ThAct:- Absalom and Achitophel

TOPIC OF THE BLOG:-

The blog is a part of a Thinking Activity thAct:- A&A by John Dryden and given by Dilip sir (Click here for Dilip Barad's Blog) from English Department MKBU, Bhavnagar. In this blog I am going to discuss some questions from question bank of A&A given in Material website (Click here). For lactures and video on A&A by Dilip sir Click here.

JOHN DRYDEN:-

The whole age is know by his name Dryden, Age of Dryden. He was restoration age playwright, poet, literary critic, Librettist and translator also of England. After John Donne and John Milton he was considered as a greatest English poet of the 17th century and after William Shakespeare and Ben Johnson he was considered as greatest playwright of the age. He was born on 9 August (19 August) 1631 in Aldwincle, Northamptonshire, England and died on 12 may 1700 in London, England. He was appointed as a first poet laureate of the England in 1668.  On 1 December 1663 Dryden married Lady Elizabeth Howard. Both Dryden and his wife were warmly attached to their children. They had three sons: Charles (1666-1704), John (1668-1701), and Erasmus Henry (1669-1710). 

NOTABLE WORKS OF DRYDEN:-

• Absalom and Achitophel (1681)
• Annus Mirabilis (1667)
• Astraea Redux (1660)
• Aureng-Zebe (1675)
• Fables Ancient and Modern (1700)
• King Arthur (Librettist and lyricist, John Dryden) (1691)
• All for Love (1677)
• Mac Flecknoe (1678)
• Marriage à-la-Mode (1673)
• Of Dramatic Poesie, an Essay (1668)
• Religio Laici; or A Layman’s Faith (1682)
• Secret Love, or the Maiden Queen (1668)
• The Conquest of Granada of the Spaniards (1670)
• The Hind and the Panther (1687)
• The Indian Emperour (1665)
• The Indian Queen (1664)
• The Medall (1682)
• The Wild Gallant (1669)
• To His Sacred Majesty (1661)

DRYDEN AS THE FIRST COMPARATIVE AND NATIONALISTIC CRITIC:-

Dryden added a new dimension to criticism by introducing method of comparative analysis. His comparative study of Greek, Roman, French and English writers shows his knowledge and his sensitivity to literature. Scott James writes in this regard; "Dryden had not only read and digested Sophocles and Euripides, Theocritus and Virgil (Tragedians); he had also read and digested Shakespeare, Ben Johnson and Fletcher." Dryden compares modern literature with Greek and Latin. He said that the difference between classical literature and English literature is not only that of language. To him, is that time passes the development of state, the taste and the character of people changes notably. 

ABSALOM AND ACHITOPHEL:-

Poem:- Absalom and Achitophel 

Poet:- John Dryden 

Published:- 1681

Setting:- Israel, during the reign of King David

Era:- Restoration Age 

Genre:- Satire, Poetry 

Rhyme Scheme:- Heroic Couplet

Antagonist:- Achitophel 

Point of View: Third-Person Omniscient

Rhyme Scheme:- AABB - Imbic Pentameter

For the original poem Visit Poetry Foundation (Click here).

In Preface of Absalom and Achitophel Dryden claims that he is mere  a historian but we can found through this poem that he created biblical story. Absalom and David are thinly veiled metaphors for Charles II of England and his illegitimate son, James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth. In the poem, Dryden implies that the real-life story of Charles and Monmouth is not yet over, and there is plenty of time for wisdom and mercy. (litcharts)

Dryden based his work on a biblical incident recorded in 2 Samuel 13–19. These chapters relate the story of King David’s favourite son Absalom and his false friend Achitophel (Ahithophel), who persuades Absalom to revolt against his father. (Britannica)

🌸 The second part of the poem is written by Nahum Tate (1652-1715) in 1682 and Dryden added some finishing lines.

CHARACTERS:-

ABSALOM:-

“Absalom Hanging on the Oak Tree,” by James Tissot, circa 1899.

🪄 James Scott, Duke of Monmouth.

Portrait by Peter Lely, c. 1682 (of James Scott)

ACHITOPHEL:-

Achitophel an old Jew scribe lately turned Greek by James Sayers

🪄 Anthony Asley Cooper, The first earl of Shaftesbury.

Portrait by John Greenhill (of Anthony Asley Cooper)

DAVID:-

'King David', painting by Giovanni Francesco Barbieri (il Guercino)

🪄 The third king of Israel and Charles Second of England.

Charles II in Garter robes by John Michael Wright or studio, c. 1660–1665

SAUL:-

Saul depicted in a detail from an 1878 oil painting by Ernst Josephson

🪄 The first king of Israel and Oliver Cromwell 

Portrait by Samuel Cooper, 1656 (of Oliver Cromwell)

DAVID'S BROTHER:-

Portrait by Sir Peter Lely

🪄 James II, David's brother, in the poem there is no such character appear but refer multiple times.

CORAH:-

Vintage engraving showing Titus Oates in the pillory. 

🪄 Titus Oates (1649 to 1705) was an English perjurer who fabricated the "Popish Plot", a supposed Catholic conspiracy to kill King Charles II.

SHIMEI:-

Shimei curses David as he flees Jerusalem, by William Hole

🪄 Slingsby Bethel

Poster Print of Slingsby Bethel. SLINGSBY BETHEL Sheriff of London whose Republican principles (Pinterest )

ZIMRI:-

Depiction of the coronation of Zimri, from

Rudolf von Ems' Chronicle of the World

🪄 Goerge Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham

Photo credit: Will Pryce (of Goerge Villiers)

THE PHARAOH:-

A typical depiction of a pharaoh usually depicted the king wearing the nemes headdress, a false beard, and an ornate shendyt 

🪄 Louise XIV of France 

Portrait of Louis XIV by Hyacinthe Rigaud

ISHBOSHETH:-

Illustration from the Morgan Bible depicting the death of Ish-bosheth

🪄Saul’s son and the king of Israel, Richard Cromwell 

Photo credit: Cromwell Museum

For more information about characters visit this site about Absalom and Achitophel (Click here ).

THEMES OF THE ABSALOM AND ACHITOPHEL:-

As we can see how this poem related to politics, has perfect allegory and satire on characters, satire on religion, and satire on king and monarchy. Even though he says that he is not on the side of kings, he appreciate ABSALOM in this poem. Politics in a way that, how he made a conspiracy against his own father. It is a element of politics, politics not only seen in society but can visible in our life too.

Absalom has ambition to take all the power he sees in front of his eyes. He wants throne and that's why he kill his own father. 

The story of this poem related to biblical story. And that's why there is a theme of God in the poem. According to him God was the first king of Israel and soul was the second. 

Note:- If you find any problem or question or suggestions please let me know ☺️ some of the information are collected from the different sources, books and websites.

Words:- 1080

Photos:- 22