''Astraea Redux'', written by

John Dryden John Dryden (; – ) was an English poet, literary critic, translator, and playwright who in 1668 was appointed England's first Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom, Poet Laureate. He is seen as dominating the literary life of Restoration (En ...

in 1660, is a royalist

panegyric A panegyric ( or ) is a formal public speech or written verse, delivered in high praise of a person or thing. The original panegyrics were speeches delivered at public events in ancient Athens. Etymology The word originated as a compound of - ' ...

in which Dryden welcomes the new regime of King Charles II. It is a vivid emotional display that overshadows the cautious ''Heroique Stanzas'' that Dryden composed for

Oliver Cromwell Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English statesman, politician and soldier, widely regarded as one of the most important figures in British history. He came to prominence during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, initially ...

's death. In the former, Dryden apologizes for his allegiance with the Cromwellian government. Dryden was later excused by

Samuel Johnson Samuel Johnson ( – 13 December 1784), often called Dr Johnson, was an English writer who made lasting contributions as a poet, playwright, essayist, moralist, literary critic, sermonist, biographer, editor, and lexicographer. The ''Oxford ...

for this change in allegiance when he wrote, 'if he changed, he changed with the nation.' The period between Cromwell and the Restoration is presented in ''Astraea'' as a time of chaos, and Charles is greeted as a restorer of peace. In the traditional form of the panegyric, Charles is praised for qualities which it is hoped he will attain as well as for those he already possesses, and Dryden recommends that Charles adopt a policy of toleration. The poem well illustrates Dryden's lifelong commitment to peace and political stability. It also shows that Dryden was looking for a royal patron. The name of the poem ''Astraea Redux'' is defined in '' The Nuttall Encyclopaedia'' as "an era which piques itself on the return of the reign of justice to the earth." The poem's title is a reference to Greek goddess

Astraea In ancient Greek religion and mythology, Astraea (; ), also spelled Astrea or Astria, is a daughter of Astraeus and Eos. She is the virgin goddess of justice, innocence, purity, and precision. She is closely associated with the Greek goddess of ...

, a

personification Personification is the representation of a thing or abstraction as a person, often as an embodiment or incarnation. In the arts, many things are commonly personified, including: places, especially cities, National personification, countries, an ...

justice In its broadest sense, justice is the idea that individuals should be treated fairly. According to the ''Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy'', the most plausible candidate for a core definition comes from the ''Institutes (Justinian), Inst ...

References

External links

Text of the poem
1660 poems Charles II of England Panegyrics Poetry by John Dryden {{UK-poem-stub