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A "double Portion of his Father's Art": Congreve, Dryden, Jonson and the drama of theatrical succession. (William Congreve, John Dryden, Ben Jonson)

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From: Criticism
Date: 19970622
Author:Weber, Harold

English playwrights in the first half of the 17th century worked to create works with artistic merit that could produce professional and popular recognition. Ben Jonson took the occasional failure of his plays as personal attacks, and at times treated his audiences with hostility. John Dryden wrote plays toward the end of his career and was primarily interested in literary significance, while William Congreve actively engaged his audience.

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In Self-crowned Laureates, Richard Helgerson asserts that "when the writer first appears before his audience, the pressure on ...

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