Life and critical works of John Dryden
John Dryden was born at Aldwincle, a village near Oundle in Northamptonshire, in 1631. His parental grandfather Sir Erasmus Dryden was a baronet. His mother was Lady Pickering, she was the guest cousin of Sir Gilbert Pickering. He received his primary education in the vintage school at neighbouring village Titchmarsh. In his boyhood days, he was fond of fishing. From Titchmarsh he went to Westminster School. A noted scholar and teacher was the headmaster of the school at that time. He had a great influence on him. He encourages Dryden in his studies in Latin and Greek languages and literatures. He inspired him to translate portions of ‘Persinus’ and other Roman poets. After thirty years when he became the first poet of the age, he dedicated to his old school master his translations of the satire. From Westminster Dryden proceeded in 1650 to Trinity College, Cambridge. He got his B.A. degree in 1654. Meanwhile his father died and he succeeded to a small property.
Dryden settled in London after a brief stay in his native village. He expected help from his cousin Sir Gilbert Pickering. But he could not do much for him. He published his first successful attempt at poetry on the death of Cromwell. He attached himself to ‘Herring man’ - a bookseller and worked as his hack for a number of years. In 1662 he was elected a member of the newly founded ‘Royal society’. In 1663 he married Lady Elizabeth. In the same year, he made relations with the ‘Kings Theatre’ and ‘The Duke’s Theatre’. His dramatic writings, ‘trained, developed and matured the powers which enabled him to produce with a rapidity so wonderful, the poetic masterpieces on which his fame rests’. The great plague of 1665 closed the theatres and forced Dryden to go from London into the country. He passed most of the time till 1667 at Charlton Park in Wiltshire, the residence of his father in law. In 1666 he wrote ‘Annus Mirabilis’ and ‘The Essay of Dramatic Poesy’. He came back to London towards the close of the year 1667. He again took up the dramatic work. In 1670 he was appointed as the ‘Poet laureate’ and ‘Historiographer Royal’.
During the year 1682-1688 Dryden produced three satires in English Language and ‘Religio Laici’. The latter was a brilliant exposition of his religious position. Still financial difficulties were before him. He was even in the danger of being arrested. His salary was in arrears. He addressed appeals for help. As a result, part of his salary was released. He was also appointed to the collectorship of customs in the port of London. It was an office which was once held by Chaucer. It was during the period Dryden translated classics. Dryden became victim of religious controversies. With the death of Charles II in 1686, Duke of York ascended the throne. He was a Roman Catholic. Dryden publicly embraced the religion of his royal master. As a reward, his salary was raised and the arrears paid in full. In order to justify his change of faith, he wrote ‘The Hind and the Panther’. But he was criticised for his sudden conversion. After sometime Dryden again fell on evil days. His Laureateship, his controllership, and his post of Historiographer were all taken away from him and his rival was invested with all these honours. His life was a long struggle against poetry. But then he lived a successful life. He died on 1st May 1700.
Dryden settled in London after a brief stay in his native village. He expected help from his cousin Sir Gilbert Pickering. But he could not do much for him. He published his first successful attempt at poetry on the death of Cromwell. He attached himself to ‘Herring man’ - a bookseller and worked as his hack for a number of years. In 1662 he was elected a member of the newly founded ‘Royal society’. In 1663 he married Lady Elizabeth. In the same year, he made relations with the ‘Kings Theatre’ and ‘The Duke’s Theatre’. His dramatic writings, ‘trained, developed and matured the powers which enabled him to produce with a rapidity so wonderful, the poetic masterpieces on which his fame rests’. The great plague of 1665 closed the theatres and forced Dryden to go from London into the country. He passed most of the time till 1667 at Charlton Park in Wiltshire, the residence of his father in law. In 1666 he wrote ‘Annus Mirabilis’ and ‘The Essay of Dramatic Poesy’. He came back to London towards the close of the year 1667. He again took up the dramatic work. In 1670 he was appointed as the ‘Poet laureate’ and ‘Historiographer Royal’.
During the year 1682-1688 Dryden produced three satires in English Language and ‘Religio Laici’. The latter was a brilliant exposition of his religious position. Still financial difficulties were before him. He was even in the danger of being arrested. His salary was in arrears. He addressed appeals for help. As a result, part of his salary was released. He was also appointed to the collectorship of customs in the port of London. It was an office which was once held by Chaucer. It was during the period Dryden translated classics. Dryden became victim of religious controversies. With the death of Charles II in 1686, Duke of York ascended the throne. He was a Roman Catholic. Dryden publicly embraced the religion of his royal master. As a reward, his salary was raised and the arrears paid in full. In order to justify his change of faith, he wrote ‘The Hind and the Panther’. But he was criticised for his sudden conversion. After sometime Dryden again fell on evil days. His Laureateship, his controllership, and his post of Historiographer were all taken away from him and his rival was invested with all these honours. His life was a long struggle against poetry. But then he lived a successful life. He died on 1st May 1700.
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