John Dryden (1631-1700) (photo: bpb-us-w2.wpmucdn.com)
Political satire is a genre in which real-world political issues or people are exposed, criticized, or ridiculed through witty techniques. Absalom and Achitophel by John Dryden was first published in 1681 and is considered one of the best political satires in English language. It is an allegory of contemporary political events and a mock-heroic narrative, and the poem may have been written by order of Charles since Dryden mocked the King's opponents and made clear his royalist sympathies. He supported the accession of the king's brother James II to the throne because Dryden converted to Catholicism almost simultaneously with the accession of James II, who was a Catholic; while despising the king's illegitimate son, Duke of Monmouth, who was a Protestant.
Absalom and Achitophel deals with political and historical issues and problems during the Restoration period when Charles II was king, and Dryden supported the Restoration of the monarchy and the return of Charles II. He uses allegories to convey these themes, and each character or event in the poem represents a corresponding phenomenon in England. For example, David, Absalom, Achitophel, Corah, and Plot are allegorical names, representing King Charles II, Duke of Monmouth, the Earl of Shaftesbury, Titus Oates, and the Popish Plot, respectively. Titus Oates put forward the Popish Plot which was a conspiracy to assassinate King Charles II. Dryden portrays the Popish Plot as a conspiracy devised by Achitophel and launched by Corah to discredit David and his brother and ascend Absalom to the throne. Dryden says, “…from hence began that Plot, the nation's curse, bad in itself, but represented worse…this plot, which failed for want of common sense, had yet a deep and dangerous consequence…” (Dryden), implying that the Popish Plot lacks common sense.
Absalom and Achitophel is the biblical tale of the rebellion of Absalom against King David in which Achitophel encourages Absalom to rebel, and Dryden uses this tale to reflect his side and issues of the period. For example, Dryden refers to the Monmouth Rebellion and the Exclusion Crisis through this biblical tale. At that time, a group of Protestants led by James Scott, Duke of Monmouth and eldest illegitimate son of Charles II, opposed James II because of his Catholicism. The Earl of Shaftesbury advocated the Exclusion Crisis, which would have prevented James II from ascending the throne, and suggested to Charles to legitimize Monmouth. After that Monmouth rebelled against Charles II, and Shaftesbury was suspected of inciting this rebellion. In the poem, Achitopel says, “…believe me, royal youth, thy fruit must be or gathered ripe, or rot upon the tree…” (Dryden), and this line indicates that Achitophel is trying to persuade Absolom to take the throne, referring to the Monmouth Rebellion and the Exclusion Crisis at that time. Additionally, at the beginning of the poem, Dryden indicates, “…when nature prompted and no law denied, promiscuous use of concubine and bride…” (Dryden), and these words refer that Dryden criticizes the king’s illegal children, including Duke of Monmouth.
Absalom and Achitophel Book Cover (photo: static.fnac-static.com)
The way Dryden portrays Achitophel in the poem shows that he did not advocate James' rebellion against the king, which makes this poem a political satire and reveals Dryden's idea concerning the events of the period. In the poem, the scene of Achitophel's persuading Absalom is reminiscent of the scene where Satan seduces Eve using rhetoric in Milton's Paradise Lost. Achitophel says, “…auspicious Prince! at whose nativity some royal planet rul'd the southern sky; thy longing countries darling and desire; their cloudy pillar, and their guardian fire: their second Moses, whose extended wand divides the seas, and shews the promis'd land…” (Dryden), and these words demonstrate that Achitophel uses rhetoric to persuade Absalom to rebel like Satan in Paradise Lost. Knowing Charles' love for Monmouth, Dryden cites in the poem that all the blame for inciting him to rebellion lies with the evil Shaftesbury, who deceived his son. As Dryden states in the introduction to the work, his sole purpose is to help Absalom get rid of Achitophel’s mistake.
Works-Cited
Dryden, John. “Absalom and Achitophel.” Poetry Foundation, 2023, https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44172/absalom-and-achitophel. Accessed 13 Apr. 2023.
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