This document provides an overview of John Dryden's career and works, with a focus on his contributions to literary criticism. It discusses that Dryden was born in England in 1631 and had a successful career as a poet, playwright, and literary critic after the English Restoration. As a critic, some of his most important works included An Essay of Dramatic Poesy, in which he defended English dramatists, and his prefaces to various plays, where he outlined his principles of dramatic criticism. While insightful at times, his criticism was also scattered and inconsistent in nature. The document then provides details on Dryden's various poetic and dramatic works throughout his career, and notes that he died in 1700 from

1. Greetings

2. This Semester Papers I Deal With Core Subject 3 Literary Criticism Unit III Dryden Johnson Core Subject 5 Commonwealth Literature Unit V The Swamp Dwellers -Wole Soyinka

4. Dryden An Introduction Dryden as a Critic 4 Topics 10 Questions

5. An Introduction

7. John Dryden English Poet Literary Critic Dramatist Translator Leader in Restoration Comedy Poet Laureate John Dryden, (1631-1700), English poet, literary critic, dramatist and leader in Restoration comedy wrote the comedic play Marriage A-la-Mode (1672), and the tragedy All for Love (1678).

8. Dryden’s Birth Aldwinkle, Northamptonshire, England Eldest son among 14 Erasmus Dryden and Mary Pickering John Dryden was born in Aldwinkle, Northamptonshire, England, the eldest of fourteen children of Erasmus Dryden (c.1602–1654) and Mary Pickering (d. 1676).

9. Dryden’s Education King’s Scholar Classics at Westminster Entered Trinity College in 1650 Graduated in 1654

10. Dryden’s Marriage Married Lady Elizabeth Howard Daughter of the Earl of Berkshire On December 1 1663 Later Three Sons

11. Dryden in Kings Theatre Dryden entered into contact with Kings Theatre company In 1668 To Produce three play a year

12. Honours Archbishop of Canterbury Awarded him an M. A. in 1668 Became Poet Laureate in the same year Became Royal Historiographer in 1970

13. Dishonours Beaten by thugs in 1679 Ordered by Earl of Rochester For collaboration on An Essay Upon Satire Not upon Evidence On Suspicion William III becomes King Loses his Laureateship in 1688

14. His works Heroic Stanzas (1658), on the death of Oliver Cromwell is his first important work Poem Astræa Redux (1660). To His Sacred Majesty, a Panegyrick on his Coronation (1661) First play The Wild Gallant was first staged in 1662

15. His Works contd. The Rival Ladies (1663 ) [play] Attached to it is one of his famous Prefaces where he describes his principles of dramatic criticism His first successful play, written in heroic couplets was The Indian Emperor (1665)

16. His Works Contd. Annus Mirabilis (1666) celebrates the English Navy's victory over the Dutch The Maiden Queen was composed in blank verse, rhyming couplets and prose in 1667 The Assignation, or Love in a Nunnery in the same year

17. His Works Contd. An Essay of Dramatic Poesy (1668) was written two years after the Restoration with the reopening of the theatres Marriage A-la-Mode (1672) The Conquest of Granada (1672) His unsuccessful work on the theme of Paradise Lost, The State of Innocence , was staged in 167 4

18. His Works Contd. He produced his best play, All for Love in 1678. It is Dryden's most famous masterpiece based on Anthony and Cleopatra Troilus and Cressida (1679) Absalom and Achitophel , Dryden's allegorical poem appeared in 1681 Well-known political satire of Shaftesbury An Allegory

19. His Works Contd. Religio Laici (1682 ) A didactic poem Argues the case for Anglicanism Threnodia Angustalis (1685) is an ode to Charles II The Hind and the Panther (1687 ) It marked Dryden's final conversion to Roman Catholicism

20. His Works Contd. Don Sebastian (1690),a tragi-comedy Love Triumphant (1694) , a tragi-comedy Translated poems from Latin and Greek

21. Dryden’s Death John Dryden died on 12 May 1700 From inflammation caused by gout Buried in the Poet's Corner of Westminster Abbey, London, England Nearby to his long time friend William Congreve

22. Dryden as a Critic

23. Dryden as a Critic Neo-Classicist French Influence Essay Of Dramatic Poesy Prefaces Unsystematic Inconsistent Repetitive It is scattered

24. Neo- Classicist Gave importance to classical rules Rules Compatibility with nature New interpretation of rules based on the nature of poetry

25. French Influence During the civil war between parliament and Charles I many poets left for France and later influenced by French To get royal favour they mixed English with French during the reign of Charles II and James II

26. Essay Of Dramatic Poesy Major Critical work of John Dryden It is in the form of the Dialogue He defends English Dramatists Defends tragi-comedy Explains Unities in favour of English

27. Prefaces Epistle Dedicatory of the Rival Ladies - advocates the use of heroic purposes Dedication to Annus Mirabilis - advocates four-line stanza for heroic verse

28. Prefaces A Defence of an Essay of Dramatic Poesy prefixed to The Indian Emperor “Of Heroic Plays” prefixed to The Conquest of Granada [Part 1] Epilogue and The Defence of the Epilogue to The Conquest of Granada [Part II] - defend the use of rhymed couplet in tragedy

29. Prefaces “The Apology of Heroic Poetry” prefixed to The State of Innocence eulogises Milton’s achievements in heroic poetry “The Grounds of Criticism in Tragedy” prefixed to Troilus and Cressida contains an exposition of Aristotle’s tragedy “A Discourse Concerning the Original and Progress of Satire” prefixed to the translation of The Satires of Juvenal

30. Prefaces “ Dedication of the Aenies” prefixed to the translation of Virgil’s Works Preface to the Fables

31. To Be Continued…

32. Literary Criticism Portion for Second Internal John Dryden

33. Model Question Paper Section- A Answer any five questions [1x 5=5] 1. “Dryden is the father of English criticism” are the words uttered by----- [a] Dr. Johnson [b] Ben Jonson [c] Magic Johnson 2. Dryden wrote An Essay of Dramatic Poesy to vindicate the honour of------dramatists. [a] French [b] English [c] German 3. “The Apology of Heroic Poetry” is prefixed to----- [a] The State of Innocence [b] All for Love [c] The Rivals Dryden considers Epic superior to--- [a] tragedy [b] comedy [c] tragi-comedy 5. “The Grounds of Criticism in Tragedy” is prefixed to ---- [a] Troilus and Cressida [b] The Conquest of Granada [c] All for Love Dryden’s criticism is unsystematic. [a] True [b] False

34. 8. Dryden’s criticism is inconsistent. [a] True [b] False 9. Dryden’s Criticism is repetitive. [a] False [b] True 10. A Defence of an Essay of Dramatic Poesy prefixed to [a] The Indian Emperor [b] The Rival Ladies Section- B Answer any question in 200 words[1 x5=5] 11. Write a short note on Dryden as a critic. List the critical works of Dryden. Answer any question in 500 words[1x 10=10] 13. Dryden’s career as a critic-Discuss. 14. Write an analysis of Dryden’s critical works