1. DRYDEN
As a critic

2. “The Father of English
Criticism”

3. Introduction
•Inborn critical faculty
•Study of classical literature
•Neo classicalist
•Critical work on poetry

4. Critical work :
“Essay on Dramatic Poesy”
(1668)
The function of poetry
The object of the critics
appreciation
His theory of comparative method

5. Views on the function of poetry:
Poetry is Delightful teaching.
To Delight is the main function of poetry.
Poetry should not confuse with morality.
Dryden used word “to Delight” as Longinus used word
“to Move”.
Dryden said, “My chief endeavors area is to delight the
age in which I live…”

6. Views on the object of critic’s
appreciation:
T.S.Eliot said, “ The great achievement of Dryden as a
critic is that at the right movement he become conscious
of the necessity of affirming the native element in
literature and blended the English accent with the
French accent.”
Freedom of composition, he simply not in fever to
follow Aristotle’s views blindly.
No need to follow three unities.
Introduce the Tragi-comedy.

7. Theory of Comparative Method:
He believed that the literature of two nation or age is
different then each other.
Its differ in the matter of Language, Stage of
development, Character and the Taste of an Audience.
New literature should not compare with classical
literature.

8. Best example of comparative
method of Dryden,
Homar Virgil

9. OVID CHAUCER

10. Best example of comparative
method of Dryden,
BEN Shakespeare
JHONSON

11. Conclusion
•Dryden is one of the greatest critic of his age and even today.
•The comparative method of Drydon is his most important
contribution in the field of criticism.