The Three Unities by John Dryden

Dryden is the last and  greatest literary figure connecting the renaissance  with the Neo classical age. He is a classicist, seeking the rule of Art in the works of ancient Greek and Roman writers. But he believe in a certain amount of freedom for a writer to adapt the ancient rule of  arts to his needs. He can blend the rules while following nature and achieving the effect of naturalness. His main critical work in his essay of dramatic poesy which deals with dramatic art.

                       In his essay the three unities Dryden discuss the famous classical rules of the unity of time, place and action. According to the rules of unity of time a play should present an action of around 25 hours. The parts of time should be equally divided on the stage. The ancient dramatics followed the rule very well to make their works the nearest imitation of nature. Their drama present only the concluding main part of the story,  living the earlier part for narration.

                     The second Unity , that is the unity of place is achieved when the scene is continue in one and the same place throughout the play. This unities also justified on the ground of naturalness. But Dryden say that the variation of painted scenes of   several places may have the appearance of probability. Different places close to each other, as in the same town or city may be comprehended under the large domination of one place “Dryden says, for the observance of this next to the ancient the French to be most commendable.

                    The third unity is that of action. Dryden wants the poet to aim at one great and complete action. Everything in the play should be subservient to it. Dryden arouse that if a play present two important action it would really be two place not one and it will have no Unity. But he is not opposed to the presence of underplots, dealing with a number of actions. He given the example of the Latin play Eunuch by French presenting the marriage of Chaerea and chremess  sister as its principal action. This action is promoted by the underplot dealing with the difference and reconciliation of Thais and Phaedria.

                   Dryden criticizes modern play for their total violation of the rules of unities. These play present whole age instead of the events of a day. The stage represent for them not one town or city but many countries. Dryden does not want strict adherence to the unities. Yet he is not in favour of materially affecting the unities. In one of his late essay dedication of the Aeneis , he says. There is no such absolute necessity that the time of a stage actions should so strictly be confirm to 24 hours as never to exceed them, for which Aristotle contends; and the Grecian stage practiced.

                   Dryden admires Shakespeare who does not always observe the classical rules. Dryden is neo-classical critic and has a great regard for Aristotle, but he believes in a writer’s freedom to make light adjustment in the rules as he thinks that the spirit matters more than the mechanical rule...