In John Dryden's Of Dramatic Poesie: An Essay (1668), Dryden presents a debate on the nature of drama using four characters, each representing different viewpoints on theatrical practices. These four characters are:
Crites - He advocates for classical drama, following the rules and models of ancient Greek and Roman dramatists.
Eugenius - He defends modern (English) drama, favoring its creativity and variety over classical drama.
Lisideius - He supports French drama, which emphasizes decorum, unities, and strict adherence to rules.
Neander - A spokesman for Dryden's own views, he defends English dramatists like Shakespeare and Ben Jonson while appreciating both classical and modern approaches.
Thus, the essay features four distinct viewpoints, which is why the correct answer is 3 (four).
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