| Speaker | Position | Represents | |---------|----------|-------------| | | Favors Modern English drama over Ancients | Possibly Dryden himself (or Charles Sackville) | | Crites | Defends Ancients (Greeks/Romans) | Sir Robert Howard (Dryden’s brother-in-law) | | Lisideius | Praises French drama | Sir Charles Sedley | | Neander | Balances views; defends English tragedy and rhyme | Dryden’s own voice |
Dryden uses four characters to represent different viewpoints, allowing him to explore the debate from all angles without being overly dogmatic: essay on dramatic poesy notes
Dramatic poetry has several distinct characteristics that set it apart from other forms of poetry. Some of the key features of dramatic poetry include: essay on dramatic poesy notes
Neander (Dryden) wins the debate, but he does so by conceding good points from each opponent. This is a masterclass in dialectical argument. essay on dramatic poesy notes