John Dryden was English poet, dramatist, and critic. He was the leading literary figure of the Restoration age. He wrote important prose work "Of Dramatick Poesie" Essay in 1668. Five issues are under discussion in this essay:
# Ancients vs modern
# unities
# French vs English Drama
# separation of Tragedy and comedy tragic comedy
# Appropriateness of Rhyme in Drama
Four critics :
# Eugenius (Modern Drama)
# crites (Ancient Drama)
# Lisideius (French Drama)
# Neander (English Drama)
Yes there is difference between Aristotle's definition of Tragedy and Dryden's definition of Play. As we know that aristotalian thought holds that poetry is an imitation of what is possible in real life and that tragedy, by imitation of a serious action cast in dramatic form. He says that "tragedy is an imitation of an action that is serious and also having magnitude complete in itself...." and he ended his definition with the word 'catharsis'.
# Ancients vs modern
# unities
# French vs English Drama
# separation of Tragedy and comedy tragic comedy
# Appropriateness of Rhyme in Drama
Four critics :
# Eugenius (Modern Drama)
# crites (Ancient Drama)
# Lisideius (French Drama)
# Neander (English Drama)
Q. 1 Do you any difference between Aristotle's definition of Tragedy and Dryden's definition of Play?
Yes there is difference between Aristotle's definition of Tragedy and Dryden's definition of Play. As we know that aristotalian thought holds that poetry is an imitation of what is possible in real life and that tragedy, by imitation of a serious action cast in dramatic form. He says that "tragedy is an imitation of an action that is serious and also having magnitude complete in itself...." and he ended his definition with the word 'catharsis'.
But Dryden give the definition of play in a different way. According to Dryden's definition of play,
" Play is an ‘image’ of ‘human nature’, and that the image is ‘just’ as well as ‘lively’."
He added two new words just and lively and play represents the lively image of human nature. So I find this difference.
Q. 2 If you are supposed to give your personal predilection, would you be on the side of the Ancient or the Modern? Please give reasons.
I would like to be on the side of modern. Modern means "relating to the present or recent times as opposed to the remote past." but moderns follow some things from ancient but modern gives us new way of thinking. When we read the modern and ancient we comes to know that modern present the new Idea or logical Idea. There are two critics Eugenius favors the modern and crites favors the ancients like blank verse.
" Play is an ‘image’ of ‘human nature’, and that the image is ‘just’ as well as ‘lively’."
He added two new words just and lively and play represents the lively image of human nature. So I find this difference.
Q. 2 If you are supposed to give your personal predilection, would you be on the side of the Ancient or the Modern? Please give reasons.
I would like to be on the side of modern. Modern means "relating to the present or recent times as opposed to the remote past." but moderns follow some things from ancient but modern gives us new way of thinking. When we read the modern and ancient we comes to know that modern present the new Idea or logical Idea. There are two critics Eugenius favors the modern and crites favors the ancients like blank verse.
For example, The story of the Ramayana had been told Incalculable times. The great story of Rama, the incarnation of God, who killed Ravana, the evil demon of darkness, is known to every Indian. But when we read "Asura: Tale Of The Vanquished" we comes to know that Ravana is good character, he is good brother. Asura is written by Anand Neelakantan. He represents the character of Ravana as hero.
The second example, Bible and paradise lost by milton.
Q. 3 Do you think that the arguments presented in favour of the French plays and against English plays are appropriate?
I want to take side of Neander who favours English plays and rhymes because English are best at lively imitation of nature. English plays are more entertaining because they offer an element of surprise. But when we talk about French plays, they doesn't have subplots. It is right to show death scene or love scene on stage, duel fight with blunted swords because these all things are common to show and audiance knows that they are watching play not reality. so this is good to show death scenes on the stage. mingling of mirth means I think sub plots and serious. But this is the choice of writer if they wants to write sub plots than thay can. Sub plots make play iteresting and exciting. So therefore I found the English play more appropriate.
I want to take side of Neander who favours English plays and rhymes because English are best at lively imitation of nature. English plays are more entertaining because they offer an element of surprise. But when we talk about French plays, they doesn't have subplots. It is right to show death scene or love scene on stage, duel fight with blunted swords because these all things are common to show and audiance knows that they are watching play not reality. so this is good to show death scenes on the stage. mingling of mirth means I think sub plots and serious. But this is the choice of writer if they wants to write sub plots than thay can. Sub plots make play iteresting and exciting. So therefore I found the English play more appropriate.
Q.4 What would be your preference so far as a poetic or prosaic dialogues are concerned in the play?
In this easy there are two critics who argued in terms of rhymes and blank verse. Crites favors blank verse style of writing and Neander favors rhyme.Neander says that when we use appropriate word at appropriate place, then the naturality of dialogues is good but it is depends on writers. It gives pleasure and delight. When we use poetic dialogues, it us difficult to understand. But both are good. So in the play both dialogues should prefer in proper order to it.
In this easy there are two critics who argued in terms of rhymes and blank verse. Crites favors blank verse style of writing and Neander favors rhyme.Neander says that when we use appropriate word at appropriate place, then the naturality of dialogues is good but it is depends on writers. It gives pleasure and delight. When we use poetic dialogues, it us difficult to understand. But both are good. So in the play both dialogues should prefer in proper order to it.
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