English Literature / Unit 10 ENL 0906 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Dryden as Critic
Captions available
The idea
Dryden is considered a father of the modern essay. His Of Dramatick Poesie, of sixteen sixty-eight, is a dialogue in which four speakers debate drama, Dryden himself as Neander. He wrote that "the true end of satire is the amendment of vices by correction."
In practice
A critical dialogue; satire as correction.
Where people slip
Dryden defended his own practice in prefaces.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
Builds on
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