Dryden’in “Dramatik Şiire Dair” Denemesinin Analitik İncelemesi

Abstract

In his essay Of Dramatic Poetry, Dryden writes the essay as a dialogue like Plato’s Republic or Symposium by summarizing the main points debated in the early Neoclassical period. It is important to note that although the four men disagree on the specifics, they all agree that art is a form of imitation, that it should educate, please, and govern morality outside of laws, whether they are simple or rigid. The first argument is the relationship with the ancients. Should they be closely imitated? Can they be disputed? One of the participants says that we are but poor old-fashioned artists: our merits are theirs, while our faults are our own. Another says that we have progressed and improved art, because we must imitate our style and the ancient, while theirs was natural. After a brief survey of the historical context of the period and a quick discussion of some similar historical developments in France, the present paper examines Dryden’s Essay on Dramatic Poetry ‘s main arguments. The study is presented as a way of comparing and contrasting neoclassicism. The speakers agree that the classics should be respected and honored. As the three unities are considered, the discussion becomes more sophisticated. It is also worth mentioning that the unity of time, space, and action began in the work of Aristotle and Horace but was actually developed by such French neoclassicals as Cornell, Racine, and Boileau. According to spatial