John Dryden

John Dryden
Portrait by Godfrey Kneller, c. 1693
Poet Laureate of England
In office
13 April 1668 – January 1688
MonarchJames II
Preceded byInaugural holder
Succeeded byThomas Shadwell
Personal details
Born(1631-08-19)19 August 1631
Aldwincle, Northamptonshire, England
Died12 May 1700(1700-05-12) (aged 68)
London, England
Spouse
Lady Elizabeth Howard
(m. 1663)
ChildrenCharles, John, and Erasmus Henry
Alma materWestminster School
Trinity College, Cambridge
Occupation
  • Poet
  • literary critic
  • playwright
  • librettist
Writing career
LanguageEnglish
Period1659–1700
Genre
SubjectPolitics and other
Literary movementClassicism
Signature

John Dryden (/ˈdrdən/; 19 August [O.S. 9 August] 1631 – 12 May [O.S. 1 May] 1700) was an English poet, literary critic, translator, and playwright who in 1668 was appointed England's first Poet Laureate.[1][2]

He is seen as dominating the literary life of Restoration England to such a point that the period came to be known in literary circles as the Age of Dryden. Romantic writer Sir Walter Scott called him "Glorious John".[3]

  1. ^ William Minto and Margaret Bryant (1911). "Dryden, John". In Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica. 8. (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 609-613.
  2. ^ "John Dryden (British author)". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 13 May 2014.
  3. ^ Scott, W. Waverley, vol. 12, ch. 14, The Pirate: "I am desirous to hear of your meeting with Dryden". "What, with Glorious John?"