Reference no: EM133370020
A Discourse Concerning the Original and Progress of Satire By John DrydenThe Art of Satire
Question 1. What is Dryden saying is "easy" in the first sentence - what does he mean "to call rogue and villain"?
Question 2. Define opprobrious.
Question 3. What does Dryden mean by "to spare the grossness of the names"?
Question 4. What "noble trade" is Dryden referring to, and why do you think it can't be taught?
Question 5. Dryden says, "A witty man is tickled while he is hurt in this manner, and a fool feels it not." What does he mean, and do you agree?
Question 6. What metaphor is Dryden working with here, and what point is he trying to make?
Question 7. Define malefactor.
Question 8. What does Dryden mean by "he, for whom it was intended, was too witty to resent it as an injury"?
Question 9. Define dexterously.
Question 10. Using his own satirical techniques as an example here, what is Dryden saying makes for a successful satire?
Question 11. What overall idea of the practice of satire does Dryden present in this last sentence?
Question 12. According to Dryden, how is satire different from other types of criticism? Do you agree?
Question 13. Are the ideas Dryden presents here in line with how you see current forms of satire? What about shows like The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, or The Simpsons? How do these types of shows line up with Dryden's definition of satire? (If you haven't seen these shows, think about other types of satire you might have come across lately or what you've heard about these contemporary forms.)