The leading English literary figure of the latter half of the 17th century, John Dryden (1631-1700) wrote
dramas and critical works, but his reputation stands on his mastery of verse, in particular the heroic couplet. Encompassing political, religious, philosophic, and artistic issues, Dryden's [...]
Written early in the second century, Plutarch's "Lives offers richly detailed and anecdotal profiles of some of the ancient world's mightiest and most influential figures. Plutarch's writing explores individual characters and personalities, to see how they led ultimately to tragedy or victory. This [...]
The three plays in this volume, composed between 1672 or 1673 and 1675, demonstrate Dryden's versatility and inventiveness as a dramatist. "Amboyna", a tragedy written to stir the English to prosecute the Third Dutch War, describes the destruction by the Dutch of English trading posts on two Indones[...]
John Dryden, Poet Laureate to Charles II and James II, was one of the great literary figures of the late seventeenth century. This Companion provides a fresh look at Dryden?s tactics and triumphs in negotiating the extraordinary political and cultural revolutions of his time. The newly commissioned [...]