Mac Flecknoe As Mock-Epic

Mock-epic is a genre of poetry which creates parody by comparison of heroic poetry or classical heroes with the fool or poet's target on which he wishes to satirize. Mock-epic doesn't involve the seriousness of the epic. It works as a best way to make great satire because when there is comparison between a minor and the epic object, it results in incongruity and make the minor object more inferiorizing and funny.
John Dryden's Mac Flecknoe is considered one of the best mock-epic poems of English literature. In it, Dryden attacks his rival and former friend Thomas Shadwell. The following features prove Mac Flecknoe as a Mock-Epic or Mock Heroic :-

• Use of Heroic Couplet – Throughout the poem, Dryden used Heroic couplet (a pair of rhyming lines written in iambic pentameter) . It is commonly used in epic but here the subject of the poem is not of heroic doings of warriors but simply the description of foolishness and dullness of his contemporary rival Shadwell.

• Diction – The diction of the poem is sublime and refined words are used in it but they create opposite effect of inferiorizing Shadwell and Flecknoe. No vulgar words are used in it. This tells us that Dryden was the master of words, he didn’t have to use abusive words to make fun of his rival, he did it with respective words. The opening lines glimpse us of an epic but it is the sixth line which describes its mock-epic attribute.

Through all the realms of Nonsense absolute

• Attack with Politeness – Throughout the poem, Dryden makes an incisive attack on his rival but in a polite manner. He used royal words in the poem such as succession, coronation, state, prince, Augustus, empire. Irony is created in his achievements to create satire.  His coronation should make him proud but it degrades his status as he was chosen as perfect heir to kingdom of nonsense

Mature in dullness from his tender years
To reign and wage immortal war with wit

• Inflation-Deflation - In mock heroic, the target is first inflated through grand description and high flown words and then deflates him to the ground to create satire. Dryden proudly announces Shadwell's coronation and called him heir but later it was known that he was heir to the kingdom of nonsense. With this treatment, he lost all the uplifting characteristics and thrown back to the ground.

• Comparison with Epic heroes – The deflation of Flecknoe and Shadwell is achieved by their comparison with classical heroes such as :-

Augustus – He was the ruler of Rome succeeding Julius Caesar who ruled over Rome over 40 years. In the poem, Flecknoe was compared to Augustus just like he ruled the empire for long period since his youth, Flecknoe too ruled the kingdom of Nonsense for similar period.

Arion – He was a Greek Musician who was kidnapped by pirates and he rescued the situation by inventing a musical note to hypnotise dolphins who sailed him away from pirates. Similarly Shadwell can get only to small fishes while he was crossing Thames River in a barge.

Ascanius – He was a legendary king and hope of Rome. Shadwell is compared to him because just like him he was the hope of kingdom of nonsense.

Hannibal – He was a military commander of Carthage who in his childhood made promised that until his death he wouldn’t be a friend of Rome. Similarly, Shadwell swore from his early age to wage endless war on wit and maintain his dullness.

Romulus – He saw twelve vultures which he perceived as sign of omen for his future empire, Shadwell too saw owls which was perceived as the coming of age of Shadwell.

Dryden also made allusions to great literary figures such as Jonson, Dekker, Fletcher and Sedley.

• Pretention – The poem is pretended to be the subject of heroic and make reference to great people but in reality effect of the poem is opposite.

• Degraded setting of coronation – The coronation of Shadwell also reflects the mock heroic theme. His coronation is set in Augusta (London) which is populated by ruins, ill-famed people and brothels. In these brothels, people experienced filthy sexual pleasure and prostitutes sleep undisturbed by watchman. Near brothel, there is a school for small children who are getting training to become future heroes and queens, worst actors. They are taught to cry and defy gods. Degraded poets ruled this place. With the spreading of news about Shadwell coronation, people started gathering in streets and instead of covering path with Persian carpets, there are decorated with tore works of worthless poets. Unskilled writers including Heywood, Shirley and Ogleby gathered in Shadwell’s coronation. Broke book publishers are waiting for him to give him Guard of Honour and Herringman (Publisher of Shadwell) is the captain of them. Along with old Flecknoe, Shadwell appeared in royal state. Instead of having bright face and halo surrounding head like holy figure, fog covered his forehead and dullness is expressed on his face. He swore like Hannibal ,who swore to be enemy with Rome until his death, he too till death maintain his true dullness and take his father’s legacy to greater heights and he would never adopt wit and remain senseless forever.

• Comic Ending - At last when Flecknoe was delivering his speech, two characters in Shadwell’s The Virtuoso prepare a trap for Flecknoe and he disappeared, leaving his robe and with wind the robe fell on the double times more gifted, the true master of Dullness, Shadwell who would show more nonsense and extend his kingdom of dullness.