This Blog-post is a response of thinking activity on Dryden's Essay on 'Dramatic Poesy' as a Bridge Course, given by Prof.Dr.Dilip Barad Sir. To know about more this task,CLICK HERE.
- 'Dramatick Poesie' by John Dryden
This easy written by John Dryden who was the prominent figure of during Restoration Era, widely known as literary critic,Satirist, or playwright also. He was also appointed England's first Poet Laurent. He write an Easy on Dramatick Poesie ending of 1667 or early in 1668. Probably, it was the time when plague increased and he wrote this easy, lived in his country Wiltshire. Dramatick Poese is an easy which leads the literary criticism through four characters, which are,
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Perhaps, An easy covered up main three points of debate between these four characters, which are,
1. Their arguments upon Ancient and Modern Plays.
2.Superiority of the French Drama over English Drama.
3.Advocacy of writing plays in Rhymed Verse.
- Dryden defines definition of the play, if we divided into three parts that,
1. Just and lively image of human nature, representing it's passions and humours.
2. The change of fortune to which it is subject.
3. The delight and instruction of mankind.
While Aristotle said that," Tragedy is an imitation [mimēsis] of an action that is serious, complete, and of a certain magnitude…through pity and fear effecting the proper purgation [catharsis] of these emotions."
Here are my answers of the questions given by Barad Sir in Bridge Course:
1) Do you any difference between Aristotle's definition of Tragedy and Dryden's definition of Play?
Aristotle said that tragedy is only the imitation or copy of particular action which is serious, while Dryden said that the plot is lively of human nature that means there is nothing to copy from human nature but it is humorous. At the end of both's definition, Dryden's definition ends with delight and instruction of Mankind while Aristotle's definition ends with therapeutic word 'Catharsis.' As our professor, Dr. Dilip Barad said that "History made by some new innovative ideas, which not followed ancient idea." Here, Dryden's definition not followed what Aristotle said, yes he just agree with him but he also puts his own logic toward the literature or the structure of plot etc.
2) If you are supposed to give your personal predilection, would you be on the side of the Ancient or the Modern? Please give reasons.
In any literature, time plays very important role, that means contemporary time when writer write a particular literature. Dryden come with Restoration period. In the particular period, we can see, that Restoration people enjoyed and make themselves Rejoiced. Perhaps Dryden put contemporary things. We not toughrouly go with Modern or Ancient side. Because of Ancient perspectives, we not able to see in more, what is in our contemporary time. We have to such a things that make us to do think in particular Idea. We have a main source to broad our thinking towards particular topic.
3) Do you think that the arguments presented in favour of the French plays and against English plays are appropriate? (Say for example, Death should not be performed as it is neither 'just' not 'liely' image, displaying duel fight with blunted swords, thousands of soldiers marching represented as five on stage, mingling of mirth and serious, multiple plots etc.)
In Dryden's Essay, Lisideius who was representative of Sir Charles Sedley . He was favored of French Plays. In French Plot, their tragedies were presented of Ancient Sources. While also had the Ancient Source but their performance in the story was not realistic or likeness. French Plays were more realistic and gave likeness to reality. Their plots were not full of actions, but with qualitative actions. While English plots had many actions and scenes which perhaps presents more dramatic actions. For their lead characters they gave more importance to particular character because their main aim to presents the particular theme of the play throughout only the lead character. They did not prefer to presents it through other characters also. While in French play writers gave the chance to every character to presents the particular thematic concept of the play. The main thing is that, English play were mostly represents some horror or bloodshed scenes which were not acceptable to see to the audience. While French Play avoid these scenes for comfortable the audience. Here I put the video about A Debate on the Comparative Merits of French plays and English plays.
Thank You.
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