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John Dryden

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First published: 1932

Type of work: Critical essay

Overview of Eliot's Examination of Dryden

T. S. Eliot's critical essay on John Dryden offers valuable insights as it reflects the perspective of a notable literary figure evaluating another. Both Eliot and Dryden share striking similarities in their roles as poets, playwrights, and critics. As Eliot critiques Dryden, he assesses the profound impact Dryden had on English literature, emphasizing his enduring influence over the centuries.

Parallel Careers and Lasting Influence

Eliot and Dryden are renowned for their poetry more so than their plays, and both have made significant contributions to literary criticism. They each revolutionized poetic conventions of their times, becoming prominent figures in their respective literary eras. Eliot suggests that Dryden's influence on future generations of writers is more significant than his individual works, a sentiment increasingly echoed in contemporary discussions about Eliot himself.

Dryden's Contribution to Language

The essays explore Dryden's major contributions to literature, particularly his role in reforming English verse. Eliot argues that Dryden introduced a dynamic and natural form of speech in poetry, moving away from the stilted and artificial styles of the past. This transformation was more of a rebellion against outdated poetic forms than a mere imitation of earlier works.

During the previous era, poets like Donne initiated changes by introducing conversational language into lyric poetry. However, by Dryden's time, these innovations had become stale, necessitating his revival of natural speech in poetry. Dryden's influence on the language was profound and long-lasting, setting a standard that persisted well into the future.

Significance of Dryden's Poems

While Eliot does not dwell extensively on individual poems, he acknowledges their role in shaping modern English. Dryden's translations and original works, such as MACFLECKNOE and ABSALOM AND ACHITOPHEL, were instrumental in evolving the language. Eliot highlights two poems, THE HIND AND THE PANTHER and RELIGIO LAICI, for their intellectual depth, particularly the former, which he considers an exceptional blend of politics and poetry.

Eliot recognizes Dryden's lyric achievements in pieces like "Song for St. Cecilia's Day" and "Alexander's Feast," which influenced later poets such as Wordsworth and Tennyson. These works perfected lyrical forms that would inspire future generations, contributing to the creation of masterpieces like ODE: INTIMATIONS OF IMMORTALITY FROM RECOLLECTIONS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD.

Influence Over Greatness

Despite acknowledging Dryden's poetic excellence, Eliot asserts that Dryden's true significance lies in his influence rather than the poetry itself. Eliot argues that because Dryden was not excessively great, like Shakespeare or Milton, he was more easily imitable. This allowed Dryden to exert a broad influence without overwhelming his followers.

Dryden's understanding of the English language and its needs led him to shape it profoundly, thus dominating English literature more thoroughly than any other figure of his time. Eliot's admiration for Dryden's influence on the language underscores the lasting impact of his work.

Dryden's Dramatic Works

Eliot's essay on Dryden as a dramatist is considered less central, reflecting Dryden's lesser success in drama compared to poetry and criticism. Eliot's primary focus remains on Dryden's language and influence, dismissing his comedies with brevity. He emphasizes Dryden's skill in heroic dramas, particularly in blank verse and rhymed couplets.

In works like ALL FOR LOVE, Dryden exhibits mastery of blank verse, avoiding the excessive ornamentation that plagued other writers. Eliot posits that blank verse dramatists have often excelled when emulating Dryden's style rather than Shakespeare's. Nevertheless, Eliot concedes that the conversational tone that marked Dryden's best satires is absent in his blank verse, as it posed challenges for Dryden.

Conversely, Eliot acknowledges Dryden's adept use of rhymed couplets, praising his ability...

(This entire section contains 1015 words.)

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to turn them into vibrant speech. Dryden's understanding of the couplet's limitations in drama allowed him to achieve greater effects than others, surpassing even the styles of earlier dramatists like Fletcher.

Influence on the History of Drama

Dryden's influence on drama was significant, albeit negative, as he dismantled the outdated Jacobean tradition and replaced it with his own heroic plays. These works, while not exceptionally enduring, represented the spirit of their time. Eliot highlights the transformative impact Dryden had on the dramatic arts, even if the plays themselves hold limited interest today.

Prose and Literary Criticism

Eliot praises Dryden's prose for its historical significance and its contribution to the evolution of English prose style and criticism. Although Dryden's prose did not dominate the language as his verse did, it remains elegant and polished. His wit and writing style set him apart from his contemporaries, establishing him as a master of prose.

Dryden's literary criticism is notable not for its style but for being the first large-scale, conscious critique by an English poet. As the pioneering master of English criticism, Dryden paved the way for future critics.

Balancing Poet and Critic

Eliot does critique some of Dryden's critical opinions, particularly his misunderstanding of Aristotelian unities. However, he attributes these to the constraints of Dryden's era, influenced by a desire for order against the chaotic Elizabethan stage. Eliot commends Dryden for achieving a nearly perfect balance between his creative and critical roles.

Unlike other poet-critics such as Coleridge or Wordsworth, Dryden remained a "normal critic" who adhered to common sense and practical criticism. His theories and practices aimed at what poets could realistically achieve, making him a champion of sanity in a time when English poetry and criticism desperately needed it.

Bibliography

  • Ackroyd, Peter. T. S. Eliot: A Life. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1984.
  • Browne, Elliott Martin. The Making of T. S. Eliot's Plays. London: Cambridge University Press, 1969.
  • Donoghue, Denis. Words Alone: The Poet, T. S. Eliot. New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 2000.
  • Eliot, Valerie, ed. The Letters of T. S. Eliot, 1898-1922. Vol. 1. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1988.
  • Gordon, Lyndall. Eliot's Early Years. New York: Oxford University Press, 1977.
  • Gordon, Lyndall. Eliot's New Life. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1988.
  • Gordon, Lyndall. T. S. Eliot: An Imperfect Life. New York: Norton, 1999.
  • Litz, A. Walton, ed. Eliot in His Time: Essays on the Occasion of the Fiftieth Anniversary of "The Waste Land." Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1973.
  • Schuchard, Ronald. Eliot's Dark Angel: Intersections of Life and Art. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999.
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