ENGLISH LITERATURE (CBSE/UGC NET)

Detailed explanation-1: -The Essay of Dramatic Poesy demonstrates that Dryden’s claim to being the father of practical comparative criticism is amply justified. The relative superiority of the English and French dramatic writings was a burning question of his days.

Detailed explanation-2: -An Essay on Dramatic Poesy is written in the form of a dialogue among four gentlemen: Eugenius, Crites, Lisideius and Neander. Neander speaks for Dryden himself. Eugenius favours modern English dramatists by attacking the classical playwrights, who did not themselves always observe the unity of place.

Detailed explanation-3: -“An Essay on Dramatic Poesy” is dialogue based prose work to defend ‘drama’ by John Dryden (1631-1700), the father of modern English poetry and criticism. Dryden dominated literary life in England during the last four decades of the seventeenth century. He was a great poet, critic, dramatist, satirist and translator.

Detailed explanation-4: -“An Essay of Dramatic Poesy” was probably written in 1666 during the closure of the London theaters due to plague. It can be read as a general defense of drama as a legitimate art form-taking up where Sir Philip Sidney’s “Defence of Poesie” left off-as well as Dryden’s own defense of his literary practices.

Detailed explanation-5: -All for Love; or, the World Well Lost, is a 1677 heroic drama by John Dryden which is now his best-known and most performed play. It is dedicated to Earl of Danby. It is a tragedy written in blank verse and is an attempt on Dryden’s part to reinvigorate serious drama.