John Dryden's "Of Dramatic Poesie"

Aristotle's Poetics

John Dryden's "Essay of Dramatic Poesy"

Introduction

The Essay Of Dramatic Poesie (1668) by John Dryden takes up an important place in English neoclassical criticism. Written in the form of a dialogue during the Restoration, the text interferes with the prevailing debate of the time, the contest between Ancients and Moderns, but also interacts with the national discursive tradition of English versus French theatrical conventions. Dryden, through the character of Neander, justifies artistic flexibility and encourages the inclusion of classical principles and the new and uniquely English traditions of drama. The Essay still provides a crucial understanding of how the 17th-century commentators attempted to balance traditional legacy with creative advances in art.

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Structure and Context

The Essay is formed as a conversation among four characters on a boat:

1. Crites (Sir Robert Howard): Champions the Ancients (Greek/Roman writers) and strict adherence to classical rules.
2. Eugenius (Charles Sackville): Defends Moderns (contemporary writers) for refining classical ideals.
3. Lisideius (Sir Charles Sedley): Praises French drama for its discipline.
4. Neander (Dryden’s mouthpiece): Argues for English drama’s superiority.

Historical Catalyst:

Ø  Written amid debates started by French critics like Pierre Corneille.

Ø  Responds to Sir Robert Howard’s attack on Dryden’s use of rhyme in plays.

Key Debates and Technical Terms

1. Ancients vs. Moderns

This debate questions whether classical (Greco-Roman) writers surpass modern (17th-century) authors.

• Ancients:

Ø  Greek/Roman playwrights (e.g., Sophocles, Virgil).

Ø  Crites argues they established immutable rules derived from "nature" and "reason."

• Moderns:

Ø  Post-Renaissance writers (e.g., Shakespeare, Jonson).

Ø  Eugenius contends they improve on antiquity by depicting nuanced human experiences.

Dryden’s View:

"Modern drama may ‘hit some airs and features which [Ancients] missed."

He asserts modernity refines classical ideals without discarding them.

2. English vs. French Drama

Dryden contrasts French formalism with English inventiveness.

French Drama (Lisideius)	English Drama (Neander)
Strict adherence to the Three Unities.	Flexible interpretation of rules.
Avoids subplots/genre mixing.	Embraces tragicomedy and complex plots.
"Beauties of a statue" – lifeless perfection.	"Soul of Poesy" – vibrant imitation of human passions.

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Key Terms:

1. Three Unities:

ü  Unity of Action: One central plot, no subplots.

ü  Unity of Time: Events span ≤24 hours.

ü  Unity of Place: Single setting.

Dryden critiques French "slavishness" to these rules.

2. Tragicomedy:

ü  A genre blending tragedy (serious themes) and comedy (humorous elements).

ü  Dryden hails it as "more pleasant... than ever known to ancients or moderns."

3. Use of Rhyme in Drama

Crites condemns rhyme as "unnatural," arguing real speech is blank verse (unrhymed iambic pentameter). Neander counters:

1. Rhyme:

Ø  Elevates language, making imitation "more lively and artful."

Ø  Aligns with Aristotle’s Poetics: Artistic language should heighten reality, not mirror it slavishly.

2. Blank Verse:

Ø  Unrhymed lines with rhythmic meter (e.g., Shakespeare’s plays).

Ø  Crites insists it better achieves verisimilitude (lifelike realism).

Dryden’s Conclusion: Rhyme enhances poetic craft without sacrificing emotional truth.

Core Critical Principles

Mimesis vs. Phantasia

Dryden prioritizes mimesis over phantasia:

1. Mimesis:

Ø  Aristotle’s concept of art as "imitation of nature."

Ø  Dryden defines drama as a "lively imitation of nature" – reflecting human actions/emotions authentically.

2. Phantasia:

Ø  Unrestrained creativity that twists reality.

Ø  Neoclassicists like Boileau warn it risks "subversion of nature."

Dryden’s Balance: Art should imitate nature but refine it through artistic judgment.

Wit

A contested term in neoclassical criticism:

1. Dryden’s Definition:

"Propriety of thoughts and words elegantly adapted to the subject."

Ø  Wit = Precision + eloquence (e.g., Shakespeare’s wordplay).

2. Pope/Addison’s View:

Ø  Wit as superficial cleverness that "distorts truth."

Pope: "Nature... wisely curb’d proud Man’s pretending Wit."

Nature as the Ultimate Standard

Both Dryden and Pope anchor criticism in Nature:

1. Nature:

Ø  Not just physical world but universal order, reason, and human experience.

Ø  Pope: "First follow NATURE... Unerring Nature, still divinely bright... Test of Art."

2. Rules derive from observing Nature, not dogma.

Dryden’s Legacy

Ø  Defended English Innovation: Advocated for tragicomedy and adaptable unities, as well as rhyme, in opposition to the strictness of French conventions.

Ø  Elevated Criticism: Made it a "systematic art" (Samuel Johnson).

Ø  Influenced Pope/Johnson: Pope’s Essay on Criticism (1711) expands Dryden’s ideas; Johnson later defends Shakespeare’s rule-breaking.

Contradictions?:

Dryden’s shifting views (e.g., on rhyme) reflect his pragmatism: "Incorporate the best of every age."

Explanatory Glossary

Term	Definition	Example in Essay
Neoclassicism	Revival of Greco-Roman ideals: reason, order, imitation of nature.	Dryden’s appeal to Aristotle’s Poetics.
Verisimilitude	Art’s appearance of truth; avoids fantastical elements.	Crites’ argument against rhyme in dialogue.
Patronage	Financial support by aristocrats; dictated artistic themes.	Dryden’s dedications to Charles II.
Augustanism	English neoclassicism linking Charles II’s era to Emperor Augustus’s Rome.	Parallels between Pax Romana and Pax Britannica.
Heroic Couplets	Rhymed iambic pentameter pairs; Dryden’s signature style.	Used in Mac Flecknoe (1682).

Conclusion

Dryden’s Essay redefines criticism as a dynamic interplay between tradition and innovation. By defending English drama’s "soul of Poesy" against French "statue-like" perfection, he establishes a legacy: Rules serve art, not vice versa. His ideas on mimesis, nature, and wit remain foundational to literary theory, proving that "ancient" wisdom evolves through "modern" genius.

"To judge rightly of the present, we must oppose it to the past; for all art is imitation, and the present is modeled on the past." – Dryden

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