Ans: The Poem
Absalom and Achitpohel by John Dryden is Pregnant with many themes. They are
discussed below…
Political Satire
Absalom and
Achitophel is "generally acknowledged as finest
political satire in the English language". The
Exclusion Crisis wreaked havoc in England from 1679-1681 as the legitimate
succession of James to the throne after his brother Charles II was being
obstructed by the Whigs on the basis of James’ Catholicism. Favoring an
illegitimate son of Charles, the Duke of Monmouth, the Whigs were squaring off
against what, to Dryden, was not just the rights of one man, but rather the
very foundation of the transition of power which gave the British monarchy its
authority.
Biblical Allegory
This work is considered one of the greatest examples of
political satire in history, and it accomplishes this through biblical
allegory. The Bible acted
as metaphor for most Christians to a level far exceeding anything else ever
published, and Dryden was well aware of that. Therefore, he made the brilliant
calculation to not cast his satire as an allegory of ancient myth. Thus,
according to Bible by Dryden Charles II is transformed into King David—in the top five of almost every Bible reader’s
list of heroes—while the Duke of Monmouth is appropriately cast as Absalom, David’s son. The false Shaftesbury is the
false Achitophel, a smart,
manipulative, cunning figure.
The Erosion of the Value and Power of Poetry
One of the unintended themes of Dryden’s poem is how it has
become one of the supreme illustrations of how much the perceived value of
poetry has decreased in contemporary times. When the published poem hit the
streets, Dryden created a bull market for poetry’s value. Everyone in London was familiar with the actual
political crisis taking place, and half of them were eager to read Dryden’s
satirical allegory. The storied reaction to Dryden’s poem about a current
political scandal, couched as a biblical parody, seems utterly inconceivable
for modern society.
Desire for Power
Dryden's poem suggests that the desire for power is a common
one in the hearts of men. Almost all men want it in some fashion or another.
Absalom is generally a good, loving, and moral son (albeit a tempestuous one),
but he cannot help himself when Achitophel comes calling with whispers of the
throne. Achitophel also holds a significant position, but it is not enough for
him. Whether one is in politics, the law, or religion, one still has these
desires.
The Malleability and Malcontentedness of the People
Dryden does not have a lot of positive things to say about the
people of England (who are the Jews in the poem). They are fickle,
self-interested, foolish, and easily swayed. They
fall for weak and specious arguments, they are swayed by emotion and sentimentality,
and, ultimately, "the most may err as grossly as the few" (782). The
strong, legitimate ruler should use his power to quell their unrest and punish
those who step out of line.
Paternity and Patriarchy
There are numerous evocations of fathers and sons in this
poem. David is the father of Absalom, but God is his Father. David is the patriarch of the land and
must put aside his earthly fatherly feelings for Absalom in order to do his own
Father's bidding. Absalom loves his father and wishes to emulate him, but
whereas David is god-like, Absalom is purely a man. If David is to be the
father to the people and to retain his paternal authority bestowed from God,
then he must set his earthly son in his place.
Charles's Fitness for the
Throne
One of Dryden's main themes in this allegory is that Charles
is fit for the throne. Charles is its faithful arbiter and is keeping the
balance in the state. Even though, as critic Randy Robertson points out, Dryden
begins the poem with "Charles the father, the 'personal monarch,' who
helps populate England with subjects," he ends with the assertion that
"law reigns above the king" and "the gavel comes down like an
axe: Charles metes out justice impersonally."
Conclusion
Dryden’s Absalom
& Achitophel is a celebrated
satirical poem by John Dryden, written in heroic couplets. The poem tells the
Biblical tale of the rebellion of Absalom against King David, but this tale is
an allegory used to
represent a story contemporary to Dryden, a story of King Charles II and the Exclusion Crisis (1679-1681).
The poem also references the Popish Plot (1678) and
the Monmouth Rebellion(1685).
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