Paper no -3 Literary Theory and Criticism: Western - 1

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Name – Megha B Trivedi

Course – M.A. English

Sem – 1

Beatch – 2016 -2018

Roll No – 25

Enrolment No – PG 2069108420170030

Submitted to – Smt. S. B. Gardi Dept. Of English MKBU

Email Id – meghatrivedi666@gmail.com

Paper No – 3 Literary Theory & Criticism: Western – 1 

Topic –       It is not patriotism but practical and artistic sense which controls Dryden's view on the three unities? And Dryden's defens the mingling of “ Mirth with serious plot” and the variety and copiousness of the English plays.








Information of Drydon :-

       John Dryden was born on 9 August 1631 in Northanpthoshire, England, and died on 1 May 1700 in London, England. He studied at Cambridge University. He was a prominent English Poet, Critic, Translator and Playwright. He was a Poet Laureat of England in 1668. He was critic of contemporary reality. His critical observation of contemporary reality in “ Mar- flecknoe” in 1682. Dryden's mature thoughts of literary criticism on ancient, modern and English literature, especially on Drama, are presented in dialogue forms in An Essay On Dramatic Poesy.

      Dr. Samuel Johnson quote him as “ The father of English criticism, who first taught us to determine upon principle the merit of composition”.

Dryden's Works

1) ' Preface to the fables'

2) ' Prefale to the Indian emperor'

3) ' The wild Gallant'

4) ' An Essay on Dramatic Poesy'

5) ' All For Love'

                  Hear we discuss only 'An Essay on Dramatic Poesy'. So, let's discuss.

About An Essay on Dramatic Poesy :-
      The original title An Essay of Dramatic Poesy is “ Of Dramatick Poesie, an Essay”. He wrote in 1668. In this essay Dryden discuss talked on the so called battle of the ancients and moderns and the English and French. He defends the classical drama saying that it is an imitation of life and reflects human nature clearly.


            This essay is written in the form of dialogue among four critics,

(1) Eugenius ( Charles Sackville)

(2) Crites ( Sir Robert Howard)

(3) Lisideius ( Sir Charles Sadley)

(4) Neander ( Dryden himself)
       Eugenius favors the moderns over the ancients, critics argues in favor of the ancients and Lisidius argues that French drama is superior to English drama, and Neander means Dryden favors the modern English plays, but does not disparage the ancients. He also favors English drama and has some critical things to say of French drama.

Aims 
 
1) In his address,'To the Readers', prefixed to ' The Essay', Dryden says that his aim was “ to vindicate the honour of our English writers from the censure of those who unjustly prefer the French before them.”

2) The Essay is also an attempt to evolve the principles which ought to guide us in judging a play, as well as effort to discover the rules which could help a dramatist in writing a good play.

3) The Essays is also a contribution to two current controversies: (1) regarding comparative superiority of ancient and the moderns & (2) the comparative merits and demerits of blank verse and rhyme for dramatic purpose.

4) Samuel sorbiere's (French) unfavorable remark about English life, stage and science.


Five issues are under discussion in this essay:

(1)  Ancients vs moderns
(2)  Unitis   
(3)French vs English drama
(4)  Separation of tragedy and comedy vs Tragicomedy
(5)  appropriateness of Rhyme in drama

18th Century :-

    The Eighteenth century in England is called the Classical Age or the Augustan Age in literature. It is also called the Age of good sense or the Age of Reason. Though Drydon belonged to the seventeenth century, he is also include in the classical or Augustan Age as during his time the characteristics of his age had manifested themselves and he himself represented them to a great extent. Other great literary figures who dominate this age successively were Pope and Dr. Jhonson and so the Classical Age is divided in to three distinct periods,

1) The Age of Dryden

2) Pope

3) Dr. Johnson
      Age of Dryden has already been dealt with in the preceding chapter, entitled “ The Restoration Period”.

Definition Of Drama : 
 
     “ A play ought to be a just and lively image of human nature, representing its passions and humors, and the changes of fortune to which it is subject for the delight and instruction of mankind.”

Dryden's view on the three unities :-

Aristotle gave three unities for drama in Aristotle's poetics.

1) Unity of Action : A play should have one action that it follows, with minimal subplots.

2) Unity of Time : The action in a play should occur over a period of no more than 24 hours.

3) Unity of Place : A play should exist in a single physical space and should not attempt to compress geography, nor should the stage represent more than one place.


        Greek and Latin drama were strict in follow all the three unities but Shakespeare broken all the unities because Shakespeare believed in create something new, and established himself as a great writer.


Three reason

1)The understanding of Human psychology, living in practical life, understanding is more important.
2)He has love for humanity don't have prejudices what is good or bad.
3)Most important thing language and control of language.

Violation of the three unities

       In an age of Pseudo- classic criticism; with it's precise rules and definition, Dryden had the boldness to defend the claims of genius to write according to its own convictions, without regard for the prescription and rules which had been laid down for good writing. He cleared the ground for himself by brushing away all the arbitrary bans upon freedom of judgment, the refused to be coved down by the French plays writers and critics.


Dryden's defense


Dryden's liberalism his free critical disposition, is best seen in his justification of the violation of three unities on the part of the English dramatist, he defends unities, his views are as under,

1) The English violation of the three unities lends greater copiousness ( existing in large amounts profuse in speech) and variety to the English plays. The unities have narrowing and cramping effect on the French plays, and they are often betrayed into absurdities form which English plays are free.

2) The English disregard of unites enables them to present a more 'Just' and 'Lively' picture of human nature. The French plays may be more regular but they are not as a lively, not so pleasant and delightful as that of English. E.g. Shakespeare's play which are more lively and just image of life and human nature, because he performed on the stage all things like horror, violence, tragic and comic all that things.

3) The English when they do observe the rules as Ben Jonson has done in ' The silent woman' show greater skill and a then the French it all depends upon the 'genius' or ' skill' of the writer.

4) There is no harm in introducing ' Sub-plot', for they impart variety, richness and liveliness to the play. In this way writer can present a more 'just' and 'lively' picture than the French with their narrow and cramped plays.

5) To the view that observance of the unities is justified on the ground , that their violation results is improbability, that it place. too great a strain on the imagination of the spectators, and that credibility is stretched too for, he replies it is all a question of ' dramatic illusion'. Lisidius argues that ' We can not so speedily recollect ourselves after a scene of great passion and concernment to pas to another of mirth and humor and to enjoy it with any relish. Neander replied to it by saying that should he imagine the soul of man more heavy than his senses? Does not the eye pass from an unpleasant object to a pleasant in a much shorter time? ' gratification of sense is primary, secondary that of soul', sensory perception helps in dramatic illusion.


Conclusion

     so, as per Dryden's view Shakespeare's play are more' lively' and ' just' because he broken all unities and Dryden defends.


(2) Dryden defends ' Mirth with serious plot' :-
      Dryden believed that comedy and tragedy both are good, because it's part of our life, so present as it is in drama also that's why he defends and some argue like,

1) Contrast when placed near set off each other.

2) Continued gravity depresses the spirit, a scene of mirth thrown in between refresh. It has the same effect on us as music. In other words, comic scene produces relief, though Dryden does not explicitly say so.

3) Mirth does not destroy compassion, i.e. the serious effect which tragedy aims at is not disturbed by mingling of tragic and comic.

4) Just as the eye can pass from an unpleasant object to a pleasant one, so also the soul can move from tragic to the comic. And it can do so much more swiftly.

5) The English have perfected a new way of writing not known to the ancients. If they had tragic comedies, perhaps Aristotle would have revised his rules.

6) It is all a question of progress of the change of taste. The ancients cannot be a model for all times and countries, “ what pleased the Greeks would not satisfy an English audience”. Had Aristotle see the English play “ He might have changed his might”. The real test of excellence is not strict adherence to rules or conventions, but whether the aims of dramas have been achieved. They are achieved by the English drama. For example Hamlet,




                               






                                    

                             Shakespeare used comedy and tragedy both in his play, for ex:- Hamlet. Hamlet is tragedy or tragic play but in this play he put some comic scene also, comic relief is important in drama, so mixture of both is good. In Hamlet gravedigger scene create humor and some time Polonious provide humor. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are also comic characters in Hamlet, so Hamlet is best example. Other works like Macbeth, Othello etc.


Dr. Johnson (“ Preface to Shakespeare”)

      Accepted Dryden's view that mingling of the tragic and the comic provides dramatic relief. But he makes a further point, with is foreshadowed in Dryden, but which has not been clearly stated his appeal to Nature. Dr. Johnson asserts tragic comedy is true to nature, for in nature is also good and evil, joy and sorrow, mingle in countless ways. 

Conclusion


       At the end we can say that “ They are indeed the Beauties of a statue, but not of a man.”


       means French drama is good like a statue, but the real charm, feeling we can't find in the statue because statue is statue not man, and English drama like man, in which we find real charm, feeling, emotion, liveliness etc.


(3)Defends the variety and copiousness of the English plays :-

        After defends unities and tragic-comedy, Dryden defends the variety and copiousness of the English plays. Because French play followed many rules so this play lack the real quality of charm and various variety, but we see that English play is great because in this play we feel and see the variety, copiousness means great quality, humor, tragic and comic elements, aesthetic pleasure. Because all things are important for audience and it's all natural so, that's why we find copiousness of the English plays, and this kind of variousness gave pleasure.


Conclusion :-


      At the end we can say that, Neander means Dryden himself how beautifully defends above three points and also gave some critical things and some important point of French play.



Reference :- www.Wikieducater.com

                     From material

                     www.Neoenglish.worpress.com

                     www.wikipedia.com