Lit Theory - John Dryden - Essay on Dramatic Poesy Outline

John Dryden

1.     An Essay on Dramatic Poesy

a.     Shakespeare was the greatest poet.

                                               i.     All the images of Nature were available to him.

                                             ii.     When he described a thing, they are felt.

                                            iii.     He was naturally learned.

                                            iv.     He looked inward to find nature.

                                             v.     Shakespeare had natural talent.

b.     Beaumont and Fletcher also had great natural gifts.

                                               i.     The gifts were improved by study.

                                             ii.     Their plots were more regular than Shakespeare.

                                            iii.     They intimated conversation of gentlemen much better.

                                            iv.     They represented passions lively, rather than describing them.

                                             v.     There is gaiety in their comedies and pathos in their more serious plays. 

c.     Johnson was a most learned and judicious writer.

                                               i.     He was a severe critic of himself and others.

                                             ii.     He was frugal of wit.

                                            iii.     There was little to criticize in his work.

                                            iv.     He was well suited to humor.

                                             v.     Borrowed from the ancients.

d.     Personal summary of Dryden’s work.  The great poets had the following traits.

                                               i.     The greats either had natural talent, or developed their talent through learning. 

                                             ii.     They represented actions and life rather than describing them.

                                            iii.     They were well disposed to the genres they explored.

                                            iv.     People could relate to their work.