And he has no peer as a writer of prose, especially literary criticism, and as … "Mac Flecknoe" is an incredibly rich, expertly crafted work of satire, layered in so much irony, sarcasm, and wit that you forget at times he's even joking. After William Shakespeare and Ben Jonson, he was the greatest playwright. Written in Dryden's patented mock-epic style, the poem takes after its heroic, grandiose big brothers,Once upon a time (the late seventeenth century), in place far, far away (England), there lived two poets: one namedBy entering your email address you agree to receive emails from Shmoop and verify that you are over the age of 13.That's because, ultimately—whether or not you know a lick about the late seventeenth-century London poetry scene— "Mac Flecknoe" is still hilarious, a shrewd commentary on an ever-relevant theme: terrible artists creating terrible art. Mac Flecknoe Summary.

Mac Flecknoe, an extended verse satire by John Dryden, written in the mid-1670s and published anonymously and apparently without Dryden’s authority in 1682.

Shadwell is the worst writer in all the land, and thus, the perfect man for the job.At this point all the action pretty much stops, as the poem devolves into a thinly-veiled, full-force condemnation of Shadwell's writing and character by the speaker. A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics.

Mac Flecknoe (full title: Mac Flecknoe; or, A satyr upon the True-Blue-Protestant Poet, T.S.) Stephen Colbert. Through his inventive use of satire, Dryden shows that he's not just a poet, but also a comedian, a critic, and a dissident. In the end, crowned and ready to rule in his father's footsteps, Shadwell is poised to sink poetry to an even lower level.For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser.Upon arriving in the city of August (a.k.a. Mac Flecknoe By John Dryden About this Poet After John Donne and John Milton, John Dryden was the greatest English poet of the 17th century. It consists of a devastating attack on the Whig playwright Thomas Shadwell that has never been satisfactorily explained; Shadwell’s reputation Mac Flecknoe is the poet-king of the realm of nonsense. is a verse mock-heroic satire written by John Dryden.It is a direct attack on Thomas Shadwell, another prominent poet of the time.It opens with the lines: Today, the fine folks over at South Park, The Onion, and the Colbert Report have Dryden to thank for this tradition.See, "Mac Flecknoe" is a uniquely epic piece of writing that's lessStill, "Mac Flecknoe" is no cakewalk. 401 views Macintosh Flecknoe as being a Satire. The object of this essay will be, therefore, to locate Mac Flecknoe, in the tradition of late 17th-century satire. Ultimately, he chooses his son Thomas Shadwell, a poet of unparalleled dreadfulness, as his successor. Mac Flecknoe as a Satire Essay. That something isDryden completely skewers Shadwell, exposing him for what he was: a bad writer with bad taste, who would do anything for the cheap laugh. By entering your email address you agree to receive emails from Shmoop and verify that you are over the age of 13.Mac Flecknoe is the poet-king of the realm of nonsense. Mac Flecknoe himself delivers a brief speech on his son's merits (or lack thereof) during the coronation.

Mac Flecknoe represents the popularity of satire during Dryden’s day. "Mac Flecknoe" is an incredibly rich, expertly crafted work of satire, layered in so much irony, sarcasm, and wit that you forget at times he's even joking. The Onion. Clarence Hugh Holman and William Harmon define satire as “a literary manner that blends a critical attitude with humor and wit for the purpose of improving human institutions or humanity” (447). Shadwell is the worst writer in all the land, and thus, the perfect man for the job.