John Dryden’s critical comparison between English and French drama in this Essay.

 

John Dryden’s present essay “An essay on Dramatic Poesy” gives an explicit account of neo-classical theory of art in general. He defends the classical drama standing on the line of Aristotle saying it is an imitation of life, and reflects human nature clearly. He also discusses the three unities, rules that require a play take place in one place, during one day, and that it develops one single action or plot. The essay is written in the form of dialogue concerned to four gentlemen: Eugenius, Crites, Lisideius and Neander. Neander seems to speak for Dryden himself. Eugenius takes the side of the modern English dramatists by criticizing the faults of the classical playwright, who did not themselves observe the unity of place. But Crites defended the ancient and pointed out that they invited the principles of dramatic art enunciated by Aristotle and Horace. Crites opposed to rhyme in plays and argues that through the moderns excel in science; the ancient age was the true age of poetry. Lesideius defends the French playwrights and attacks the English tendency to mix genres. He defines a play as a just and lively image of human and the change of fortune to which it is subject for the delight and instruction of mankind. Neander favours the moderns, respects the ancients, critical to rigid rules of dramas and he favours rhyme if it is in proper place like in grand subject matter. Neander a spokesperson of Dryden argues that tragic comedy is the best form for a play; because it is the closest to life in which emotions are heightened by both mirth and sadness. He also finds subplots as an integral part to enrich a play. He finds the French drama, with its single action. Neander favors the violation of the unities because it leads to the variety to the English plays. The unities have a narrowing and crumpling effect on the French plays, which are often betrayed in to absurdities from which the English plays are free. The violation of unities helps the English play Wright to present a mere, just and lively image of human nature. In his comparison of French and English drama, Neander characterizes the best proofs of the Elizabethan playwrights. He praises Shakespeare ancients and moderns.Neander comes to the end for the superiority of the Elizabethans with a close examination of a play by Johnson which Neander believes a perfect demonstration that the English were capable of following classical rules. In this way, Dryden’s commitment to the neoclassical tradition is displayed. Dryden rebukes against the critics, who attack the use of rhyme both in tragedy and comedy. Since nobody speaks in rhyme in real life, he supports the use of blank verse in drama and says that the use of rhyme is serious plays is justifiable than the blank verse.