Memory to Mr. Oldham

To the Memory of Mr. Oldham

BY JOHN DRYDEN

 

Farewell, too little and too lately known,

Whom I began to think and call my own;

For sure our souls were near ally'd; and thine

Cast in the same poetic mould with mine.

One common note on either lyre did strike,

And knaves and fools we both abhorr'd alike:

To the same goal did both our studies drive,

The last set out the soonest did arrive.

Thus Nisus fell upon the slippery place,

While his young friend perform'd and won the race.

O early ripe! to thy abundant store

What could advancing age have added more?

It might (what nature never gives the young)

Have taught the numbers of thy native tongue.

But satire needs not those, and wit will shine

Through the harsh cadence of a rugged line.

A noble error, and but seldom made,

When poets are by too much force betray'd.

Thy generous fruits, though gather'd ere their prime

Still show'd a quickness; and maturing time

But mellows what we write to the dull sweets of rhyme.

Once more, hail and farewell; farewell thou young,

But ah too short, Marcellus of our tongue;

Thy brows with ivy, and with laurels bound;

But fate and gloomy night encompass thee around.

                        

Restoration period

The Restoration period lasted from 1660 to 1688.  The word restoration period comes from Charles II’s crowning.  Then it restores the traditional English form of government after the rule of republican governments.  The literature during this time is very creative in nature. The style and subject matters are from religious to satirical.   Restoration literature referred to Stuart period in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland.  Restoration literature focuses on extremes (paradise lost), sexual comedy (the country wife), and wisdom (Pilgrim’s Progress). This period saw news shaped into commodity, the essays transformed into art form and the arrival criticism by texts.

 Elegy

The word Elegy comes from the Greek word “elegos” means “song”.  It refers to a mournful

poem about the demise of a person.  It could express the feeling of loss which could take us to reflect the human morality.

Characteristics

It focuses on expressing emotions and feelings.

Formal language and structure pattern

It consists three parts such as sad, admiration and solace.

Mournful poem about the death of a person.

It also could expresses the anger of the speaker about death.

Elegies start with sad feelings, pain of losing someone dear.

Then it goes to expresses the admiration, brings out the good qualities and good deed of the person.

The conclusion part would be the stage where the poem expresses the moral truth of life.

 Greek Mythology of Nisus and Euryalus Greek mythology

 In Greek and Roman mythology Nisus and Euryalus are two characters, portrayed as friends and lovers.  They serve for Aeneas in the Aeneid a great epic by Virgil.  They have been admired as great warriors but their life ends in tragedy as they two die together.  It is a great loss but they are admired for their loyalty and braveness. 

 John Dryden

 John Dryden was an English poet, literary critic, translator and a playwright.  He was appointed as poet laureate in 1668. He was called as “Glorious John” as he was influencing the literary world of Restoration period. This age was called as the Age of Dryden.

John Dryden wrote elegies, prologues, epilogues, and odes.  One of his best work is Absalom and Achitophel (1681).  Three years after his graduation he moved to London and worked with “Heroic Stanzas” (1659).  After his work “Annus Mirabilis” (1667) he was honored as poet laureate of England.  His plays were satirical and aimed at the Whigs.  Soon he was converted to Catholicism and his works pointed the Anglican Church which made him to lose the position of poet laureate. He returned to do theatrical writing along with translation.  He died with gout at the age of 68 on 12^th may 1700.

Summary

It is an Elegy by John Dryden.  He laments over the death of John Oldham the young poet of 16653 to 1683.  His writings are satirical towards the Jesuits.   As John Dryden was a satirist he admires Oldham’s satirical works. He feels sad for knowing Oldham much too late as he died too young. Their thoughts were alike.  They both hate “knaves and fools” which are the main view for their satires. They tried on the same subjects.  Oldham is compared to Nisus a Greek mythological character who slipped into a pool of blood at the winning moment. This character has been portrayed in Vergil’s Aeneid.  He could not accept the loss of Oldham as he points out that this would be an error.  But he is comforted after the death of Marcellus who died at the age of twenty.  He at last realized the inevitability of death in human life.

 Detail analysis

This is a one stanza poem but has been divided sections for deep study.

“Farewell, too little and too lately known,

Whom I began to think and call my own;

For sure our souls were near ally'd; and thine

Cast in the same poetic mould with mine.”

 The poet starts by saying farewell to Oldham his poetic partner.  As they both have same and common poetic interest they started a close relationship.  He thinks Oldham his own, for both the souls are filled with same thoughts and likes.  Dryden compares their similarities as if they were from the same poetic mould.  The first four lines bring out their close relationship for “my own” clearly expresses his closeness. 

 “One common note on either lyre did strike,

And knaves and fools we both abhorred alike,

To the same goal did both our studies drive:

The last set out the soonest did arrive.”

 He further says the similarities between them.  They both were great satirist and expressed the deep analysis in social and political and religious unrest in England.  They dislike knaves and fools. That is they don’t prefer to be with dishonest people and fools.  Dryden with pain says that death is ultimate of a mission but Oldham is last person to finish the journey first.

 “Thus Nisus fell upon the slippery place,

While his young friend perform'd and won the race.

O early ripe! to thy abundant store

What could advancing age have added more?”

 The poet points out that the death of Oldham is like wining the purpose of his life.  He has completed his achievement quicker than Dryden. He brings out the Greek Mythology of Nisus and Euryalus to compare their relationship.  They both served under Aeneas.  During a foot race, Nisus slipped into the pool of blood so that Euryalus could complete the race and win.  He admires the success of Oldham and calls him an “Abundant store.”  He expresses his complete faith on Oldham and says the great Oldham has nothing more to achieve in life as he has completed his art at his early age.

 “It might (what nature never gives the young)

Have taught the numbers of thy native tongue.

But satire needs not those, and wit will shine

Through the harsh cadence of a rugged line.”

 The poet further expresses his admiration to his mastery skill as a satirist.  He says if Oldham had lived, he would have learned only the poetical techniques.  But according to Dryden satirist’s main feature is their wit towards their subjects.  It is more important than the mere poetical techniques.  Wit reaches the society quicker. Wit pierce through harsh rhythm of a hard line. Dryden says Oldham is gifted by wit.

 “A noble error, and but seldom made,

When poets are by too much force betray'd.

Thy generous fruits, though gather'd ere their prime

Still show'd a quickness; and maturing time

But mellows what we write to the dull sweets of rhyme.”

 The poet says though the death ended Oldham’s skills before he could reach the maximum, he has been achieved all the skills and brilliance needed to master himself.  By Noble error the poet means when the poets expresses with too much force sometime they forget to go according to the poetic agreements (conventions) which is a Noble error.   Oldham’s works are “mellow” soft, pleasant and free from harsh tones, for they come from young and skillful poets.  Even he admits that his own works have lost their life and become dull to accept them as matured master pieces.

 “Once more, hail, and farewell! Farewell, thou young,

But ah! too short, Marcellus of our tongue!

Thy brows with ivy and with laurels bound;

But Fate and gloomy night encompass thee around”

 Johan Dryden ends his elegy with the greatest message. He says death is a common feature of human life cycle. Death will creep in as a thief without uninvited ignoring the cast or creed.  But Dryden shows the bitter truth of death and also the glorious achievements of a dedicated artist.  “Marcellus” is the successor of Augustus in Roman Empire.  Dryden views Oldham as the successor of the literary empire of Britain.

 Literary devices

 Literary devices are the various techniques the poet has used in his work to bring out his love for the subject.  In the elegy “to the Memory of Mr. Oldham, John Dryden focuses the premature death of Oldham at the early but indirectly he appreciates the worthiness and his relationship with Oldham.

 Title

It’s an elegy of John Dryden, lamenting over the death of Mr. Oldham, a great satirist of Restoration period.

Stanza form

One stanza with 25 lines.  But it has been divided into two section for analyzing.  First section would be mourning for the departed soul, second section would be appreciating the qualities of Oldham.

Rhyming pattern

AABB heroic couplets

Tone

Sad tone.  Expressing grief along with appreciation.

Theme

Inevitability of death in human life.  Death has no differences for cast or creed.  What says about you after death is your work and your human qualities.

Narrator

The poet John Dryden

Techniques followed

Metaphor and Allusion and Greek mythological characters to bring the quality of Oldham.

Metaphor

 A comparison of one thing to another to make the description more clear.

 “Cast in the same poetic mould with mind”   he implies that both the poets have the same interests and seems to have been taken from the same mould.  Their acquaintance was for a shorter period but Dryden shows his admiration as if he had known him for a longer period of time. (Quite contrasting)

“One common note on either lyre did strike.”  They both are common note when the lyre strike.  They share the same human qualities to explore the political and religious turmoil in England.

“O early ripe! To thy abundant store” tree full of healthy growth with fruits.   Early ripe refers to the poetic wisdom he achieved at early age.

Thy generous fruits, though gather’d ere their prime,   Dryden admires the maturity and wisdom of young Oldham in his works.  They are fruits of wisdom which enrich the literature world in all aspects.

Irony

Words or phrase used to refer just the opposite of the actual expression to give a humorous effect.

 “The last set out the soonest did arrive.”  Death could not be ignored. But the brilliant Oldham is the last person to complete his journey first.  Age is not a reason for estimation.

  Allusion

A reference to another event, person place or work of literature.  It provides another layer of meaning to what is being said.

 Nisus and Euryalus, Greek mythological characters served Aeneas.  During a foot race, Nisus slipped purposely into a pool of blood so that Euryalus could win the race. By this Dryden compares himself as Nisus and Oldham as Euryalus.

 Marcellus was a successful character from Virgil’s Aeneid. He died at young age but one the more celebrated character by Virgil. Nephew of Augustus

  Foreshadow

Predication of future events.

“But satire needs not those, and wit will shine”

The poet expresses his hope and faith that the works and wisdom of Mr. Oldham would produce positive effect in this complicated world even after his premature death.

Oxymoron

Words with contradiction such as big baby, open secret.

“A noble error, and but seldom made” By Noble error the poet means when the poets expresses with too much force sometime they forget to go according to the poetic protocols.

Juxtaposition

Comparison and closeness with contrast nature.

 “hail and farewell!”  He salutes and give farewell to show the glorious laurels of Oldham.

Symbols

Symbols represents some material object.

“Thy brows with ivy and with laurels bound;”, “But Fate and gloomy night encompass thee around.”

Ivy and laurels stand for the poet’s victory and achievements.

Gloomy night symbolize the completion of a day.  Dryden shows death as a complete mission of existence of human life.

Alliteration

Repetition of the same consonant sound especially at the beginning of words.

“for sure our souls were near ally’s and thine”

Repetition of /r/ in the line.

 Thus the poem is a good example during the Restoration period.  A great elegy dedicated to the brilliant poet Mr. Oldham. An unforgettable farewell to the literature genius Mr. Oldham whose premature death had a great effect in John Dryden the glorious satirist.