"Dryden, John," Microsoftc Encartac 98 Encyclopedia. c 1993-1997 Microsoft

W.W. Norton & Co. (pgs. 1786-1788)

Abrams, M.H. The Norton Anthology: English Literature. Sixth Edition. New York:

Throughout his career he wrote several "occasional poems," which celebrated particular events of a public character, a military victory, a death, or a political crisis. What made these poems he wrote special was the fact that they were written not for the self but for the nation. In 1670 he was appointed poet laureate and royal historiographer. In 1681 he wrote his first and greatest political satire, Absoalom and Achitophel. It was immediately considered a masterpiece. After a quarrel with Thomas Shadwell, a playwright of some talent, he wrote the mock-heroic episode Mac Fecknoe. It is amazing that he did not learn that his best talent was writing formal verse satire until he was at the age of 50. After the death of Charles II and the succession of James II, Dryden and his two sons were converted to Catholicism. He quickly developed many enemies that accused him o

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 725
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)