This is my presentation of paper no. 3 during my course of M.A. in English, semester 1

1. AJIT A. KALIYA
M.A. SEM 1
ROLL NO. 3
ENROLLMENT NO.
2069108420170013
BATCH 2016-18
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH,
MKBU
Dryden’s Views On
Tragicomedy
John Dryden(1631-1700)

2. Definition of Tragicomedy
 Tragicomedy is a literary genre that blends aspects
of both tragic and comic forms. Most often seen in
dramatic literature. The term can variously
describe either a tragic play which contains enough
comic elements to lighten the overall mood or a
serious play with a happy ending (Wikipedia)

3. Dryden’s Tragicomedy
 It is a defense of modern English drama by John
Dryden.
 Theory of tragicomedy is given in his essay “Of
Dramatic Poesie” in 1668.
 Neander(represent Dryden) defends tragicomedy.

4. Dryden’s Definition of Play
 “A play ought to be a just and lively image of
human nature, representing its passions and
humors, and the changes of fortune to which
it is subject for the delight and instruction of
mankind.”

5.  Defends tragicomedy on the following grounds:
• Contrast when placed near, set of each other.
• A scene of mirth has the same effect on us as music. In
other words a comic scene produces relief.
• Mirth does not destroy compassion the serious effect
which tragedy aims at is not disturbed by mingling of
tragic and comic.

6.  Just as the eye can pass from an unpleasant to pleasant
object, soul can move from tragic to the comic.
 The English have prepared a new way of writing not
known to the ancients. If they had tragicomedy
perhaps Aristotle would have revised his rules.
 What pleased the Greeks would not satisfy an English
audience. It is all a question of progress of the change
of taste.

7. “Mingling of mirth with
serious plot”

8. French
plays =
Beauties of statue, but not of a man

9. Summary In Two Lines
 Simple meaning of all this is life is a mixture
of happiness and sorrows and play should be
reflection of life, so in play also should be
mixture of sorrows and happiness.

10. Source
Of Dramatic Poesy - John Dryden