Essay Questions

Explain the reason why John Dryden wrote the poem.

The poem is used by the author as a way to express the reason why he converted to Catholicism. When he made the change, the most common religion was the Roman Catholic Church but after Anglicanism was introduced in England as the main religious form, the Roman Catholics were harshly persecuted. Many former Roman Catholics changed to Anglicanism because they were afraid of the consequences they will have to suffer. John Dryden claimed time and time again that his decision to convert was not the result of the political change in the country but rather his own belief that the Anglican Church was the one true faith.

What is the difference between the Christian religion and Deism?

One of the subjects approached by the narrator is the difference between Christianity and Deism. By pointing out these differences, the narrator wants to point out that Deism is inferior. Deism is a psychological idea that tries to promote the idea that in our modern days, God no longer talks directly with priests and other faithful people on earth and that faith can be gained by watching the natural world and contemplating the teachings in the Bible. In Christianity, God continues to talk with various people on Earth and these are eventually raised to the status of sainthood. This goes against a common belief in Deism according to which everyone is equal in front of God.

What is the connection between Religio Laici, Or a Layman's Faith and the poem The Hind and the Panther?

The first poem is a premise to the poem The Hind and the Panther. The main subject in the two poems is the same and through these poems, the narrator tries to argue the reason why he decided to change his religion. The first poem introduces the second poem and while The Hind and the Panther is an allegorical poem, Religion Laici is a much more direct poem through which the narrator expresses directly his point of view. The two poems can be read in isolation and analyzed as such but they complement one another and should be seen as such.