John dryden mac flecknoe. Mac Flecknoe Characters 2023-01-04
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John Dryden was a prominent English poet, playwright, and literary critic of the 17th century. One of his most well-known works is the satirical poem "Mac Flecknoe," which was published in 1682.
"Mac Flecknoe" is a mock-heroic poem that satirizes Thomas Shadwell, a rival poet and playwright of Dryden's. Dryden uses the poem to mock Shadwell's lack of talent and originality, and to assert his own superiority as a poet.
In the poem, Dryden creates a fictional character named Mac Flecknoe, who is portrayed as the "idle, empty-headed" son of the king of dullness. Dryden compares Shadwell to Mac Flecknoe, suggesting that Shadwell is unworthy of the title of poet and that he is only fit to be the successor to the throne of dullness.
Throughout the poem, Dryden employs a variety of literary techniques to ridicule and mock Shadwell. He uses hyperbole, irony, and sarcasm to exaggerate Shadwell's flaws and to make fun of his lack of talent and originality.
One of the most famous lines in the poem is "His learning, vast, impertinent, and dull," which perfectly captures Dryden's contempt for Shadwell's supposed intellectual superiority. Dryden also compares Shadwell to a "fustian king," suggesting that his writing is pompous and pretentious.
Despite its satirical nature, "Mac Flecknoe" is a well-written and clever poem that showcases Dryden's wit and literary skill. It remains a classic example of satirical poetry and continues to be read and studied by literary scholars today.
Mac Flecknoe Summary
Alas his reams of works: poems, plays, translations, are mostly forgotten today. Dullness and stupidly has been projected as a heroic aspect throughout the book and Shadwell swears to take ignorance and folly to a new height. In addition to discrediting his opponents thus, Dryden discredits their political theory. The two poets had their political differences. Since Dryden has tried to make fun of one of his friend-turned-enemy just because they had literary and political disagreements. With leanings toward Catholicism, he desired religious toleration and made several attempts to formalize toleration of Catholics and Non-conformists.
As Hannibal did to the altars come, Sworn by his sire a mortal foe to Rome; So Shadwell swore, nor should his vow be vain, That he till death true dullness would maintain; And in his father's right, and realm's defence, Ne'er to have peace with wit, nor truce with sense. He truly employed an unusual way to mock and I would highly recommend you to read this and enjoy his masterpiece. Instead, he moved to the margins of the new order to carry on his critique. As a writer of prose he developed a lucid professional style, relying on patterns and rhythms of everyday speech. His work was ridiculed by Dryden as well as poet Andrew Marvell 1621-1678. Especially loved the analogue of Shadwell being heir to the throne of bad poets, which began with King Mac Flecknoe. Andre's feet ne'er kept more equal time, Not ev'n the feet of thy own Psyche's rhyme: Though they in number as in sense excel; So just, so like tautology they fell, That, pale with envy, Singleton forswore The lute and sword which he in triumph bore And vow'd he ne'er would act Villerius more.
Calling Shadwell the son of Flecknoe in Gaelic Mac means "son of" , Dryden proceeds to use his cutting wit at Shadwell's expense. In lines 29-63, Flecknoe compares his son to other minor poets: Heywood and Shirley. Jonson's enduring reputation rests on his comedies written between 1605 and 1614. He said, but his last words were scarcely heard, For Bruce and Longvil had a trap prepar'd, And down they sent the yet declaiming bard. In the present satire Dryden portrays Shadwell as a literary dunce. How is Mac Flecknoe a mock-heroic poem? Urbanity does not mean a supercilious, ironic rejection of all values but rather a witty reflexivity and studied insouciance about them. Dryden emphasizes his stance through the gross surroundings in which the coronation takes place.
Or if thou would'st thy diff'rent talents suit, Set thy own songs, and sing them to thy lute. First of all, the poem makes me sympathize with the heir to throne of dullness, Thomas Shadwell, but some laughter. Context of the Poem One of the best recipes for great literature is a setting in which writers and poets mock and antagonize one another. In those he can be famous and torture words in thousands of ways. Even if he were legitimate, Dryden implies, he would never be the heir because he has shown by his character that he could never merit it? The language is high and flowery, there are long similes and grand metaphors, the setting and references to kings and emperors and heroes are epic, and there are multiple comparisons to ancient Greece and Rome.
Like mine thy gentle numbers feebly creep, Thy Tragic Muse gives smiles, thy Comic sleep. But Mac Flecknoe is a viscous, fun to read if you can get past the old-fashioned form. Likewise, the advent of Flecknoe is merely a prelude to the heralding of the ultimate epitome of Dullness, Shadwell. The first two lines are an ostentatious platitude on the transience of Life; how Fate eventually wins over the former. GradeSaver, 18 August 2017 Web. My warbling lute, the lute I whilom strung When to King John of Portugal I sung, Was but the prelude to that glorious day, When thou on silver Thames did'st cut thy way, With well tim'd oars before the royal barge, Swell'd with the pride of thy celestial charge; And big with hymn, commander of an host, The like was ne'er in Epsom blankets toss'd. The nursery comes across as a tribute to wretched playwrights.
The poem is a great example of Restoration literature, the period that roughly lasted from 1660 to 1698 and was influenced by the violence that resulted from the English Civil War and the restoration of the throne by the return of Charles II. Throughout the poem Dryden combines references to dirt with references to myth. By 1672, then, Dryden was at the height of his powers and reputation. And I found Dryden's really funny and loved the metaphors he used! They were ruled by their passions and could never change; they were consistent and, according to Dryden, only duplicated "the follies and extravagances of Bedlam. Nay let thy men of wit too be the same, All full of thee, and differing but in name; But let no alien Sedley interpose To lard with wit thy hungry Epsom prose. Like Hannibal vowed to remain an enemy of Rome, he declared to be the arch rival of good sense.
But the match was certainly advantageous for Dryden, who was now a member of the powerful Howard family, several members of which aside from Sir Robert were playwrights. The Protestant Shadwell supported Anthony Ashley Cooper, earl of Shaftesbury, in the dispute over who should succeed King Charles II to the English throne. But there is a logic to his conversion if one studies his works. Shadwell admired Ben Jonson and tried to imitate his style. The poem is a response to another French work, recently translated by a friend of his into English as A Critical History of the Old Testament 1682. Nevertheless, the stolen passages stand out conspicuously bringing out the considerable differences between both the writings. As new king, Charles II pursued a policy of political tolerance and power-sharing.
Dryden has perceived the inherent danger of bourgeois individualism and incipient capitalism: the selfish, predatory accumulation of wealth by means of fraud and tax evasion. Charles II Charles II was king of England, Scotland, and Ireland from 1660 until his death in 1685. At some level Dryden may have believed that, but immediately after the revolution he began to write again for the stage, partly to make money but also partly to assert himself: his talent, even as his nemesis Shadwell was made the new poet laureate; his spirit amid the storm of political conflict; his worth and thus his justifiable fame. This aged prince now flourishing in peace, And blest with issue of a large increase, Worn out with business, did at length debate To settle the succession of the State: And pond'ring which of all his sons was fit To reign, and wage immortal war with wit; Cry'd, 'tis resolv'd; for nature pleads that he Should only rule, who most resembles me: Shadwell alone my perfect image bears, Mature in dullness from his tender years. Th'admiring throng loud acclamations make, And omens of his future empire take. There thou may'st wings display and altars raise, And torture one poor word ten thousand ways.
Written in 218 lines of rhyming couplets, it represents satire in which Dryden takes to task the poet and dramatist Thomas Shadwell, the T. The former king begins by presenting the land over which the new king will rule, a territory where no one lives. Prince Nicander He was a character in Shadwell's Psyche. The poem satirically mocks Thomas Shadwell, a poet with whom Dryden disagreed over theories of literature, religion, and politics. Mac Flecknoe opens in Augusta with its ruler, Flecknoe, forced to determine who will assume his place as leader of the empire.
As for Flecknoe, he admits he is just a dunce who paved the way for Shadwell. Yet still thy fools shall stand in thy defence, And justify their author's want of sense. Finally, the prince appears in all his majesty, sitting atop a throne of his labors. Thus a theoretical dispute over the mode of political succession gets mythologized and mystified. Thomas Shadwell abuses Dryden in an offensive tone in his work, which was a roasting of Dryden's poem The Medal. The first is that through criticizing Shadwell, Dryden promulgates certain things that, in his opinion, make good art.
