John Dryden

John Dryden (1631-1700), major writer of the Restoration period. Renowned as dramatist and poet, one of the first authors who also reflected on his writing and produced essays on literary theory (in the widest sense). Went to the renowned Westminster School, London (where he became fluent in Latin - later he claimed that in order to check whether what he had written was okay, he translated it into Latin). Studied at Trinity College, Cambridge. His first major poem was the Heroique Stanzas (1658) on the death of Cromwell. After the Restoration, he published Astraea Redux and To His Sacred Majesty, celebrating Charles and condemning the Commonwealth.

Charles II rewarded Dryden's ability (both for writing and supporting whoever was in power) with the post of poet laureate. And Dryden fulfilled the stipulations of the post by penning biting satires against the Whigs (e.g., Absalom and Achitophel or The Medal). When James II came to the throne, Dryden converted to Catholicism. After the Glorious Revolution he lost the laureateship (it was given to his arch-rival Thomas Shadwell).

Source: Oxford Companion to English Literature, ed. Margaret Drabble, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998