Assignment on: Show how Dryden through his epic treatment of

Thomas Shadwell engages in intense mockery and criticism.

Submitted by:

Name: Rezwana Haque Ritu

Student id: 2012003148
Session: 2019-20
Year: 3rd
Semester: 1st
Course name: Neo-Classical Literature
Course number: 302

Submitted to: Rubaida Akhter

 John Dryden's satirical masterpiece, "Mac Flecknoe," demonstrates his

extraordinary ability to mock with great intensity, especially when directed at Thomas

Shadwell. Dryden leaves no stone left in his epic attack on Thomas Shadwell, viciously

mocking and criticizing the poet. Shadwell and Dryden were contemporary, and they

had a fierce rivalry. Shadwell had penned a derogatory sonnet about Dryden. Dryden

was, naturally, provoked. In response, he penned a highly satirical poem about

Shadwell called "MacFlecknoe." Dryden mocks Shadwell's lyrical ability in this poem.

He conjures up an ironic role and calls Shadwell the ruler of the empire of nonsense. By

looking closely at how Dryden depicts Shadwell's incompetence, mediocrity, and lack of

creativity, we can see how he uses wit and intelligence to satirize his contemporary
rival. The poem is a critical assessment in which Dryden uses humor, exaggeration, and

irony to highlight Shadwell's shortcomings as a writer. Dryden engages in intense

mockery and criticism of Thomas Shadwell through his epic treatment, highlighting their

literary rivalry.

There was a period of political and cultural upheaval during the 17th-century English

Restoration. After the severe reign of the Puritans, it restored the monarchy and sparked

a revival of the arts, theater, and literature. A new phase of artistic expression was

ushered in with the theaters' reopening. There was a thriving literary culture with

competitive literary groups throughout this time. Poets, playwrights, and writers got into

rivalries in an effort to gain public favor and patronage. Writers sought to assert their

creative abilities in order to gain fame and influence, and social gatherings and the court

became focal points for literary discourse. In the literary culture of the day, satire and

humor were commonplace. Satire was a tool employed by writers to remark on society

and politics while also mocking and criticizing their peers. A prime example of this

competitive environment is the conflict between two well-known characters in

Restoration England: John Dryden and Thomas Shadwell. Since he was the Poet

Laureate and a well-respected dramatist, Dryden was influential, but Shadwell, who

supported the Whigs, wanted to be equally well-known. Their political disagreements

heightened their personal hostility toward one another. During a period characterized by

intellectual conflicts and the quest for literary brilliance, this competition reflects the

competitive spirit of the Restoration literary scene as well as the desire of individual

reputations.
 "Mac Flecknoe" is structured in accordance with the mock-heroic genre's norms.

By turning the unimportant subject matter into an inflated heroic tale, Dryden uses the

epic style to parody Shadwell's lyrical powers. The poem highlights the ridiculousness

of Shadwell's purported artistic grandeur by using heroic language, dramatic

descriptions, and epic tropes. Dryden makes fun of Shadwell's literary ability by

lavishing him with adulation. Shadwell's overindulgent praise is a satirical device meant

to highlight the stark contrast between the adulation and Shadwell's true literary worth.

The irony is found in the sharp contrast between Shadwell's mediocrity and the opulent

vocabulary employed to describe him.

"The rest to some faint meaning make pretense, / But Shadwell never deviates into

sense."

The use of ironic imagery is prevalent in "Mac Flecknoe," which helps to highlight

Shadwell's incapacity as a joke. Shadwell's poetic contributions are portrayed by Dryden

as devoid of originality, humor, and depth through vivid and sardonic depictions. The

sarcastic disconnect between the praise that is meant to be conveyed and the visual

itself draws attention to how false Shadwell's literary attempts are.

"With characters of worth and sense endued; / You shall behold them in a juster light."

Shadwell's lack of poetic skill is brought to light by the poem's parody of heroic

tropes. Things that are usually associated with epic poetry—like the majesty of royalty,
heroic deeds, and divine inspiration—are modified by Dryden for the simple and

unimportant realm of Shadwell's poetry. This satire challenges the heroic tradition by

drawing attention to the ridiculousness of Shadwell's literary goals.

"And the same sovereign both poems made."

Throughout the poem, Shadwell's persona is mocked and caricatured, highlighting

his lack of inventiveness and creative thinking. Using wit and comedy, Dryden strips

Shadwell of any literary merit, making him a character more fit for ridicule than for

admiration.

"In prose and verse, was owned, without dispute / Through all the realms of nonsense,

absolute."

Dryden's scathing satire in "Mac Flecknoe" reflects his frustration with Restoration

England's literary and cultural environment. Although there were many literary works

published during this time, Dryden believed that the quality of poetry was dropping and

that there were too many average verses. Dryden uses the poem as a means of

expressing his displeasure with the current poetic styles. As a well-known poet and

critic, Dryden saw what he saw as a decline in literary skill. A satirical reaction to the

apparent decrease in poetry quality—where wit, elegance, and intellectual depth seemed

to be eclipsed by a trend towards ugliness and mediocrity—is found in "Mac Flecknoe"'s

mock-heroic presentation of Shadwell. Moreover, Dryden's dissatisfaction with the

harsh nature of literary societies is mirrored in "Mac Flecknoe" through his competition

with Shadwell and the wider literary critique it contains. Through his sharp sarcasm,
Dryden challenges those he believes are undeserving of literary fame and asserts his

own definition of poetic quality.

Moreover In "Mac Flecknoe," John Dryden emphasizes their literary rivalry by

treating Thomas Shadwell with mock-heroic cruelty and harsh ridicule. In addition to

criticizing Shadwell's poetic style, subjects, and lack of originality, Dryden's satirical epic

expresses profoundly his displeasure with what he sees as the degeneration of poetry

during the Restoration period. The enduring influence of the lyrical struggle between

Dryden and Shadwell, as embodied in "Mac Flecknoe," can be seen in English literature.

This satirical masterwork, which displays Dryden's wit, clever word choice, and

command of the mock-heroic style, is still considered a significant work. The long-

lasting impact is found in both the particular criticism of Shadwell and the wider effect

on the tradition of satirical poetry. "Mac Flecknoe" is a tribute to the power of satire as a

literary and social commentary weapon, having impacted poets and authors of later

generations who have used a similar style to criticize the perceived flaws of their peers.

The poem's significance extends beyond its effect on Shadwell's public image; it also

makes a valuable addition to the current discourse concerning the characteristics and

expectations of poetry.