Subject: Literary Criticism

Topic: Chief characteristics of Dryden as a critic

Submitted to: Miss Noreen Saba
Submitted by: Qamar Aftab
Class: BS English 4th Semester
Roll No: F18-005-9996

Riphah International University

Faisalabad Campus
Literary Criticism

Chief characteristics of Dryden as a critic:

John Dryden:
John Dryden was an English poet, literary critic, translator, and playwright who
was made England's first Poet Laureate in 1668. He was born in England, on
August 9, 1631. 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.
Brief Introduction:
Dryden was both a writer and a critic. John Dryden is rightly considered as “the
father of English Criticism”. He was the first to teach the English people to
determine the merit of composition upon principles. With Dryden, a new era of
criticism began. Though Dryden’s criticism was of scattered nature; he paid
attention to almost all literary forms and expressed his views on them.
Except (An Essay of Dramatic Poesy). His best-known critical work, An Essay
on Dramatic Poesy.
An Essay of Dramatic Poesy:
In 1668 Dryden wrote “An Essay of Dramatic Poesy”. For which he is known
as ‘The Father of English Literary Criticism’. In his book we can see both the
side of John Dryden, Dryden as a poet and Dryden as a playwright.
In this book he discusses the five major issues, Ancients vs. English Drama
Unities, French vs. English drama, Separation of Tragedy and Comedy vs.
Tragicomedy, Appropriateness of rhyme in drama.
In this book he favors the Modern-English plays, but does not disparage the
ancients. He also favors English drama and has some critical things to say of
French drama:
“Those beauties of the French poesy are such as will raise perfection higher
where it is, but are not sufficient to give it where it is not: they are indeed the
beauties of a statue, but not of a man.” (Reference from text)
Characteristics of Dryden as a Critic:
Dryden was, First historical critic, first comparative critic, first descriptive critic
and the Independent English critic.
In this way he (Dryden) develops historical, comparative, and descriptive forms
of criticism, and finally gives his own independent views through the replies of
Neander.  He respects the ancient Greek and Roman principles but he refuses to
adhere to them slavishly.
He said that French plays have only one plot without sub-plot.
Literary Criticism

He criticized French drama essentially for its smallness.

To prove his argument, he compares Shakespeare with Ben Jonson and said
that:
“Shakespeare had the largest and most comprehensive soul, while Jonson was
the most largest and most judicious writer which any theater ever had.”
Dryden was concerned always with the literary form.
Dryden was the first critic who took to criticism seriously and through deeply
over the problems of literature.
Dryden who first of all took a comprehensive view of literature as a whole.
Dryden was the first judicial critic. His criticism is judicious.
John Dryden was one of the few people in his age who had the courage to go
against the slavish devotion to the classical school advocated by the French
critics.
He firmly believed that true artists cannot be made by a blind following of rules.
T.S. Eliot considered him as ‘positively the first master of English criticism’.
Dryden’s basic faith in the mimetic form of art, and the Horatian function of
literature is unshakable.
Dryden’s basic faith in the mimetic form of art, and the Horatian function of
literature is unshakable.
For the first time, literary works are examined with literary problems in mind.
According to him, the life that is observed by the poet had to be shaped by
imagination that is controlled by judgment.
Despite being a neo-classical, he rejected the authority of any rigid theory or
person because he believed art to be an organic, living force operating under the
influence of different ages, nations and tastes.
The most important quality of Dryden as a critic is his liberal outlook on
literature.
Dryden is the first English critic to make use of the historical method of
criticism.
P. W. Ker says, “He is sceptical, tentative, disengaged, where most of his
contemporaries, and most of his successor for a hundred years, are pledged to
certain dogmas and principle.” (Reference from text)
Literary Criticism

He regarded literature as a mirror of society reflecting the characteristics of that

age.
He viewed literature as a dynamic force changing with the spirit of each
succeeding generation and varying with the taste of each nation.
He has his limitation too.
The most distinctive quality of Dryden as a critic in his liberal outlook on
literature which widened as his critical powers devolved and matured.
Dryden was never a servile imitator of the rules of classical writing.
He was highly sensitive to the changing tastes of people and to the requirements
of his own age.
He refused to pay blind allegiance to any authority however great it may be.
He was always conscious of his own freedom.
Conclusion:
Dryden was both a writer and a critic. His best and well known qualities are, his
positive contribution to the art of criticism and his liberalism as a Critic. His
changing tastes and interests helped to make him responsive to different kinds
of literary skill and artistic conventions. He set criticism on new and fruitful
lines. At the end of his book he gave this words to Neander that:
“If I would compare him with Shakespeare, I must acknowledge him the more
correct Poet, but Shakespeare the grater wit. Shakespeare was the Homer or
Father of our Dramatick Poets; Jonson was the Virgil, the pattern of elaborate
writing; I admire him, but I love Shakespeare.” (Reference from text)

References:
http://littcritic.blogspot.com/2014/01/john-dryden.html
https://haaretz.us/drydens-essay-on-dramatic-poesy-analysis-25/
https://www.slideshare.net/Devikaba/john-dryden-as-a-critic
https://www.studymode.com/essays/John-Dryden-55219.html
https://www.slideshare.net/RakeshPatel225/john-dryden-as-a-critic-106594073