Dryden as a Satirist in the Context of Mac Flecknoe
Mac Flecknoe is
primarily a personal satire. In it Dryden has attacked Shadwell’s literary
ability, and through him, the petty poetasters and rhymesters in general. The
first satirical portrait, painted in detail next to Shadwell’s is that of
Flecknoe. He is represented as the reigning monarch of Dullness and Nonsense
and as father of Shadwell. However, the hero, and prime butt of ridicule, is
Shadwell.
Dryden’s satire against
Shadwell is supremely annihilating. He succeeds in destroying Shadwell, or
rather, reducing him to an unenviable small personage. And he does it through
good humored ‘Olympian’ laughter. Indeed, so effective has Dryden’s effort
been, that picture to be true. Epic comparisons, elevated words and phrases and
associations of grandeur as used by Dryden, render Shadwell’s utterly
ridiculous. We are given a detailed account of Shadwell’s merit in Flecknoe’s
speeches.
Shadwell has been born
for ‘anointed dullness’, and his huge bulk designed for ‘thoughtless majesty’.
He is a postmaster of tautology. His plays are stupid and his characters
witless. His tragedies provoked smiles, while his comedies sent people to
sleep. As for his satires, they had neither bite nor could they give offense.
Shadwell is ‘a mighty prince born for a scourge of wit and flail of sense’. He
is also plagiarist. He is, in other words, a fit successor to the throne of
Nonsense and Dullness. He looked liked Ben Jonson in his corpulence, but there
the resemblance ended, for Shadwell had no wit.
Shadwell, of course, was not as dull or stupid
as he is made out by Dryden. Though not great poet, his dramatic works do not
deserve the ridicule which Dryden directs at them. To that extent, the portrait
is unjust. Dryden carefully avoids merits which, in fact, were there.
Much of the injustice
sinks into the air of comedy and humor which envelops the portraiture. The
greater part of rancor is submerged by Dryden in the humor of conception. The
reader enjoys the fun without thinking much of its application to an
individual. Pure amusement effectively overcomes one’s realization of what is
meant to the target of Dryden’s satire.
To sum up, personal
motives having prompted Mac Flecknoe, it not possible to expect just and
impartial portraiture of those whom Dryden wished to satirize. As for the
injustice of the portraits, we need not trouble to pity the victim, but may
allow ourselves to enjoy the exquisite intellectual pleasure which is offered
by Dryden’s wit and sparkling malignity.
Great. Thanks for your valuable effort.
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