Sandhya Bhut : Power , Politics , and Poetry: Unmasking John Dryden's Absalom and Achitophel

This blog is written as a task assigned by the head of the Department of English (MKBU), Prof. and Dr. Dilip Barad Sir. Here is the link to the professor's research article for background reading:Click here

Here is the link to the professor's blog for background reading:Click here

About John Dryden:

John Dryden (1631–1700) was an English poet, playwright, and literary critic who is often considered the dominant literary figure of Restoration England. So much so that the period is sometimes called the "Age of Dryden."

Born in Aldwincle, Northamptonshire, on August 9, 1631, Dryden came from a landowning family. He attended Westminster School in London and later Trinity College in Cambridge, where he earned his B.A. in 1654. After his education, he held a minor public office before pursuing a career in writing, which was an unusual path at the time.

Dryden's career began with occasional public poetry, and he gained recognition for his writing, including works mourning the death of Oliver Cromwell and celebrating the return of King Charles II. His literary versatility is notable, as he wrote in a variety of genres, including poetry, plays, satires, and literary criticism. He is credited with popularizing the heroic couplet in English poetry and for his influential work as a literary critic, particularly his essay Of Dramatick Poesie (1668).

In 1668, he was appointed England's first Poet Laureate. His works include the political satires Absalom and Achitophel and The Medal, and the mock-heroic poem Mac Flecknoe. Dryden's influence on English literature was profound, and he is seen as a key figure in the development of modern English prose and criticism. He died in London on May 1, 1700.

Introduction: Poetry Meets Politics

In the annals of English literature, few poems have managed to blend biting political commentary with classical poetic form as powerfully as John Dryden’s Absalom and Achitophel. Written in 1681, at the height of England’s political unrest, this satirical masterpiece stands as both a compelling work of art and a razor-sharp political weapon. Dryden’s verse was more than just poetic flourish—it was a calculated intervention in one of the most turbulent chapters of English political history.

Through allegory, satire, and rhetorical finesse, Absalom and Achitophel speaks not just to the chaos of its own time but also to the enduring tensions between power, legitimacy, and public opinion.

Historical Context: The Storm Before the Verse

To understand Absalom and Achitophel, we must step into the stormy political atmosphere of late 17th-century England. The Exclusion Crisis (1679–1681) had fractured the nation. At the heart of the crisis was the question of succession: should James, Duke of York—brother to the reigning King Charles II and a Catholic—be excluded from the throne?

Fueling this conflict was the infamous Popish Plot, a fictitious Catholic conspiracy concocted by Titus Oates in 1678, which triggered a wave of anti-Catholic hysteria. The Whig party, led by the Earl of Shaftesbury, capitalized on the fear and sought to exclude James in favor of Charles's illegitimate Protestant son, the Duke of Monmouth.

Dryden’s poem entered this arena not merely as literature, but as polemic. Commissioned in part as royalist propaganda, it defended the Stuart monarchy and denounced the Whigs, using verse to argue for stability and the divine right of kings.

Allegory and Satire: Biblical Disguise, Political Message

At its core, Absalom and Achitophel is an allegory—a literary device in which characters and events symbolize real-life figures and occurrences. Dryden borrows from the Old Testament story of King David, his son Absalom, and the cunning advisor Achitophel to cloak his commentary in a biblical veil.

King David = King Charles II

Absalom = James Scott, Duke of Monmouth

Achitophel = Anthony Ashley Cooper, Earl of Shaftesbury

Dryden’s choice of allegory is significant. By using scripture as a lens, he casts the political rebellion as both morally wrong and divinely condemned. It’s a form of literary camouflage that gave him rhetorical power: criticizing the opposition while appearing to narrate a timeless moral tale.

The poem functions on multiple levels: it is political propaganda, warning against sedition; satire, mocking the Whigs with piercing wit; and a philosophical defense of monarchic legitimacy rooted in divine will.

Characters and Their Significance: Political Players in Poetic Form

Dryden's poetic gallery is filled with vibrant characters drawn from the Bible but carrying the weight of real political figures:

Absalom (Monmouth): The charismatic but misguided son, beloved by the people but seduced by ambition. Dryden presents him with nuance—handsome, persuasive, yet tragically flawed. He is not evil, but manipulated.

Achitophel (Shaftesbury): The poem’s true villain. Cunning, vengeful, and hungry for power, Achitophel embodies political treachery. Dryden’s scathing portrait is designed to delegitimize Shaftesbury’s campaign and sow doubt about his motives.

David (Charles II): A weary but wise monarch, portrayed as the paternal figure of the nation. By presenting Charles in a biblical mold, Dryden sanctifies his authority and character, aligning him with divine order.

These characters are not merely stand-ins—they’re dramatic embodiments of political ideas and warnings about the consequences of ambition and rebellion.

Themes and Messages: Stability vs. Factionalism

Dryden weaves several interlocking themes throughout the poem, each resonating with the political climate of his time:

The Danger of Factionalism: Dryden warns that political division leads to chaos. The poem portrays the Whigs as destabilizers, whose ambition threatens the unity and peace of the kingdom.

Legitimacy and Succession: Through Absalom’s illegitimacy, Dryden underscores the importance of lawful succession and the risks of altering the natural (and divine) line of kingship.

Divine Right of Kings: By likening Charles to David, Dryden asserts that monarchs are chosen by God, and rebellion against them is rebellion against divine order.

Public Opinion and Manipulation: The poem explores how the masses can be swayed by rhetoric and emotion rather than reason—a subtle critique of populist politics.

Dryden’s ultimate message is clear: political stability and divine order must prevail over ambition, manipulation, and mob rule.

Dryden’s Rhetorical Strategies: Verse as a Weapon

What makes Absalom and Achitophel enduring is not just what Dryden says, but how he says it. His poetic technique is masterful:

Heroic Couplets: Written in rhymed iambic pentameter, the poem’s couplets are sharp, controlled, and elegant, allowing Dryden to deliver satire with surgical precision.

Irony and Wit: Dryden’s satire is often subtle, laced with irony that exposes the contradictions and follies of his targets without overt brutality.

Vivid Characterization: Each figure is given depth and dramatic presence, making the allegory compelling and memorable. Achitophel, in particular, is rendered with such intelligence and venom that he becomes the poem’s dark star.

Balanced Tone: Dryden avoids bombast. His tone is reasoned, even philosophical, which lends credibility to his arguments and appeals to a “moderate” audience—a crucial demographic in the political debate.

Through these strategies, Dryden transforms political propaganda into enduring literary art.

Conclusion: A Poem for the Ages

John Dryden’s Absalom and Achitophel is more than a poetic relic of a bygone political battle. It is a brilliant example of how art can engage with politics without sacrificing aesthetic value. Through allegory, satire, and rhetorical power, Dryden champions monarchy, warns against division, and critiques ambition disguised as virtue.

For modern readers, it offers a lens through which to view the entanglements of power, propaganda, and persuasion a timeless reminder that in times of crisis, even poetry becomes a battlefield.