Q: Dryden's Essay of Dramatic Poesy is:
a) Cavalier Poets/Caroline Poets
b) Absolem and Achitophel
c) The Way of the World
d) A critical treatise on dramatic art developed through dialogues
Correct answer: d) A critical treatise on dramatic art developed through dialogues
Dryden's Essay of Dramatic Poesy by John Dryden
John Dryden’s An Essay on Dramatic Poesy presents a brief discussion on the Neo-classical theory of Literature. He defends the classical drama saying that it is an imitation of life and reflects human nature clearly. An Essay on Dramatic Poesy is written in the form of a dialogue among four gentlemen: Eugenius, Crites, Lisideius and Neander. Neander speaks for Dryden himself. Eugenius favours modern English dramatists by attacking the classical playwrights, who did not themselves always observe the unity of place. Crites oppose rhyme in plays and argue that though the moderns excel in sciences, the ancient age was the true age of poetry. Lisideius defends the French playwrights and attacks the English tendency to mix genres. Neander gives his palm to the violation of the three unities because it leads to the variety in the English plays. He supports the use of blank verse in drama and says that the use of rhyme in serious plays is justifiable in place of the blank verse.
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