Absalom and Achitophel

 Absalom and Achitophel

Absalom and Achitophel was written by John Dryden. Absalom and Achitophel is a mock heroic epic by john Dryden that satirizes the British Whig Party, which sought to prevent succession of James, Duke of York, to the English throne.

Dryden’s political satire Absalom and Achitophel  reflects upon politics in England during the era of the Popish Plot, when Whig Party , under the leadership of the earl of Shaftesbury.

• The Whigs, a political party, tried to break the traditional line of succession and prevent James, Duke of York, From ascending to the throne.

• Dryden devotes half of the poem to scathing portraits of Whig leaders, to Whom he applied biblical pseudonyms, such as Absalom and Achitophel.

• Dryden devotes the second section to favorable portraits of James faithful supporters. However. The Whigs are successful, and Charles ll ascends the throne.

Absalom and Achitophel is “generally acknowledged as the finest political satire in the English language”. It is also described as an allegory regarding  contemporary political events, and a mock heroic narrative. 

    John Dryden

 John Dryden was an English poet, literary critic, translator, and playwright who was appointed England’s first Poet Laureate in 1668. He is seen as dominating the literary life of Restoration England to such a point that period came to be known in literary circles as the age of Dryden.

Absalom and Achitophel Poem 

John Dryden’s publication of Absalom and Achitophel (1681) had a specific political motivation. He wrote the poem during the threat of revolution in England, connected to the so-called Popish plot and the move to exclude the reigning King Charles II’s Catholic brother, James, duke of York, from his right to follow the Protestant Charles to the throne. The protesting faction supported instead Charles’s bastard son, James, duke of Monmouth, whom Charles recognized as his son but not his heir. Born in the Netherlands to Lucy Walter, James was a product of only one of many sexual liaisons of his mother’s. While rumors existed that Charles had secretly married Lucy, granting legitimacy to James, others insisted that James could not even be proved Charles’s son. Charles never produced an heir with his wife, the Portuguese Catherine of Braganza. Although Lucy followed Charles to England, where James was raised a pampered member of the court and eventually made a duke, she had died before Charles married Catherine.

Dryden observed the parallel in England’s situation to that of ancient Israel under the rule of King David. The story found in the biblical book of 2 Samuel contained all of the political elements in which Dryden found himself, as a citizen of England, involved. Each of the main characters corresponded to a real-life person in Dryden’s time. David’s bastard son, Absalom, represented Monmouth, and his evil confidant Achitophel represented Anthony Ashley Cooper, earl of Shaftesbury. Shaftesbury had introduced to Parliament the Exclusion Bill to prevent York from taking the throne. Other characters and their contemporary references included Zimri as George Villiers, the duke of Buckingham and a longtime opponent of Charles; Amiel, Edward Seymour, speaker of the House of Commons; Cora as Titus Oates, who fabricated the rumors that prompted social unease over the so-called Popish Plot; and Shimei as Bethel, sheriff of London. In addition the Pharaoh referenced in line 281, the biblical ruler of Israel’s enemy Egypt, represented King Louis XIV, ruler of France, an enemy of England.

Major Characters                   

Absalom                                  

Achitophel                                  

Divide                                          

Saul                                                 

David’s Brother        

Corah                                      

Shimei                                       

Zimri                                     

The pharaoh             

Ishbosheth                          

Jonas

Barzillai

Minor Characters Balaam

Caleb

Nadab

Zadok

Sagan of Jerusalem

Adriel

Hushi

Amnon

Michal/David’s wife

Annabel

King David Favored characters and his against characters.

This character are against the king Davide 

Absalom

Achitophel

Corah

Shimei

Zimri

The pharaoh

Jonas

Nadab

Caleb

Balaam

This character are supporting king Davide 

Absalom

Barzillai

Jotham

Amiel

Zadoc

The Pharaoh

Hushi

Adriel

Sagan of Jerusalem

Characters

King David

David, the king of Israel , a poetic representation of Charles ll, king of England. Many dissatisfied Jews wish to rebel against him and secure the succession of his illegitimate son, Absalom, to the throne. The wiser Jews see no cause for revolt against king.  

Absalom

David’s illegitimate son and the protagonist of “Absalom and Achitophel.” David does not have any legitimate heirs to the throne, but Absalom is his favorite child. Absalom is handsome and ambitious, and he has made himself a hero at war. The people of Israel love Absalom almost as much as David does, and Achitophel believes that the Jews would accept Absalom as their king. Achitophel begins to encourage Absalom and herald his birth and blood as royal, and he tries to convince Absalom to rebel against David. Absalom, however, is not a malicious man, and he doesn’t initially believe he has a right to the crown, but he is eventually worn down by Achitophel flattery and his own growing desire for more power. Absalom agrees to rebel against David, and as he travels Israel in a procession with Achitophel, Absalom conforms to Achitophel deceitful ways. Absalom and Achitophel mistake David’s mercy and good nature for weakness, but David soon loses patience with both Absalom and Achitophel. David asserts his power as king before the people of Israel and effectively shuts down Absalom’s rebellion, but Dryden never does say what becomes of Absalom. Absalom metaphorically represents Charles II’s illegitimate son James Scott, the 1st Duke of Monmouth, who rebelled against Charles and the throne in Dryden’s time. Through the character of Absalom, Dryden ultimately argues that Charles and his brother James both have a divine right to the crown that is not extended to Monmouth. Dryden’s depiction of Absalom implies that Dryden does not think Monmouth a wholly terrible person, but someone who is merely tempted and blinded by power; however, Dryden also suggests that Monmouth’s common birth automatically excludes him from ascending the throne. Dryden argues through Absalom that Monmouth’s play to power, specifically his attempt to seize a position of power that rightfully belongs to another, is a sin against God. Dryden doesn’t entirely denounce Absalom’s ambition (he even celebrates his exploits at war), but he does argue that usurping the throne is completely unethical.

Achitophel 

A deceitful counselor to King David and the antagonist of “Absalom and Achitophel.” Of all the men who oppose David within the government, Achitophel is the most influential. He is smart, ambitious, and morally flexible. He pretends to be David’s friend, but in actuality, he either wants to rule Israel or completely destroy it. Achitophel stokes the “malcontents” of the Jews and incites anti-Jebusite hysteria in an attempt to ruin David, and then he encourages David’s son Absalom to rebel against him. Achitophel hates David’s brother, the heir presumptive, and he wants to make sure that he never ascends the throne. Achitophel begins his plan to ruin David by claiming David is a Jebusite, and while he knows that his argument is “weak,” he also knows the Jews fear the Jebusites, and his approach proves very effective. As Achitophel works on Absalom, Achitophel trusted men wreak havoc with the Sanhedrin and try to bring David down from inside the government. Achitophel finally convinces Absalom to rebel, and they embark on a procession through Israel to further ingratiate Absalom with the people and identify enemies to their cause. However, Achitophel has mistaken David’s mercy and mild temper for signs of weakness, and when David finally loses his patience, Achitophel is reminded of David’s divine power. Dryden’s Achitophel represents Anthony Ashley Cooper, the 1st Earl of Shaftesbury, a Member of Parliament during Dryden’s time and the main supporter of the Exclusion Bill. Shaftesbury was the founder of the Whig party, which sought to exclude Charles II’s brother James from the throne, and he was a major opponent of Charles throughout his reign. What comes of Achitophel is never revealed in Dryden’s poem, but historically speaking, Shaftesbury was tried for treason after encouraging Charles’s son the Duke of Monmouth, to rebel against the crown, but he was later acquitted. Through Achitophel, Dryden suggests that Charles and James both have just claims to the throne and is not for Shaftesbury, Monmouth, or Parliament to infringe on that power.

Saul

The first king of Israel. According to Dryden, God was the first king of Israel, but the Jews, who are “moody” and frequently unhappy with their king, oust God and make Saul their king. In the Bible, Saul favors David over his son Ishbosheth, and David is forced to go into exile. After Saul dies and Ishbosheth is made king, the Jews are again unhappy with their king and choose David. Saul represents Oliver Cromwell, who ruled the Commonwealth of England after Charles I was executed. Like Ishbosheth taking over from Saul and then being replaced by David, Cromwell’s son reigned for a while after Cromwell’s death before Charles II was restored to the throne in 1660. Through Saul and his association to Cromwell, Dryden implies that the English are never quite happy with their king and will find any reason to denounce one and appoint another.

Davide’s brother

The heir presumptive of Israel. David’s brother never actually makes it into the poem, but Achitophel and Absalom refer to him multiple times. The crown will go to David’s brother after David dies, and Achitophel does not want David’s brother to ascend the throne and hopes to place Absalom there instead. Achitophel hates David’s brother, and Absalom claims that David’s brother is “oppressed with vulgar spite.” David’s brother represents James II, the brother of King Charles II and the next heir to the throne of England. James was a Roman Catholic, and the Exclusion Bill before Parliament in Dryden’s time sought to exclude James from the throne.

Corah

The most important of Achitophel men. Corah is a priest, although he lies about his rabbinical degree, and he hatches the plot that helps Achitophel discredit David’s brother and ingratiate Absalom to the people of Israel. Corah’s memory is impeccable, and his account of the plot never once changes, which is why the Jews believe his fictitious plot. In the Bible, Corah leads a rebellion against Moses, and in Dryden’s poem he represents Titus Oates.

Barzillai

Barzillai lived beyond the Jordan River and sustained David during Absalom's rebellion. He stands for the Duke of Ormond, a patron of Dryden and one of the most devoted servants of Charles. He accompanied Charles II during his exile and served him faithfully during his misfortunes.

Zadoc

David's friend who carried the Ark of the Covenant into the wilderness; he was then sent back to Jerusalem for God's judgment. He represents William Sancroft, Archbishop of Canterbury. 

Jotham

Jotham stands for George Savile, Marquis of Halifax, and nephew of Shaftesbury. The Marquis of Halifax had once supported Shaftsbury but, alarmed at his excess, became a supporter of the Court. It was entirely by his eloquence that the Exclusion Bill was defeated in the Lords in 1680.

Hushi

Hushi, David's friend, represents Lawrence Hyde, Earl of Rochester, Charles II's First Lord of the Treasury. He fought against the Exclusion Bill.

Amiel

Amiel traveled through the wilderness to bring David supplies. He represents Edward Seymour, speaker of the House of Commons and treasurer of the Navy.

The Pharaoh

Represents Louis XIV of France.

Zimri

Two biblical figures represent Zimri: a murderer in Numbers, and a usurping murderer in 1 Kings. He is an allegory of George Villiers, the second Duke of Buckingham.

Balaam

A prophet who ignored God. He represents Theophilus Hastings.

Caleb

Moses's servant who entered the Promised Land with Joshua. He represents Arthur Capel, Earl of Essex.

Nadab

Aaron's eldest son; he was an idolater. He represents William, Lord Howard of Esrick, a Puritan preacher.

Jonas

Or, Jonah; he represents Sir William Jones, the attorney general. He prosecuted Catholics in the early stages of the Popish plot, became a member of Parliament, and supported the Exclusion Bill.

Shimei

A man who curses David. He represents Slings by Bethel, a Sheriff of London and Middlesex.

Sagan of Jerusalem

The Sagan of Jerusalem represents the Bishop of Landon. One of David’s loyal men. In the book of Samuel, Sagan of Jerusalem is a priest.

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