Hello friends, This thinking Activity is a part of academic study of Dryden's "Dramatic Poesy", here you can find six videos prepared on six different topic covered from Dramatic Poesy and my concern is to describe these six videos with my own interpretation.
Video-1
In the very first video Dr. Sanjay Mukherjee tries to answer three questions. Which is elaborated in a very easy manner and his way to go step by step is understable.
1)Why is Dryden called the Father of English Criticism?
Dr. Jonson called John Dryden as "The Father of English Criticism" because he is the first man after Aristotle(Greek critic) tries to give new definition to Criticism before that Sir Philip sidney who only elaborated what is said by Aristotle and he more renaissance man and his work on criticism is very little. So Drden was the first English critic who formed a definition and also gave some prefaces and other critical writing.
2)In which way is he a Neoclassical Critic?
Dryden is very much influenced by classical critics like Aristotle and Longinus and neo-classical critics are influenced by classical critics. Dryden is a Neo-classical critic.
3)How Dryden differs from Classical tradition??
Dryden goes far ahead than classical critics. Plato says poetics is merely imitation and second hand imitation while Dryden tries to say it is "just and lively image of human nature" which shows the reality of literature. Aristotle's definition ends with the word "catharsis" and here Dryden goes beyond catharsis and puts the same emphasis on delight and instructions both. Plato to Aristotle and Sidney all believe in ideal representation and Dryden makes difference and says it represents "Life as it is, patience and humors are not static it changes with the passing of time." So in the definition of Dryden we can see a touch of realism which is different from classical tradition.
Video 2
In this video we can see the discussion of two prime questions: Dryden as a poet and Dryden as a critic. And the second question is why Dryden chose Dramatic poetry as the title of his critical work. There are two types of writer..
- Some are conservative and blind imitators of Horace and Aristotle
- Some are looking for the french influence
Dryden who not only takes the good things from neoclassical but also from Elizabethans also. So in this we can see a mixture of classicism and Romanticism.
Video - 3
In the third video Dr. M.B. Gaijan tries to give a wider explanation of the definition of Drama given by Dryden. His way of define definition is very descriptive and in a very easy manner
"It is a just and lively image of human nature, representing passions and humors, and the changes of fortune to which it is subject, for the delight and instruction of mankind.”
Here he used the word just and lively image means it is not merely imitation or artificial image but it is natural image. The re-presentation means not only an imitation or copy but lively image and liveliness is also presented, where passions and humour are part of life. Last two words are more important…
"Delight and instruction"
The word pleasure is used as sensual while the word delight is used divinely where peace of mind is more important. In the development of human civilization we find that humans are not following instructions but when instructions are said in a delightful way it has become a landmark event in history. Ao if we want to understand Restoration literature and Dramatic Poesy then first we need to understand this definition.
Video 4
This video presents an argument about who is superior, ancient or modern. Dryden justifies solid native English but not disrespecting ancients. Here some of dilemmas like should we follow only ancients or disrespecting him. Do we need to go our own or do we need to follow them. Do we need to build something and can we go against them...so prove this point there are four characters..
Crites(Sir Robert Howard) who is in favour of the ancients and said they established three units and which is used by french artist as well as english playwright like Ben jonson. So they are influenced by ancients.
Eugenius (Charles Seckville) He tries to make both polls together and stand on the boundary of moderns. Who favours moderns over ancients. Moderns are better because they are standing on the shoulder of the ancients so they look far away than ancients.
Lisideius (Sir charles Seadly) According to Lisideius french drama is superior to English drama because they are closer to classical tradition of writing like separation of comedy and tragedy.
So after giving these three arguments Neander tries to prove his own point that English drama is better than the Ancients. Which is based on reality tragicomedy which we can see in our day to day life mixture of passions and humors.
Video 5
This video is about Dryden's argument to use and avoidance of Rhyme. There is debate between Crites and Dryden himself as Neander. There is a neoclassical way of writing, heroic couplets are used and writing in verse, where Dryden himself is a part of this tradition. So Dryden mouthpiece Neander supports writing serious plays in verse. Crites make the argument that it is artificiality to use rhyme to portrait just and live images and quite hilarious to one's scold his servant in rhyme and party in rhyme.This takes away naturalness. There is Drden argument when we talk about his famous play "All for Love" is not in verse. So here Dryden's argument proved weak. He further said that use of rhyme increases Grandeur, grandeur of word, thought and action. So in his argument we can find two counterpoints.
Dryden says such scenes can be avoided. In serious plays we can avoid the scene like one scolds his servant.
Second point is that he accepted that yes, it is artificial but it depends on the craft of the playwright. Last part of the definition depicts that the ultimate goal is to provide delight and by listening to rhyme and enjoying rhyme one can derive more pleasure.
So Dryden's argument about the use of rhyme is quite weak and he himself went further in writing not following his own rules.
Video 6
Last video shows the arguments between Crites and Neander(Dryden himself) on the question of whether it is advisable to use rhyme or blank verse or not.
Rhyme is unnatural through the use of it one cannot carry just and lively image of human nature. Neander makes the argument that literature is a sensual phenomenon, so it appeals to the sense of reason and sense of listening too. It is all about choosing appropriate words in the appropriate place, if natural words are in a natural place then there is no unnaturality.
According to Crites it is impossible without premeditation to express and or to speak…
"No man without premeditation
speaks in Rhyme."
Then Neander says stress, meter, pitch, pun in language create a certain impression and certain effect on language so it is advisable to use musical language and rhyme.
Crites further make the argument that Blank verse is also not a natural presentation and give delight as the definition says. So Neander speaks further that Rhyme is Sugar quoted Ornament which gives sweetness to literature so it is better to use Rhyme and blank verse.
Neander's last conclusion is that Dryden speaks Drama in general and Tragedy in particular. Particularly tragedy is a serious form of art so seriousness should be maintained and for that use of noble rhyme is important. It is very difficult to use noble rhymes for everyone, so if you have this literacy and craftsmanship then you can achieve that height and go for nobel literature.
So in this video Neander speaks of the ideas of Dryden that rhyme and blank verse should be used in Drama.
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