Dryden's 'To the Duchess of Ormond': Identifying her Plantagenet Predecessor

Abstract

AFTER dedicating his last major work, Fables Ancient and Modern (1700), to his patron, James Butler, the Duke of Ormond, Dryden extends his tribute to the family by addressing his opening poem to the Duchess of Ormond, Mary Somerset. The full title of the poem, ‘To Her Grace the Dutchess of Ormond, With the following Poem of Palamon and Arcite, From Chaucer’, immediately informs us that Dryden is using the occasion to establish a link to the next poem in the collection, his translation of The Knight's Tale. Equally important, he is eager to emphasize his own connection to Chaucer, which he does at the very outset of his poem: The Bard who first adorn’d our Native Tongue Tun’d to his British lyre this ancient Song: Which Homer might without a Blush reherse, And leaves a doubtful Palm in Virgil's Verse: He match’d their Beauties, where they most excell; Of Love sung better, and of Arts as well. (1–6)1 If Chaucer by the best Idea wrought, And Poets can divine each others Thought, The fairest Nymph before his Eyes he set; And then the fairest was Plantagenet; Who three contending Princes made her Prize, And rul’d the Rival-Nations with her Eyes: Who left Immortal Trophies of her Fame, And to the Noblest Order gave the Name. Like Her, of equal Kindred to the Throne, You keep her Conquests, and extend your own. (11–20)