The Satires of Dryden: Absalom and Achitophel; The Medal; Mac Flecknoe (1897)

The Satires of Dryden: Absalom and Achitophel; The Medal; Mac Flecknoe is a collection of three satirical poems by John Dryden, a prominent English poet and playwright of the 17th century. The first poem, Absalom and Achitophel, is an allegory that tells the story of the biblical rebellion of Absalom against his father, King David, and the political turmoil of England during the reign of King Charles II. The second poem, The Medal, is a direct attack on the Whig politician Shaftesbury, who was accused of plotting against the king. The third poem, Mac Flecknoe, is a mock-heroic satire that ridicules another poet, Thomas Shadwell, as a dull and incompetent writer. The Satires of Dryden is considered a masterpiece of English literature and a landmark in the development of satire as a literary genre. This edition of the book was originally published in 1897 and includes an introduction by W. P. Ker.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.