Dryden's Satire

1. According to the first paragraph of "Of Satire," what is the purpose of satire? What does Dryden say in the second paragraph is the type of satire he admires most and to what does he attribute one's ability to use this type of satire successfully? What words does he use to show his disapproval of harsher forms of satire?

According to the first paragraph of “Of Satire,” the purpose of satire is to make examples out of the wicked, to teach them and others a lesson Satire, constructive ridicule in literature, is, according the Dryden, a constructive force in society. In the second paragraph, Dryden declares that the best of satire touches on gentle mockery, attributed to the wit of the individual. He also goes on to say that it is a true skill that one cannot simply obtain. Dryden sincerely looked down upon harsher forms of satire. He used words such as sloppy and messy to show his disapproval of such forms, which would easily call a person a villain, but was dull and not at all exquisite in comparison to the most admirable of satirical forms (Horton 382).

Dryden, John. “Of Satire.” British Literature. Ed. Ronald H. Horton.

    Greenville, SC: BJU Press, 2003. 382-383. Print.