Dramatic Poesie - John Dryden
Bridge Course
Essay of Dramatic Poesie by John Dryden
This blog is in response to the Bridge Course - Essay of Dramatic Poesie by John Dryden assigned by Dr. Dilip Barad sir, Department of English MK Bhavnagar University. In this blog I am going to discuss my understanding of John Dryden's Essay of Dramatic Poesy and I will also deal with various aspects of it.
John Dryden:-
John Dryden is the greatest literary figure of the Restoration age. John Dryden was an English poet, literary critic, translator and playwright who was appointed " England's first poet laureate in the year 1668." In John Dryden's work we have an excellent reflection of both the good and the evil tendencies of the age in which he lived. He made excellent use of his opportunities and studied eagerly. He became one of the best educated men of his age, especially in the classics. After william Shakespeare and Ben Jonson, he was the greatest playwright. Dryden - The poet is best known today as a 'satirist. '
" Definition of play, according to John Dryden's Essay :-
" A play ought to be a just and lively image of human nature, representing it's passions and humours and the changes of fortune to which it is subject, not for the delight but only for the instruction of mankind. "
Selected works :-
An Essay of Dramatick Poesie,1668.
The Indian Emperor (tragedy),1665.
Secret love or The Maiden Queen, 1667.
According to the definition, drama is an 'Image 'of 'human nature ' , and the image is 'just' and 'lively' .By using the word 'just Dryden seems to imply that literature imitates human actions. For Dryden, 'poetic imitation' is different from an exact. Servile copy of reality, for the imitation is not only 'just';It is also 'lively '.
Lisidieus expresses his views about drama as "a just and lively image of Human Nature". And then each character expresses his views about Drama and they compare French Drama and English Drama and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of French and English Drama.
After Aristotle Here is a Person who is giving us a very well - firmed definition of Play. If we look at Dryden 's definition, through the Character of Lisideius he does not say that ;
" I am offering a definition, he says that I am offering a description." Although he is taking influence from Aristotle 's definition of tragedy. So subsequently he is actually carrying on the tradition. We can find that the definition broken up into three parts.
1. ' Just and lively image of human nature '.
2. 'Representing Passion and humours , and the change of Fortune to which it is Subject.'
3. ' For the delight and instruction of mankind.'
In Dryden 's definition there is the Word 'Image ' he is really not bothered about the word but he thinks that Image is okay, if it is Just - Another important word in Dryden 's definition. But , Just image can also be a very drab kind of an image and that is why he inserted the Word - 'lively. ' So , it becomes ' Just and lively image of nature.' Aristotle 's definition of tragedy ended with the Word - ' Catharsis whereas Dryden seems to be ended his definition with delight and instruction of mankind. So we can say that both have the similar ideas in one or the other way.
Aristotle's Tragedy
Definition of Tragedy is given by Aristotle.
Aristotle was a Greek philosopher and scientist .
At eighteen,he joined Plato’s Academy in Athens and remained there until the age of thirty-seven.
Serious
Tragedy relates the "Sad episodes "of life. The chief mood of tragedy is sadness. In this way tragedy reflects seriousness.
Complete Action
Next, Aristotle says that the action of tragedy must be complete.In other words, it should have a Beginning, Middle and End.
Magnitude
Magnitude means size or length. According to Aristotle Tragedy should neither be too long nor too short. But it should be governed by aesthetic pleasure.
Embellished of Language
According to Aristotle, the language of tragedy is quite different from the language of the layman .
Catharsis
The aim of tragedy, Aristotle writes, is to bring about a "Catharsis "of the spectators-to arouse in them sensations of pity and fear, and to purge them of these emotions so that they leave the theater feeling cleansed and uplifted, with a heightened understanding of the ways of gods and men. This Catharsis is brought about by witnessing some disastrous and moving change in the fortunes of the drama's protagonist.
Formative elements of Tragedy
Aristotle gives six parts of tragedy
Plot
Character
Songs
Diction
Thought
Spectacle
Definition of Aristotle’s Tragedy
Tragedy, then, is an imitation of an action that is a serious, complete and of a certain magnitude; in the language embellished with each kind of artistic ornament, the several kinds being found in separate parts of the play: in the form of action, not of narrative; through pity and fear affecting the proper purgation- catharsis of these and similar emotions.”
Tragedy is the "Imitation of an action "(mimesis)According to "the law of probability or necessity."Aristotle indicates that the medium of tragedy is drama, not narrative;tragedy"shows" rather than "tells ".
ELABORATING THE DEFINITION
We can distribute the definition of play by Aristotle in parts. Each separating line of definition has its meaning in separation. The definition firstly focuses on the representation (imitation) of life, but life has no perfection, so the playwright has to be selective in representation. In the play, the playwright is representing a fragment of one's life’s fragment piece.
The debate goes on about the comparison between ancient writers and modern writers. They also discuss the importance of "Unity in French Drama".So far as the unities of Time, Place and Action are concerned French Drama was closer to classical notions of Drama.
So, now I conclude, Aristotle says that tragedy is an imitation of an action . He believes that there is natural pleasure in imitation whereas Dryden defines play as just and lively image of human nature representing. It is passionate and humorous and the change of fortune to which it is subject for the devite and instructions of mankind .
What would be your preference so far as poetic or prosaic dialogues are concerned in the play?
I prefer poetic dialogues rather than prosaic in the play. Poetic may be rhyme verse or blank verse also.
According to Neander:- Use of poetic makes the Language natural.
A ccording to Crites:- Rhyme helps the poet to control his fancy, but artistic control is the metter of judgementI .
Use of poetic language helps the judgement and makes it easier. Due to poetic, poet can perform "delight & pleasure" very well. Poetic language gives the path of an imagination. Interpretation of the poem can be different according to the various peoples. Each & every person can read the poem with a different way nd different aspects.So we can't says that interpretation of the poem is must be one.Blank verse is a Poetic Prose & it's only fit for comedy. It means we find Poetic Prose in comedy and through the use of poetic language ., audience must get an entertainment.So I prefer Poetic dialogues more than prosaic.
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