A.

Vanlaldiki

Ms. Manuella De Rosario

MER220T

1 February, 2023

Begin identifying and exploring the features of Augustanism in Dryden’s poem.

Dryden is one of the prominent figure of the English Augustan writers and like his

contemporary writers, he was inspired by the classical poets which was reflected in his

engagement of the political and philosophical idea of his day through satire. Consequently,

certain features of Augustanism is evident in his works and his most famous poem, Absalom

and Achitophel (1681) contains several brilliant satiric portraits.

Absalom and Achitophel is about the biblical rebellion of Absalom against King

David in the Old Testament. The plot and character of the story is used as an allegory to

portray the then contemporary situation that concerns King Charles II. The purpose of the

poem seem likely to be a praise to the king and followers and simultaneously satirizing his

adversaries.

The Augustan age is known for the great efflorescence of the spirit of satire which

was to reign supreme for decades thereafter. Hence, among the few stylistic consistencies

satire has almost always dominated the contemporary literature. Likewise, in this poem

Dryden satirizes and demonstrates a critique of Catholicism through the mockery of

transubstantiation which criticizes the Popish Plot(1678) and Monmouth Rebellion(1685)

wherein the people, as Dryden refers to them, are “fickle’’ minded and unfaithful to either

their religion or their monarch. The poem also offers a critique of the British Civil wars and

the political turmoil that was created as a consequence of it. Dryden also employed an
abusive and virulent type of satire which came from the rise of the two political parties-

Whigs and Tories. However, despite being a Royalists, he manages to satirize all political

factions involved during the restoration era. The poem is not merely to attack the king’s

adversaries but to present the whole constitutional position in a certain way. While the King’s

enemies are represented in an unfavourable light, the Royal Party is egoistically portrayed.

Poetry of the Augustan literature was dominated by rhymed couplet, specifically the

heroic couplet which Dryden employs in Absalom and Achitophel. It has a certain relation to

heroic poetry which is represented in a Achitophel’s first speech to Absalom which begins

with flattery and passes to artful temptation to betrayal to his father, this very encounter

making Absalom as grand as a heroic character. Like the Royal Party, Shaftesbury and his

followers are introduced as characters in a heroic poem. At several points or parallel is

suggested between Shaftesbury’s temptation of Monmouth and the fall of man with Charles

himself in the background as the representative of the Deity. He follows the lead of a hundred

Tory preachers and pamphleteers in casting Shaftesbury as “Hell’s dire Agent”, the Satan of

the plot. Absalom and Achitophel has characteristics which are largely akin to those of heroic

poetry. It is because of this poetic quality that the poem owes its supremacy amongst the

political satires in English language.

The blending of the heroic basis with a witty satire gives the poem its characteristic

tone. And Dryden engages the political and philosophical ideas of his contemporary English

society with the use of satire which he made into a highly polished and effective weapon of

offense, correction and even self-expression.