Assignment - Paper 101 - Literature of the Elizabethan and Restoration periods.
Name: Insiyafatema Alvani
Batch: M.A Sem:1
Roll no: 12
Subject Code: 22392
E-mail:
insiyafatemaalvani@gmail.com
Submitted to: Smt S.B Gardi Department of English MKBU
1) Absalom and Achitophel As a Political Satire.
Born date: 19 August 1631
Death date: 12 May 1700
Literary period: Restoration Period
Occupation: Poet, Literary Critic, Playwright, Poet Laureate (1668-1689)
Notable works:
- Absalom and Achitophel
- King Arthur
- Fables Ancient and Modern
- Dramatic Poesie, an Essay
- Secret Love, or the Maiden Queen
- The Hind and the Panther
- The Indian Queen
- To His Sacred Majesty
The English author John Dryden is best known as a poet and critic. After John Donne and John Milton, John Dryden was the greatest English poet of the 17th century. After William Shakespeare and Ben Jonson, he was the greatest playwright. His translation of The Aeneid remains the best ever produced in English. Dryden 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' contains several brilliant satiric portraits.
He was born in Northamptonshire, England, on August 9, 1631, John Dryden came from a landowning family with connections to Parliament and the Church of England. He studied as a King’s Scholar at the prestigious Westminster School of London, where he later sent two of his own children. There, Dryden was trained in the art of rhetorical argument, which remained a strong influence on the poet's writing and critical thought throughout his life. Dryden published his first poem in 1649. He enrolled at Trinity College in Cambridge the following year, where he likely studied the classics, rhetoric, and mathematics. He obtained his BA in 1654, graduating first in his class. He had been in the employ of Oliver Cromwell’s government.
In 1650 he seems to have lived with and written prefaces for the bookseller Henry Herringman. In 1660 he had moved into lodgings with Sir Robert Howard, a younger son of Thomas Howard. In a system of symbiosis between patrons and poets, Dryden had found himself a patron, and Howard had found himself an editor and collaborator. Dryden helped prepare Howard’s first volume of poems for the press in 1660. Dryden’s relationship with Howard is important in other ways; Dryden married his sister Lady Elizabeth Howard in 1663.
In 1665 the plague was so bad in London that Dryden had to restrict himself and his wife at her family estate in Charlton, Wiltshire. There he wrote three excellent works: 'Of Dramatic Poise: An Essay' (1667), the first great sustained work in English dramatic theory, 'Secret-Love' (1667), a tragicomedy, 'The Year of Wonders', (1667). This “Historical Poem” celebrating English victories at sea during the Second Dutch War and Charles II’s conduct during the Great Fire of London won Dryden the poet laureateship in 1668. At this time John Milton's great epic 'Paradise Lost Published. Dryden’s heroic poem invites comparison with Milton’s great epic 'Paradise Lost'. Milton’s epic written by this radical Puritan secretary to Cromwell looks back through its aristocratic mode to classical and mediaeval times. Dryden’s poem, despite its aristocratic elements of monarchism and heroic valor.
He is credited with standardized the heroic couplet in English poetry by applying it as a convention in a range of works, including satires, religious pieces, fables, epigrams, prologues, and plays. After the theaters were reopened in 1660, Dryden became a key figure in the dramatic movement we now call Restoration comedy.
Dryden died in May 1700, and was initially buried in St. Anne’s Cemetery. In 1710, he was moved to the Poets’ Corner of Westminster Abbey.
Poet Laureate:
After the death of William Davenant in April 1668, Dryden became the first official poet laureate of England. The royal office carried the responsibility of composing occasional works in celebration of public events. Dryden, having exhibited that particular dexterity with his earlier panegyrics, was a natural choice.
What is Satire?
According to M.H. Abrams,
"literary art of diminishing a subject by making it ridiculous and evoking toward it attitudes of amusement, contempt, indignation or scorn”.
According to Merriam Webster,
A literary work holding up human vices and follies to ridicule or scorn.
It is clear from these definitions that there are three basic elements involved in satire, object of criticism, laughter and morals. The satirist tends to attack his object of criticism in an amusing manner and conveys a moral to society.
In England the 18th century was particularly preoccupied with satire and developed numerous varieties of it. John Dryden, Alexander Pope, Jonathan Swift, Henry Fielding, Richardson are the famous satirists of this age. Satire applies to writing that exposes or ridicules conduct, doctrines, or institutions either by direct criticism or more often through irony, parody, or caricature. Satire came into English at the beginning of the 16th century, and the meaning of the word has not strayed very far from its original sense. The initial uses were primarily applied to poems, and the term now has a broader applicability.
John Dryden as a Satirist:
John Dryden’s reputation is chiefly as a satirist of the Restoration period. In the late 17th century, Dryden penned two of the most celebrated verse-satires of the period 'Mac Flecknoe' and 'Absalom and Achitophel'. 'Mac Flecknoe' and 'Absalom and Achitophel 'were both written while Dryden was Poet Laureate under King Charles II.
Dryden had established himself as the greatest dramatist of his time. And if one can separate out his development as a poet, it is a difficult task when his plays have so much verse, so many songs, and prologues and epilogues in couplets. one would have to conclude that, despite the absence during these years of isolated poems, Dryden achieved a virtuosity of verse and wit unequaled during the Restoration. 'All for Love' (1677), was the greatest tragedy of the Restoration period. It remains the greatest tragedy in English after Shakespeare, and it is still performed in England. After the success of All for Love and the growing chances for his security with the Duke’s Company, Dryden must have felt emboldened enough to settle his other score by attacking Rochester himself in his preface to the published version of the new play in early 1678. Squire Dryden asserts his talents as a literary professional to be superior to those of the court wits, who properly ought to confine their literary dabbling to being good patrons. Dryden also wrote the Neoclassical form of drama.
Absalom and Achitophel a Political Satire:
Absalom and Achitophel is Dryden's famous satirical poem. It is written in heroic couplets. And published in 1681. This poem talks about the Biblical story of Absalom rebellion against King David, yet the story is an allegory utilised to symbolise a tale at the time of Dryden, King Charles II's tale of and the Crisis of Exclusion.
The poem originated in the political situation of England at the time and one cannot fail to note that several political personalities are satirized in it. It is Published in November 1681, the theme was suggested by the king to Dryden. At this time, the question of succession to King Charles had assumed great importance. The Earl of Shaftesbury had been thrown into prison to face a charge of high treason. There were two contenders for the succession. Firstly, Charles’ brother James, Duke of York, a known Roman Catholic; the second contender was Charles’ illegitimate son, the Protestant Duke of Monmouth. The Whigs supported Monmouth while the Tories supported the cause of James in order to ensure stability in the country. There was great public unrest on account of the uncertainty of succession. King Charles II saw to it that the Exclusion bill brought before Parliament, to exclude the succession of his brother James, could not be pushed through. The earl of Shaftesbury, a highly ambitious man, sought to capitalise on this unrest. He also urged Monmouth to rebel against his father. The King, though fond of his illegitimate son, did not support his succession because that would have been against law. The Earl of Shaftesbury was arrested on a charge of high treason and lost popular support.
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| Charles II |
Dryden wrote 'Absalom and Achitophel' at the King’s request. In the context of this poem, he ridiculed and satirized the Whigs and Earl of Shaftesbury. The poem covers its political satire under the apparent disguise of a Biblical Story. This poem completely describes the existing crisis and the political issues of contemporary time. Absalom was convinced by Achitophel to revolt against King David. Absalom represents James Scott and Achitophel represents Earl of Shaftesbury. By using the Biblical Allegory, Dryden satirizes Achitophel and the ones following him. The poet, all through the poem, wishes to inform King Charles that James Scott was not to be blamed and accused because the Earl of Shaftesbury was the one who aroused the rebellion's will in James Scott. Also, the poem ridiculed and satirized King Charles but not in cruel words. He criticized the King by mentioning his many wives and slaves.
The main purpose of writing the poem was “the amendment of vices by correction”. His satire is sharper as per the degree of corruption. Through the biblical allusion Dryden is connecting fatherhood and the royal’s responsibilities. Dryden has used the fatherly affection of David and the legitimacy of Absalom’s succession. The object of the poem was to praise the king and his party at the same time satirizing his adversaries. Dryden wrote this poem to describe the events which had led to the particular situation in the manner in which the followers wanted them to be viewed. He paints the official picture. In England, the use of political allegory increased greatly during the Civil War and the controversies which succeeded it. King Charles and his courtiers brought a taste for this species of writing with them from France. For the loyal subjects of the King, the story of David seemed too fit for the present times.
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| King David |
The analogy between David and his son and Charles to Monmouth is so obvious that Dryden just did not need the idea but the permission or encouragement to use it. The Old Testament allegory helped Dryden to raise his poem to a dignified level without collapsing into “bathos”. It also acted as an instrument of Dryden’s brilliant wit and helped the poem with an air of objectivity more impressive than the direct exclamations so common in political satires. In the allegory that he took over and remodeled it he found a powerful ally in the task of raising the political satire to a new level. The object of his first official production as the Poet Laureate is not merely to attack the men who plotted against the King, but to present the whole constitutional position in a certain way. While the King’s enemies are represented in an unfavorable light, the Royal Party is egotistically portrayed.
The aim of Dryden was to support the King and to expose his enemies. Charles had his own weaknesses, he is extremely fond of women. But Dryden puts a charitable mantel over his sexual sins. He is mild in dealing with his real vices. The king himself did not think unfavorable of his love affairs. Dryden has nothing but praise for the king’s moderation in political matters and his leniency towards rebels. Dryden’s lash falls on the King’s enemies, particularly the Earl of Shaftesbury. Dryden dreads the fickleness of the mob and he is not sure to what extremes a crowd can go. However, the king’s strictness and instinct for the rule of law won him popular support and he was able to determine the succession according to his desire. Dryden’s reference to the godlike David shows his flattery of the King and his belief in the “Theory of the Divine Right of Kings”.
People of England believe that kings are chosen by God. If anyone starts rebellion against the king that means he is again of God. In 'Absalom and Achitophel' Dryden mythologies Charles II, his brother James, Duke of York, and the triumphant admirals and generals as classical and Christian heroes and even gods. The care of the king is portrayed as being analogous to divine providence. This mythologizing seems deployed especially to defuse opposition to Charles and thereby to avert the potential unraveling of the Restoration compromise.
Dryden opens the poem, the ultimate point of its portrayal of David’s promiscuity is that
“No True Succession” can “attend” the “seed” of David’s concubines.
Another of Dryden’s bold openings has cut to the heart of the matter. When Absalom and David both later complain that Absalom was born too high but not high enough, they may blame “Fate” or “God,” but the fault is clearly David’s own. However, the point of Dryden’s poem is neither to recuperate Monmouth nor admonish Charles. It is to thoroughly discredit Charles’s enemies and their putative political theory, praise his steadfast friends, and vindicate Charles himself.
The master stroke here is Dryden’s sympathy toward Monmouth’s ambiguous position in the hierarchy resulting from the circumstances of his birth coupled with his insistence that nevertheless he remains illegitimate. Even if he were legitimate, Dryden implies, he would never be the heir he might have blessed other countries with his noble virtues but not and never his own. Dryden also portrays the “Best” of the “Malcontents” assembled by Achitophel, that is primarily, the Country party among the Lords as being essentially well-meaning but “Seduced by Impious Arts” into believing the “power of Monarchy” a threat to “Property.” Thus identifying with and appealing to the moderates in the House of Lords, Dryden does not want to seem to be maligning his betters.
Dryden’s next justly famous portraits are representatives of the three classes. He talks about his old enemy Buckingham, whom he portrays as too inconstant in his moods, postures, and their political positions. Dryden’s representative of the middle class is the hypocritical Puritan Shimei, whose animosity against the office of king itself is so strong he fears not to curse “Heavens Anointed,” and whose very religion is simply a means for his personal “Gain.” Dryden’s representative of the lower class is Corah, who stands for Titus Oates, the weaver’s son who was the archwitness of the Popish Plot. Dryden portrays him with dripping sarcasm. Dryden then asks in his most conciliatory mode,
“Yet, grant our Lords the People Kings can make, / What Prudent men a setled Throne woud shake?”
While Dryden appears to be adopting a Burkean conservatism based on the weight of tradition as is obvious from all the references to God’s involvement in anointing and supporting kings throughout the poem. God, lords, commoners, kings themselves, by tampering with succession were to make a king. Dryden then proceeds to portray the king’s friends as a loyal group of peers, bishops, judges, and even the former speaker of the House of Commons. The greatest wielder of words in the poem is David himself, who comes forward finally to vindicate his power and position. Weary of abuse despite his wonted clemency and long-suffering, David insists that even if he has only a part of government, the part belongs to him, cannot be attenuated by any other part, and is “to Rule.” Thus Dryden stakes out for "David / Charles" a middle ground between extremes of arbitrary or anarchic rule. He insists on the king’s lawful prerogative granted by the unwritten constitution and forming part of a balanced system of government.
Dryden closes the poem by underwriting David’s words with the Word of God:
“He said. Th’Almighty, nodding, gave Consent: And Peals of Thunder shook the Firmament.”
Dryden’s final touch, then, is a kind of apotheosis: David and God become one,
“And willing Nations knew their Lawfull Lord.”
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