Name: Arslan Ahmad

Critically analyse “Essay on Dramatic Poesy by John Dryden.

“An Essay of Dramatic Poesy” probably written in 1666 can be read as a general
defense of drama as a legitimate art form taking up where Sir Philip Sidney’s
“Defence of Poesie” left off as well as Dryden’s own defense of his literary
practices. The essay is structured as adialogue among four friends on the river
Thames. The group has taken refuge on abarge during a naval battle between the
English and the Dutch fleets. The four gentlemen, Eugenius, Crites, Lisideius, and
Neander begin an ironic and witty conversation on the subject of poetry, which
soon turns into a debate on the virtues of modern and ancient writers. While
imitation of classical writers was common practice in Dryden’s time, he steers the
group’s conversation towards dramatic poetry, a relatively new genre which had in
some ways broken with classical traditions and was thus in need of its own
apologia. The group arrives at a definition of drama: Lisideius suggests that it is “a
just and lively Image of Humane Nature.” Each character then speaks in turn,
touching on the merits of French and English drama, continuing the debate over
ancient versus modern writers, and discussing the value of the “Unities” or rules of
French drama. While French plays hew closer to classical notions of drama
(adhering to the unities of time, place and action), Neander steps in to support
English drama precisely because of its subplots, mixture of mirth and tragedy (in
tragicomedy), and spirited, multiple characters. Drawing on Platonic dialogues for
inspiration, Dryden’s characters present their opinions with eloquence and sound
reasoning. The group discusses playwrights such as Ben Jonson, Molière, and
Shakespeare with great insight, and has a final debate over the suitability of rhyme
to drama. Crites objects to the use of rhyme because he believes it detracts from
the verisimilitude of the scene, and cites Aristotle; Neander suggests a “natural”
rhyme to serve the play’s meaning can add to its artistry.During this final speech,
the barge docks at the Somerset-Stairs, and the four friends go their separate ways,
content with their evening.