Alexander's Feast
by John Dryden
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At a glance:
- Author: John Dryden
- First Published: 1697
- Type of Poem: Ode
- Genres: Poetry, Lyric poetry, Ode, Occasional verse
- Subjects: Music or musicians, Revenge, Drinking or drunkenness, Conquest, Fire, Saints or sainthood, Persia, Angels
The Poem
John Dryden’s Alexander’s Feast: Or, The Power of Music is, as its subtitle informs the reader, An Ode in Honor of St. Cecilia’s Day. It is, in fact, Dryden’s second poem in honor of this saint, the patron saint of music and, according to tradition, the inventor of the pipe organ. Therefore, the poem is not merely a tribute to the saint, but also a poem about the power of music. It has been set to music three times, the third and definitive setting that of George Frideric Handel.
The narrative framework is suggested by Plutarch’s...
(The entire page is 1543 words.)
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