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English Literature / Unit 19   ENL 1803 short lesson, about 20 seconds

Dryden and Johnson: Judgment and Nature

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The idea

Dryden's Of Dramatick Poesie debated drama in dialogue and held that satire's end is the correction of vice. Johnson's Preface to Shakespeare rejected the classical unities, argued that drama should be faithful to life, and still named Shakespeare's faults.

In practice

A dialogue on drama; a preface on Shakespeare.

Where people slip

Johnson praises and faults together.

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