Mac Flecknoe

Mac Flecknoe Introduction

In A Nutshell

Once upon a time (the late seventeenth century), in place far, far away (England), there lived two poets: one named John Dryden, the other, Thomas Shadwell. They were both quite successful and well respected. One thing led to another, however, and they soon found themselves embroiled in some serious beef. One day, the writer by the name of John Dryden decided to up the ante.

The result was "Mac Flecknoe," John Dryden's literary takedown of Thomas Shadwell, an imaginative and hilarious satire extraordinaire. Whether it's epically ironic, or ironically epic (you'll have to read on and tell us which one you think), the poem pretty much carved out its own genre: the mock-epic, or mock-heroic.

Dryden completely skewers Shadwell, exposing him for what he was: a bad writer with bad taste, who would do anything for the cheap laugh. Though it really doesn't even seem fair to make fun of a guy who looks like this. Okay, maybe that's an unfair assessment of Shadwell. He was pretty well-known in his day, an important, albeit minor, figure in the English Restoration literary scene. But unfortunately for him, he's best remembered today for playing the hapless starring role in "Mac Flecknoe," where he gets shredded faster than a Kleenex at Edward Scissorhand's house.

How does Dryden achieve this razor-sharp, devastating effect, you might wonder? "Mac Flecknoe" is an incredibly rich, expertly crafted work of satire, layered in so much irony, sarcasm, and wit that you forget at times he's even joking. Written in Dryden's patented mock-epic style, the poem takes after its heroic, grandiose big brothers, classical and modern epics—like The Iliad and Paradise Lost—except for the minor detail that the whole thing is a massive joke.

See, "Mac Flecknoe" is a uniquely epic piece of writing that's less Homer, and more Homer Simpson—except maybe a bit smarter. Dryden mocks his victim, Shadwell, by depicting him as the lamest epic hero of all time: the terminally dull, hopelessly witless poet-king of the "realms of Non-sense" (6). Throughout the poem, Dryden shows no mercy to his victim, finding new and clever ways to use wit and irony, while pretty much inventing his own genre in the process. Today, "Mac Flecknoe" is hilarious as ever; we can still feel that 330-year-old burn just as sharply. Now that's what we call epic.

 

Why Should I Care?

South Park. Stephen Colbert. The Onion. Though it probably seems like we're playing the loosest pop culture word association game of all time, these things actually have something significant in common. That something is satire. Satire is a tried and true tool for making people laugh and think at the same time. It's one of the most important forms of comedy in our culture today, lending itself to excellent and effective social and political commentary. So where does "Mac Flecknoe" fit into the mix? Well, in short, John Dryden basically invented the modern satire as we know it.

When we think about the origins of modern satire, names like Jonathan Swift, Alexander Pope, and Voltaire come to mind. These later writers, however, draw directly from the tremendous wit, hysterical hyperbole, and epic irony of "Mac Flecknoe." They echo Dryden's own mock-epic, or mock-heroic style, utilizing an extravagantly inflated tone to parody their subjects. Fans of the Colbert Report will notice a similar technique.

Still, "Mac Flecknoe" is no cakewalk. It is really long, really complicated, and contains more random references than an episode of Family Guy. Like any satire, it's a commentary on the social landscape of the day. Much of this cultural context is difficult to decipher even if you have your PhD in late seventeenth-century English Restoration Literature. But, like any truly great satire, it stands the test of time, remaining relevant even after many of the specific references lose their relevance.

That's because, ultimately—whether or not you know a lick about the late seventeenth-century London poetry scene— "Mac Flecknoe" is still hilarious, a shrewd commentary on an ever-relevant theme: terrible artists creating terrible art. Through his inventive use of satire, Dryden shows that he's not just a poet, but also a comedian, a critic, and a dissident. Today, the fine folks over at South Park, The Onion, and the Colbert Report have Dryden to thank for this tradition.

Also, thanks to "Mac Flecknoe," we have ridiculous stuff like this.Thank you, John Dryden—from the bottom of our satire-loving hearts.

Mac Flecknoe Summary

Mac Flecknoe is the poet-king of the realm of nonsense. After many years as ruler, however, it comes time for him to step down. Ultimately, he chooses his son Thomas Shadwell, a poet of unparalleled dreadfulness, as his successor. Shadwell is the worst writer in all the land, and thus, the perfect man for the job.

Upon arriving in the city of August (a.k.a. London), Shadwell is crowned king of the realm of nonsense. Mac Flecknoe himself delivers a brief speech on his son's merits (or lack thereof) during the coronation.

At this point all the action pretty much stops, as the poem devolves into a thinly-veiled, full-force condemnation of Shadwell's writing and character by the speaker. In the end, crowned and ready to rule in his father's footsteps, Shadwell is poised to sink poetry to an even lower level.

Get out the microscope, because we’re going through this poem line-by-line.

Subtitle

A Satire upon the True-blue Protestant Poet T.S.

• Dryden shows his cards from the get-go, informing us that this poem is intended as satire. 
• The subject of the satire, it would seem, is the unlucky fellow identified here as the "True-blue Protestant Poet T.S," who is none other than Dryden's contemporary and rival, English poet and playwright, Thomas Shadwell.
• Dryden converted to Catholicism several years after the publication of this poem, which might have something to do with his criticism of Shadwell's religious preference as a gung-ho Protestant. Let's read on to see if he makes any more of this in the poem itself.

Lines 1-2

All human things are subject to decay,
And, when Fate summons, monarchs must obey:

• Dryden begins with a lofty commentary on mortality, God, and kings, his introduction to what we can only assume will be a grandiose epic of Homeric proportions. 
• As we will soon discover, the entirety of the poem is written in rhymed heroic couplets, typical of the epic style. (Check out "Form and Meter" for more on how this poem is put together.)
• From this initial couplet, Dryden creates the atmosphere of an epic, a grandiose story of gods and kings, in line with the tradition of poetic big names like Homer or Milton.

Lines 3-6

This Flecknoe found, who, like Augustus, young
Was call'd to empire, and had govern'd long:
In prose and verse, was own'd, without dispute
Through all the realms of Non-sense, absolute.

• Actually—j/k, everyone. This is no epic; it's a satire written in mock-epic form. In these lines we get a sense of the poem's true tone, in all its biting, sarcastic glory. 
• Here's our first appearance from the title character, one Mac Flecknoe, the monarch spoken of in line 2. This could be a reference to Richard Flecknoe, an earlier English poet likely of Irish origin. Flecknoe was regarded to be a poetaster—basically someone who writes bad poetry—known for having to pay to get his poems published
• Like Augustus, the first emperor of Rome, Flecknoe's rule was long and successful. But of course Flecknoe's domain isn't Rome, but rather the "realms of Non-sense," of which he is the poet-king. This distinction does not reflect well on his literary talents.

Lines 7-14

This aged prince now flourishing in peace,
And blest with issue of a large increase,
Worn out with business, did at length debate
To settle the succession of the State:
And pond'ring which of all his sons was fit
To reign, and wage immortal war with wit;
Cry'd, 'tis resolv'd; for nature pleads that he
Should only rule, who most resembles me:

• The end of our king's life is near, however, and it is time now for him to declare his successor to the throne.
• He has been blessed with a "large increase" (a.k.a. an ample brood of offspring), and he must choose which one of his children will inherit the kingdom.
• So how will he make this decision? He will choose the heir who is most like the king himself, in wit and poetic ability (or, as Dryden implies, lack thereof). 
• Something tells us we aren't exactly going to get Shakespeare as the next king.

Lines 15-18

Shadwell alone my perfect image bears,
Mature in dullness from his tender years.
Shadwell alone, of all my sons, is he
Who stands confirm'd in full stupidity.

• Enter Thomas Shadwell, the hapless subject of Dryden's ire. 
• Instead of writing out the full name of "Shadwell," Dryden's original text actually reads "Sh—", implying a certain scatological expletive (hint: it rhymes with "snit"). It also implies the name of the writer: Shadwell.
• Dryden's meter, however, consisting of ten syllable lines, requires a two-syllable word there. The full name "Shadwell" fits the bill. 
• In his supreme dullness and stupidity, it is Shadwell alone who appears fit to inherit the throne from Flecknoe. 
• Let's take a moment to step out of the kingdom of nonsense and back into reality: Shadwell and Dryden were once friends, but their relationship soured over several disagreements. They had divergent political views, as Dryden supported the Stuart monarchy while Shadwell was a member of the opposing party, called the Whigs.
• They had religious differences, too, given Dryden's Catholic sympathies and Shadwell's Protestantism. And they had a running debate over the merits of Shakespeare and his contemporary Ben Jonson; Dryden was a Shakespeare fan, while Shadwell considered himself the leading student and heir to Jonson's legacy 
• This festering contentiousness between the two writers reached a boiling point when Shadwell published "The Medal of John Bayes" in 1682, which attacked Dryden head-on. Dryden responded within the year with "Mac Flecknoe." Though Shadwell would go on to replace Dryden as Poet Laureate of England, it seems that Dryden ultimately had the last laugh, given the legacy of "Flecknoe."

Lines 19-24

The rest to some faint meaning make pretence,
But Shadwell never deviates into sense.
Some beams of wit on other souls may fall,
Strike through and make a lucid interval;
But Shadwell's genuine night admits no ray,
His rising fogs prevail upon the day:

• Back to the realm of nonsense, where Shadwell is undeviatingly daft and impenetrably dense. No beam of intelligence or wit can reach him in his "genuine night." In other words, he's a complete moron. 
• Here, the irony present in Dryden's mock-heroic style becomes especially clear. Dryden drops insult after insult, berating the intelligence and substance of his victim—but in the lofty language and style that might be used to exalt the many virtues of a Homeric hero.

Lines 25-32

Besides his goodly fabric fills the eye,
And seems design'd for thoughtless majesty:
Thoughtless as monarch oaks, that shade the plain,
And, spread in solemn state, supinely reign.
Heywood and Shirley were but types of thee,
Thou last great prophet of tautology:
Even I, a dunce of more renown than they,
Was sent before but to prepare thy way;

• Nope, you didn't read that first line wrong: it's the seventeenth-century equivalent of a fat joke.
• He's thoughtless as an oak, Dryden (using a simile) says of Shadwell. We guess he probably had more intellect than a tree, but either way—ouch. 
• Dryden then references two earlier English poets and playwrights: John Heywood and James Shirley. Neither of these two writers garnered much acclaim during their day, presumably preparing the way for more lackluster writers to come. 
• A "tautology" is basically just a redundancy, the unnecessary repetition of information. Dryden accuses these poets, most importantly Shadwell himself, of bad, illogical writing.

Lines 33-40

And coarsely clad in Norwich drugget came
To teach the nations in thy greater name.
My warbling lute, the lute I whilom strung
When to King John of Portugal I sung,
Was but the prelude to that glorious day,
When thou on silver Thames did'st cut thy way,
With well tim'd oars before the royal barge,
Swell'd with the pride of thy celestial charge;

• Well, it looks like some definitions are in order here. A "drugget" is a rough woolen fabric.
• Norwich was the largest city in Norfolk County, Shadwell's place of origin. 
• "Whilom" is an archaic term for "once," as the speaker once played lute (a stringed instrument pictured here) for King John of Portugal. Dryden actually spent some time in Portugal, having written a number of pieces dedicated to the Portuguese monarch. 
• The river Thames runs through London. 
• In this section, the speaker addresses Shadwell directly in the second person, remembering as the writer appeared in the capital aboard a ship on the river ("thou on silver Thames").

Lines 41-48

And big with hymn, commander of an host,
The like was ne'er in Epsom blankets toss'd.
Methinks I see the new Arion sail,
The lute still trembling underneath thy nail.
At thy well sharpen'd thumb from shore to shore
The treble squeaks for fear, the basses roar:
Echoes from Pissing-Alley, Shadwell call,
And Shadwell they resound from Aston Hall.

• The speaker describes as Shadwell rides into London victorious, as if he were the commander of a large army. 
• "Epsom blankets toss'd" is a reference both to Epsom Wells, a 1672 play by Shadwell, as well as to a line from another of his plays, The Virtuoso, which debuted in 1676.
• Arion was an ancient Greek poet and musician. As the story goes, he was riding home on a ship when the sailors decided to kill him rob him for his wealth. He was permitted to sing one last song accompanied by his lyre and, after doing so, he jumped into the water—where he was saved by a dolphin who carried him to shore.
• Apparently there was an actual "Pissing-Alley" in London during Dryden's day, where the locals would do their business (charming). Though, open sewers were commonplace everywhere. 
• "Aston Hall" likely refers to a Birmingham mansion, constructed several decades prior to the publication of the poem.

Lines 49-55

About thy boat the little fishes throng,
As at the morning toast, that floats along.
Sometimes as prince of thy harmonious band
Thou wield'st thy papers in thy threshing hand.
St. Andre's feet ne'er kept more equal time,
Not ev'n the feet of thy own Psyche's rhyme:
Though they in number as in sense excel
So just, so like tautology they fell,

• The term "toast" refers to waste in the river (ew). It's not an entirely flattering introduction for Shadwell. 
• St. Andre was a French master of dance, who choreographed Shadwell's 1675 opera libretto Psyche. 
• Dryden puns on the word "feet" here, referring to the feet of the dancer St. Andre, as well as to the metrical feet and rhyme scheme of Shadwell's Psyche.
• We also get another dig at Shadwell's "tautology," his poorly-constructed writing.

Lines 57-63

That, pale with envy, Singleton forswore
The lute and sword which he in triumph bore
And vow'd he ne'er would act Villerius more.
Here stopt the good old sire; and wept for joy
In silent raptures of the hopeful boy.
All arguments, but most his plays, persuade,
That for anointed dullness he was made.

• Who are these folks, you wonder? John Singleton was a court musician and singer, and Villerius is a character in Sir William Davenant's 1656 tragicomic opera, The Siege of Rhodes. He was a knight, and the grand master of Rhodes. The envious Singleton, the speaker implies, will be grand master of London no more, now that Shadwell is in town. 
• It can't be denied: Shadwell, in all his dullness, is the only man for the job. Everyone else is just playing for second place.

Lines 64-71

Close to the walls which fair Augusta bind,
(The fair Augusta much to fears inclin'd)
An ancient fabric, rais'd t'inform the sight,
There stood of yore, and Barbican it hight:
A watch tower once; but now, so fate ordains,
Of all the pile an empty name remains.
From its old ruins brothel-houses rise,
Scenes of lewd loves, and of polluted joys.

• "Augusta" refers here to London. The word "august" originally means to inspire reverence or awe, reinforcing the poem's mock-epic tone. 
• London was in a state of fear during this time due to the so-called "Popish Plot," an alleged conspiracy suggesting that the Jesuits planned to assassinate King Charles II. The plot turned out to be completely inaccurate 
• The Barbican ("it hight" means "it was called") was a defensive fortification located in London. Its former glory is gone, however, as it has become the site of brothels, for the purpose of "polluted joys."

Lines 72-78

Where their vast courts, the mother-strumpets keep,
And, undisturb'd by watch, in silence sleep.
Near these a nursery erects its head,
Where queens are form'd, and future heroes bred;
Where unfledg'd actors learn to laugh and cry,
Where infant punks their tender voices try,
And little Maximins the gods defy.

• Here Dryden paints for us a picture of a "nursery," where the brothel children learn to be actors. His tone is quite ironic here, seeing as this brothel is an unlikely birthplace for "queens" and "future heroes." 
• We have more terminology to clear up: the term "punks" refers to prostitutes. 
• Also, Maximin was a character in Dryden's own 1670 drama Tyrannick Love—a tragic hero.

Lines 79-84

Great Fletcher never treads in buskins here,
Nor greater Jonson dares in socks appear;
But gentle Simkin just reception finds
Amidst this monument of vanish'd minds:
Pure clinches, the suburbian muse affords;
And Panton waging harmless war with words.

• John Fletcher was an early seventeenth-century playwright known for his tragedies; in the ancient Greek tradition, "buskins" were the kind of boot worn by actors when performing tragedies. 
• Ben Jonson, a contemporary of Fletcher's and an idol of Shadwell's, was a playwright best known for his comedies, for which performers on stage generally wore socks. 
• "Simkin" is a dramatic term for a simpleton or a clown, while "clinches" is another word for puns, of which Thomas Panton was a well-known practitioner. 
• In short, the speaker explains here that there is no room for tragedies or comedies in this place; only fools and punsters who wage "harmless war[s] with words" may find an audience here.

Lines 85-89

Here Flecknoe, as a place to fame well known,
Ambitiously design'd his Shadwell's throne.
For ancient Decker prophesi'd long since,
That in this pile should reign a mighty prince,
Born for a scourge of wit, and flail of sense:

• What better place for Shadwell to reside than here, this unfortunate part of town devoid of good writers and culture? It is here that Flecknoe sets up Shadwell's new throne. 
• Thomas Dekker was an ill-regarded English writer, and a victim of Ben Jonson's satire, The Poetaster. A prophecy from Dekker, in this sense, is hardly a shining endorsement—though this anticipated prince without wit or sense seems to perfectly fit the bill.
• Dryden is right back at belittling Shadwell. The previous twenty lines have served to set up Shadwell's new domain as a place of ill repute and lack of taste—now Shadwell is about to assume his place on the throne.

Lines 90-93

To whom true dullness should some Psyches owe,
But worlds of Misers from his pen should flow;
Humorists and hypocrites it should produce,
Whole Raymond families, and tribes of Bruce.

• These lines make reference to three of Shadwell's plays: The Miser, The Humorists, and The Hypocrite. 
• Raymond is a character from The Humorists, and Bruce is a character from The Virtuoso. 
• Dryden is taking a shot at every Shadwell work he can.

Lines 94-101

Now Empress Fame had publisht the renown,
Of Shadwell's coronation through the town.
Rous'd by report of fame, the nations meet,
From near Bun-Hill, and distant Watling-street.
No Persian carpets spread th'imperial way,
But scatter'd limbs of mangled poets lay:
From dusty shops neglected authors come,
Martyrs of pies, and reliques of the bum.

• It's coronation time! 
• Shadwell's fame stretches from "Bun-Hill" to "distant Watling-street"—which in reality was hardly distant at all. The speaker's ironic statement shows the narrow limits of Shadwell's influence. 
• It is not "Persian carpets" and other traditionally royal, luxury items that line the street for his coronation, but rather the "scatter'd limbs of mangled poets." This thought suggests that Shadwell's ascension to the throne occurs at the expense of good and sensible poetry. 
• In times of scarcity, paper from books would often be repurposed for other needs. Lining pie tins was one such usage, and toilet paper was another ("reliques of the bum")—classy.
• Dryden's use of toilet humor contrasts the elevated tone of the poem, combining high art and lowbrow jokes effortlessly.

Lines 102-109

Much Heywood, Shirley, Ogleby there lay,
But loads of Shadwell almost chok'd the way.
Bilk'd stationers for yeoman stood prepar'd,
And Herringman was Captain of the Guard.
The hoary prince in majesty appear'd,
High on a throne of his own labours rear'd.
At his right hand our young Ascanius sat
Rome's other hope, and pillar of the state.

• Lots more identification is called for here. Got your notes ready?
• The speaker again makes reference to mediocre poets John Heywood, James Shirley, and now includes John Ogleby—a Scottish translator and cartographer who also happened to write bad poetry. These poets may be bad, the speaker suggests, but Shadwell is even worse. 
• "Bilk'd stationers" refers to the booksellers who cannot sell Shadwell's shoddy poetry. "Yeomen" were royal attendants. 
• Henry Herringman was a publisher and bookseller, who published Dryden, as well as Shadwell. "Hoary" means "white," referring here to the elderly Flecknoe as he appears. 
• Ascanius was a hero and king featured in Virgil's epic The Aeneid. He was one of the founders of the Roman people. Much like Shadwell, he inherited the throne from his father. 
• The reference here to Rome reinforces the mock epic tone, the speaker ironically likening Shadwell's situation to that of the classical heroes of old.

Lines 110-117

His brows thick fogs, instead of glories, grace,
And lambent dullness play'd around his face.
As Hannibal did to the altars come,
Sworn by his sire a mortal foe to Rome;
So Shadwell swore, nor should his vow be vain,
That he till death true dullness would maintain;
And in his father's right, and realm's defence,
Ne'er to have peace with wit, nor truce with sense.

• The speaker ironically describes Shadwell's dullness as "lambent," or glowing, playing around his face as if it were wit or some semblance of radiance. 
• Hannibal was a general from Carthage who warred against Rome. As commanded by his father, he swore to combat Rome as long as he lived. 
• Thus, Shadwell swears to wage war on wit and sense, all in the name of "true dullness" and the defense of the realm.

Lines 118-123

The king himself the sacred unction made,
As king by office, and as priest by trade:
In his sinister hand, instead of ball,
He plac'd a mighty mug of potent ale;
Love's kingdom to his right he did convey,
At once his sceptre and his rule of sway;

• "Unction" here refers to the process of anointing a new king with sacramental oil. 
• We know that Richard Flecknoe's day job was as a priest. 
• The term "sinister" just means "left," so the speaker referring to the king's left hand. The word "sinister" in modern English comes from that Latin word for left-handed. (Sorry, southpaws.) 
• At his coronation, the king of England would be presented with a scepter and orb as a symbol of power. In this case, instead of an orb, or ball, the new king is presented with booze, implying the dimwitted dullness of the new monarch. 
• Love's Kingdom was another of Shadwell's plays.

Lines 124-131

Whose righteous lore the prince had practis'd young,
And from whose loins recorded Psyche sprung,
His temples last with poppies were o'er spread,
That nodding seem'd to consecrate his head:
Just at that point of time, if fame not lie,
On his left hand twelve reverend owls did fly.
So Romulus, 'tis sung, by Tiber's brook,
Presage of sway from twice six vultures took.

• In this section, we get another reference to Shadwell's Psyche. 
• Shadwell also had an addiction to opium, which is made from poppies. 
• According to Roman myth, Romulus, the legendary founder of Rome, was visited by twelve vultures who told him where to establish the city. Again, Dryden mockingly juxtapositions this debased narrative with classical epics, comparing Shadwell's coronation and visitation by owls to the founding of Rome.

Lines 132-138

Th'admiring throng loud acclamations make,
And omens of his future empire take.
The sire then shook the honours of his head,
And from his brows damps of oblivion shed
Full on the filial dullness: long he stood,
Repelling from his breast the raging god;
At length burst out in this prophetic mood:

• A throng of admirers cheers Shadwell on, as he takes his seat on the throne. 
• Of course, he is so daft, the speaker claims, that he literally sweats obliviousness. 
• By "filial," the speaker means that Shadwell inherits his dullness from the old king Flecknoe. 
• And thus Flecknoe prepares to address the crowd. (This ought to be good…)

Lines 139-144

Heavens bless my son, from Ireland let him reign
To far Barbadoes on the Western main;
Of his dominion may no end be known,
And greater than his father's be his throne.
Beyond love's kingdom let him stretch his pen;
He paus'd, and all the people cry'd Amen.

• This passage consists of Flecknoe's speech regarding the coronation of his son. 
• The kingdom apparently stretches all the way from Ireland to Barbados, which seems impressive until you realize that he's referring to the vast, but empty, Atlantic Ocean. (Cue the sad trombone.) 
• "Let my son's rule be even greater and more impressive than my own," Flecknoe (basically) exclaims, and "let him write freely throughout his domain."

Lines 145-154

Then thus, continu'd he, my son advance
Still in new impudence, new ignorance.
Success let other teach, learn thou from me
Pangs without birth, and fruitless industry.
Let Virtuosos in five years be writ;
Yet not one thought accuse thy toil of wit.
Let gentle George in triumph tread the stage,
Make Dorimant betray, and Loveit rage;
Let Cully, Cockwood, Fopling, charm the pit,
And in their folly show the writer's wit.

• Flecknoe continues. In a nutshell, he says: "Let my son increase in blind ignorance as his rule proceeds, producing more and more terrible works." 
• We also get another reference to Shadwell's The Virtuosos, which no one, the speaker explains, will ever mistake for having any wit or substance. 
• Sir George Etherege was a comedic playwright and contemporary of Shadwell and Dryden. Loveit, Cully, Cockwood, and Fopling are all characters from his plays. Dryden actually seems complementary of "gentle George," making note of his wit.

Lines 155-164

Yet still thy fools shall stand in thy defence,
And justify their author's want of sense.
Let 'em be all by thy own model made
Of dullness, and desire no foreign aid:
That they to future ages may be known,
Not copies drawn, but issue of thy own.
Nay let thy men of wit too be the same,
All full of thee, and differing but in name;
But let no alien Sedley interpose
To lard with wit thy hungry Epsom prose.

• Shadwell's characters, on the other hand, are as uniformly dull as their creator. 
• The term "want" means "lack," referring to Shadwell's lack of sense. 
• Sir Charles Sedley composed the prologue for Shadwell's Epsom Wells, but Flecknoe reminds his heir that he must not allow others to contribute any wit to his own wit-lacking texts. He wouldn't want to actually write anything worthwhile now, would he?

Lines 165-174

And when false flowers of rhetoric thou would'st cull,
Trust Nature, do not labour to be dull;
But write thy best, and top; and in each line,
Sir Formal's oratory will be thine.
Sir Formal, though unsought, attends thy quill,
And does thy Northern Dedications fill.
Nor let false friends seduce thy mind to fame,
By arrogating Jonson's hostile name.
Let Father Flecknoe fire thy mind with praise,
And Uncle Ogleby thy envy raise.

• Dryden continues to belittle Shadwell's writing ability with irony, as Flecknoe goes on, praising Shadwell's virtues. 
• You need not try to be dull, Flecknoe reminds his heir. You simply have to be your own dull self and the rest will take care of itself. That's quite the pep talk. 
• Sir Formal Trifle is the main character in Shadwell's The Virtuosos, remembered for his haughty, elevated speaking style. 
• Shadwell would often dedicate his plays and poems to the Duke and Duchess of Newcastle, located in the northern part of the country. 
• Shadwell was a great admirer of comedic playwright Ben Jonson, and attempted to write in his style. Jonson, however, was a much superior writer. Dryden considered Shadwell to be "arrogating," or unjustly claiming Jonson's legacy, as the criticism here suggests. 
• We get another reference to John Ogleby and his pedestrian poetry, who should be envious of Shadwell's ability to write far worse.

Lines 175-182

Thou art my blood, where Jonson has no part;
What share have we in Nature or in Art?
Where did his wit on learning fix a brand,
And rail at arts he did not understand?
Where made he love in Prince Nicander's vein,
Or swept the dust in Psyche's humble strain?
Where sold he bargains, whip-stitch, kiss my arse,
Promis'd a play and dwindled to a farce?

• We're given another reference to earlier playwright Ben Jonson, whom Shadwell greatly admired. Dryden scoffs at the notion that Shadwell would consider himself the heir to the legacy of Jonson, given Jonson's status as a much superior writer. 
• Other things to know about for this section include the fact that "rail" means to reproach, or speak out against. 
• As well, Prince Nicander is a character in Shadwell's Psyche. 
• Finally, "whip-stitch" and "kiss my arse" were catchphrases used by some of Shadwell's characters. Dryden takes a shot here at the lack of substance in Shadwell's plays, which the speaker proclaims are nothing more than cheap farces.

Lines 183-192

When did his muse from Fletcher scenes purloin,
As thou whole Eth'ridge dost transfuse to thine?
But so transfus'd as oil on waters flow,
His always floats above, thine sinks below.
This is thy province, this thy wondrous way,
New humours to invent for each new play:
This is that boasted bias of thy mind,
By which one way, to dullness, 'tis inclin'd,
Which makes thy writings lean on one side still,
And in all changes that way bends thy will.

• Here we get more references to comedic playwrights John Fletcher and George Etherege, whom it seems Dryden viewed more favorably than Shadwell. 
• The Ancient Greeks developed a theory in medicine that the human body was made up of four humors, which contribute to temperament and wellbeing. Ben Jonson famously pioneered the "Comedy of Humors" genre, writing plays that featured four main characters, each representing one of these humors. Shadwell attempted to copy this style in his own plays, including his aptly titled, The Humorists. He did so unsuccessfully, though, Dryden would say. 
• In the epilogue of The Humorists, Shadwell writes: "a humor is a bias of the mind," which is why that phrase appears here. 
• We're told that Shadwell doesn't have to worry about things like humor in his writing, though. His work's inclined to be dull and uneven. Shadwell is really getting flamed here.

Lines 193-202

Nor let thy mountain belly make pretence
Of likeness; thine's a tympany of sense.
A tun of man in thy large bulk is writ,
But sure thou 'rt but a kilderkin of wit.
Like mine thy gentle numbers feebly creep,
Thy Tragic Muse gives smiles, thy Comic sleep.
With whate'er gall thou sett'st thy self to write,
Thy inoffensive satires never bite.
In thy felonious heart, though venom lies,
It does but touch thy Irish pen, and dies.

• Look out, here comes another fat joke. Jonson was also a heavy guy, like Shadwell. But while the size of their bellies may compare, their writing certainly does not. 
• Here the word "tympany" means "a swelling," while "tun" refers to a barrel for beer or wine. A "kilderkin" is a quarter of a tun. So quickly we move from a fat joke to a stupid joke.
• When Shadwell tries to be dramatic ("thy Tragic Muse"), he just makes the audience laugh; when he tries to be funny ("thy Comic"), he puts the audience to sleep. 
• His satires lack punch and his plays are insipid and vacuous. In other words, they are super-lame (in case, you know, you hadn't picked up on that idea by now).

Lines 203-208

Thy genius calls thee not to purchase fame
In keen iambics, but mild anagram:
Leave writing plays, and choose for thy command
Some peaceful province in acrostic land.
There thou may'st wings display and altars raise,
And torture one poor word ten thousand ways.

• The term "iambics" refers here to satires in the classical tradition, commonly written in iambs—much like Dryden's own poem. 
• An "anagram" is a rearranging of letters in a word, and refers here to a common practice in seventeenth-century poetry where writers would arrange their poems on the page in certain shapes, like wings or altars.
• This style was viewed by purists as "false wit." 
• Another example of this style is acrostic poetry, in which the first letter of each line spells out a word. Dryden accuses Shadwell here of writing cheaply in this manner.

Lines 209-217

Or if thou would'st thy diff'rent talents suit,
Set thy own songs, and sing them to thy lute.
He said, but his last words were scarcely heard,
For Bruce and Longvil had a trap prepar'd,
And down they sent the yet declaiming bard.
Sinking he left his drugget robe behind,
Born upwards by a subterranean wind.
The mantle fell to the young prophet's part,
With double portion of his father's art.

• In Ancient Greece, Homer's epic poems would often be sung by traveling performers, generally with accompaniment from a stringed instrument like a lyre. In medieval Europe, bards followed in this tradition, singing epic poetry while playing the lute. 
• We get a reference to Bruce and Longvil, two characters in Shadwell's The Virtuoso. In the play, they pull a trap door to dismiss the haughty Sir Formal Trifle in the middle of one of his rambling speeches. 
• Dryden leaves us with a biblical reference, an allusion to the story of Elijah, in which Elisha picks up the elder prophet's mantle after he departs to heaven in a whirlwind. This is the origin of the modern expression "to take up the mantle." And as Elisha carries on in the absence of his mentor, Shadwell is left as the inheritor of his father's crummy drugget ("woolen fabric"), and equally crummy legacy. Of course, though, he has a "double portion of his father's art." That sounds awesome, but then you realize that this means he has an even sharper knack for writing terrible poetry than his predecessor. 
And there we have it. "Mac Flecknoe" in all its scathingly hilarious glory. Sorry Shadwell. We can still feel the burn all the way from here.

·         MacFlecnoe as a Mock-heroic Poem

·         A mock- heroic poem uses the formal elements which characterize the epic genre to depict a trivial situation. It thus creates a contrast between the form and content that results in a satiric and absurd effect, ridiculing the characters in the plot and their actions. The epic devices suggestive of nobility and grandeur are applied to trivial objects resulting in a sense of ludicrous incongruity. Judged from this point of view, John Dryden's MacFlecknoe is assigned the position of an ideal example of a mock-heroic poem in English. Dryden performed his task of satirizing the literary pretensions of Thomas Shadwell with the utmost efficacy using the mock-heroic technique stylistically elevating his character and then deflating him to the status of a pigmy.

·         Although Dryden's mock-epic does not contain an invocation to the Muse in the traditional epic manner, the opening lines apparently state the grand theme in elevated diction, and the deflation comes in the sixth line when the reader learns that the kingdom is of nonsense and the initiation ceremony concerns 'the prince of Dullness '.

·         The entire poem shows the masterful juxtaposition of the grandeur of heroic poetry and the triviality of low comedy. Phrases such as "Empress Fame”, "the nations meet”, "the renown of Shadwell's coronation” etc. serves to build up an atmosphere of solemnity. Now, here is vituperative language resorted too. Flecknoe's speech highlighting his announcement as the most suitable heir to his throne borders on the panegyric, but is replete with deflating suggestions. All other sons of Flecknoe might sometimes waver into sense, but Shadwell's 'rising fogs' ensured an eternal lack of wit. Miltonic language is applied to a person of unparalleled idiocy.

·         Mock-heroic effect is largely achieved through Dryden's ironic juxtaposition of the satiric objects with legendary figures - by comparing a small man with great heroes. Shadwell's comparison to Arian, the legendary musician, or to Ascanius, the great emperor of Rome, only serves to deflate Shadwell's personality. Shadwell is compared to Hannibal, the hero of Carthage. But whereas Hannibal wore eternal hostility to Rome, Shadwell waged perpetual war against wit and intelligence. The Flecknoe - Shadwell relationship is an ironical prosody of relationship between John Baptist and Christ. As John the Baptist came to prepare the way for the greatest advent of Christ, so Flecknoe came to prepare the world for the greater dullness of his son. Such associations serve to ridicule Shadwell in the lowest manner.

·         The designation of Shadwell's coronation is highly mock-heroic. Pomp and gaudiness mark the scene. The place is ' Fair Augusta' where an 'ancient fabric rose to inform the sight '. But the next moment Dryden's states:

·         "From its old ruins brothel houses rise,
Scenes of lewd loves and of polluted joys”

·         Instead of 'Persian carpets ' stock of dull books were spread over the way. The description of the prince also shows the hollowness of the scene:

·        
'On his sinister hand, instead of ball,
He placed a mighty mug of potent ate.

·         Like a prude mock-heroic artist Dryden thus intermingles ridiculous elements and serious description and makes a comic feast of his subject.

Another theme of parody is the mock-epic speeches. Flecknoe's coronation speech is again couched in language which befits an epic but which conveys mockery when applied to Shadwell:

·         Heavens bless my son ! from Ireland let him reign
To far Barbadoes on the western main.

·        
The speech begins in the right epic style but then we come to the lines in which Shadwell is ridiculed. Flecknoe calls upon his son to keep progressing in the field of ignorance and thus exhorts him:

·         Success let others teach, learn thou from me.
Pangs without birth, fruitless industry.

·        
The mockery continues till the end. To conclude, the mechanism of the mock-heroic genre consists in praising the characters for their triviality and vulgarity. Thus, Dryden never directly attacks Shadwell, rather he obtains his result of belittling him by exalting his ignorance and bad writing.
Vituperative: bitter and abusive
Panegyric: a public speech or published text in praise of someone or something

Discuss the satiric effect of the use of irony and mock heroism in the poem Mac Flecknoe by John Dryden.[English literature free notes

            It was Neo-classical period in English literature and Dryden, along with another brilliant satirist Alexander Pope, was the poet who dominated the literary scene.  Satire was the most popular form of poetry and both Dryden and pope were great masters of this poetic genre.

            Mac Flecknoe is the product of a literary and personal rivalry.  The poem was Dryden's reply to Thomas Shadwell's poem The Medal of John Bayes which in turn was a criticism of Dryden's earlier poem  The Medal.  Shadwell's poem was an unfair and indecent attack.  This provoked Dryden and he brought out Mac Flecknoe that silenced his adversary.

            Dryden's satirical genius is fully revealed in the poem.  It is a satire on Thomas Shadwell who was once a friend of Dryden.

            Dryden uses allusions, parodies and quotations profusely to ridicule the great hero of the poem.

            Irony is the most potent weapon Dryden wields in his literary warfare.  Shadwell's enormous stupidity is highlighted throughout the poem.  The man's corpulence, his mountain belly and his addiction to opium are referred to.  Apart from this attack on his adversaries personal attributes, Dryden uses, most of the poem to criticise the 'poetic talents' of his rival.

            Mac Flecknoe is designed to be a mock heroic poem.  So the interest is always focussed on this aspect.

            Dryden begins the poem in a mock serious manner with a general platitude on the brevity of life.  Flecknoe is compared to Augustus Caesar.  Both began their reign when young, both ruled long.  This is a mock heroic jibe in which Flecknoe's is pictured as the Augustus of the vast empire of Dulness.

            Flecknoe calls himself John the Baptist.  His humble role is only to prepare the way to the great Shadwell, the Jesus who is to redeem nonsense from total extinction.

            Criticising the musical pretentions of Shadwell, Dryden calls him the new Arion the legendary musician of Lesbos whose music charms even dolphins.

            The coronation of Shadwell as the King of Dulness is graphically described in detail.  Here Dryden makes very effective use of the mock heroic.  Shdwaell sits like Ascanius the son of Aeneas, the 'second hope of Rome'.  A thick fog of Dulness played around his head instead of a halo.  He was made to swear like Hannibal.  In his  left hand he held a mug of a ale instead of the royal orb.  In his right was Love's kingdom as his sceptre or royal authority and power.  In ancient time Romulus saw twelve vultures and founded Rome.  Similarly twelve owls flew past Shadwell.  Father-Flecknoe makes a long speech advising the prince never to write good poetry but to take inspiration from his father alone and perpetuate the glory of the vast empire of Dullness.

            Dryden concludes his mock heroic poem with a Biblical allusion.  In the Bible Elijah the prophet is called up to Heaven in a whirl wind.  His mantle falls on Elisha who inherits the prophetic power.  Dryden makes Flecknoe falls down through a trap door cutting short his declamation.  A subterranean wind blows up carrying the drugged robe of the father upwards.  It falls on the shoulders of Shadwell who gets twice the portion of the father's poetic talents.

            Thus Dryden has used the Bible and the ancient history most effectively to make Mac Flecknoe a superb mock heroic satire. 

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Mock-epic, also called mock-heroic, form of satire that adapts the elevated heroic style of the classical epic poem to a trivial subject. The tradition, which originated in classical times with an anonymous burlesque of Homer, the Batrachomyomachia (Battle of the Frogs and the Mice), was honed to a fine art in the late 17th- and early 18th-century Neoclassical period. A double-edged satirical weapon, the mock-epic was sometimes used by the “moderns” of this period to ridicule contemporary “ancients” (classicists). More often it was used by “ancients” to point up the unheroic character of the modern age by subjecting thinly disguised contemporary events to a heroic treatment. The classic example of this is Nicolas Boileau’s Le Lutrin (1674–83; “The Lectern”), which begins with a quarrel between two ecclesiastical dignitaries about where to place a lectern in a chapel and ends with a battle in a bookstore in which champions of either side hurl their favourite “ancient” or “modern” authors at each other. Jonathan Swift’s “Battle of the Books” (1704) is a variation of this theme in mock-heroic prose. The outstanding English mock-epic is Alexander Pope’s brilliant tour de force The Rape of the Lock (1712–14), which concerns a society beau’s theft of a lock of hair from a society belle; Pope treated the incident as if it were comparable to events that sparked the Trojan War.

Most mock-epics begin with an invocation to the muse and use the familiar epic devices of set speeches, supernatural interventions, and descents to the underworld, as well as infinitely detailed descriptions of the protagonist’s activities. Thus, they provide much scope for display of the author’s ingenuity and inventiveness. An American mock-epic, Joel Barlow’s The Hasty Pudding (written 1793), celebrates in three 400-line cantos his favourite New England dish, cornmeal mush.