Passion and Persuasion

The English poet-critic John Dryden (1631-1700) has
traditionally been regarded as a primary advocate of
the Age of Reason. Challenging the accepted view,
this book argues that Dryden primarily responded -
not to the rhetorical ideals of the new science, but
to the ideals deriving from the classical orator
Quintilian. Just like the Renaissance poet-
rhetoricians, Dryden considered it his duty to
teach, move and delight his audience. A fervent
supporter of the Stuart monarchy, Dryden was deeply
involved in political and religious controversies.
Through careful analysis of his longest and most
controversial poem, The Hind and the Panther (1687),
the study brings to light how Dryden was using
wordplay and sound effects for the sake of
satirizing his opponents. Offering fresh
perspectives on Dryden s role as a public speaker,
the author emphasizes his various attempts to move
and persuade the reader. While this book gives the
first comprehensive overview of Dryden s theorizing
on how to move the passions, it also shows how the
father of English criticism put these theories into
practice.

Autorentext
Tina Skouen has a doctorate in Early Modern English literature and rhetoric from the University of Oslo. She is an American- Scandinavian Foundation Fellow and a visiting scholar at the University of California, Berkeley.

Klappentext
The English poet-critic John Dryden (1631-1700) has traditionally been regarded as a primary advocate of the Age of Reason. Challenging the accepted view, this book argues that Dryden primarily responded - not to the rhetorical ideals of the new science, but to the ideals deriving from the classical orator Quintilian. Just like the Renaissance poet- rhetoricians, Dryden considered it his duty to teach, move and delight his audience. A fervent supporter of the Stuart monarchy, Dryden was deeply involved in political and religious controversies. Through careful analysis of his longest and most controversial poem, The Hind and the Panther (1687), the study brings to light how Dryden was using wordplay and sound effects for the sake of satirizing his opponents. Offering fresh perspectives on Dryden's role as a public speaker, the author emphasizes his various attempts to move and persuade the reader. While this book gives the first comprehensive overview of Dryden's theorizing on how to move the passions, it also shows how "the father of English criticism" put these theories into practice.