Title: An Essay of Dramatic Poesy

Subject: Literary Criticism

Date:

<aside> 💡 Key Points:

• Main Ideas
• Key words
  • The Unities Three unities
• Questions that connect points
• Important points

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<aside> ✏️ Notes:

An Essay of Dramatic Poesy by John Dryden edited by Thomas Arnold: A Defence of An Essay of Dramatic Poesy (pages 100-127)

• In the defence, Dryden argues for the use of rhyme, verse, and variety in dramatic poetry, and defends his own style and practice against Howard’s criticisms. He also praises the ancient and modern poets, especially Shakespeare, Jonson, and Corneille, and compares the English and French stages.

• In the first part, Dryden defends his use of rhyme as a natural and graceful ornament of verse, and argues that it is not incompatible with the representation of truth and nature in drama. He also claims that rhyme adds to the pleasure and variety of the audience, and that it helps the poet to express his thoughts more clearly and elegantly.
• In the second part, Dryden defends his use of verse as a proper and noble language for tragedy, and rejects Howard’s preference for prose as a vulgar and low style. He also asserts that verse is more suitable for the dignity and majesty of heroic characters, and that it is more capable of moving the passions and affecting the mind.
• In the third part, Dryden defends his use of variety as a source of delight and instruction in drama, and opposes Howard’s adherence to the strict rules of the ancients. He maintains that the English stage has more freedom and invention than the French, and that it is not bound by the unities of time, place, and action. He also defends the use of tragicomedy, subplots, and mixed characters, and praises the genius and originality of Shakespeare and Jonson.
• In the fourth part, Dryden defends his own style and practice as a poet and a critic, and refutes Howard’s accusations of plagiarism, inconsistency, and ignorance. He also compares his own works with Howard’s, and shows the superiority of his wit, judgment, and learning. He concludes by expressing his respect and friendship for Howard, and his hope that they can agree to differ on matters of taste and opinion.

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<aside> 📎 Literary Criticism An Introduction to Theory and Practice (4th edition) by Charles E. Bressler: Chapter 2: John Dryden (pages 31-32) Summary:

• Poet, dramatist, and critic.
• Embodies the spirit and ideals of the Neoclassical period, age that follows Sidney and Renaisance.
• “The improvement, perhabs the completion of our meter, refinement of our language and much of the correctness of our sentiments”
• He brought literary criticism out of the church and into the coffee house.
• He wrote the first serious literary criticsim in English by an english poet.
• Platonic vs Aristotelian debate ( art as an imitation of nature itself)
• Dryden presents the benefits of both positions.
• It ensues over Aristotelian concept of the three unities of time, place and action within a drama.
• First he develops the study of literature in and of itself, not obsessing over its moral and theological worth.
• Second, he creates a natural prose style that guides and affects modern criticism and writing in general.
• Third, by making use of a variety of critical perspectives (Greek to french) He brings all of these critical perspectives’ best insights into the new discipline of Eng Literary criticism.
• Finally, he advocates for the establishing of objective principles of criticism while moving the emphasis of criticism away from the construction of a work into its modern emphasi on how reader and critics appreciate texts. </aside>

John Dryden: The Father of English Literary Criticism

John Dryden is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of English literature. He was a prolific poet, dramatist, and critic, who embodied the spirit and ideals of the Neoclassical period, the age that followed Sidney and the Renaissance. In this essay, I will discuss Dryden’s contributions to the development of literary criticism in English, and how he shaped the modern understanding and appreciation of literature.

Dryden’s main achievement as a critic was to bring literary criticism out of the church and into the coffee house, where it became a lively and public discourse among writers and readers. He wrote the first serious literary criticism in English by an English poet, and he did so in a natural and elegant prose style that influenced generations of critics and writers. He also introduced a variety of critical perspectives, from the ancient Greeks to the contemporary French, and synthesized their best insights into a coherent and comprehensive theory of literature.

One of Dryden’s most famous works of criticism is An Essay of Dramatic Poesy, written in 1668 as a response to the poet and playwright Sir Robert Howard, who criticized Dryden’s use of rhyme, verse, and variety in his dramas. In this work, Dryden engages in a Platonic vs Aristotelian debate, that is, whether art is an imitation of nature itself, or of the ideal forms of nature. Dryden presents the benefits of both positions, and argues for a balanced and flexible approach to literature, that takes into account the historical, cultural, and personal contexts of the writer and the reader.

Dryden also discusses the Aristotelian concept of the three unities of time, place, and action within a drama, and compares the English and French stages, which followed different conventions and rules. Dryden defends the English stage, which he considers more free and inventive than the French, and praises the genius and originality of Shakespeare and Jonson, who broke the rules of the ancients, but created masterpieces of dramatic poetry. Dryden also defends his own style and practice as a poet and a critic, and refutes Howard’s accusations of plagiarism, inconsistency, and ignorance.

Dryden’s influence on literary criticism can be seen in four main aspects. First, he developed the study of literature in and of itself, not obsessing over its moral and theological worth, but focusing on its artistic and aesthetic qualities. Second, he created a natural prose style that guides and affects modern criticism and writing in general, by using clear and concise language, logical and coherent arguments, and witty and engaging expressions. Third, by making use of a variety of critical perspectives, he brought all of these critical perspectives’ best insights into the new discipline of English literary criticism, and enriched the understanding and appreciation of literature from different angles and perspectives. Finally, he advocated for the establishing of objective principles of criticism, while moving the emphasis of criticism away from the construction of a work, into its modern emphasis on how readers and critics appreciate texts.

In conclusion, John Dryden was the father of English literary criticism, who laid the foundations and set the standards for the modern discipline. He was a versatile and visionary writer, who combined the best of the ancient and modern traditions, and created a new and original theory and practice of literature. He was also a passionate and persuasive critic, who engaged in lively and fruitful debates with his contemporaries, and influenced generations of writers and readers. He was, in the words of Samuel Johnson, “the father of English criticism, and the first that taught us to determine upon principles the merit of composition” (Johnson, 1779, p. 463).

<aside> References:

• Bressler, C. E. (2011). Literary criticism: An introduction to theory and practice (4th ed.). Pearson.
• Dryden, J. (1889). An essay of dramatic poesy. In T. Arnold (Ed.), Essays of John Dryden (Vol. 1, pp. 1-70). Macmillan. (Original work published 1668)
• Johnson, S. (1779). The lives of the most eminent English poets (Vol. 2). J. Buckland.