JOHN DRYDEN’S UNSTABLE PSYCHOLOGICAL LIFE AND HIS TENDENCY TO SIDE WITH THE WINNING PARTY IN THE RESTORATION PERIOD

Abstract

This study focuses on describing John Dryden’s unstable psychological life which always take sides and defends the winning parties. The explication of his works that shows his allegiance to the winning sides is also included here. The objectives of the study are aimed at: (1) explaining how John Dryden wins fame, especially in the literature so that he converted his faith from Protestant or as a puritanist to Catholics; and (2) investigating why John Dryden always defends to the winning sides which lead him to have obscure enemies in the Restoration Period. The method of the study is the library research. The primary sources used in this study stem from some texts books. The secondary sources are obtained from the internet. The analysis shows: (1) what drives Dryden to do everything to obtain his success is of his unstable psychological life. When Charles II comes to the throne, Dryden throws himself to get patronage from the king by presenting his masterpieces which are full of praises and by converting his faith from Protestant to Catholics to prove his allegiance; and (2) Dryden, a Puritan poet, in Cromwell’s iron government, has many obscure enemies from the Charles II literary men. They fight against each other by publishing or attaching their anonymous works of art in certain places in which other people can read easily. After Charles II is successful to win the conflict, Dryden has to surrender to his enemies. He decides to refuse allegiance to his struggling friends of the Puritan and devotes himself to Charles II to pursue the patronage and to fulfil his basic needs.