In Absalom and Achitophel, Achitophel (a.k.a. "Shaftesbury") gets described in lines 150 - 213; his character is further conveyed by his direct addresses to Absalom/Duke of Monmouth (l. 230 - 302 and l. 373 - 476).
How does Dryden characterize Shaftesbury/Achitophel? Isolate one specific trait that Dryden attributes to him and cite the lines where that element of his character gets described.
Deadline: Wednesday (9/2), start of class.
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Dryden describes Shaftesbury as being full of wit. Shaftesbury possess a modest amount of intelligence which he is able to wield for his own personal gain. Furthermore, he is also described as being an honorable and wealthy man. However, Dryden emphasizes the word "Wit" continuously which may represent a dangerous or important characteristic. For example, "Would steer too nigh the sands, to boast his wit. Great wits are sure to madness near allied" (2217 lines 162-163).
Dryden makes use of an interesting tool to help characterize Achitophel; his physical appearance. He is a frail man, who tends to "punish [his] body" (2217, Line 167) which has led his "pygmy body to decay" (2217, Line 157), all due to his "fiery soul" (2217, Line 156) and ambition. Of course, at it's base these lines just seem to show that Achitophel is passionate, and wishes to accomplish much even at his old age. However, by pairing this ambition with a picture of declining and neglected physical health Dryden paints the portrait of a man who is certainly very proactive- but also extremely reckless.
Dryden begins his characterization in lines 150-151 of Achitophel with "Of these the false Achitophel was first: A name to all succeeding ages cursed:"
The word "false" and "cursed" particularly stood out to me and I may be misattributing the subject and adjective sentence construction but I believe Dryden is in a way discrediting Achitophel. He has a good name now with wealth and honor but for those in the future who may bear his name or hear of him, it will shed a more negative light on his character.
And why is Achitophel "false"? Or why would Dryden use that adjective in line 150?
The words “restless”, “unfixed”, “unpleased” and “impatient” stand out to me in lines 154-155 when Dryden describes Achitophel as “Restless, unfixed in principles and place; In power unpleased, impatient of disgrace.” From these lines Dryden characterizes Achitophel as an over eager and unsatisfied individual. It seems as though nothing is ever good enough for him. He always wants more and wants it done with perfection (what is perfect in his eyes); anything less is just a “disgrace.”
Building off what Brian has pointed out, Dryden censures Achitophel in line 198 for his "wild ambition", and as ambition "loves to slide", Achitophel must therefore prefer "fortune's ice" to "virtue's land". Achitophel/Shaftesbury slides about devoid of any localizing moral or belief. We see this realized in Shaftesbury's support of both Cromwell and Charles II. To answer Lauren's question, perhaps this is why Dryden describes Achitophel as false. That is, he is false because his duplicity has made any objective or external evaluation of his "self" as intrinsically contradictory.
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