John DrydenDryden's poetry is straightforward, bold, and energetic. He was in the public eye for some forty years, holding positions at court for a long period of time. He was indisputably perceived as the leading writer of his day. He excelled in all the types of writing practiced at the time. He wrote more, and in more genres than anyone. He accumulated to himself (it is a odd distinction) a huge mass of attacks, ranging from the reasoned to the scabrous. Dryden explained his attitudes and intentions in a large number of prologues, epilogues, prefaces, defences, and vindications-thereby quite casually producing the first body of what we now call 'criticism' in English. And yet his life and character remain something of a mystery. |
From inside the book
Results 1-3 of 32
Page 590
... Palamon in prison mourns . For six long years immured , the captive knight Had dragged his chains , and scarcely seen the light : Lost liberty and love at once he bore ; His prison pained him much , his passion more : Nor dares he hope ...
... Palamon in prison mourns . For six long years immured , the captive knight Had dragged his chains , and scarcely seen the light : Lost liberty and love at once he bore ; His prison pained him much , his passion more : Nor dares he hope ...
Page 607
... Palamon or Arcite sent his name ; O And had the land selected of the best , Half had come hence , and let the world provide the rest . A hundred knights with Palamon there came , Approved in fight , and men of mighty name ; Their arms ...
... Palamon or Arcite sent his name ; O And had the land selected of the best , Half had come hence , and let the world provide the rest . A hundred knights with Palamon there came , Approved in fight , and men of mighty name ; Their arms ...
Page 631
... Palamon long since to Thebes returned . When , by the Grecians ' general consent , At Athens Theseus held his parliament ; Among the laws that passed , it was decreed , That conquered Thebes from bondage should be freed ; Reserving ...
... Palamon long since to Thebes returned . When , by the Grecians ' general consent , At Athens Theseus held his parliament ; Among the laws that passed , it was decreed , That conquered Thebes from bondage should be freed ; Reserving ...
Contents
To John Hoddesdon on his Divine Epigrams I | 1 |
Astraea Redux | 9 |
Absalom and Achitophel | 177 |
Copyright | |
17 other sections not shown
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
Absalom and Achitophel Aeneas Aeneid ancient Arcite Aristotle arms bear beauty behold Ben Jonson betwixt blessed blood breast Caeneus Chaucer Cinyras courser cried crime crown death Dryden e'en earth English eyes fair fame fate father fear fight fire flames force Georgics give goddess gods grace Greek ground hand haste head heart heaven honour Iliad John Dryden Jove kind king labour leave light live lord lover Lucretius maid Metamorphoses mighty mind mortal muse nature never night numbers o'er once Ovid pain Palamon passion Pindar Pirithous plain play pleased poem poet praise Priam prince pursue queen race rage rest rhyme Roman sacred Satire of Juvenal seas Sejanus sighed sight sire skies soul stood sweet sword tears thee Theseus thou thought translation Twas verse Virgil vows wife wind words youth