DOCSLIB.ORG

Unit 24 Mac Flecknoe *

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Unit 24 Mac Flecknoe * UNIT 24 MAC FLECKNOE structure Objectives Introduction Introduction to Mac Flecknoe The Development of Dryden 24.3.1 Juvenilia and Early Poetry 24.3.2 A Blind Alley (1668-1681) 24.3.3 A Short Bloom (1681-86) 24.3.4 The Mellowed Trans-cultural Poet (1 687- 1700) Can Satire be Great Poetry The Critical Debate and Heritage Interpretation 24.6.1 The Title 24.6.2 The Structure of the Poem 24.6.3 Textual Analysis The Ode : Alexander's Feast Interpretation Let US Sum Up Suggested Readings Questions 24.0 OBJECTIVES The objective of this unit is to help you study Mac Flecknoe and Alexander's Feast, the two best poems of John Dryden of their respective types, with a view particularly to * understanding the texts and being able to explain passages fiom them, * knowing their social and literary context, particularly, the popularity of verse- satire. * appreciating the mock-heroic design, of Mac Flecknoe and the musical design of Alexander's Feast, * analysing the poetic style of Dryden-diction, imagery, metaphor, speech, narrative etc. * appreciating the verse-forms - the heroic couplet and the Ode, and * evaluating the poems by deciding their place among the poetical works of Dryden and as classics of English poetry. 24.1 INTRODUCTION ' In this Unit, we shall study Mac Flecknoe, the first literary satire and one of the great mock-heroic poems in English. We shall also study Alexander's Feast - the second Ode on St. Cecilia's Day. Our detailed discussion of Mac Flecknoe will make us agree with T.S. Eliot in whose view the poem was 'the piece of Dryden which is most fun, which is the most sustained display of surprise of wit fiom line to line. Dryden thought that Alexander's Feast; or The Power of Musique, an Ode in Honour of St. Cecilia's Day, published three years before his death, was 'the best of all my poetry', and so did his contemporaries. The Neoclassical Satire, possible only in society, became poetic in Dryden's society, because poetry Poets was adequately social, even public, and society was sufficiently literary. The Restoration of 1660 not only changed sensibility but also divided society into Whig and Tory. The class-cleavage was felt as political rather than economic in Dryden's time. And the divorce between religion and politics was not yet complete. All this is illustrated in Mac Flecknoe. The development of Dryden from the heroic to the mock-heroic, from the serious to the serio-comic, was a self-discovery which may be compared with the late flowering of the genius of W.B.Yeats. The control and complexity of the ironic tone in Absalom and Achitophel written at the age of fifty is the first sign of mahuity. And there was no decline since then. But more than two decades of criticism, self- examination and experiment, mainly dramatic, had to pass before Dryden could mature and discover his original genius and assert his poetic authority. The interpretation of Dryden's poetry has led to a critical debate on the nature of poetry between the classicists and the romanticists. Satire, lai~guageand verse are all controversial. We shall see that, despite the debate, Mac Flecknoe and 'Alexander's Feast' belong no less to the mainstream of English poetry than the romantic lyric of the last century or the waste land of our own. 24.2 INTRODUCTION TO MAC FLECKNOE Literature is a formation within language, which is a primary instance of the cultural system. Authors and readers are placed and defined inside this system as well as systems of race, gender and class. Graduate students of English literature in India read and study Mac Flecknoe within the network of these systems. They operate inside specific institutions (like IGNOU) which shape their practice. Eac'h act of reading a text prepares us for reading the next. Literature as well as criticism are, in the words of Paul de Man (1979), " condemned (or privileged) to be forever the most rigorous and consequently, the most unreliable language in terms of which man names and transforms himself '. Reading, according to him, is an argument, 'an epistemological event prior to being an ethical or aesthetic value'. The 'epistemological event' that our study of Mac Flecknoe is going to be has the following main aspects: (1) The autobiographical, social, historical, literary and poetic elements of the experience of the poet which inspired the poem: its origin and genesis, in other words. (2) The Poem as a communication from the poet to the reader. History and Form. Satire and Poetry, (3) The interpretation of the text : its mock-heroic form, the poetic technique - versc, diction, rhetoric, style. (4) The evaluation of the value-system that the poem symbolises. Mac Flecknoe was published anonymously in October, 1682. The date of its composition and its authorship remained uncertain for ten years after publication. The first edition was piratical and Dryden had denied authorship to Shadwell. But that ' was merely being 'polite', for Dryden claimed it after Sha&el,lls.death in December, 1692. Thomas Shadwell, the target of satire in Mac Flecknoe, was born in lq42, and thus younger by more than ten years to John Dryden. He was a dramatist and professed imitator of Ben Jonson. His witty talk and amusing writing made him popular. His Mec Fleckrroe plays abo~din concrete imagery, vigorous metaphor and picturesque phrases. They show, as Rochester put it, 'great mastery with little care'. A h~~moristand caricaturist, he was indebted to the French Moliere and the English Ben Jonson. He ranges from cheerful force to coarse verisimilitude. 'His prosaic but vigorous mind plants the reader in Restoration life more faithfully than does the wit-and-intrigue comedy of Dryden, Etherage and Congreve'. The Sullen Lovers (1 668) and Be Miser (1672) are comedies by him which have I their source in Moliere. His Jonsonian Comedy of Humours is exemplified , particularly by The Humorists (1670) and Epsoin Wells (1672). He was witty enough to make Don Juan the hero of The Libertine (1676). Other popular plays by him were The Squire of Alsatia (1688) and Bury Fair (1689). He gives a picture of his age "roughly rather than finely drawn, and, to that extent, more veracious". IIe loved the country no less than the town. Bellamy in his Buly Fair expresses his own attitude. As a drama-critic, he advocated a development of Comedy on the line of Ben Jonson. He said : "All dramatic poets ought to imitate him (Jonson)". He disapproved of the prevailing form of the Comedy of manners. He believed that the delineation of humours was more fmitful. Comedy as an instrument of social and moral refom I could be created only by a satirical portraiture of real characters drawn from ordinaiy life. The realistic representation of human characters with satirical intent was, according to him, the essence of comedy. Keen observation and judgement was to be shown in the selection of humours. 'Judgement does indeed comprehend wit; for fancy rough-draws, but judgement smooths and finishes', he explained. In the Epilogue to The Humorists, he gave the definition of humour: , ' %humour is the bias of the mind By which with violence 'tis inclined It makes our actions lean on one side still And in all changes that way bend the will. And in the Dedication to The Virtuoso he asserted: 'Four of the humours are entirely new and (without variety) I may say I ne'er produced a comedy that had not some natural humour in it, not represented before and I hope, I never shall'. He was never tired of praising Ben Jonson. In the Epilogue to The Humorists, he said: But to out-go all other men would be 0 noble Ben, less than to follow thee , Sytherland (1958) allowed Shadwell "to creep in at the bottom" of a supposed list of I twelve best English comic dramatists. I But the real or historical Shadwell is less important, at least in this context, than Dryden's Shadwell. It is, therefore, more relevant to know Dryden's relations with him. Dryden had been friendly to Shadwell during the first decade of their acquaintance as dramatists fi-om 1668 to 1679. He had praised Shadwell's genius in I I an Epilogue to The Volunteers, a play by Shadwell, written a Prologue to another play by him, A True Widow. They had worked together in preparing the critical comments on Settle's Empress of Morocco. But, during this same period, Dryden had I I also been engaged in a literary dispute or debate with Shadwell on rhyme, wit, 1 humour and other issues, In Dryden's view Shadwell had no understanding of true wit or the merit of Ben Jonson whom he professed to imitate. 'I Know', said Dryden, I 'I honour Ben Jonson more than my little critiques, because without vanity I may own, I understand him better' (Dedication to the Assignation 1673). Secondly, professional rivalry between Dryden and the younger Shadwell is easy to imagine. Dryden's appointment as Poet Laureate in 1668 may have made Shadwell envious. Ironically, Shadwell succeeded Dryden as the Poet Laureate in 1685, The i?eoclas$iCal But the Exclusion Bill of 1679 brought about a change in social life. The revelry and Poets entertainment of the Restoration court and society which had lasted for about two decades ceased. And, the political turmoil that ensued with the Bill divided society and separated friends and turned them into enemies as in the case of Dryden and Shadwell. Absalom and Achitophel(1681) was published a week before Shaftesbury (Achitophel) was released.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • John Dryden and the Late 17Th Century Dramatic Experience Lecture 16 (C) by Asher Ashkar Gohar 1 Credit Hr
    JOHN DRYDEN AND THE LATE 17TH CENTURY DRAMATIC EXPERIENCE LECTURE 16 (C) BY ASHER ASHKAR GOHAR 1 CREDIT HR. JOHN DRYDEN (1631 – 1700) HIS LIFE: John Dryden was an English poet, literary critic, translator, and playwright who was made England's first Poet Laureate in 1668. 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 as the “Age of Dryden”. The son of a country gentleman, Dryden grew up in the country. When he was 11 years old the Civil War broke out. Both his father’s and mother’s families sided with Parliament against the king, but Dryden’s own sympathies in his youth are unknown. About 1644 Dryden was admitted to Westminster School, where he received a predominantly classical education under the celebrated Richard Busby. His easy and lifelong familiarity with classical literature begun at Westminster later resulted in idiomatic English translations. In 1650 he entered Trinity College, Cambridge, where he took his B.A. degree in 1654. What Dryden did between leaving the university in 1654 and the Restoration of Charles II in 1660 is not known with certainty. In 1659 his contribution to a memorial volume for Oliver Cromwell marked him as a poet worth watching. His “heroic stanzas” were mature, considered, sonorous, and sprinkled with those classical and scientific allusions that characterized his later verse. This kind of public poetry was always one of the things Dryden did best. On December 1, 1663, he married Elizabeth Howard, the youngest daughter of Thomas Howard, 1st earl of Berkshire.
    [Show full text]
  • Summary and Analysis of John Dryden's Poem Absalom And
    Summary and Analysis of John Dryden's poem Absalom and Acidophil M.A. English Sem II by Mr. Amol Mendhe “In pious times,” the poet begins, before religion determined polygamy sinful, one man was not limited to one woman. David, Israel’s king, spread his “Maker’s image” throughout his kingdom. He is married to Michal, and she serves as Israel’s queen, but several women have given birth to “godlike David’s” sons. These sons, however, cannot ascend the throne, as their mothers are not of royal blood. Like King David, King Charles II was notoriously promiscuous and had several mistresses and illegitimate children. Opponents of the monarchy often cited Charles II’s sexual history as a reason to condemn him, but here Dryden implies through David’s exploits that promiscuity was completely accepted in holy, or “pious,” times, and that the modern association between sex and sin is a fabricated product of religious fanaticism. By referring to David as “godlike” and mentioning his “Maker’s image,” Dryden implies that David, and by extension Charles II, are touched by God and, as divine kings, represent God’s image on earth. Of all David’s illegitimate sons, Absalom is the most loved, both by the people and by his father, and David is secretly proud of his famous and very popular son. Absalom has proven himself a hero at war, and he is courageous, handsome, and graceful. Many women love and admire Absalom, but he has chosen Annabel as his wife. Nothing could jeopardize David’s love for Absalom, not even the death of Amnon, which was “just revenge for injured fame.” In the Bible, Absalom murders his half-brother Amnon after he rapes Absalom’s sister.
    [Show full text]
  • Unit-22 the Age of Dryden Unit-23 John Dryden Unit-24 Mac Flecknoe Unit-25 Pope: a Background to an Epistle to Dr
    This course material is designed and developed by Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), New Delhi. OSOU has been permitted to use the material. Master of Arts ENGLISH (MAEG) MEG-01 BRITISH POETRY Block – 5 The Neoclassical poets : Dryden and Pope UNIT-22 THE AGE OF DRYDEN UNIT-23 JOHN DRYDEN UNIT-24 MAC FLECKNOE UNIT-25 POPE: A BACKGROUND TO AN EPISTLE TO DR. ARBUTHNOT UNIT-26 POPE: THE STUDY OF AN EPISTLE TO DR. ARBUTHNOT The Neoclassical Poets UNIT 22 THE AGE OF DRYDEN Structure 22.0 Objectives 22.1 Introduction 22.2 The Social Background of Restoration and Early 18thcentury England 22.2.1 The Court 22.2.2 The Theatre 22.2.3 The Coffee House and the Periodicals 22.2.4 Natural Calamities 22.2.5 Social Change 22.2.6 Learning and Education 22.3 The Intellectual Milieu 22.3.1 Science and Scepticism 22.3.2 Science and Poetry in the Augustan Age 22.4 The Literary Context 22.4.1 The Neo-classical Age 22.4.2 Language 22.4.3 Poetic Diction 22.4.4 Poetry-verse-prose-prose Fiction 22.4.5 The Heroic Couplet 22.4.6 Prose and Prose Fiction 22.4. 7 Literary Criticism 22.5 Religion, Philosophy and Morality 22.5.l Religion and Science 22.5.2 Quakerism 22.5.3 Deism 22.5.4 Mysticism, Methodism, Evangelicalism 22.6 Let Us Sum Up 22.7 Questions 22.8 Important Dates 22.9 Suggested Readings 22.0 OBJECTIVES The objective of these units is to introduce you to the age of John Dryden (1631- 1700) the most important man of letters of Restoration England (1660-1700), and Alexander Pope (1688-17 44).
    [Show full text]
  • Pleasures of the Imagination
    Cambridge University Press 0521824273 - The Cambridge Companion to John Dryden - Edited by Steven N. Zwicker Excerpt More information 1 PLEASURES OF THE IMAGINATION © Cambridge University Press www.cambridge.org Cambridge University Press 0521824273 - The Cambridge Companion to John Dryden - Edited by Steven N. Zwicker Excerpt More information 1 STEVEN N. ZWICKER Composing a literary life: introduction John Dryden has come down to us through the exemplary practices of liter- ary editing: a large number of uniform volumes, learnedly prefaced, packed with history and explanatory notes. Who first thought of The Works of John Dryden? Not, I think, the poet himself. During his long writing life Dryden showed little interest in collecting or revising his work; neither he nor appar- ently anyone else kept his manuscripts; and Dryden seldom wrote of, or even seems to have imagined, a coherent and progressive literary career of the kind that was often on Spenser’s or Milton’s mind. Of course, the idea of collected works would have been obvious to Dryden from the humanist editions of classical authors, from The Works of Ben Jonson or the Shakespeare folios, or from collected editions even closer to hand – Cowley, Cleveland, and Suckling. Dryden himself contributed an elegy to John Oldham’s Remains, and he knew too of the CEuvres of Corneille and Racine. His shrewd pub- lisher Jacob Tonson made an effort at such collection in the 1690s, but the sustained impulse to collect “the works” began after Dryden’s death, first with Tonson’s various compilations of poems and plays, then at the end of the eighteenth century with Edmond Malone’s edition of Dryden’s prose.
    [Show full text]
  • Epic to Novel
    EPIC TO NOVEL THOMAS E. MARESCA Epic to Novel OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY PRESS Copyright® 1974 by the Ohio State University Press All Rights Reserved. Manufactured in the United States of America Portions of the chapter entitled "Dryden11 appeared in the summer 1974 issue ofELH under the title "The Context of Dryden's Absalom and Achitophel." Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Mare sea, Thomas E Epic to Novel Bibliography: p. 1. English fiction — Early modern, 1500-1700 — History and criticism. 2. Epic poetry. English — History and criticism. I. Title. PR769.M3 823\03 74-19109 ISBN 0-8142-0216-0 ISBN 0-8142-0289-6 Original hard-cover edition 3 March 1975 Paperback reprint issued May 1977 FOR DIANE CONTENT S Preface ix Dryden 3 Pope 79 Swift 135 Fielding 181 List of Texts Cited 235 Index 237 PREFACE This book attempts to trace the process by which the novel replaced the epic as the major literary form in English. It explores the hows and whys of this process by an analysis of the subject matter of epic rather than its form or manner; that is, it attempts to find out what post-classical readers understood when they read epic by examination of major commentaries on Virgil's Aeneid from the early Middle Ages through the Renaissance. After that it proceeds to the same goal by close reading of major English literary works that bear a parodic relation to epic. I understand the epic tradition this book talks about as a heterogeneous body of materials growing from a single root, always changing and transforming them­ selves, but changing in ways and directions indicated by their earliest shaping.
    [Show full text]
  • Religion and Satire in Milton's Paradise Lost and Dryden's “Mac
    Interdisciplinary Journal of African & Asian Studies, Vol. 1, No.1, 2015 Religion and Satire in Milton’s Paradise Lost and Dryden’s “Mac Flecknoe” Dr. Mbanefo S. Ogene Department of English Language and Literature Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka [email protected] Abstract Religion can be defined as a belief system in human society which transcends the natural to the spiritual. Much as it is something that one considers oneself bound to, it is a common historical foundation for rivalry. This rivalry has always created room for hostility and division among the affiliated groups, an act which can be referred to as denominationalism. The negative consequences of this concept are many, but favoritism has stood out as it has always given room for preferential treatments and giving of unfair advantages to a person or thing above others. This problem is primitive and does not appeal to the civilized mind. The concept of denominationalism has inspired poets to write in favour of or against one cause or the other, mostly, through the application of such literary technique as satire. Starting from such a seventeenth century English poet, Milton, to a later neo classical poet, Miloton, different categories of satire has been used to criticize denominationalism. This paper studied how the concept of religion inspired the writings of John Milton and John Dryden and their reactions to the problem. Based on the fact that different causes of denominationalism have earlier been identified to include economic gains, political reasons, spiritual problems, culture conflicts, and psychological reasons/complexes, the researcher proffers solution to the problems of denominationalism by drawing the attention of the society that this vice exists and is causing serious challenges to the socio-political institutions.
    [Show full text]
  • Durham E-Theses
    Durham E-Theses Studies in the heroic drama of John Dryden Blyth, Michael Graham How to cite: Blyth, Michael Graham (1978) Studies in the heroic drama of John Dryden, Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/8000/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk Studies in the Heroic Drama of John Dryden Thesis submitted to the University of Durham for the degree of Ph.D. by Michael Graham Blyth The copyright of this thesis rests with the author No quotation from it should be published without his prior written consent and information derived from it should be acknowledged 2rsity of Durham Tiber 1978 Acknowledgements My sincere thanks go to the following for their invaluable assistance: Dr. Ray Selden, Durham University English Department, who has given a great deal of his time and critical energy to supervising my work in all stages of its development; Mr.
    [Show full text]
  • Mac Flecknoe Mac Flecknoe (Full Title: Mac Flecknoe; Or, a Satyr Upon the True-Blew-Protestant Poet, T.S.) Is a Verse Mock-Heroic Satire Written by John Dryden
    Mac Flecknoe Mac Flecknoe (full title: Mac Flecknoe; or, A satyr upon the True-Blew-Protestant Poet, T.S.) is a verse mock-heroic satire written by John Dryden. It is a direct attack on Thomas Shadwell, another prominent poet of the time. It opens with the lines: All human things are subject to decay, And when fate summons, monarchs must obey. Written about 1678, but not published until 1682 (see 1682 in poetry), "Mac Flecknoe" is the outcome of a series of disagreements between Thomas Shadwell and Dryden. Their quarrel blossomed from the following disagreements: "1)their different estimates of the genius of Ben Jonson, 2)The preference of Dryden for comedy of wit and repartee and of Shadwell, the chief disciple of Jonson, for humors comedy, 3) A sharp disagreement over the true purpose of comedy, 4) Contention over the value of rhymed plays, and 5) Plagiarism." Shadwell fancied himself heir to Ben Jonson and to the variety of comedy which the latter had commonly written. Shadwell’s poetry was certainly not of the same standard as Jonson’s, and it is possible that Dryden wearied of Shadwell’s argument that Dryden undervalued Jonson. Shadwell and Dryden were separated not only by literary grounds but also by political ones as Shadwell was a Whig, while Dryden was an outspoken supporter of the Stuartmonarchy. The poem illustrates Shadwell as the heir to a kingdom of poetic dullness, represented by his association with Richard Flecknoe, an earlier poet already satirized by Andrew Marvell and disliked by Dryden, although the poet does not use belittling techniques to satirize him.
    [Show full text]
  • The Cambridge Companion to John Dryden - Edited by Steven N
    Cambridge University Press 0521824273 - The Cambridge Companion to John Dryden - Edited by Steven N. Zwicker Frontmatter More information The Cambridge Companion to John Dryden John Dryden, Poet Laureate to Charles II and James II, was one of the great literary figures of the late seventeenth century. This Companion provides a fresh look at Dryden’s tactics and triumphs in negotiating the extraordinary political and cultural revolutions of his time. The newly commissioned essays introduce readers to the full range of his work as a poet, as a writer of innovative plays and operas, as a purveyor of contemporary notions of empire, and most of all as a man intimate with the opportunities of aristocratic patronage as well as the emerging market for literary gossip, slander and polemic. Dryden’s works are examined in the context of seventeenth-century politics, publishing and ideas of authorship. A valuable resource for students and scholars, the Companion includes a full chronology of Dryden’s life and works and a detailed guide to further reading. steven n. zwicker is Stanley Elkin Professor of Humanities at Washington University, St. Louis and Professor of English. He is the editor of The Cambridge Companion to English Literature, 1650–1740 (Cambridge, 1998), Reading, Society, and Politics in Early Modern England, ed. with Kevin Sharpe (Cambridge, 2003), John Dryden: Selected Poems (2001), Refiguring Revolu- tions, ed. with Kevin Sharpe (1998), Lines of Authority (1993), Politics of Dis- course, ed. with Kevin Sharpe (1987) and Politics and Language in Dryden’s Poetry (1984). © Cambridge University Press www.cambridge.org Cambridge University Press 0521824273 - The Cambridge Companion to John Dryden - Edited by Steven N.
    [Show full text]
  • International Journal of Education and Science Research Review E-ISSN 2348-6457 Volume-II, Issue-6 December- 2015 Email- [email protected]
    International Journal of Education and Science Research Review E-ISSN 2348-6457 Volume-II, Issue-6 December- 2015 www.ijesrr.org Email- [email protected] Assimilation of Mythical and Political Issues in Absalom and Achitophel Ms Kiran Bala Assistant Professor Department of English Satyawati College Delhi University, Delhi ABSTRACT: Absalom and Achitopel is a landmark political satire by John Dryden. The poem exists in two parts, the first part, of 1681 is undoubtedly by Dryden and IInd part of 1682 was written by another hand, most likley Nahum Tate, except for a few pages including attack on Thomas Shadwell and Elkanah settle expressed og and doeg that Dryden wrote himself. The poem is an allegory that uses the story of the rebellion of Absalom against king David as the basis for discussion of the background to the Popish Plot (1678), the exclusion crises (1679-1681), and the Monmouth Robellion (1685). John Dryden claimed that Absalom and Achitophel was carefully planned to promote political reform. To gain this end, Dryden used satire, the true aim of which he defined as "the amendment of vices by correction". The particular vices he wanted to correct were those of whigs of his day, who were seeking to secure the succession of the duke of Monmouth, illegitimate son of Charles II, to his father's throne. Second realizing that direct satire might defeat its purpose by incurring resentment, Dryden choose to attack the Whigs by casting them as characters in the biblical story of Absalom revolt against David. Third to increase his satire's effectiveness, he cast it in heroice couplet "for their sweetness in good verse, which tickles even while it hurts, and no man can be heartily angry with him who pleases him against his will".
    [Show full text]
  • UNIT 7 JOHN DRYDEN:MAC FLECKNOE John Dryden: Mac Flecknoe
    UNIT 7 JOHN DRYDEN:MAC FLECKNOE John Dryden: Mac Flecknoe Structure 7.0 Objectives 7.1 Introduction 7.2 JOHN DRYDEN (1631-1700) 7.3 MAC FLECKNOE (1682) 7.4 Let Us Sum Up 7.5 Suggested Reading 7.6 Answers to Self-Check Exercises 7.0 OBJECTIVES Our aim in this unit is to examine John Dryden’s poem Mac Flecknoe,a poem which goes beyond critical sniping to a rage at the deathliness of human stupidity. This unit will also discuss briefly the biographical and historical background of John Dryden, the poet. Our intention in this unit is also to show how far whatever Dryden wrote was almost automatically suggested by events in his contemporary life. 7.1 INTRODUCTION This unit will briefly introduce the poet John Dryden, paying special attention to the manner in which his writings were generally conditioned by the historic events of his society. As you already know, John Dryden was appointed Poet Laureate in 1668 and Histriographer Royal in 1670. But on the accession of James II to the English throne, Dryden became a Catholic, and refusing to abandon his new faith after 1688, he was stripped of the Laureateship and other royal appointments. So this unit will highlight the criss-cross of attractions and revulsions that gradually emerged in John Dryden, the man and the poet. This unit will then go on to examine John Dryden’s MacFlecknoe(1682) through relevant extracts and see how the poem defines by negatives and discrepencies, undoes epic pretensions by playing with the mock-heroic and lets dullness express itself.
    [Show full text]
  • Melanie Bigold, ' “The Theatre of the Book”: Marginalia and Mise En
    occasional publications no.1 ‘Theatre of the Book’ Marginalia and Mise en Page in the Cardiff Rare Books Restoration Drama Collection Melanie Bigold Centre for Editorial and Intertextual Research, Cardiff University ‘ “Theatre of the Book”: Marginalia and Mise en Page in the Cardiff Rare Books Restoration Drama Collection’ (CEIR Occasional Publications No. 1). Available online <http://cardiffbookhistory.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/bigold.pdf>. © 2013 Melanie Bigold; (editor: Anthony Mandal). The moral rights of the author have been asserted. Originally published in December 2013, by the Centre for Editorial and Intertextual Research, Cardiff University. Typeset in Adobe Minion Pro 11 / 13, at the Centre for Editorial and Intertextual Research, using Adobe InDesign cc; final output rendered with Adobe Acrobat xi Professional. Summary he value-added aspect of both marginalia and provenance has long Tbeen recognized. Ownership marks and autograph annotations from well-known writers or public figures increase the intellectual interest as well as monetary value of a given book. Handwritten keys, pointers, and marginal glosses can help to reveal unique, historical information unavaila- ble in the printed text; information that, in turn, can be used to reconstruct various reading and interpretive experiences of the past. However, increas- ingly scholars such as Alan Westphall have acknowledged that the ‘study of marginalia and annotations’ results in ‘microhistory, producing narratives that are often idiosyncratic’. While twenty to fifty percent of early modern texts have some sort of marking in them, many of these forays in textual alterity are unsystematic and fail to address, as William Sherman notes, ‘the larger patterns that most literary and historical scholars have as their goal’.
    [Show full text]