John Dryden, a prominent English poet, literary critic, and playwright, achieved the historic distinction of being named England’s inaugural Poet Laureate in 1668. His influence on the literary landscape of Restoration England was so profound that this era is often referred to as the “Age of Dryden” within literary circles. Romanticist writer Sir Walter Scott famously hailed him as “Glorious John.”
In the realm of English literature, Dryden is regarded as the third greatest poet after John Milton and John Donne, and as the third greatest dramatist after the illustrious duo of William Shakespeare and Ben Jonson. In his later years, John Dryden became a translator, and he referred to his translations as “Paraphrases.” Dryden translated works by Horace, Juvenal, Ovid, Lucretius, and Theocritus and rephrased them using simpler language to help people grasp their meaning more easily. He undertook these translation projects when he faced financial difficulties. His translation of the “Aeneid” is considered one of his finest accomplishments in this regard.
John Dryden was born into a Puritan family and was the oldest of fourteen children born to Erasmus Dryden and his wife Mary Pickering. He was also the paternal grandson of Sir Erasmus Dryden, 1st Baronet. His early education began with his family.
In 1644, he was sent to Westminster School, where he was taught by Dr. Richard Busby, a strict disciplinarian. In 1650, Dryden continued his education at Trinity College, Cambridge, and graduated in 1654 with a Bachelor of Arts degree, ranking at the top of the list for Trinity that year. Unfortunately, in June of the same year, Dryden’s father passed away, leaving him some land that provided a small income but was insufficient to support him.
on November 23, 1658, Dryden participated in the funeral procession of Cromwell alongside other Puritan poets such as John Milton and Andrew Marvell. Shortly after, he published his first significant poem, “Heroic Stanzas” (1659), which was a eulogy for Cromwell’s death.
In 1660, Dryden celebrated the Restoration and the return of King Charles II with his poem “Astraea Redux” a royalist panegyric (a formal public speech or written verse). This marked a shift in his allegiances from the Puritan cause to the restored monarchy and established himself as the leading poet and literary critic of his career. Along with Astraea Redux, Dryden welcomed the new regime with two more panegyrics: To His Sacred Majesty: A Panegyric on his Coronation (1662) and To My Lord Chancellor (1662).
Afterward, Dryden lived with Henry Herringman, who was a bookseller, and he assisted Herringman with his literary projects. During this time, he also crossed paths with Sir Robert Howard, who played a crucial role in helping Dryden prepare his first volume of poems. In 1660, Dryden and Sir Robert Howard collaborated on a play titled “The Indian Queen.” In 1663, Dryden married Lady Elizabeth, the sister of Sir Robert Howard. Lady Elizabeth and Dryden had three sons together. This marriage plays a shift in Dryden’s political and social affiliations towards the Royalist camp, and it had an impact on his literary works and career in the years to come.
When the theaters in England reopened in 1660 after the Puritan ban, John Dryden embarked on a career of writing plays. His initial play, “The Wild Gallant,” in 1663 did not meet with much success. During this period, Dryden wrote his first tragic comedy, “The Rival Ladies.”
During the outbreak of the Great Plague of London in 1665, the theaters were closed, and John Dryden took refuge in Wiltshire. It was during this time that he produced three notable works:
“The Maiden Queen” or “Secret Love” (a tragic comedy). “Annus Mirabilis” (1667) is a lengthy historical poem by Dryden that describes two major events in English history, the English defeat of the Dutch naval fleet and the Great Fire of London in 1666. “Essay of Dramatick Poesie” (1668), is considered the first substantial work of literary criticism in English literature.
In addition to his literary accomplishments during this period, John Dryden also received important appointments, including the post of Poet Laureate in 1668 and the position of Historiographer Royal in 1670. Dryden’s historical works are compared with Milton’s Paradice Lost (1667).
In 1668, John Dryden secured a contract to write three plays every year for the King’s Company, which was led by Thomas Killigrew, Dryden became a shareholder in the company. Over the period from 1668 to 1671, Dryden wrote four notable plays, with two of them gaining particular fame: “The Conquest of Granada” (1670) is a ten-act play written in rhymed heroic verse. “Marriage à la Mode” (1673) is a tragic comedy with a complex and split plot.
Dryden’s plays were celebrated for their distinctive writing style and clever use of language. His success as a dramatist and poet was a source of pride for him. However, his popularity also brought criticism and controversy. George Villiers, who was critical of his work. These controversies and rivalries (Thomas Shadwell) in John Dryden’s career left a lasting impact on the theater of his time.
His heroic play “Aureng-zebe” (1665) featured a prologue that criticized the use of rhyme in serious drama which had been a hallmark of his works. Following “Aureng-zebe,” Dryden wrote “All for Love” (1678) composed in blank verse.
“All for Love” is considered one of Dryden’s most significant works, and in the 17th century, it gained recognition as one of the greatest tragedies after Shakespeare’s plays. This shift in writing style and the success of “All for Love” further solidified Dryden’s reputation as a versatile and influential playwright and poet.
John Dryden’s greatest accomplishments can be found in his satiric verse “Mac Flecknoe,” a mock-heroic poem that emerged during his time as Poet Laureate. This satirical piece served as a lampoon and was privately circulated as a direct attack on the playwright Thomas Shadwell. Dryden continued his satirical vein with works like “Absalom and Achitophel” in 1681 and “The Medal” in 1682. These pieces often addressed political and social themes of the time.
Aside from his satirical works, Dryden also produced important religious poems during this period, including “Religio Laici” (1682), written from the perspective of a member of the Church of England, and “The Hind and the Panther” (1687). “The Hind and the Panther” celebrated his conversion to Roman Catholicism, which was influenced by his support for James II. In this poem, the famous phrase “blaze of glory” is believed to have originated, describing the throne of God as a “blaze of glory that forbids the sight.”
The Glorious Revolution occurred later in the same year when James II was deposed from the English throne. John Dryden’s refusal to pledge allegiance to the new monarchs, William and Mary, resulted in him falling out of favor at court. Thomas Shadwell succeeded him as Poet Laureate.
Dryden passed away on May 12, 1700, and was initially interred in St. Anne’s Cemetery in Soho. However, his remains were later exhumed and reburied in Westminster Abbey ten days later.
Dryden was undeniably the dominant literary figure and a significant influence of his era. He played a crucial role in establishing the heroic couplet as a standard form of English poetry, employing it in various works such as satires, religious writings, fables, epigrams, compliments, prologues, and plays. He also introduced the use of the alexandrine (a line of poetry with twelve syllables) and the triplet (three consecutive lines that rhyme) into this form. As a result, Dryden’s heroic couplet became the prevailing poetic form in the 18th century, with poets like Alexander Pope drawing substantial inspiration from his work.
Although John Dryden faced criticism, such as William Wordsworth’s complaint about his translations from Virgil, which Wordsworth deemed inferior to the originals, he still had many admirers among his contemporaries. Notably, poets like George Crabbe, Lord Byron, and Walter Scott (who edited Dryden’s works) held Dryden in high regard. It’s worth noting that Wordsworth did express admiration for several of Dryden’s poems. T.S. Eliot, on the other hand, accused Dryden of having a “commonplace mind,” reflecting the differing opinions about his literary contributions.