Samuel Johnson (1709–1784) was a literary critic, lexicographer, essayist, and poet. In his critical essays and especially in his monumental work Lives of the Poets, Johnson acknowledged Dryden's pivotal role in shaping English literary criticism.
Johnson’s View of Dryden:
1. "Dryden may be properly considered as the father of English criticism."
This statement is directly from Samuel Johnson, recognizing Dryden's foundational contributions to the practice of literary criticism in English literature.
Dryden’s method of applying reason, historical perspective, and comparative analysis was pioneering.
2. Modern English prose begins with Dryden.
Johnson appreciated the clarity, rhythm, and stylistic elegance of Dryden's prose, particularly in his critical writings like An Essay of Dramatic Poesy.
Johnson stated that Dryden “refined the language, improved the sentiments, and tuned the numbers of English poetry.”
Year-wise PYQs
