Dryden - An Essay on Dramatic poesy

 

Hello everyone,

This blog is based on thinking activity given by Barad sir (Professor of Department of English at MKB university). For the background reading click here.  

Here the discussion of two topics as per below...

Q-1.

Do you find any difference between Aristotle's definition of tragedy and Dryden's definition of play?

Yes, there are differences between Aristotle's definition of tragedy and John Dryden's definition of a play.

Aristotle's Definition of Tragedy:

- Aristotle, in his work "Poetics," defined tragedy as a form of drama that arouses pity and fear in the audience through the depiction of the downfall of a noble character, often due to a tragic flaw (hamartia).

- He emphasized the importance of catharsis, where the audience experiences emotional purification and relief through watching the tragic events unfold.

- Aristotle's definition focused on specific elements like plot, character, thought, diction, melody, and spectacle.

John Dryden's Definition of Play:

- John Dryden, an English poet and playwright, did not provide a single, comprehensive definition of a play comparable to Aristotle's definition of tragedy.

- However, Dryden was known for advocating for the use of rhyme in drama, which was a departure from the blank verse commonly used in his time.

- He also emphasized the importance of dramatic unity, coherence in plot, and clarity of language in plays.

Q-2

Any topic of you choice but pertaining to Dryden as 'father of English  Criticism'.

John Dryden is often referred to as the "father of English literary criticism." He played a significant role in shaping the way we analyze and evaluate literature. Here's a brief explanation in simple terms:

John Dryden, who lived in the 17th century, was like the first teacher of how to really understand and talk about literature. He showed people how to look at poems, plays, and stories and figure out what makes them good or bad. Think of him as the first person to teach us how to "critique" or judge literature. His ideas on what makes good writing have influenced how we study and appreciate literature even today. So, he's like the "father" of literary criticism, teaching us how to think and talk about books and stories.

Work cited.

Google 

YouTube

Barad, Dilip. An Essay on Dramatic Poesy: John Dryden. 2012. ResearchGate, click here to visit