The Exclusion Crisis:
The Context of Absalom and
Achitophel
The Exclusion Crisis: Timeline
1670s
Growing Fears of Catholic influence
in England
1673
Test Act requires public official to
make an anti-Catholic oath. Duke of
York’s resigns as Lord High Admiral.
1677
An Account of the Growth of Popery
and Arbitrary Government, a
pamphlet possibly by Andrew Marvell
Is published.
1678
(July) Titus Oates produces 43
articles alleging a Catholic plot to
assassinate Charles II and take
over English government. The King
is informed of the supposed plot the
following month.
Titus Oates
The Exclusion Crisis: Timeline
1678
(Oct.) Sir Edmund Berry Godfrey
found dead – gives the plot some
credibility.
(Oct.) Oates appears before House of
Commons and accuses five Catholic
Lords of being conspirators. The Earl
of Shaftesbury has them arrested.
(Dec) Second Test Act: Catholics
excluded from Parliament.
1679
Mass hysteria and anti-Catholic
paranoia sweeping across London.
(May) The Commons passes the first
Exclusion Bill. King dissolves
Parliament in response.
The Earl of Shaftesbury
The Exclusion Crisis: Timeline
1679
(Summer) Shaftesbury begins
meeting with the Duke of Monmouth.
(Jun.) Five Jesuit priests hanged.
(Sept) Charles sends Monmouth into
exile in Europe to calm the crisis.
(Nov.) Monmouth returns to London
uninvited to widespread rejoicing.
1680
(Spring-summer) Monmouth actively
promoting himself and touring
country. His popularity grows.
(Oct.) Parliament finally meets again.
Second Exclusion Bill passes easily,
but is rejected by the Lords.
The Duke of Monmouth
The Exclusion Crisis: Timeline
1680
(Dec) Trial of the five Lords begins.
Lord Stafford first to be found guilty
and beheaded the same month.
1681
(Jan) Charles II dissolves Parliament
again.
(Mar.): Parliament called in Oxford.
Third Exclusion Bill introduced, but
King dissolves it after a week.
(Summer) Oates arrested for sedition
and confined in prison. Shaftesbury
also arrested on charges of treason.
(Nov.) Trial of Shaftesbury. Dryden
publishes Absalom and Achitophel to
coincide. Shaftesbury is acquitted.
The Viscount Stafford
The Revolt of Absalom against King David
(2 Samuel 13-19)
The Revolt of Absalom against King David
(2 Samuel 13-19)
King David
Wise, heroic, merciful;
a loving father
King Charles II
Absalom
Beautiful, heroic but
misguided son
Duke of Monmouth
Achitophel
The treacherous royal
councillor
Earl of Shaftesbury
Mock-Epic
(Sometimes known as mock-heroic). A satirical form that generates
humour through the presentation of low characters or trivial subjects in
the lofty style of classical epic or heroic poems. The disjunction
between matter and manner (for instance a petticoat likened to a
warrior's shield) parodies the conventions of epic poetry and satirizes
the people and events who appear to regard themselves in heroic light.
Almost invariably a poem in heroic couplets, the mock epic typically
employs elevated poetic diction, focuses on a single ‘heroic’ incident.
Mock-Biblical
A rhetorical strategy in which scriptural quotations, narratives, or
figures are used for satirical ends. Mock-biblical satire rarely attacks the
Bible itself, but appropriating the Bible in parody to satirize the secular
world has a special force because scriptural texts cannot be wholly
divorced from their authoritative context.
(Oxford Companion to English Literature)
The Structure of Absalom and Achitophel
Lines 1-84: Introduction
Promiscuity of the times; King David’s lustful ways; the beautiful and
courageous Absalom his favourite son; the Jews (the English)
described as ‘headstrong’ and ‘moody’ – politically discontented –
despite David’s benevolence.
Lines 85-149: The plot
The grievances of the Catholics described; the ‘Plot’ (the Popish Plot)
becomes public and is everywhere ‘swallowed in the mass’. The
Opposition in Parliament (‘fiends … hardened in impertinence’) seize
upon the plot to achieve their ends.
Lines 150-229: Shaftesbury/Achitophel
The figure of Achitophel is described: his bodily deformity; his
monstrous son. Achitophel’s ambition and affected patriotism – his
politics works up the fears and hysteria of the crowd.
The Structure of Absalom and Achitophel
Lines 230-302: Achitophel tempts Absalom
We now have Achitophel’s voice rather than the narrators. He seeks to
lavishes praise upon Absalom and tries to convince him that he should
be the heir to the throne.
Lines 303-372: Absalom replies
After a brief commentary on flattery by the narrating voice (ll. 303-315),
Absalom speaks. At first he dismisses Achitophel’s arguments, stating
that David is the legitimate and merciful king. By the end of the speech
he has begun to waver – his ambition cannot be suppressed.
Lines 373- 476: Achitophel tempts Absalom further
Achitophel senses that Absalom is wavering and speaks again – further
praise and new arguments follow (particularly that the King is appointed
by his people).
The Structure of Absalom and Achitophel
Lines 477-681: The various factions described at length
Achitophel has convinced Absalom. The narrator now outlines the
various factions that Achitophel seeks to unite in opposition to the
King: Whig politicians, the London mob, the clergy, militant Protestants.
Also among the enemies of the King are Zimri (the Duke of Buckingham)
and a variety of other high profile figures. Finally, Corah (Titus Oates) is
described (ll. 632-81).
Lines 682-722: Absalom speaks to the people
The narrator states that Absalom, his hopes raised by such backing,
leaves court. He then speaks to his ‘countrymen’, attempting to rally
their support for his cause.
Lines 723-810: Mass hysteria and narratorial intervention
The people are convinced. The narrator represents the crowd as
dangerously easy to sway, and argues against the political ideas that
Achitophel and Absalom are giving voice to – esp. the notion that ‘kings
are only officers in trust’. Support for Absalom spreads through London
like a ‘disease’.
The Structure of Absalom and Achitophel
Lines 811-938: Description of King David’s allies
The narrator lists those who are loyal to the King, including Barzillai (the
Duke of Ormond). This section includes a lament on the death of
Ormond’s son. Such loyal support is strong but small. Achitophel
seems on the verge of ‘ruin[ing] Church and State’ when…
Lines 939-end: King David finally speaks
The King has finally lost patience and speaks – asserts his power and
legitimacy: ‘Beware the fury of the patient man’. Once this speech
concludes, the narrator describes its immediate effect: ‘godlike David
was restored’.
Satire in Absalom and Achitophel
Corah (who led a rebellion against Moses) = Titus Oates
His memory, miraculously great,
Could plots, exceeding man’s belief, repeat (ll. 632-81)
Zimri = the Duke of Buckingham
Stiff in opinions, always in the wrong;
Was everything by starts, and nothing long. (ll. 544-68)
Dryden’s Miltonic style
Him staggering so when hell’s dire agent found,
While fainting Virtue scarce maintained her ground,
He pours fresh force in, and thus replies … (ll. 373-5)
Achitophel as a version of Milton’s Satan
Achitophel as a version of Milton’s Satan
Dryden’s description of the Opposition:
Some by their friends, more by themselves thought wise,
Oppos'd the pow'r, to which they could not rise.
Some had in courts been great, and thrown from thence,
Like fiends, were harden'd in impenitence. (ll. 142-5)
Achitophel as a version of Milton’s Satan
Dryden’s description of the Opposition:
Some by their friends, more by themselves thought wise,
Oppos'd the pow'r, to which they could not rise.
Some had in courts been great, and thrown from thence,
Like fiends, were harden'd in impenitence. (ll. 142-5)
The ‘angelic’ Monmouth
And Paradise was open'd in his face. (l. 30)
Th' ambitious youth, too covetous of fame,
Too full of angel's metal in his frame … (ll. 309-10)
Achitophel’s persuasive argument
His right, for sums of necessary gold,
Shall first be pawn'd, and afterwards be sold:
Till time shall ever-wanting David draw,
To pass your doubtful title into law:
If not; the people have a right supreme
To make their kings; for kings are made for them.
All empire is no more than pow'r in trust:
Which when resum'd, can be no longer just.
Succession, for the general good design'd,
In its own wrong a nation cannot bind:
(ll. 405-14)
Achitophel’s persuasive argument
“People should not be afraid of their
governments. Governments should
be afraid of their people.”
John Locke (1632-1704)
• Known as ‘Father of Liberalism’
• Shaftesbury was his patron.
Two Treatises of Government (1789).
• Like Hobbes, argues that people in a state
of nature willingly come together to form a
state.
• But otherwise disagrees with Hobbes.
• Individuals in a state of nature bound
morally by “The Law of Nature”
• Government is required only to protect
these natural rights.
• A government's legitimacy comes from
the citizens' delegation to the government
of their right of self-defence.
• It derives its “just powers from the
consent of the governed”.
Politics and ‘the People’
The Solymaean rout; well vers'd of old
In godly faction, and in treason bold; (ll. 513-4)
Politics and ‘the People’
The Solymaean rout; well vers'd of old
In godly faction, and in treason bold; (ll. 513-4)
Achitophel’s rhetoric of ‘the People’
His right, for sums of necessary gold,
Shall first be pawn'd, and afterwards be sold:
Till time shall ever-wanting David draw,
To pass your doubtful title into law:
If not; the people have a right supreme
To make their kings; for kings are made for them.
All empire is no more than pow'r in trust:
Which when resum'd, can be no longer just.
Succession, for the general good design'd,
In its own wrong a nation cannot bind:
(ll. 405-14)
Leave the warm people no considering time;
For then rebellion may be thought a crime. (ll. 459-60)
Politics and ‘the People’
He stood at bold defiance with his prince:
Held up the buckler of the people's cause, (ll. 205-6)
Shaftesbury hiding behind ‘the people’s cause’: it serves a
purpose.
Is Dryden’s message: ‘People should be afraid of politicians who
obsessively invoke “the people”’?