The Golden Age of English Poetry (06:31)

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The Augustan age was a time of great change and upheaval in England, and the poets of the time responded to this by looking back to the great days of Roman literature.

John Dryden (02:40)

John Dryden was a difficult character to fully appreciate, but he was one of the great poets of the English Augustine age.

John Dryden Writes Annus Mirabilis (02:27)

John Dryden's Annus Mirabilis is a poem about the events of 1666, written in the heroic couplet.

Dryden's Absalom and Achitophel (02:51)

Dryden's Absalom and Achitophel is a poem of biblical inspiration that is actually a thinly veiled attack on political leaders opposed to the succession of James, the Duke of York.

Dryden, Pope, and Swift (05:27)

The Augustan age was a time of great political and literary achievement with Dryden, Pope, and Swift all writing some of their best work.

Alexander Pope: Early Influences (01:42)

Pope was a great poet who was influenced by Dryden. He wrote an essay on criticism that is considered a masterpiece.

An Overview of Pope's Essay (03:28)

Pope's Essay on Criticism is a great poem that teaches its readers how to become not only critics but writers.

Essays on Criticism and Satire (04:00)

Pope's Rape of the Lock is a satirical poem that uses mock epic conventions to poke fun at the inflated sense of importance of some individuals.

The Rape of the Lock (04:50)

Pope's The Rape of the Lock is a great poem that celebrates the trivial and demonstrates the power of poetry to keep things permanent.

Samuel Johnson's Lifeline (09:00)

Samuel Johnson is a famous English man of letters who was born in 1709 and wrote poetry and satire. He is most famous for his poems; London and The Vanity of Human Wishes.

Samuel Johnson's Biography (06:13)

The Augustan Age of English poetry is a time period in which three great poets, John Dryden, Alexander Pope, and Samuel Johnson wrote witty and satirical poetry that reflects on the public responsibilities of poets.

Credits (00:40)

Credits