"Absalom and Achitophel" (1681) By: John Dryden The extract "Zimri" Lines 529-568 Absalom and Achitophel published anonymously (without the name of the author) in 1681, is one of the finest English political satires. It was intended by Dryden to rouse popular feeling against Shaftesbury and to secure his accusation. Dryden s political satire Absalom and Achitophel reflects upon politics in England during the era of the Popish Plot (conspiracy against the king), when the Whig Party, under the leadership of Shaftesbury, sought to prevent the legitimate succession of James II, because he is a Catholic. The Whigs supported a parliamentary bill (The Exclusion Bill sought to exclude the King's brother and heir James from the throne because he was Catholic,) that would have placed the illegitimate son of Charles II, Duke of Monmouth, on the throne. Dryden employs the biblical revolt against David by his son Absalom as a parallel story to satirize the Whigs and their leaders. The power of the poem essentially lies in the mechanism of Biblical allegory. Each character is given a Biblical name. The principal political personages are: Duke of Monmouth, the illegitimate son of Charles II is given the biblical name of (Absalom); Absalom is the illegitimate son of David, king of Israel, and a poetic representation of the duke of Monmouth, the illegitimate son of Charles II, king of England. The dissident Jews (Whigs) seek to make him heir to his father s throne. Duke of Shaftesbury, the false tempter is given the biblical name (Achitophel); Achitophel is the chief of the rebellious Jews (Whigs) and a poetic representation of the Duke of Shaftesbury, who attempts to persuade Absalom (the duke of Monmouth) to seize his father s throne. Duke of Buckingham, is given the biblical name of (Zimri); Zimri is the unfaithful servant and a poetic representation of Duke Buckingham. Charles II is given the biblical name of (David). David, the king of Israel, a poetic representation of Charles II, king of England. Many dissatisfied Jews (Whigs) wish to rebel against him and secure the succession of his illegitimate son, Absalom (the duke of Monmouth), to the throne. Analysis: A numerous host of dreaming saints succeed, Of the true old enthusiastic breed; [530] Dryden satirizes the members of Whig party who are dreaming saints and succeed in in a forming a political party and they are from the upper class of the society (lords). 1
'Gainst form and order they their power employ, Nothing to build, and all things to destroy. The Whigs employ their political and financial power against the king and his heir. They don't want to build their country and they want to destroy it by civil war. But far more numerous was the herd of such, Who think too little, and who talk too much. There are many politicians of such type who are like the herd of animals "who think too little and talk too much." These out of mere instinct, they knew not why, [535] Adored their fathers' God, and property; These politicians who are like animals, they follow their instinct and they don't know why they love their fathers' religious sect (protestant)and their wealth. And, by the same blind benefit of fate, The devil and the Jebusite did hate; The poet uses the biblical allusions of the stories of Satan who disobeyed God and of the Jubuite (who were a Canaanite tribe who built and inhabited Jerusalem prior to its conquest by King David), who did not accept the rule of king David, to exemplify the Whigs who disobeyed King Charles II. Born to be saved, even in their own despite, Because they could not help believing right. [540] The way that they were thinking in was not right because they were blind by hatred towards the catholic heir. Such were the tools; but a whole Hydra more Remains of sprouting heads too long to score. Dryden describes the leaders of the Whigs (Duke of Shaftesbury, Duke of Monmouth, Duke of Buckingham), as the heads of a snake (Hydra). These heads are not only the leaders but they are the whole Whig party. Some of their chiefs were princes of the land: In the first rank of these did Zimri stand; Some of these conspirators (traitors) were Lords of England. In the first rank (place) of these conspirators, is Zimri (Duke of Buckingham) who betrayed his the king although he was a close friend of 2
him but because the king chose his catholic brother as an heir, Zimri (Duke of Buckingham) stands against his king. A man so various, that he seemed to be [545] Not one, but all mankind's epitome; Zimri (Duke of Buckingham) is described as a man who has various talents and seemed to be as the best of mankind. Stiff in opinions, always in the wrong, Was everything by starts, and nothing long; Dryden states that Zimri (Duke of Buckingham) is "stiff in opinions, always in the wrong," as he always chooses the wrong side and in the beginning of conspiracy, he was one of the leaders but he didn't continue as such. But, in the course of one revolving moon, Was chemist, fiddler, statesman, and buffoon; [550] Dryden gives a satirical portrayal of the Zimri (Duke of Buckingham) as in a course of one month, he was a chemist, fiddler (either flirt or violinist), a political person and clown. Then all for women, painting, rhyming, drinking, Besides ten thousand freaks that died in thinking. Dryden hints at Buckingham's womanizing and carousing ways of life in which he spends his time and money on women, arts, parties and freaks to entertain him. Blest madman, who could every hour employ, With something new to wish, or to enjoy! Dryden paints a portrait of a man who is unstable, untrustworthy and aimless. Zimri (Duke of Buckingham) was well known for these traits; he was also immoral, foolish and reckless. Railing and praising were his usual themes; [555] And both, to show his judgment, in extremes; Criticizing and praising were Zimri (Duke of Buckingham) his usual subjects and in both cases, he is to show his judgments in an extreme way. 3
So over violent, or over civil, That every man with him was God or devil. As he was an extremist, Zimri (Duke of Buckingham) has either so violent or so civil judgements and to him, people were either God or devil and nothing in-betweens. In squandering wealth was his peculiar art; Nothing went unrewarded but desert. [560] Dryden satirizes Zimri (Duke of Buckingham)who has abnormal talent which is wasting money on rewards for those fools who eventually desert him. Beggared by fools, whom still he found too late; He had his jest, and they had his estate. Those fools who are beggars that Zimri (Duke of Buckingham) had found late in his life. He had his fun time and they had his money. He laughed himself from court; then sought relief By forming parties, but could ne'er be chief; Zimri (Duke of Buckingham) left the court of king David (Charles II) to seek relief by establishing the Whig party but could not be the leader. For, spite of him, the weight of business fell [565] On Absalom, and wise Achitophel; In spite of Zimri (Duke of Buckingham) was one of the political personages who founded the Whig party, the leadership went to Absalom (Duke of Monmouth) and Achitophel (Duke of Shaftesbury). Thus, wicked but in will, of means bereft, He left not faction, but of that was left. As a result, Zimri (Duke of Buckingham) who was wicked in his intentions but he was bereft of means to achieve his goals, left not only his political party "faction" but he also retired from in general finally. 4
Allegory is a metaphor whose means may be a character, place or event, representing real-world issues and occurrences. Allegory has been used widely because it can freely illustrate complex ideas and concepts in ways that are comprehensible to its readers.writers typically use allegories as literary devices or as stylistic devices that convey hidden meanings through symbolic figures, actions, imagery, and/or events, which together create the moral, spiritual, or political meaning the author wishes to convey. Discuss Absalom and Achitophel by John Dryden as a political satire. Or discuss as biblical allegory. John Dryden wrote Absalom and Achitophel as a political satire. Dryden devotes the poem to depict a mocking portraits of Whig leaders, whose real names he hides using Biblical names like Absalom, Achitophel and Zimri. The era was that during which a political party in England was trying to seat the illegitimate son of Charles II (after the Restoration) on the throne through a rebellion against Charles II. Dryden used a Biblical tale, that of the rebellion of Absalom against King David, in the humor of satire stated to point out the wrongfulness of a rebellion and the disastrous outcome of such a rebellion. Through allegorical allusions to the Bible incident of King David and his illegitimate son, Absalom, Absalom and Achitophel is a satire of Charles II's political enemies. The poem, which shows the plots devised by Absalom and Achitophel to overthrow King David, celebrates the loyalty to the King by his allies and shames its enemies. Appearing in 1681, the work was thus a staunch defense of the English monarchy at a time when the institution was under heavy criticism from Parliament for the King's Catholic heir. In the same year of publication of Absalom and Achitophel, the monarch dissolved Parliament and ruled alone until his death four years later. 5