Political Satire
Above all else, Dryden’s poem is now an artistic rendering of what was, at the time, a potentially explosive political debate. The Exclusion Crisis wreaked havoc in England from 1679-1681 as the legitimate succession of James to the throne after his brother Charles II was being obstructed by the Whigs on the basis of James’ Catholicism. Favoring an illegitimate son of Charles, the Duke of Monmouth, the Whigs were squaring off against what, to Dryden, was not just the rights of one man, but rather the very foundation of the transition of power which gave the British monarchy its authority. Just as parodies of political figures and satirical treatments of political events on a show like Saturday Night Live can wield influence over public opinion, so is literary satire a powerful form of propaganda. By satirizing a very perilous subject, Dryden was not only aiming to influence the outcome: he was also taking the steps best available to him to convince those in the public who might not “get” the seriousness of the issue from straightforward coverage.
Biblical Allegory
This work is considered one of the greatest examples of political satire in history, and it accomplishes this through biblical allegory. England was a far more literate country than many others at the time, but even so, if most people actually owned a book, that book was likely to be the Bible. The Bible acted as metaphor for most Christians to a level far exceeding anything else ever published, and Dryden was well aware of that. Therefore, he made the brilliant calculation to not cast his satire as an allegory of ancient myth or British heroes: instead, his satire is situated within an allegorical framework that nearly every reader would immediately understand. Furthermore, Dryden chose as his figures for transforming the contemporary state of the right succession in England what is perhaps the most famous story of succession in the entire Bible. Thus, Charles II is transformed into King David—in the top five of almost every Bible reader’s list of heroes—while the Duke of Monmouth is appropriately cast as Absalom, David’s son. The false Shaftesbury is the false Achitophel, a smart, manipulative, cunning figure.
The Erosion of the Value and Power of Poetry
One of the unintended themes of Dryden’s poem is how it has become one of the supreme illustrations of how much the perceived value of poetry has decreased in contemporary times. When the published poem hit the streets, Dryden created a bull market for poetry’s value. Samuel Johnson, who would go on to become one of England’s literary legends alongside Dryden, would not be born for almost three decades after this period in British history, during which time his father was a bookseller. Johnson would later recount how his father told him that he could not keep copies of Dryden’s poem on his shelves. Everyone in London was familiar with the actual political crisis taking place, and half of them were eager to read Dryden’s satirical allegory. The storied reaction to Dryden’s poem about a current political scandal, couched as a biblical parody, seems utterly inconceivable for modern society. Today, a gossipy non-fiction bestseller weaved from anonymous sources can impact political scandals just as easily, but very few of those books will also go on to become an established highlight of the literary history of an entire language.
Desire for Power
Dryden's poem suggests that the desire for power is a common one in the hearts of men. Almost all men want it in some fashion or another, and they are easily swayed from their rightful place and beliefs if given the opportunity to amass it. Absalom is generally a good, loving, and moral son (albeit a tempestuous one), but he cannot help himself when Achitophel comes calling with whispers of the throne. Achitophel also holds a significant position, but it is not enough for him. Whether one is in politics, the law, or religion, one still has these desires. Dryden doesn't condemn ambition outright, but he asserts that one must know his place and that, if it is not moral or legitimate to seek a specific office or position, then the one who occupies it has the right to resist with force.
The Malleability and Malcontentedness of the People
Dryden does not have a lot of positive things to say about the people of England (who are the Jews in the poem). They are fickle, self-interested, foolish, and easily swayed. As Achitophel knows well, "Weak arguments! which yet he knew full well, / Were strong with people easy to rebel" (214-15). They are a "Solymaean rout" (513) who are "In godly faction, and in treason bold; / Cow'ring and quaking at a conqu'ror's sword" (514-15). They fall for weak and specious arguments, they are swayed by emotion and sentimentality, and, ultimately, "the most may err as grossly as the few" (782). The strong, legitimate ruler should use his power to quell their unrest and punish those who step out of line.
Paternity and Patriarchy
There are numerous evocations of fathers and sons in this poem. David is the father of Absalom, but God is his Father. David is the patriarch of the land and must put aside his earthly fatherly feelings for Absalom in order to do his own Father's bidding. Absalom loves his father and wishes to emulate him, but whereas David is god-like, Absalom is purely a man. A parallel to Absalom is Barzillai's son, who remains untarnished in his reputation because he served his post faithfully (and even died for it). If David is to be the father to the people and to retain his paternal authority bestowed from God, then he must set his earthly son in his place.
Charles's Fitness for the Throne
One of Dryden's main points in this allegory is that Charles is fit for the throne. He does not excuse his faults, beginning the poem with a frank admission of Charles's propensity to sire illegitimate children throughout the land and his discomfort with Charles's initial reluctance to step in to deal with Monmouth, but he makes the case that that behavior does not stack up against Charles's legitimate power as the rightful monarch. Through David's speech, Dryden makes it clear that Charles is implementing the law, and that the law is above the people. Charles is its faithful arbiter and is keeping the balance in the state. Even though, as critic Randy Robertson points out, Dryden begins the poem with "Charles the father, the 'personal monarch,' who helps populate England with subjects," he ends with the assertion that "law reigns above the king" and "the gavel comes down like an axe: Charles metes out justice impersonally."
