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Absalom and Achitophel

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Absalom and Achitophel

The poem opens with a depiction of the Jews beset by fears and rumors of plots against King David by a

discredited sect. Achitophel, leader of the kings opponents, inflames the crowd against their monarch with a

view toward replacing the rightful heir with Absalom, the kings illegitimate son. Though reluctant to

challenge David, who insists on the succession by established tradition, Absalom finds the attention and the

prospect of power appealing and leaves the capital to gather support among the people.

After a lengthy discussion urging avoidance of extremes in government, the poem praises the kings allies.

David himself brings the poem to a close with an oration strongly condemning factionalism and warning of

punishment for those guilty.

The poem presents memorable satiric caricatures in heroic couplets, discrediting opponents of King David

(Charles II): Achitophel (the Earl of Shaftesbury), Corah (Titus Oates), Zimri (the Duke of Buckingham), and

others. Despite the biblical names, readers of the time easily recognized the objects of the satire, who are

ridiculed by being portrayed as reckless, extravagant, and extreme. The heroic couplet, permitting easy

antithesis, represents an effective metrical form for calling attention to contradictions inherent in human

beings. Caricature and an analogy or parallel to biblical history represent two of Drydens most effective

satiric techniques.

In his memorable essay on government, Dryden identifies the norm with the status quo, but the poem is

faithful to history in leaving the conflict unresolved at the end. Basically but not entirely a satire, it praises the

king and his supporters and provides a defense of the English monarchy as it then existed.

Bibliography:

Griffin, Dustin. Drydens Charles: The Ending ofAbsalom and Achitophel. Philological Quarterly 57

(Summer, 1978) 359-382. Argues that the end of the poem can be connected to the way Charles II himself

behaved during the Exclusion crisis of 1678-1681he waited for a right moment to act.

Lewalski, Barbara K. The Scope and Function of Biblical Allusion in Absalom and Achitophel. English

Language Notes 3 (1965): 29-35. Concerned with the range and importance of biblical allusion in Absalom

and Achitophel and with its use in structuring the poem. Suggests the poems epic dimension.

McKeon, Michael. Historicizing Absalom and Architophel. In The New Eighteenth Century: Theory,

Politics, English Literature, edited by Felicity Nussbaum and Laura Brown. New York: Methuen, 1987.

Argues that, In Absalom and Achitophel, Dryden proposes a model for a new sort of poetry, which draws

power and value from the realms of religious faith, political allegiance, and historic factuality while evading

subservience to them all.

Schilling, Bernard. Dryden and the Conservative Myth. New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 1961.

Discusses Drydens role as spokesman for royalism and as creator of myths that justify and defend kingship.

Shows how the myth appears in the structure, style, and content ofAbsalom and Achitophel.

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Thomas, Walter K. The Crafting of Absalom and Achitophel: Drydens Pen for a Party. Waterloo,

Ontario, Canada: Wilfred Laurier University Press, 1978. Investigates political conditions in England from

1678 to 1681. Discusses Drydens responses to them in Absalom and Achitophel.

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Bibliography: 2