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John Dryden's MacFlecknoe is one of the finest satires in the English language. It was Neo-classical period in English literature and Dryden, along with another brilliant satirist Alexander Pope, was the power who dominated the literary scene. Satire was the most popular form of poetry and both Dryden and pope were great masters of this poetic genre.
Mac Flecknoe is
the product of a literary and personal rivalry.
The poem was Dryden's reply to Thomas Shadwell's poem. The
Medal of John Bayes which in turn was a criticism of Dryden's earlier
poem. The Medal. Shadwell's poem was an unfair and indecent attack. This provoked Dryden and he brought out mac Flecknoe that silenced his
adversary.
Dryden's satirical genius is fully revealed in the
poem. It is a satire on Thomas
Shadwell. Who was once a friend of
Dryden.
Mac Flecknoe is ready to vacate his tile as the world's worst poet. A worthy successor has to be chosen. The choice falls on Shadwell. The coronation takes place in Barbican, London suburb notorious for its low and vulgar life. The events are presented in an absurd ridiculous manner.
Dryden uses allusions, paradies and quotations profusely
to ridicule the great hero of the poem.
The gross stupidity of Shadwell is highlighted from the
beginning of all the sons of Flecknoe, he Shadwell is dullest and therefore by
nature the fittest to succeed his father.
His stupidity is of such comprehensive nature that the rest to some
faint meaning make pretense. But
Shadwell never deviates into sense.
Shadwell is described as a giant of a man, but a pygmy intellectually. Thus Nature designed him to be the great
monarch of dullness. Flecknoe himself
was the king of the kingdom of dullness.
He says he was only a John the Baptist preparing the way to the great
Jesus Christ.
Irony is the most potent weapon Dryden wields in his literary warfare. Shadwell's enormous stupidity is highlighted throughout the poem. The man's corpulence, his mountain belly and his addiction to opium are referred to. Apart from this attack on his adversaries personal attributes, Dryden uses, most of the poem to criticise the 'poetic talents' of his rival.
Mac Flecknoe is
designed to be a mock heroic poem. So
the interest is always focused on this aspect.
Mock-heroic poetry employs a satirical devise in which
the great ad the silly are brought together and compared. This way the absurd nonsensical effect is
largely increased. For this purpose
Dryden has chosen events and characters from the Bible and ancient
history. Shadwell is selected and put n
the throne of stupidity in a coronation which is described in detail. It is as if the audience is witnessing the
coronation of a great king who is destined to rule a vast empire. The poem ends drawing a parallel to the
Biblical story of the mantle of Elijah falling on the shoulders of Elisha
giving him a double portion of his sire's prophetic spirit.