Home > Absalom and Achitophel

The poem is an allegory that uses the story of the rebellion of Absalom against King David as the basis for discussion the Monmouth rebellion called the "Meal-tub Plot" ( 1679) and the Exclusion Crisis . Dryden's skill at walking a fine line between praise and condemnation of his king is extraordinary, and the poem is not only the finest satire Dryden wrote, but is likely the finest political satire ever written in English verse, even if the topicality of the satire is so intense as to obscure its value to contemporary readers.

The story of Absalom's revolt is told in the Book of Samuel in the Old Testament of the Bible (in 2 Samuel xiv and xv). David fought his beautiful, rebelling son, who died while fleeing battle and getting caught by his hair in bramble bushes. Absalom's advisor, Ahitophel (Achitophel in the Vulgate) was swallowed up by the earth for his evil counsel. This rebellion caused David enormous personal grief.

In 1681 in England, Charles was in advanced years. He had had a number of mistresses and produced a number of illegitimate children. One of these was James Scott, the Duke of Monmouth, who was very popular, both for his personal charisma and his fervor for the Protestant cause. Charles had no legitimate heirs, and his brother, the future James II of EnglandJames II of England and VII of Scotland ( 14 October 1633 16 September 1701) became King of England, Scotland and Ireland from 6 February 1685. He would prove to be the last Catholic monarch to reign over England, Scotland or Ireland. His subjects distrus was suspected of being Roman Catholic. When Charles's health suffered, there was a panic in the House of CommonsIn a bicameral parliament of a Westminster System, the House of Commons has historically been the name of the elected lower house. The Commons generally holds much more power than the upper house (the senate or House of Lords). The leader of the majority over the potential for the nation being ruled by a Roman Catholic king. The Earl of ShaftesburyThe title of Earl of Shaftesbury was created in 1672 for Anthony Ashley Cooper, 1st Baron Ashley, a prominent politician in the Cabal then dominating the policies of King Charles II. Earls of Shaftesbury ( 1672) Anthony Ashley Cooper, 1st Earl of Shaftesb had sponsored and advocated the Exclusion BillThe Exclusion Bill crisis ran from 1678 till 1681. Its focus was the exclusion of King James VII and II from the thrones of England, Ireland and Scotland because he was a Roman Catholic. The Tories were those who opposed this exclusion, while the Whigs su, but this bill was blocked by the House of LordsThis article is about the British House of Lords. See also the historical Irish House of Lords. The House of Lords is a component of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also includes the Sovereign and the British House of Commons. The House of Lor on two occasions. In the Spring of 1681, at the Oxford Parliament, Shaftesbury appealed to Charles II to legitimate Monmouth. Monmouth was caught preparing to rebel and seek the throne, and Shaftesbury was suspected of fostering this rebellion. (Later, the Duke would execute these plans (after the date of the poem) and go into full revolt. The Monmouth Rebellion was put down, and in 1685 the Duke was executed.) The poem was written, possibly at Charles's behest, and published in early November of 1681. On November 24, 1681, Shaftesbury was seized and charged with high treason. A trial before a jury picked by Whig sheriffs acquitted him.

Dryden's poem tells the story of the first foment by making Monmouth into Absalom, the beloved boy, Charles into David (who also had some philandering), and Shaftesbury into Achitophel. It paints Buckhingham, an old enemy of Dryden's (see The Rehearsal for one example), into Zimri, the unfaithful servant. The poem places most of the blame for the rebellion on Shaftesbury and makes Charles a very reluctant and loving man who has to be king before father. The poem also refers to some of the Popish Plot furore and the Bloody Assizes.