hunters such as snakes, foxes and birds of prey.
Where is Aaron Provincial Park?
Aaron Provincial Park on Thunder Lake and Blue Lake Provincial Park in Vermilion Bay also over trails within their parks. Check out the remnants of the terrific wind storm of 1973 and see the bare rock surfaces scarred by glaciers which melted 10 to 15 thousand years ago in Aaron Park.
What is the second part of Absalom and Achitophel?
Dryden wrote a second part of Absalom and Achitophel (1682) in which he made a violent attack on Shadwell. These satirical poems are on a higher plane though it must be contested that Dryden 's satire often strikes us as cutting and revengeful rather than witty.
Why is John Dryden important?
Dryden is, however, more important in the history of English poetry for his satirical verses. Dryden's Satires : John Dryden is the greatest name in Restoration satires. In satiric verses, he was the master of perfect poetic expression. The matter of Dryden's satirical work is really original. In Absalom and Achitophel (1681) ...
What is the line on the death of Lord Hastings?
Poetry : Dryden's early poem, "Lines on the death of Lord Hastings" is written in the form of heroic couplet strongly reminiscent of Donne's Anniversaries. His heroic stanzas On the death of Oliver Cromwell and his Annus Mirabilis possess dignity and finish but lack the strength and flow of his greater poems.
What is the style of Dryden's writing?
His criticism though important historically has but slight permanent value. But his prose is marked by a new intimacy, charm, dignity and accuracy which have influenced the English prose of subsequent ages. His prose style is characterised by clearness, vigour and a wonderful felicity of phrasing, and colloquial ease, and rarely descends to the level of the slipshod or the commonplace.
What is Dryden's prose?
Dryden's Prose : English prose throughout the early seventeenth century possessed much splendour and strength, but it had not evolved any sure and universal mediums of expression. To attribute to Dryden alone the creation ot such a medium would be to ignore the just claims of men like Temple and Halifax. But it has to be admitted Dryden did more than any single man towards purging English prose of its conceits and exaggeration and evolving a form of it which should be at once strong, easy, clear and dignified. Apart from translations Dryden's prose consists mainly of essay and prefaces dealing with a large range of questions connected of his production. As the Restoration saw the rise of the new prose, so also it saw the real beginnings of modern criticism. It is now for the first time that people began to address themselves systematically to the study of the principles and laws of literature and it is in this age that intellectualism predominates over the creative power. Dryden, the English first great modern prose writer is also the first great critic.
What is the essay of dramatic poetry?
Dryden's most famous prose work is The Essay of Dramatic Poesy (1668) in which he considers the merits of three chief types of drama the classical drama of the Greeks and Romans , the neo-classical drama of the French and the romantic drama of the English. It was in form a dialogue. Its estimates of Jonson, Fletcher and Shakespeare would be alone sufficient to prove Dryden as one of the greatest among English critics. Among Dryden's chief remaining essays are those on heroic plays, heroic poetry and on the grounds of criticism in the tragedies. In it he undertakes to justify the use of rhyme in place of blank verse on the stage.
What is the basis of Dryden's poetry?
Other Poems : The strong intellectual basis of Dryden's best poetry is nowhere more evident than in the poems, Religio Laice (1682) and The Hynd and the Panther (1687) in which he declares the successive stages of his religious faith.
Overview
Reputation and influence
Dryden was the dominant literary figure and influence of his age. He established the heroic couplet as a standard form of English poetry by writing successful satires, religious pieces, fables, epigrams, compliments, prologues, and plays with it; he also introduced the alexandrine and triplet into the form. In his poems, translations, and criticism, he established a poetic diction appropriate to the h…
Early life
Dryden was born in the village rectory of Aldwincle near Thrapston in Northamptonshire, where his maternal grandfather was the rector of All Saints. He was the eldest of fourteen children born to Erasmus Dryden and wife Mary Pickering, paternal grandson of Sir Erasmus Dryden, 1st Baronet (1553–1632), and wife Frances Wilkes, Puritan landowning gentry who supported the Puritan cause and Parliament. He was a second cousin once removed of Jonathan Swift. As a boy, Dryd…
Later life and career
After the Restoration, as Dryden quickly established himself as the leading poet and literary critic of his day, he transferred his allegiances to the new government. Along with Astraea Redux, Dryden welcomed the new regime with two more panegyrics: To His Sacred Majesty: A Panegyric on his Coronation (1662) and To My Lord Chancellor (1662). These poems suggest that Dryden …
Poetic style
What Dryden achieved in his poetry was neither the emotional excitement of the early nineteenth-century romantics nor the intellectual complexities of the metaphysicals. His subject matter was often factual, and he aimed at expressing his thoughts in the most precise and concentrated manner. Although he uses formal structures such as heroic couplets, he tried to recreate the natural rhythm of speech, and he knew that different subjects need different kinds of verse. In hi…
Personal life
On 1 December 1663 Dryden married Lady Elizabeth Howard (died 1714). The marriage was at St. Swithin's, London, and the consent of the parents is noted on the licence, though Lady Elizabeth was then about twenty-five. She was the object of some scandals, well or ill founded; it was said that Dryden had been bullied into the marriage by her playwright brothers. A small estate in Wiltshire was settled upon them by her father. The lady's intellect and temper were apparently n…
Selected works
Dates given are (acted/published) and unless otherwise noted are taken from Scott's edition.
• The Wild Gallant, a Comedy (1663/1669)
• The Rival Ladies, a Tragi-Comedy (1663/1664)
Further reading
• The Works of John Dryden, 20 vols., ed. H.T. Swedenberg Jr. et al. (Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1956–2002)
• John Dryden The Major Works, ed. by Keith Walker, (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1987)
• The Works of John Dryden, ed. by David Marriott (Hertfordshire: Wordsworth Editions, 1995)