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The Influence of Longinus on 18th Century Criticism. The Influence of Longinus
on 18th Century Criticism. In An Essay of Dramatic ...
Submitted by cabo3304 on October 26, 2007
Category: English
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The Influence of Longinus on 18th Century Criticism.
In An Essay of Dramatic Poesy by John Dryden he talks about William Shakespeare and Ben Jonson.
Shakespeare had the largest and most comprehensive soul. All of the images of nature were still present to him and as readers we are able to more than see it, we feel it too. He learned things naturally, and did not need books specifically. Shakespeare is sometimes flat and dull but generally is always great. Shakespeare did not always observe the laws of Comedy. Some are preferred over Shakespeare now, but during the time in which he produced most of his works, no one ever equaled them in their esteem, and Shakespeare was still deemed far more superior in Ben Jonson's time as well. Shakespeare's language is a little out of date.
Ben Jonson learned the dramatic laws and showed his knowledge in The Silent Woman. His plots were generally more regular than Shakespeare's. Ben Jonson lacks in wit and was thrifty with it. He was a very learned and sensible writer. He was his own harshest critic. In all of his work there isn't anything that you really want to change. You don't find his characters engaging in inappropriate acts on the stage, his genius was too gloomy and saturnine to do it gracefully. He takes ideas from other authors, both Greek and Latin, those that he has studied through and through and is successful in doing it.
Jonson is the more correct poet, but Shakespeare the greater wit. Being correct doesn't always serve as the favorite. Longinus says in Chapter one that language is not about the persuasion but about the method of delivery. It's not always about being correct, but how you affect the audience/reader with those words.
In Alexander Pope's An Essay on Criticism,
Things are learned by human nature, sometimes there are things of importance that can not be taught, but you must learn from experience. Ancients can set rules on...
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