John dryden, born august 9 august 19, new style, 1631, aldwinkle, northamptonshire, englanddied may 1 may 12, 1700, london, english poet, dramatist, and literary critic who so dominated the literary scene of his day that it came to be known as the age of dryden youth and education. Dryden was, for the most part, a man of quiet temperament. John henry dryden 9 august 1631 1 may 1700 was an influential english poet, literary critic, translator, and playwright who dominated the literature of restoration england to such a point that the period came to be known in literary circles as the age of dryden. Jjohn dryden was an influential english poet, literary critic, translator, and playwright who dominated the literary life of restoration england to such a point that the. His writing style was unique, mostly employing the daily patterns and rhythms used in everyday speech. The politics of style the imaginative conservative. Few writers are lucky and talented enough to have a large and lasting influence in one genre, let alone multiple genres. John dryden s mock epic poem mac flecknoe is a great example of restoration satire. The english author john dryden 16311700 is best known as a poet and critic.
Their satire varied markedly in style but both criticized government and society. Born in the east midlands, dryden was educated at londons westminster school and cambridge university. He also wrote almost 30 plays and was one of the great dramatists of his time. His earlier religio laici 1682 had argued in eloquent couplets for the consolations of anglicanism and against unbelievers, protestant dissenters. Bartletts dryden quotations epitomal selections by john bartlett. This article compares the satirical styles of popular 18th century authors, alexander pope and jonathan swift. As for his overall stature, he must be ranked with pope, swift, and johnson as a top literary figure in the neoclassical era.
Drydens use of figurative language is itself a subtext that suggests that any literary composition regardless of genre ought to be written such that the reader will use the authors writing style as an invitation to enter the authors world and not as a distraction to prevent that entrance. As a poet and critic he destroyed the principal seventeenthcentury literary modes and created the style and the methods that would characterize the eighteenth. Political themes are a big part of john dryden s writing. John dryden was an english poet, literary critic, translator, and playwright who was made englands first poet laureate in. Preface to fables, ancient and modern from the harvard classics, vol.
Jan 09, 2014 john dryden is rightly considered as the father of english criticism. A panegyrick on his coronation deals with the restoration of charles ii to the throne. Apr 29, 2016 john dryden biography john dryden poems john dryden quotes john dryden kuser john dryden mac flecknoe john dryden absalom and achitophel john dryden public school john dryden an essay of dramatic. 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.
Moving away from their literary activities, we find other striking similarities. Watts poetry is written in the concise, simple style of what period. John dryden, english poet, dramatist, and literary critic who so dominated the literary. Dryden was also very influential due to his translations of homer, lucretius, horace, ovid, juvenal, persius, giovanni boccaccio, geoffrey chaucer, and notably virgil. John dryden 9 august 1631 12 may 1700 was an influential english poet, literary critic, translator, and playwright who dominated the literary life of restoration england to such a point that the period came to be known in literary circles as the age of dryden. Dryden was born at aldwincle rectory, northamptonshire. Dryden as the father of english criticism afshan syed 1, dr. Drydens essay of dramatic poesy was very famous for its attack upon the blank versethat is, metrical, but unrhymed versein which all of. John drydens and thomas hobbes essays on dramatic and heroic poetry were crucial in defining, for the english public, the new style of english which shakespeare could not write. Poet, playwright, satirist, translator, and critic, dryden was the central literary figure in the english restoration period. As a writer of prose he developed a lucid professional style, relying on patterns and rhythms of everyday speech. After john donne and john milton, john dryden was the greatest english poet of the 17th century. John dryden 16311700 english poet, critic, playwright, and translator. John dryden, born august 9 august 19, new style, 1631, aldwinkle, northamptonshire, englanddied may 1 may 12, 1700, london, english poet, dramatist, and literary critic who so dominated the literary scene of his day that it came to be known as the age of dryden.
Samuel johnson called him the father of english criticism, and affirmed of his essay of dramatic poesy 1668 that modern english prose begins here. His abundance can scarcely be guessed at from the offerings in our text. Essays and criticism on john dryden s the poetry of dryden critical essays. Before, dryden, there were only occasional utterances on the critical art. Literary criticism of john dryden by nasrullah mambrol on november 17, 2017 4. John dryden is rightly considered as the father of english criticism. Once the metaphysical style was established, however, it was occasionally adopted by other and especially younger poets to fit appropriate circumstances. John dryden was an english poet, critic, and playwright active in the second half of the 17th century. There is more than one author in the goodreads database with this name.
Quotations by john dryden, english poet, born august 19, 1631. To know more about his life and works, read through the following lines. If one follows the practice of literary historians and assigns john milton to an earlier age, then john dryden stands as the greatest literary artist in england. Other figures, such as george herbert or andrew marvell or william wycherley or william congreve, may figure more prominently in. John dryden poems poems of john dryden poem hunter. The hind and the panther poem by dryden britannica. John dryden born on august 9, 1631, john dryden was the leading poet and. His father, from whom he inherited a small estate, was erasmus, 3rd son. In the 17th century, john dryden, deciding that ending a sentence with a.
Dryden wrote many poems like absalom and achitophel based on satirical portraits, some of them in epic style, that ably depict the political atmosphere of the time. Phenomenal woman, still i rise, the road not taken, if you forget me, dreams. His works so much so dominated the restoration period that the phase is proudly remembered in the literary circle as the age of dryden. Literary criticism of john dryden literary theory and.
Thus they are written for the nation rather than the self, and the poet laureate as he. The son of a country gentleman, dryden grew up in the country. Political themes are a big part of john drydens writing. John dryden project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. Johnson with an emphasis on the authors style and the criticism is the most important concern in this paper.
John dryden was born in aldwinkle, northamptonshire, england, the eldest of fourteen children of erasmus dryden c. British literature unit 3 self test 3 flashcards quizlet. Both, writing in the wake of wars that severely damaged the fabric of. As a writer, john dryden is known to be very versatile and succeeded in many different written forms poetry, prose, plays. Many of these works, and his later satires and translations, were written. Find out more about john drydens life and works at the british library. All dryden fountain pens are designed to fit beautifully between your fingers, glide elegantly across the page and add style and finesse to every sentence you write. John dryden, born august 9 august 19, new style, 1631, aldwinkle. John dryden and his of dramatic poesie, an essay would better show the condition of. John drydens mock epic poem mac flecknoe is a great example of restoration satire.
Nov 17, 2017 home literary criticism literary criticism of john dryden. John dryden, englands first poet laureate, is considered the archetypal literary figure of the english restoration. Though he was a famous poet, he mainly dedicated the years from 1664 to 1681 to the writing of plays a much more secure source of income then. John dryden, however, remains a crucial figure in the. Dryden was born in the village rectory of aldwincle near thrapston in northamptonshire, where his maternal grandfather was rector.
Given the lack of coherence as a movement, and the diversity of style between poets, it has been suggested that calling them baroque poets after their era might be more useful. After william shakespeare and ben jonson, he was the greatest playwright. All for love by john dryden full text free book part. Dryden was the dominant literary figure and influence of his age. And he has no peer as a writer of prose, especially literary criticism, and as a translator. He is seen as dominating the literary life of restoration england to such a point that the period came to be known in literary circles. Regarded by many scholars as the father of modern english poetry and criticism, dryden dominated literary life in england. John dryden, 16311700, english poet, literary critic, dramatist and leader in restoration comedy wrote the comedic play marriage alamode 1672, and the tragedy all for love 1678. John dryden helped to increase royal support for charles ii by writing what kind of poems. After graduation, dryden found work with oliver cromwells secretary of state, john thurloe, marking a radical shift in the poets political views. The poems of john dryden the oxford edition of the poet who defined his age includes the groundbreaking translations and songs from his plays. Home literary criticism literary criticism of john dryden.
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