Dryden's concept about rhyme and blank verse in his essay on "An Essay of Dramatic Poesie ".

  John Dryden(1631-1700), whom Walter Scott called "glorious John", was a literary critic, poet, playwright, translator and also a neo-classicist. He is popularly known for his critical work,"An Essay of Dramatic Poesie"(1668). Here he discusses about many interesting topics like the debate between the old and modern writers, between French drama and English drama and between rhyme and blank verse. The subject matter is quite interesting which is put forward by Sir Philip Sidney in his " Apologie for Poetrie" or "Defence of Poesie" (1580).

   Dryden here used a very unique way to proof his view point. His critical work looks like a three act play which also has some subplots. He here used the dialogue technique which is set among four character-- Crites, Eugenius, Lisideius, and Neander. These characters present their view point on the topic of the debate and the character Neander represent Dryden himself. And the other characters are also the representatives of the real persons. Crites represents Earl of Dorset: English poet and courtier, Eugenius represents Robert Howard: English playwright and politician and Lisideius Sir Charles Sedley: English wit, playwright and politician.

   Before the discussion of which is better, whether rhyme of blank verse, we have to have a clear concept of rhyme and the blank verse. A 'rhyme' is a repitition of similar sound or the same sound in two or more words, most iften in the final syllables of lines in poems and songs. On the other hand a 'blank verse' is the poetry  written with regular metrical but unrhymed lines, almost always in iambic pentameter. It has been described as "probably the most common and influential form that English poetry has taken since 16th century" and Paul Fusel has estimated that "about three quarters of all English poetry is in blank verse."

   In this essay, Crites speaks in favour of blank verse and attack rhyming words and Dryden replies to Crites and defends rhyme through the mouth of Neander. Crites' points are discussed below:
    Crites begins his argument with reference of the great playwrights like Shakespeare, Fletcher, Ben Jonson who are written without any rhyme. He says that rhyme is unnatural in a play because nobody speaks in rhyme in real life. He asserts-- "First then, I am of opinion, that rhyme is unnatural in a play,because dialogue there is presented as the effect of sudden thought; for a play is the imitation of nature; and since  no man, without premeditation, speak in rhyme, neither ought he to do it it on the stage."

        What Crites means to say is that play is written in dialogue form and without much preparation no one can speak in rhyme. According to him the feelings and thoughts of a man may be well expressed in blank verse but rhyme is not capable of expressing all these things. He says, "there is a probability that men of excellentand quick parts may speak noble things extempore, but those thoughts are never fettered with the numbers or sound of verse without study."

     In his purpose, he quotes Aristotle: " 'tis best to write tragedy in that kind of verse which is the least such, or which is nearest prose: and this amongst the ancients was the iambic,  and with us is blank verse..."  Crites also argues that one who has not the judgement to control his fancy in blank verse will not be able to control it in rhyme either. Artistic control is a matter of judgement, and not of rhyme or verse.

    Now Neander puts his poimts for the arguments. As Crites said that rhyme may be good for comedy, Neander excluded all comedy from his defence. He says, "I deny not but blank verse may be also used", but according to him," rhyme is there as natural and more effectual than blank verse." From Neander's point of view, selection and placement of the words should be the most important consideration. He says if the words of poetry or drama or anykind of literary writing may be "ill-chosen" or "ill-placed", then not only rhyme but all kinds of verse become 'unnatural'.

     To make his point stronger, Neander uses the reference of Fletcher. Fletcher's line written in blank verse --" I heaven invoke, and strong resistance make" seems very ridiculous because the words and clauses are placed unnaturally. Neander also says rhyme itself may be made to look natural by the use of run-on-lines, and variety resulting from the use of hemistich, manipulation of pauses and stresses and the change of meter. Rhyme is justified by its universal use among all the civilized nations of the world. According to him, "Variety of cadences is the best rule, the greatest help to the actors and refreshment to the audience.

    Neander now says thet comedy is " the imitation of common persons and ordinary speaking", but the serious play or tragedy is " the representation of nature, but 'tis nature wrought up to a higher pitch." Neander here argues very tactically. He says "Blank verse is acknowledge to be too low for a poem" and then says, if it is "too low for an ordinary sonnet", then for the tragedy which is the best representative of nature, how much this blank verse is appropriate. After all these arguments, finally Neander concludes by saying that , " the easiness of blank verse  renders the poet too luxurian,  but that the labour of rhyme bounds and circumscribes an over fruitful fancy."

     Though Dryden here tries to establish rhyme as the better ornament of writing, he himself used rhyme for his plays upto "Aurangzebe". And in the preface to his plays he bids farewell to his 'mistress rhyme' and expresses his intention to turning blank verse. His plays like " All for Love", "The Indian Queen" are all written in blank verse.