Bridge Course: John Dryden - Essay on Dramatic Poesie

 

INTRODUCTION:- 

Dryden as Father of English Criticism, Neo-Classical Critic and definition of Play

1. Dryden as the Father of English Criticism

Dryden is called the “Father of English Criticism” because he was the first systematic critic in English literature.

Before him, there were scattered remarks on poetry (by Sidney, Jonson, etc.), but Dryden gave a full body of critical theory in prose.

His works like An Essay of Dramatic Poesy (1668), Preface to the Fables (1700), and his critical prefaces to plays and poems provide principles of poetry and drama in a clear, reasoned manner.

He combined theory with practical criticism: not just abstract rules, but constant references to Shakespeare, Jonson, Fletcher, Chaucer, Milton, etc.

He mediated between the classical rules (Aristotle, Horace) and the practical English tradition (Shakespeare & Elizabethans).

Hence, he laid the foundation for 18th-century critics like Pope, Addison, and Johnson.

2. Dryden as a Neo-Classical Critic

Dryden belongs to the Restoration Age, deeply influenced by French and classical (Greek & Roman) models.

Features of his Neo-Classical criticism:

Imitation of Nature → Literature should be “a just and lively image of human nature.”

Adherence to rules → He respects Aristotle’s unities, decorum, and the idea of poetry as a moral and artistic imitation.

Preference for order and correctness → He often praises Jonson’s correctness, Virgil’s polish, and French dramatic rules.

Balance between rules and genius → While he admired rules, he also defended Shakespeare’s natural genius, even if irregular.

Defense of rhyme in tragedy → Based on Aristotle’s idea of verse “nearest to prose.”

Critical comparison → He compared Ancients vs. Moderns, French vs. English drama, Jonson vs. Shakespeare, thus shaping literary taste.

👉 Thus, Dryden stands as a bridge between Renaissance freedom and Augustan discipline.

3. Dryden’s Definition of a Play

In An Essay of Dramatic Poesy, Dryden defines a play as:

“A just and lively image of human nature, representing its passions and humours, and the changes of fortune to which it is subject, for the delight and instruction of mankind.”

“Just and lively image” → Play should imitate life truthfully (realism) and vividly (imagination).

“Passions and humours” → Drama should explore both deep emotions and character quirks.

“Changes of fortune” → Reflects Aristotle’s notion of reversal of fortune in tragedy.

“Delight and instruction” → Drama must both entertain and teach (the Horatian aim: prodesse et delectare).

✅ So, in sum:

Dryden is the Father of English Criticism because he systematized literary theory.

He is a Neo-Classical critic for upholding classical rules, order, and imitation of nature, while adapting them to English taste.

His definition of a play synthesizes Aristotle, Horace, and English tradition into a balanced, practical formula.

2. Dryden as Critic & Title of the Essay:

Dryden as Critic

Dryden is regarded as the Father of English Criticism because he was the first great literary critic in English to write sustained, systematic, and reasoned prose about literature.

His criticism is both practical and theoretical:

Practical → judging authors like Shakespeare, Jonson, Fletcher, Chaucer, Milton.

Theoretical → discussing what poetry and drama should be, often drawing from Aristotle, Horace, and French critics.

He is not a rigid classicist: while he valued rules, he also defended the English tradition (esp. Shakespeare) for its natural genius and vitality.

He made criticism accessible and elegant, blending scholarship, wit, and common sense.

His main contributions:

Debate of Ancients vs. Moderns.

Comparison of French vs. English drama.

Defense of tragicomedy and mixing mirth with seriousness.

Argument in favour of rhyme in plays (against blank verse).

Definition of a play as “a just and lively image of human nature…”

Thus, Dryden stands as the critic who founded a tradition of reasoned, prose criticism in English literature that influenced Pope, Addison, Johnson, and others.

Title of the Essay

The essay in which Dryden sets out his critical views is titled:

👉 “An Essay of Dramatic Poesy” (1668).

Written during the Plague of 1665, published in 1668.

It is in the form of a dialogue between four speakers:

Crites (defender of Ancients).

Eugenius (defender of Moderns).

Lisideius (defender of French drama).

Neander (Dryden’s spokesman, defender of English drama).

This work establishes Dryden’s reputation as the first great English literary critic.

comparative criticism of the Ancients, the Moderns and the French Playwrights:

1. Ancients vs. Moderns

Ancients

Represented by classical Greek and Roman writers (Homer, Virgil, Aristophanes, Sophocles, Euripides).

Strengths:

Mastery of form and rules (structure, decorum, unity).

Elevated, moral, and instructive themes.

Idealized representation of nature.

Weaknesses (according to Moderns):

Limited by time and context.

Lacked variety and flexibility to adapt to contemporary tastes.

Some plots or characterizations feel remote from contemporary life.

Moderns

Represented by contemporary English writers (Dryden, Shakespeare, Jonson, Fletcher, etc.).

Strengths:

More natural, lively, and varied representation of human nature.

Flexible in mixing comedy and tragedy (tragicomedy).

Incorporates contemporary manners and interests.

Weaknesses (according to Ancients’ defenders):

Sometimes less orderly, irregular in structure.

Occasionally violates classical rules (e.g., unities of time and place).

Dryden’s View:

Balanced approach: Moderns surpass Ancients in vigour and relevance, but Ancients excel in discipline and correctness.

He does not insist on slavish imitation of the Ancients but values their principles as a guide.

2. English vs. French Playwrights

French Playwrights (Corneille, Racine, Molière)

Known for strict adherence to Aristotelian unities:

Unity of action, time, and place.

Strengths:

Elegance, polish, correctness, and clarity.

No mixture of comic and tragic elements; plays are orderly and harmonious.

Weaknesses (according to Dryden):

Too formal, rigid, and artificial.

Lack vitality, emotional variety, and natural humour.

English Playwrights (Shakespeare, Jonson, Beaumont & Fletcher)

Less rigid about classical unities; often mixed comic and tragic elements.

Strengths:

Vivid characterisation and natural dialogue.

Strong mixture of mirth and seriousness, appealing to a broader audience.

Shakespeare combines genius with universal appeal.

Weaknesses (according to French defenders like Lisideius):

Sometimes disorderly; plots can be irregular.

Language may lack refinement and polish compared to French drama.

Dryden’s Conclusion:

French plays are models of correctness, but English plays are full of life and passion.

English dramatists like Shakespeare and Fletcher balance natural genius with some measure of art, achieving emotional and moral impact.

Dryden defends tragicomedy, rhyme in plays, and mixture of mirth with serious plots as innovations justified by the English spirit.

debate regarding appropriateness of rhyme and blank verse:

1. Crites’ Objections (Against Rhyme)

Crites, representing the Ancients’ viewpoint, criticizes rhyme in plays:

1. Unnaturalness – Dialogue in a play is meant to imitate real speech, and no one naturally speaks in rhyme.

2. Artificiality – Rhyme draws attention to itself, making the art too apparent, while true art hides art.

3. Blank verse is better – Even blank verse is closer to prose, and Aristotle says tragedy should use verse nearer to natural speech.

4. Purity of imitation – Drama is a “just representation of Nature,” and rhyme violates this principle.

2. Neander’s Defense (In Favor of Rhyme)

Neander (Dryden’s spokesman) replies, defending the use of rhyme:

1. Naturalness depends on word choice, not rhyme – If words are in their natural order, rhyme does not make dialogue unnatural.

2. Blank verse is insufficient – Blank verse is essentially poetic prose; it lacks the formal beauty and rhythm required for tragedy.

3. Rhyme satisfies audience taste – Rhyme adds elegance, musicality, and memorability, which were appreciated by English audiences.

4. Universality  - Rhyme has been used by civilized nations worldwide, so its use is justified.

5. Rhyme as a tool  - When made natural or near prose, rhyme can maintain both artistic beauty and natural expression, fulfilling Aristotle’s principles in spirit.

3. Dryden’s Own Position

Rhyme in tragedy is acceptable if it is close to natural speech.

Blank verse is better suited for comedies, which deal with everyday life and less elevated subjects.

Dryden emphasizes balance between correctness and genius: form should support emotion, clarity, and beauty, not rigidly follow rules.

✅ In short:

Crites: Rhyme is artificial, unnatural, and distracts from imitation of nature.

Neander: Rhyme is justified if made natural; blank verse is insufficient for tragedy; rhyme adds elegance, rhythm, and memorability.

controversy regarding the Rhymes lines vs the Blank Verse:

1. The Controversy

The debate centers on whether plays (especially tragedies) should use rhyme or blank verse, reflecting broader questions of naturalness, art, and audience taste.

A. Crites’ Objections (Against Rhyme)

Crites, defending classical principles, argues:

1. Unnaturalness of rhyme – In real life, people do not speak in rhyme; plays should imitate natural speech.

2. Artificiality  Rhyme draws attention to itself; it makes the art obvious, violating the principle of “hiding art”.

3. Blank verse is closer to nature – Though still not spoken, blank verse is nearer to prose and thus more suitable.

4. Drama as imitation of life – Since drama should reflect human nature, rhyme is inappropriate.

B. Neander’s Defense (In Favor of Rhyme)

Neander, Dryden’s spokesman, responds:

1. Naturalness depends on diction – Words arranged naturally can rhyme without sounding forced.

2. Blank verse is insufficient – Blank verse is essentially poetic prose, better suited for comedies than elevated tragedies.

3. Elegance and memorability – Rhyme adds musicality and beauty, enhancing the audience’s pleasure.

4. Universality of rhyme – Civilized nations across history have used rhyme; it is an accepted poetic form.

5. Rhyme can fulfill classical aims – When near to natural speech, rhyme still satisfies Aristotle’s requirement of verse that is near prose and suitable for tragedy.

C. Dryden’s Conclusion

Rhyme is justified in tragedy if handled naturally.

Blank verse is better for comedies, but too plain for the grandeur of tragedy.

Dryden emphasizes balance between rules and genius: the form must support clarity, emotional impact, and aesthetic pleasure.

✅ Summary:

Aspect Crites (Against Rhyme) Neander/Dryden (For Rhyme)

Naturalness Unnatural; people don’t speak in rhyme Natural if words arranged properly

Artistic effect Artificial; art is too apparent Adds beauty, elegance, musicality

Blank verse suitability Better than rhyme; near prose Insufficient for tragedy; suited for comedy

Classical conformity Follows Aristotle; imitation of life Rhyme can still satisfy Aristotle if natural

Audience appeal Less important Important; enhances pleasure and memorability

 

Conclusion 

Dryden champions English drama for its vitality, humour, and naturalness, while respecting classical wisdom. He advocates a practical, flexible criticism that balances rules, genius, and audience appeal, laying the foundation for English literary criticism.