English 491: History of Literary Criticism John Dryden Study Questions Al Drake | 520 Hum. Tu/Th 1:30-2:30 | ajdrake@ajdrake.com from "An Essay of Dramatic Poesy" (1668, 1684) 1. How does Dryden compare Shakespeare and Ben Jonson? What are their relative merits and limitations, according to Dryden? (381-83) from "Preface to Troilus and Cressida" (1679) 2. What attitude towards the Classical heritage does Dryden show in his comments about English literary artists? How is his defense of them a defense of English national literature? (384) 3. To what extent do Dryden's claims about the cause and importance of pity and fear in the audience agree with Aristotle's theory in Poetics? (383-85) Edition: The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism. Ed. Vincent B. Leitch. New York: Norton, 2001. ISBN: 0393974294.
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