The Wild Gallant

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John Dryden was born on August 9, 1631, in Aldwincle, Northamptonshire, and grew up in Titchmarsh. He attended Westminster School as a King's Scholar and graduated with a BA from Trinity College, Cambridge, in 1654. After returning to London during The Protectorate, he worked for Cromwell's Secretary of State, John Thurloe. Dryden was present at Cromwell's funeral in 1658, marking a pivotal moment in English history as the nation transitioned from a Republic to a Monarchy. His literary career began that same year with the publication of "Heroic Stanzas," a tribute to Cromwell. Following the Restoration of the Monarchy in 1660, he celebrated with "Astraea Redux," a royalist poem. With the reopening of theatres, he ventured into playwriting, debuting with "The Wild Gallant" in 1663, though it was not successful. From 1668, he was contracted to produce three plays annually for the King's Company, becoming a shareholder. His 1667 poem "Annus Mirabilis" solidified his status as the leading poet of his time, leading to his appointments as Poet Laureate in 1668 and historiographer royal in 1670. By the late 1690s, he was working on his major translation of "The Works of Virgil," published in 1697. Dryden passed away on May 12, 1700, and was initially buried in St. Anne's cemetery before being reinterred in Westminster Abbey.