The Importance of Being Earnest

Oscar Wilde :-

Oscar Wilde,  full  name was Oscar Fingal O’Flahertie Wills Wilde, he was born in October 16, 1854, Dublin, Ireland and died November 30, 1900,in Paris, France, Irish  wit, poet, and dramatist whose reputation rests on his only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray , and on his comic masterpieces Lady Windermere’s Fan and The Importance of Being Earnest (1895). He was a spokesman for the late 19th-century Aesthetic movement in England, which advocated art for art's sake, and he was the object of celebrated civil and criminal suits involving homosexuality and ending in his imprisonment .

• How he became famous :-

Oscar Wilde came from a prominent family. While studying at Oxford in the 1870s, he gained notice as a scholar, poseur, wit, and poet and for his devotion to the Aesthetic movement , which held that art should exist for its beauty alone. Wilde later established himself in London’s social and artistic circles.

• How he die ?:- 

After his release from prison in 1897, Oscar Wilde lived in France in straitened circumstances. In 1900 at the age of 46, he died of  meningitis following an acute ear infection.

videos of online session:-

Introducation:-

In this play, he satirizes and mocks the Victorian society particularly the institution of marriage, morality and show off. He exposes the hollowness, hypocrisy and pretends nature of Victorian people.The subtitle of the play “A Trivial Comedy for Serious People” though seems to be unrelating to the main title yet it splendidly articulates the purpose of his play. It reveals the hypocrisy, absurdity, and triviality of the upper class of Victorian society.This class considered itself to be very important in Britain. Thus Wilde calls them “serious”. The word “Trivial” means “unserious” or “lacking importance”.  Thus in this sense, Wilde probably wants to say that the play has nothing to do with the serious people. It is just mocking their ways of life.

The Importance of Being Earnest “A Serious Comedy for Trivial People” but changed that to “A Trivial Comedy for Serious People.” :-

A trivial comedy for serious people; this is what Oscar Wilde subtitled his comedy The Importance Of Being Earnest. This subtitle can be interpreted in many different ways, as it forces the reader to question what we understand from the play itself, and how characters are portrayed throughout. I understand this in two different ways: one of which that Oscar Wilde was stating that this play is in fact for serious people, going to be trivial. The second way this could be interpreted is that he meant the subtitle in a very witty and sarcastic way.

Triviality affects what it is done to the audience; in this case to purely entertain them. Similarly to when each and every one of us turns on our TV, probably more than we actually should. Why? Because it simply wastes our time away when we believe that we have nothing better to do with our lives. And even though we probably do, it is belittled against the fact that we are a world of want and desire. Oscar Wilde, being the kind of writer that he was, could have wrote this extremely amusing play just to distract people from their lives and to let his audience enjoy what was put in front of them. One element that could have made this so much more effective is by the use of satire embedded within. Satire was not only used for the purpose of amusement, but also to make people aware of issues that were occurring every day for normal people of that time period. So if triviality is what he wished to put forward, then this subtitle would be taken quite literally.

Comedy of Manners:-

The Importance of Being Earnest is an excellent example of a Comedy of Manners as it mocks the behaviours of Victorian aristocracy, it explores the social conduct of upper-middle class society. The plot revolves around lust between characters, the play features verbal wit and Algernon acts as an unscrupulous character - these are all main features of a Comedy of Manners.
One traditional convention Wilde uses in the first Act of The Importance of Being Earnest is by exploring the social conduct of the Victorian upper-middle class society. He does this with Lady Bracknell's character as she behaves as though she behaves as a male role in choosing who Gwendolyn should marry; "Pardon me, you are not engaged to any one. When you do become engaged to some one, I, or your father, should his health permit him, will inform you of the fact. An engagement ¦ And now I have a few questions to put to you Mr Worthing. While I am making these inquiries, you, Gwendolyn, will wait for me below in the carriage.  This implies that Lady Bracknell will choose who Gwendolyn marries as it was seen as women were too feeble and foolish to chose their husbands for themselves. Lady Bracknell will not let Gwendolyn marry without her approval, she asks Jack a series of questions which gives Jack the opportunity to gain Lady Bracknell's approval of him. " ¦ Should his health permit him Suggests that males are the weaker gender. The fact that she has taken on the fathers duty to approve his daughters marriage shows that Lady Bracknell is a strong willed woman and doesn't need a male to tell her what to do, she is very free willed and very independent who enjoys being the person in control. Lady Bracknell seems to be the sort of woman who trusts her own judgment and will do whatever she believes is the right thing, she will not listen to anyone but herself. This goes against the common behaviour of society as normally, the male is in charge and in control .

Victorian traditions and social customs:-

Although he was born in Ireland, Oscar Wilde moved to England during his studies and became known there for his extravagance and decadence. Like many others, he noted the differences in the high moral standards that people displayed in social contexts, and the less proper behavior that took place when people were outside of the public eye. Perhaps due to the fact that he himself had to put on an act in public (since his sexual orientation was illegal at the time), Wilde came to see social interaction as a farce and wrote several social satires to highlight the strange perspectives and behaviors of the aristocracy.

Satire in the Novel:-

Satire, in the time and context of the novel The Importance of Being Earnest, refers to a comedic style in which the behaviors and beliefs of a particular social class are made fun of. In The Importance of Being Earnest, Oscar Wilde pokes fun at the upper class by showing them to be fickle, dishonest and snobbish. Let's look at how he does this by considering the various aspects of the Victorian life that he ridicules.

In the Victorian era, people were very focused on how one behaved in public. Both Algernon and Jack make up false identities in order to get away with some of their less than ideal behaviors. Calling cards and formal invites formed a part of everyday social life in those times, and we find mention of these in the play. Algernon even goes as far as to state that Jack's 'carelessness' in not sending him a dinner invitation when he wants to avoid dinner at Lady Bracknell's, is foolish and annoying.

The British at this time considered themselves vastly superior to the French (which is why several novels at the time had villainous French characters). The play pokes fun at the idea of French promiscuity when Jack refers to 'corrupt' French Dramas.

Homosexual desire:-

Like oppressed minorities throughout the centuries, gay Victorians used a coded language to communicate privately with one another, a code designed to be undetectable by members of mainstream society.
On its surface, the plot of Wilde’s masterpiece seems irreproachable: Two bachelor pals, Jack and Algernon, pose as men named “Ernest” to woo the women of their dreams. But beneath its scrubbed and squeaky surface, Wilde’s play is permeated with barely concealed allusions to gay acquaintances, practices and locales. To help theater lovers crack the cipher, Ritsch and production dramaturge Lindsey Barr compiled a cheat sheet of the coded language below.
his sentence depicts a lot of the marital problems of the upper-class society in the Victorian age and Wilde was no exception to it.After getting married and having children, he lost interest in his wife and began a homosexual affair with Lord Alfred Douglas in the following years.As the plot develops, both bachelors reveal that they have created their altered egos as their beloveds have put on the condition that their respective lovers will have the name as Earnest.
Thus in the play, he mocks the institution of marriage which was considered to be sacred in Christianity. For him, this institution is quite hollow. The concept of Bunburyism that meant the practice of a double life also refers to the concept of homosexuality in the play.

conclusion:-

Though the plot of the play is not thought-provoking yet it contains hidden meanings. Through the mode way comedy, Wilde brings to light the ills of the Victorian era and mocks it. Hence, it is a trivial comedy for serious people  with hypocrisy for status and fame.

THANK YOU

DILIP BARAD

WORDS:-1571

Belinda's character in contemporary time

Belinda's character :-

In contemporary time Belinda's character name has been changed into "Benisha" . She is a very beautiful girl. She walks up at 11o’clock in the morning. Her room color is violet and windows curtain are of red and white colors. In her room there are many soft toys. She has one cat in his house whose name is “Maya” . After taking a bath Benisha is sitting in front   of a mirror and her servant  “Kavya & Siya “ comb her long hair at that time Benisha is looking into his Instagram states & chatting with his boyfriend “Rahul” she has such a precious phone Apple Iphone 11 Pro that all the people waiting to steal his phone. After getting ready she made a video call to his boyfriend and he praised Benisha beauty. At that time her parents entered the room and Benisha cut the call. Her mother gives her a car as a gift. She is excited to have a long drive, so she takes the keys from his mother and goes away from the palace. 

Benisha is having a long drive with his friend Rony, Tina,Parth,jay, Kavya,Rahul and Vikas.Benisha has come with his cat and she is taking selfie and uploading in his instagram and Facebook.Rahul and kavya are his protector .Benisha’s mother has inform that something wrong is going to happen so, plz protect Benisha. Jay & Rony have tried to propose to Benisha but she has rejected his proposal.  All are looking at Benisha’s precious phone and they all wanted to steal them from Benisha.

At 9 o’clock Benisha and his friends went to the farmhouse of Benisha and there Rahul had already arrived and he gave a surprise to Benisha . She was very happy after looking at him at the party.  All were dancing in the farmhouse at that time Rahul and Kavya inform her that your phone has been lost. Benisha is trying to find it at every place but she is not able to find it. she is crying for his mobile and then she blames everyone that they have stolen her mobile. But no one is accepting. After some minutes when Benisha called her ring she tried to follow the voice and voice was coming from a Rahul jacket . She  took out the phone and slapped him in front of his friend and then she blocked Rahul from Instagram , Facebook & What's up & sent him to jail. Then she uploaded  one break up picture with Rahul on social media and went to his home. She  tells all the things to his mom and then her mother tells her that don't be sad .

Absalom and Achitophel as a political allegory

 INTRODUCTION:-

Dryden’s poem is a thinly veiled satirical roast of the political drama that pervaded English society in the late 1670s and early 1680s, and no one is spared his wit. According to Dryden, “the true end of satire is the amendment of vices by correction,” and “Absalom and Achitophel” is an attempt to that end.Absalom and Achitophel as a Political Satire Summary. Dryden was a famous English poet, best known for his satirical poetry. His Absalom and Achitophel characters is considered as one of his best political satire. The poem is allegoric in nature. Dryden uses the device of allegory in order to criticize the political situation of his time.The poem tells the Biblical tale of the rebellion of Absalom against King David; in this context it is an allegory used to represent a story contemporary to Dryden, concerning King Charles II and the Exclusion Crisis.

Absalom and Achitophel  session videos by "dilip Barad sir ":-

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  political satire of Achitophel veils:-

Absalom and Achitophel veils its political satire under the transparent disguise of a Biblical Story. This poem perfectly depicts the existing crisis and political issues of the contemporary society. Absalom was persuaded by Achitophel to rebel against King David. Absalom symbolizes James Scott and Achitophel symbolizes Earl of Shaftesbury.

POLITICL ALLEGORY IN ABSALAM & ACHITOPHEL :-

Dryden called Absalom and Achitophel ‘a poem’ and not a satire, implying thereby that it had elements other than purely satirical. One cannot, for instance, ignore the obvious epic or heroic touches in it. All the same, the poem originated in the political situation of England at the time and one cannot fail to note that several political personalities are satirised in it. Published in  November 1681, the theme was suggested by the king to Dryden. At this time, the question of succession to King Charles had assumed great importance. The Earl of Shaftesbury had been thrown into prison to face a charge of high treason. There were two contenders for the succession. Firstly, Charles’ brother James, Duke of York, a known Roman Catholic; the second contender was Charles’ illegitimate son, the Protestant Duke of Monmouth. The Whigs supported Monmouth while the Tories supported the cause of James in order to ensure stability in the country. There was great public unrest on account of the uncertainty of succession. King Charles II saw to it that the Exclusion bill brought before Parliament, to exclude the succession of his brother James, could not be pushed through. The earl of Shaftesbury, a highly ambitious man, sought to capitalise on this unrest. He also urged Monmouth to rebel against his father. The King, though fond of his illegitimate son, did not support his succession because that would have been against law. The Earl of Shaftesbury was arrested on a charge of high treason and lost popular support.

Dryden chose the well known Biblical story of Absalom revolting against his father David, at the wicked instigation of Achitophel, in order to satirise the contemporary political situation. The choice of a Biblical allegory is not original on dryden’s part, but his general treatment of the subject is beyond comparison, as Courthope points out. But all the while Dryden takes care to see that the political satire in not lost in the confusion of a too intricate Biblical parallelism. The advantage of setting the story in pre-Christian times is obvious as it gave Dryden had at once to praise the King and satirise the King’s opponents. To discredit the opponents he had to emphasise on Monmouth’s illegitimacy; but at the same time he had to see that Charles was not adversely affected by his criticism. He could not openly condone Charles’ loose morals; at the same time, he could not openly criticise it either.

Dryden was to support the King and to expose his enemies. Of course, Charles had his own weaknesses; he was extremely fond of women. But Dryden puts a charitable mantel over his sexual sins. He is mild in dealing with his real vices. The king himself did not think unfavourably of his love affairs. Sexual licence was the order of the age and as such, it did not deserve condemnation. Dryden has nothing but praise for the king’s moderation in political matters and his leniency towards rebels. Dryden’s lash falls on the King’s enemies particularly the Earl of Shaftesbury. He was reckless politician without any principles who, “ having tried in vain to seduce Charles to arbitrary government had turned round and now drives down the current”. Dryden dreads the fickleness of the mob and he is not sure to what extremes a crowd can go. However, the king’s strictness and instinct for the rule of law won for him popular support and he was able to determine the succession according to his desire. Dryden’s reference to the godlike David shows his flattery of the King and his belief in the “Theory of the Divine Right of Kings”.

In the poem, Dryden discusses many of the men who support Achitophel and his plan to strip David of his power. In this way, Dryden also satirizes the politicians who supported the Exclusion Bill, portraying them as despicable men “who think too little and who talk too much.” Thus, Dryden implies that their proposed law—to keep Roman Catholics from the throne—is likewise foolish and dangerous. Achitophel, who encourages Absalom to rebel against his father, is a contemptable man who resolves “to ruin or to rule the state.” Achitophel is a representation of Anthony Ashley Cooper, 1st Earl of Shaftesbury, a Member of Parliament and founder of the Whig party, who opposed absolute monarchy in favor of a more democratic approach. Cooper was a major proponent of the Exclusion Bill, and Dryden implies Cooper intended to use the bill to either take the government over, or completely take it down. Achitophel has several supporters, “whom kings no titles gave, and God no grace,” including the “well-hung Balaam and cold Caleb free.” Balaam and Caleb represent Theophilus Hastings and Arthur Capel respectively, both politicians and members of the Whig party who supported the Exclusion Bill. Dryden therefore implies these men are low-level politicians who have little sense and no influence. While Balaam and Caleb may have little sense, “not bull-faced Jonas,” Dryden says, “who could statutes draw / To mean rebellion and make treason law.” Jonas represents Sir William Jones, a Member of Parliament who supported the Exclusion Bill. As Attorney General, Jones prosecuted several Catholics who were falsely accused and executed during the Popish Plot. In this way, Dryden implies that Jones, especially teamed with Cooper, can do real and lasting damage to the country and to the monarchy.

Achitophel and his supporters begin to stoke “the malcontents of all the Israelites” and sway public opinion, and the Sanhedrins, the Jewish high council, becomes “infected with this public lunacy” as well. The Sanhedrins, of course, are a metaphor for the English Parliament, and the “public lunacy” is the Exclusion Crisis. Through his satirical poem, Dryden had hoped the people of England and Parliament would see the Popish Plot and Exclusion Crisis for what they really were—plots devised to keep James II, a Roman Catholic, out of royal succession.

Dryden sets forth a premise: sometimes people cannot admit to wanting something; rather, they prefer to be forced into it. Therefore, by forcing such an individual into a situation he or she secretly desires, the person doing the forcing is actually doing the "victim" a necessary and pleasing favor. Acting as a satirist, Dryden exaggerates the argument into something so shocking that it ends up actually supporting the opposite conclusion.

The Exclusion Crisis:-

Drawing from the first two ideas, Dryden links the image of the woman with the King, suggesting that since the King may wish to be overthrown, rebelling against him would "commit a pleasing rape upon the Crown". The conclusion is shocking, disgusting, and a little bit heretical. It also associates rebellion with an inherently immoral and low act, arguing through satire that rape and rebellion are both objectively bad.

The Exclusion Crisis:-

The entire poem, which tells the story of Absalom and Achitophel's rebellion against King David of Israel, is an allegory of the events that occurred in England in the late 17th century. Dryden uses biblical characters and events to comment upon the Exclusion Crisis and its major players, ultimately supporting King Charles II in his right to the throne.

Conclusion:

Dryden is correctly regarded as the most vigorous and polished of English satirists combining refinement with fervour. Dryden is unequalled at debating in rhyme and Absalom and Achitophel displays his power of arguing in verse. It may be said that Absalom and Achitophel has no rival in the field of political satire. Apart from the contemporary interest of the poem and its historical value, it appeal to the modern reader lies in its observations on English character and on the weaknesses of man in general. His generalisations on human nature have a perennial interest. Dryden triumphed over the peculiar difficulties of his chosen theme. He had to give, not abuse or politics,but the poetry of abuse and politics. He had to criticise a son whom the father still liked; he had to make Shaftesbury denounce the King but he had to see to it that the King’s susceptibilities were not wounded. He had to praise without sounding servile and he had to criticise artistically. Dryden achieves all this cleverly and skilfully. Achitophel’s denunciation of the king assumes the shades of a eulogy in Charles’ eyes. Absalom is a misguided instrument in Achitophel’s hands. The poem is certainly a political satire, but it is a blend of dignity with incisive and effective satire.

THANK YOU

DILIP BARAD SIR

WORDS :-1621

writers of puritan and restoration age

THE PURITAN AGE (1620-1660) :-

Puritan Age in English Literature: Historical Background After the death of James I in 1625, the new monarch Charles I took religious persecution to a new level. He was asked by the Parliament to sign the petition of rights but he continued to show open disregard to Parliament and people. The Seventeenth Century up to 1660 was dominated by Puritanism and it may be called the Puritan Age or the Age of Milton who was the noblest representative of the Puritan spirit. Broadly speaking, the Puritan movement in literature may be considered as the second and greater Renaissance. 

 "The Puritan Age" session videos :-

JOHN MILTON (1608-1674) :-

Shakespeare and Milton are the two figures that tower conspicuously above the goodly fellowship of men who have made our literature famous. Each is representative of the age that produced him, and together they form a suggestive commentary upon the two forces that rule our humanity,--the force of impulse and the force of a fixed purpose. Shakespeare is the poet of impulse, of the loves, hates, fears, jealousies, and ambitions that swayed the men of his age. 

LIFE of  Milton:-

John Milton (9 December 1608 – 8 November 1674) was an English poet, polemicist, man of letters, and civil servant for the Commonwealth of England under its Council of State and later under Oliver Cromwell .As a Protestant, he believed that the individual reader should interpret the Bible. He is chiefly famous for his epic  poem Paradise Lost and for his defense of uncensored  publication. John Milton was born on December 9, 1608, in London, England. Early Life & Education John Milton was born in London on December 9, 1608 to John and Sara Milton. He had an older sister Anne, and a younger brother Christopher, and several siblings who died before reaching adulthood.

JOHN MILTON Poems:-

 The poetic style of John Milton, also known as Miltonic verse, Miltonic epic, or Miltonic blank verse, was a highly influential poetic structure popularized by Milton. Although Milton wrote earlier poetry, his influence is largely grounded in his later poems: Paradise Lost, Paradise Regained, and Samson Agonistes .That style took the form of numerous references and allusions, complex vocabulary, complicated grammatical constructions, and extended similes and images. In consciously doing these things, Milton devised a means of giving the written epic the bardic grandeur of the original recited epic.

Greatest Poems Written by John Milton:--

• “On His Blindness” (1655):-

The poem On His Blindness is an autobiographical sonnet in which he expresses his feelings as a blind person. The poet thinks, in the beginning, that he will not be able to serve God as his sight is gone.

•  Samson Agonistes (1671):-

Milton expresses his sentiments about his own going blind, and the implications of God's treatment of him. He finds the Biblical Samson a typical model to explore the issue of God's justice and man's duty and faith in the face of the troubles and tests of life.

•  “On his Deceased Wife” (1658):-

Famous poems, famous poets. - All Poetry Sonnet XXIII. On His Deceased Wife Rescu'd from death by force though pale and faint. So clear, as in no face with more delight. I wak'd, she fled, and day brought back my night.

•  Paradise Lost (1667):-

Paradise Lost is about Adam and Eve how they came to be created and how they came to lose their place in the Garden of Eden, also called Paradise.

• “On Shakespeare” (1630):-

“On Shakespeare” develops the primary theme of immortality through artistic creation. A commonplace idea in Renaissance and seventeenth century poetry, it is pervasive in Shakespeare’s sonnets, which celebrate a poet’s power to endow the subject with immortality.

•  “To Cyriack Skinner” (1656):-
  
  
  

Mr. Cyriack Skinner, whose name is already well known in association with that of Milton, appears, from a pedigree communicated by James Pulman, Esq., Portcullis Poursuivant at Arms, to have been the grandson of Sir Vincent Skinner or Skynner, knight, whose eldest son and heir, William Skinner, of Thornton College in the County of Lincoln,  married Bridget, second daughter of Sir Edward Coke, knight, Chief Justice of England. 

•  “On His Being Arrived to the Age of Twenty-Three” (1631):-

On His Being Arrived At The Age of Twenty- three The poem On His Being Arrived at the Age of Twenty- three is a devotional sonnet written in an autobiographical form and contains the poet’s reflections on his late maturing. The dominating passion of his life is ‘ to justify the ways of God to man’ and write in praise of God.

•  “L’Allegro” (1633):-

The pastoral poem, ‘L’ALLEGRO, is a companion piece to ‘IL’PENSEROSO. The poem essentially outlines the events of one day, spent for the most part in the countryside, where the pleasures of the country and the beauty of the rural landscape are explored.

"L'Allegro" and "II Penseroso" are twin poems, containing many lines and short descriptive passages which linger in the mind like strains of music, and which are known and loved wherever English is spoken. "L'Allegro" (the joyous or happy man) is like an excursion into the English fields at sunrise. The air is sweet; birds are singing; a multitude of sights, sounds, fragrances, fill all the senses; and to this appeal of nature the soul of man responds by being happy, seeing in every flower and hearing in every harmony some exquisite symbol of human life. "Il Penseroso" takes us over the same ground at twilight and at moonrise. The air is still fresh and fragrant; the symbolism is, if possible, more tenderly beautiful than before; but the gay mood is gone, though its memory lingers in the afterglow of the sunset. 

•  “Il Penseroso” (1633):-

Il Penseroso (The Serious Man) is a vision of poetic melancholy by John Milton, first found in the 1645/1646 quarto of verses The Poems of Mr. John Milton, both English and Latin, published by Humphrey Moseley. It was presented as a companion piece to L'Allegro, a vision of poetic mirth. The speaker of this reflective odedispels "vain deluding Joys" from his mind in a ten-line prelude, before invoking "divinest Melancholy" to inspire his future verses. 

•  “Song on May Morning” (1632–33):-

The Flowry May, who from her green lap throws The yellow Cowslip, and the pale Primrose. Hail bounteous May that dost inspire Mirth and youth, and warm desire, Woods and Groves, are of thy dressing, Hill and Dale, doth boast thy blessing. Thus we salute thee with our early Song, And welcom thee, and wish thee long.

• Lycidas:-
  
  
  

 "Lycidas," a pastoral elegy written in 1637, and the last of his Horton poems, Milton is no longer the inheritor of the old age, but the prophet of a new. A college friend, Edward King, had been drowned in the Irish Sea, and Milton follows the poetic custom of his age by representing both his friend and himself in the guise of shepherds leading the pastoral life. Milton also uses all the symbolism of his predecessors, introducing fauns, satyrs, and sea nymphs; but again the Puritan is not content with heathen symbolism, and so introduces a new symbol of the Christian shepherd responsible for the souls of men, whom he likens to hungry sheep that look up and are not fed. 

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PERIOD OF THE RESTORATION (1660-1700)

In English literature the period from 1660 to 1700 is called the period of Restoration, because monarchy was restored in England, and Charles II, the son of Charles I who had been defeated and beheaded, came back to England from his exile in France and became the King . The Restoration Period (1660-1700) After the Restoration in 1660, when Charles II came to the throne, there was a complete repudiation of the Puritan ideals and way of living. In English literature the period from 1660 to 1700 is called the period of Restoration, because monarchy was restored in England, and Charles II, the son of Charles I who had been defeated and beheaded, came back to England from his exile in France and became the King.

SESSION VIDEOS OF "PERIOD OF THE RESTORATION :-

 

JOHN DRYDEN (1631-1700):-

John Dryden was an English poet, literary critic, translator, and playwright who was appointed England's first Poet Laureate in 1668. He is seen as dominating the literary life of Restoration England to such a point that the period came to be known in literary circles as the Age of Dryden. Romanticist writer Sir Walter Scott called him "Glorious John".

Life :-

Dryden was born in the village of Aldwinkle, Northamptonshire, in 1631. His family were prosperous people, who brought him up in the strict Puritan faith, and sent him first to the famous Westminster school and then to Cambridge. He made excellent use of his opportunities and studied eagerly, becoming one of the best educated men of his age, especially in the classics. Though of remarkable literary taste, he showed little evidence of literary ability up to the age of thirty. By his training and family connections he was allied to the Puritan party, and his only well-known work of this period, the "Heroic Stanzas," was written on the death of Cromwell.

The Hind and the Panther :-

 

A milk-white Hind, immortal and unchanged,
Fed on the lawns and in the forest ranged;
Without unspotted, innocent within,
She feared no danger, for she knew no sin.

This hind is a symbol for the Roman Church; and the Anglicans, as a panther, are represented as persecuting the faithful. Numerous other sects Calvinists, Anabaptists, Quakers were represented by the wolf, boar, hare, and other animals, which gave the poet an excellent chance for exercising his satire. Dryden's enemies made the accusation, often since repeated, of hypocrisy in thus changing his church; but that he was sincere in the matter can now hardly be questioned, for he knew how to "suffer for the faith" and to be true to his religion, even when it meant misjudgment and loss of fortune.

work:- 

John Dryden (1631-1700) was the leading writer of his day and a major cultural spokesman following the restoration of Charles II in 1660. His work includes political poems, satire, religious apologias, translations, critical essays and plays. This authoritative edition brings together a unique combination of Dryden's poetry and prose--all the major poems in full, literary criticism, and translations--to give the essence of his work and thinking.

The collection includes the poems, MacFlecknoe and Absalom and Achitophel as well as Dryden's classical translations; his versions of Homer, Horace, and Ovid are reproduced in full. There are also substantial selections A Dryden's Virgil, Juvenal, and other classical writers. Fables, Ancient and Modern, taken from Chaucer, Ovid, Boccaccio, and Homer, his last and possibly greatest work, also appears in full.

• Absalom and Achitophel:- 
  
  
  

Absalom and Achitophel is a heroic satire written by John Dryden in 1681-1682. John Dryden is an English poet, playwright, translator, essayist, and literary theorist. Along with Shakespeare and Milton, he is considered as one of the most influential and greatest representatives of English Literature of the 17th century.

• Alexander's Feast, or the Power of Music:-
  
  
  

Alexander's Feast, or the Power of Music is an  written by John Dryden . It was written in 1697 in celebration of Saint Cecelia's day. The original ode was set to music by the musician Jeremiah Clarke, but, due to its relative obscurity at the time and the fact that it was created more than four centuries ago, the score is now lost.

• Happy the Man:-
  
  
  

• Happy the Man is one of 's most familiar short poems to the modern reader. And yet, this poem is not entirely of his own making. In addition to being a playwright and prodigious creator of unique poetic flights of fancy, Dryden began to establish yet another reputation in the later period of his life: that of England’s foremost translators of classical works of the past into the English language. “Happy the Man” is representative of this twilight era of Dryden’s long and illustrious career, as it is actually part of a comprehensive translation of the Odes of Horace, a major literary figure from the Roman Empire.

• Mac Flecknoe

Mac Flecknoe is one of the four major satires of esteemed English poet John Dryden. The poem is personal satire that has for its target Thomas Shadwell, another poet who had offended Dryden with his aesthetic and political leanings. 

• The Medal Background

In 1681, a grand jury was convened in Middlesex to consider a bill of charges filed against the Earl of Shaftesbury on the grounds of having committed high treason. The Earl of Shaftesbury had already been earlier immortalized through his infamous representation in Dryden’s landmark work Absalom and Achitophel  along with hints and suggestions that he also makes a rather furtive and less obvious appearance as the title character of Dryden’s 1679 comedy Mr. Limberham.  

A Song for St. Cecelia's Day:-

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john Dryden “A Song for St. Cecelia's day" is a long-form poem published in 1687, in celebration of a religious holiday commemorating St. Cecilia, a Catholic martyr and patron saint of music and musicians. Dryden, in this poem, celebrates music and its intimacy with human emotion, religious truth, and the makings of the universe. The speaker describes a variety of different musical instruments as well as narratives that involve both music and Christian faith.

• Ah, How Sweet It Is To Love Background

 John Dryden was England's first Poet Laureate (1668) and still remains an influential poet in the British literary canon. He has written some of the most valuable work that has emerged from Restoration England, to the extent that the period was defined by many of his innovations.

• All for Love:-
  
  
  

Dryden himself acknowledged that his 1667 play All for love is an imitation of William Shakespeare's Anthony and Cleopatra, which was written in the early 1600s). It is a heroic drama that follows many of the same story beats of Shakespeare's Anthony and Cleopatra, but Dryden confines the action of the story to Alexandria and details the last hours of Anthony and Cleopatra's doomed relationship. It examines not only the end of their relationship, but the end of the Egyptian empire.

• The Hind and the Panther Background:-
  
  
  

The poem "The Hind and the Panther" was written and published in 1687 by Dryden, being an allegory regarding religion. During the time Dryden wrote his poem, he left the Church of England and converted to Catholicism. The poem is the longest poem written by Dryden and also his most controversial one because of the subject chosen in relation with the historical context.

• Marriage A-La-Mode:-
  
  
  

Marriage à la Mode is widely regarded as john Dryden's most famous play. It was first performed in London by the King's Company in 1673, and centers around two different plots that entangle in a tragicomic web of mistaken identity, romantic provocation, and courtly intrigue. The text mixes prose, blank verse, and heroic couplets and is widely known for its witty dialogue and pithy assessment of human nature.

• Religio Laici, Or a Layman's Faith Background:-
  
  
  

British poet laureate John Dryden lived in a time when religious turmoil and political turmoil were intertwined to the point of confusion. The answer to the question of whether you considered yourself a Catholic or a Protestant had the power to lead you down a very dark road if answered incorrectly. The question of Catholic or Protestant was also a political point of contention, focusing on the very legitimacy of who sat on the throne as monarch of England. As the issues became more turbulent, they spilled over in the world of literature, and John Dryden was the first or only poet to take his pen to composition on the matter.

• To The Memory of Mr. Oldham Background:-
  
  
  

The poem was written by John Dryden who grieved the death of the poet John Oldham, whom Dryden admired as a “ generous and vigorous “ poet who can breaks the rule of simply writing “ to the dull sweets of rhyme.”

Dryden's Influence on Literature

.Dryden's place among authors is due partly to his great influence on the succeeding age of classicism. Briefly, this influence may be summed up by noting the three new elements which he brought into our literature. These are: (1) the establishment of the heroic couplet as the fashion for satiric, didactic, and descriptive poetry; (2) his development of a direct, serviceable prose style such as we still cultivate; and (3) his development of the art of literary criticism in his essays and in the numerous prefaces to his poems. This is certainly a large work for one man to accomplish, and Dryden is worthy of honor, though comparatively little of what he wrote is now found on our bookshelves. 

THANK YOU

DILIP BARAD SIR

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