Absalom and Achitophel

Thinking Activity:- Absalom and Achitophel

This blog is in response to the thinking Activity Absalom and Achitophel assigned by Dr. Dilip Barad sir. In this blog I am going to present my views on John Poem "Absalom and Achitophel ".

John Dryden:- (1631 -1700) 

"But far more numerous was the herd of such who think too little, and who talk too much."

                   - John Dryden 

John Dryden is the greatest literary figure of the Restoration, and in his work we have an excellent reflection of both the good and the evil tendencies of the age in which he lives. If we can think for a moment of literature as a canal of water, we may appreciate the figure that Dryden is the 'Lock by which the waters of English poetry were let down from the mountains of Shakespeare and Milton to the plain of Pope's; that is, he stands between two very different ages, and serves as a transition from one to the others. His Notable works are as under:

• The wild Gallant, a comedy
• The Rival ladies, a tragi- comedy
• Secret love, or the Maiden Queen
• Absalom and Achitophel
• All for love
• Dramatic poesie 
• 
  

Absalom and Achitophel:- 

"Fools are more hard to conquer than persuade."

                    - John Dryden 

"Absalom and Achitophel " is a satirical poem written by John Dryden. It is generally acknowledged as the finest Political satire in the English language. John Dryden has written this poem in Heroic couplet. This poem was  first published in the year - 1681. It is also described as an allegory regarding contemporary political events, and a mock heroic narrative. This poem is a literature of the Restoration Age or period. In this poem two events were presented.,

1. The Exclusion Bill / Crisis

2. The Popish plot

This poem is also written in Iambic Pentameter. It has AABB rhyming scheme. This poem is narrated by omniscient narrator. 

" Omniscient narrator " means third person narration who knows what is happening at all points of the story at all times. This narrator knows the thoughts and feelings of all the characters in the story."

Here I put videos about poem  for better understanding. 

Q.1 Write a detailed note on the character sketch of King David.

 Character is very important in any kind of work. Here in this poem John Dryden has depicted all the major and minor characters very well. First we see here the name of the characters. 

• King David - King Charles - II
• Absalom - Duke of Monmouth, James Scott
• Achitophel - Anthony Ashley Cooper
• Saul - Oliver Cromwell
• King David's brother - King James - II
• Corah - A priest
• Shimei - Slingsby Bethel, David's Supporter 
•  Zimri - George Villiers
• The Pharaoh - Louis XIV of France 

Character sketch of King David:- 

The third king of Israel. David is a merciful and kind king who does not have a male heir to inherit the throne. As such, the crown will ascend down " a collateral line " after David's death to his brother. As John Dryden mentioned in the poem th that " his many wives and many slaves." So, it is very obvious that he also has several illegitimate sons. But king David loves Absalom the most and he became king David's favourite son. He gives absalom everything that he wants.

By the time, however, David's dishonest counselor Achitophel beings to stir up resentment for David and encourages his own father to ensure that David's brother who was King James will not ascend the throne. Both Absalom and Achitophel confuse David's mild nature for weakness.

King David is one of the important character in John Dryden's poem -" Absalom and Achitophel. " Dryden does not depict as king david perfect. On the country, Dryden is critical of Charles leniency and even pokes fun at his rumoured promiscuity. But, Dryden nevertheless implies that king Charles has been chosen by God to be the king of England, and that right can not be appropriate by parliament if the people.

Q.2  Write a note on " Temptation" Scene in John Dryden's poem Absalom and Achitophel.

In this poem "Absalom and Achitophel" we can understand that Absalom- the illegitimate son of King was promoted and tempted by Achitophel to fight for the throne and take over the throne from king David, flattery and art Achitophel beings a long temptation speech to seduce Absalom to this rebellious cause.

This temptation scene even resembles in John Milton's "Paradise lost". We can compare the character of Achitophel with the Satan of Milton's Paradise lost. Here, in our present Ashley Cooper tempts Absalom to take over the throne from his father, so that king David does not give the throne to King James, who is king David's brother. He exaggerated the qualities of Absalom by saying that;

"The young - means vision , and the old man's dream!"

"Thee, saviour, Thee, the nations - vows confess."

He compares Absalom with God. Achitophel makes Absalom blind for power and that is why he rebels against his father. Absalom's lust for power and disobedience towards his father brings his fall. His innocence is lost because he was tempted by Achitophel. It was no one but only Achitophel who urges Absalom to;

"Commit a pleasing rape upon the crown."

This long temptation scene is basically the heart of Absalom and Achitophel and is very important in order to understand the basic theme of the long epic. We can also understand that the main or Central theme of poem is :-' Temptation sin, fall and Punishment.' 

Q.3 What is satire? Is Absalom and Achitophel a political satire? Give your logical reason.

Meaning of satire:-

"A way of criticizing people or ideas in a humoures way, in order to make a political point, or a piece of writing that uses this style."

John Dryden was a great exponent of satire.

Literary Characteristics of satire:-

• Literary form of Expression
• Disgust at the ugly and foolishness
• Humour
• A sincere desire to correct them
• To correct or Reform 

The satire can be written on any topic because it's main aim to reform the follies and vices in our society. The satire of John Dryden and Alexander pope was more personal for it was an age of political controversies. Literature of that time was closely associated to politics. As earlier I have mentioned that Absalom and Achitophel is a political satire. 

Absalom and Achitophel as a Political satire:-

This poem is considered as the finest Political satire in English language. During this period, there were several political parties in England. Among them Whig and Tory were common. Whig was Protestant and against the king. Tory was Protestant and against the king. Tory was catholic and supporter of King. As the relation between these two parties was not good. So, when they expressed anything through their writing for opposite party they used satire. As a poet John Dryden used satire in his poem in a good way .

John Dryden wrote this poem on King's demand. Through this poem, Dryden lampooned means - " Publicly criticize something or someone by using humour and sarcasm." The Whigs and Earl of Shaftesbury. However he didn't use harsh criticism for James Scott, Duke of Monmouth. This poem veils it's political satire under the transparent disguise of a Biblical story. Also we can say that this poem perfectly depicts the existing crisis and political issues of the modern or contemporary society.  Absalom was persuaded by Achitophel to rebel against his father.

Absalom symbolizes - James Scott Duke of Monmouth.

Achitophel symbolizes - Anthony Ashley Cooper, 1st Earl of Shaftesbury.

John Dryden using the biblical story. He satirizes Achitophel and those people who were on his side and following him. Dryden wants to tell the king that Absalom was not feeling guilty because the person who tempted him and who inflamed the will of rebellion in him was Earl of Shaftesbury. Achitophel or we can say that this poem is satirized king but not in harsh words. He criticized the king by saying that" His many slaves and many wives."

Thus, we can say that John Dryden's poem Absalom and Achitophel remains the greatest political satire in English literature. The reason for that it's because of true depiction of the follies and vices that prevails in our society. For better and easier understanding of poem watch below video on YouTube. 

"Satire is a kind of poetry in which human vices are apprehended." 

              - John Dryden

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