Mac Flecknoe (full title: Mac Flecknoe; or, A satyr upon the True-Blew-Protestant Poet, T.S.

[1]) is a verse mock-heroic satire written by John Dryden. It is a direct attack on Thomas Shadwell, another prominent poet of the time. It opens with the line: All human things are subject to decay, and when fate summons, monarchs must obey[2] Written about 1678, but not published until 1682 (see 1682 in poetry), "Mac Flecknoe" is the outcome of a series of disagreements between Thomas Shadwell and Dryden. Their quarrel blossomed from the following disagreements: "1) their different estimates of the genius of Ben Jonson, 2) the preference of Dryden for comedy of wit and repartee and of Shadwell, the chief disciple of Jonson, for humors comedy, 3) a sharp disagreement over the true purpose of comedy, 4) contention over the value of rhymed plays, and 5) plagiarism."[3] Shadwell fancied himself heir to Ben Jonson and to the variety of comedy which the latter had commonly written. Shadwells poetry was certainly not of the same standard as Jonsons, and it is possible that Dryden wearied of Shadwells argument that Dryden undervalued Jonson. Shadwell and Dryden were separated not only by literary grounds but also by political ones as Shadwell was a Whig, while Dryden was an outspoken supporter of the Stuart monarchy. The poem illustrates Shadwell as the heir to a kingdom of poetic dullness, represented by his association with Richard Flecknoe, an earlier poet Dryden disliked, but Dryden does not use belittling techniques to satirize him. The multiplicity of allusions to 17th Century literary works and to classic Greek and Roman literature with which the poem is riddled, demonstrates Drydens complex approach to satire, and the fact that he satirizes his own work as well shows his mastery over and respect towards the mock-heroic style in which the poem is written. The poem begins in the tone of an epic masterpiece, presenting Shadwell's defining characteristic as dullness, just as every epic hero has a defining characteristic: Odysseus's is cunning; Achilles's is wrath; the hero of Spenser's The Faerie Queene is of holiness; whilst Satan in Paradise Lost has the defining characteristic of pride. Thus, Dryden subverts the theme of the defining characteristic by giving Shadwell a negative characteristic as his only virtue. Dryden uses the mock-heroic through his use of the heightened language of the epic to treat the trivial subjects such as poorly written and largely dismissible poetry. The juxtaposition of the lofty style with unexpected nouns such as 'dullness' provides an ironic contrast and makes the satiric point by the obvious disparity. In this, it works at the verbal level, with the language being carried by strong compelling rhythms and rhymes.

Dryden who preached that we have no moral right on the reputation of other men is incidentally the same Dryden who writes Mac Flecknoe. The satire is unmistakably written for personal revenge and it attacks a personal rival blatantly referred to in its subtitle, Or a satire upon the True-Blue-Protestant Poet, T.S. Dryden exposes Shadwell to public ridicule by using the devices of the mock-heroic. In 217 lines Dryden creates an image of Shadwell that has fixed his reputation to this day. Shadwell, the self-proclaimed heir of Ben Jonson is presented as the son and successor of Flecknoe from whom he inherits the throne of dullness. The rhetoric of Augustan satiric writing cleverly couched controversial statements in aphorisms. Dryden opens his remarkable satire by stating an aphorism which immediately becomes persuasive, setting the tone of the poem and its intention of literary propaganda: All human things are subject to decay, And when fate summons, monarchs must obey. Drydens Mac Flecknoe is an attack on what he calls dullness, Nonsense, absolute, which refers to second ratedness and mediocrity. The violence of a lampoon is couched in the finesse of portraiture. Mac Flecknoe is the perfect example how the distorting poetic line of Augustan satire used to reduce a victim to visual incongruity (Hagstrum). Wit, elegance and urbanity may all be appealed to but ultimately what we have is a reputation thrown to shreds. The distance between Augustan precepts and Augustan practice is indeed staggering: Shadwell alone, my perfect image bears, Mature in dullness from his tender years. Shadwell alone, of all my sons is he, Who stands confirmed in full stupidity. Drydens victim is shown as ignoble and inept, but just about bearable. The analogy in Mac Flecknoe has biblical undertones that deal with divine selection which add an unexpected dimension on incongruous dignity to the low scene. The obvious disparity between object and style marks the satiric point. The Augustans satire puts forth the dogma that they use satire for didactic purposes in order to reform a decadent society. However, the form of the burlesque according to James M. Cox must be distinguished from satire. Cox argues that the end of the burlesque must be entertainment. Thus although Drydens satires have their roots in indignation they do not chasten the reader but provoke a laughter; a laughter that shifts the responsibility from the individual since we are laughing with them. Thus the elevated aims of Augustan satire can be demeaned when satirists engage in personal attacks. In Mac Flecknoe Dryden goes beyond scornfulness when depicting Shadwells enthronement. It seems that Augustan satire cannot sustain itself at times when dealing with the trivial and the absurd. At one point we have didacticism and at another we have deviations to farce. Shadwells enthronement depicts an indignity out of character with the sublime imagery of the poem. Nevertheless, Drydens aesthetic forms often compensate for the lack of morality. In spite of the lack or moral and ethical values in Mac Flecknoe, Drydens magnificent satire is redeemed by its innovative and crucially admirable engagement in verbal refinement while delivering the sharpest cutting edge.