Absalom and Achitophel

    Hello, I am Himanshi parmar. As a part of blog task here i write a blog about Absalom and Achitophel.

     Absalom and Achitophel is a widely celebrated satirical poem written by John Dryden, first published anonymously in November of 1681. It is written using the heroic couplet form, and is considered one of the finest English political satires of all time. It is credited with being the first written satire in the English language, and tells the Biblical story of Absalom, who rebels against King David.Absalomlom and Achitophel is a considerably very long poem consisting of a total of 1031 lines.

    The poem includes many political satire, biblical references and popish plot. When i read original poem, some part of poem and some lines charmed me different. Here i write about some of that parts.

      First thing which charmed me while reading the poem is Dryden's Biblical references. Dryden represent England as s biblical land of Israel. And English people as a Jews. Against whom achitophel and his group working, that king David, represented Charles 2. Also the first earl of Shaftesbury takes on the role of Achitophel. Who was the enemie of King David and tempt Abdalom against king. He exploits the Anti - Catholicism which was created during the popish plot. This biblical references of opem attracted my attention a lot. Let me list of biblical character and characters of poem.

Biblical character   -     in poem

1)Absalom - Duck of Monmouth

2) Achitophel - Earl of Shaftesbury

3)Corah - Titus Oates

4) David - King Charles two.

5) Egypt - France

6) Ethnic plot - Popish Plot

7) Israel - England

8) Jebusites - popists

9) Jerusalem - London

10) zimir - Duck of Buckingham

Here, let me put one video of full poem recitation.

   Anti - Catholicism is something which is interestingly satirised in the poem. “Absalom and Achitophel” allegorizes the Exclusion Crisis through the biblical story of David and his son Absalom, who tries to discredit David’s brother and eliminate him from royal succession. Dryden implies that the Exclusion Crisis was engineered and led by anti-Catholic extremists who attempted to exclude James II from the throne through deceptive and corrupt means, and his poem serves to expose such dishonest practices to the people of England.

  The crisis is based on the real situation of England in 1679. The crisis was raised by Anti - Catholic hysteria of the popish plot and involved three bills which exclude Roman Catholics from Royal Succession. Charles two's brother James was Roman Catholic, and according to bill, he shouldn't be the king. But the Bill was never passed and this crisis officially ended in 1681. But still Catholics were ultimately banned from the throne in England in 1701. This thing give me vision about the religious beliefs and rules and regulation of England, during 15th century.

     If we look into the characters, we found that Charles 2 is very much interesting character. Who is represent king David. He seems kind, wise sometimes, on the another side he had many wives and strong Anti - Catholic belief, which responsible for his fallen Character.

   He was the third king of Israel. He is merciful and kind, who don't have a male heir to inherit the throne. So that after the David, the throne goes to his brother. Who is Anti - Catholic. David has many mistresses and several illigimate sons, but he loves Absalom the most. Still he is not ready to give him throne. Even if he deserve that. In the one side he loves Absalom, on the other he feel that Absalom is illigimate son. So refused him to give a throne. And he want to give throne to his brother. But he is Anti - Catholic and David was strong Catholic. So all this embarrassment made his character weaker. The whole story is for throne and revolved around it. And covered various political, biblical, religious issues.

   

Another part in which Achitophel Trying to convince Absalom for rebellion is one of my favourite part. The long speech of Achitophel surprised me that how shrewdly he put his wrong points in the dish of truth. He tells Absalom that the country cries for him to take the throne in secret. Here also he gave example of popish plot and said that king Charles is not popular anymore, and he has no other allies. Also he added that Egypt will help Absalom to claim the Throne as his own. He not only have the royal blood. Which is necessary to gain support of people. But also would be much better king than other. Here, he use biblical reference of James.

   When i go deep into the poem, the confusion within the Absalom made me think. I found it little beat similar to Prince Hamlet, and Shakespeare's  famous lines from Hamlet, "To be,  or not to be". Here we find quarrel between Absalom's mind and heart, To do, Or not to do". Absalom concidering his father by saying David is a good king and has always treated him with kindness. But in deep within he also an ambitious, he try to refuse the idea of Achitophel till end. But at the end he convinced because, he know he us suited for the throne and he has ambition of that.

     Also the use of political tissues, numbers of political Arguments with use of poetic verse. And the last public speech of Absalom which promising peace to the people. And the speech of kind David Is adorable. The poem has it's own charm and beautiful satirical elements in poetic vrese.

To understand poem more clearly, here i put a video of some solved mcq of poem Absalom and Achitophel.

To read an interesting news related Absalom and Achitophel, a satire.(Click here)

Words :-971

Paragraphs :- 8

Resources :-

1) litchart. Com

2) Wikipedia

3) gradesaver. Com

4)poetryfoundation. Com

5)suppersummary. Com