Flecknoe

Flecknoe is a literary figure created by the English poet John Dryden in his 1682 satirical poem Mac Flecknoe. In the poem, Dryden personifies dullness as the elder writer Richard Flecknoe and crowns as his heir a younger poet named Mac Flecknoe. The central conceit is a mock-epic coronation in which Flecknoe designates his successor as the next king of dullness, thereby satirizing the state of contemporary poetry and the rivalries of Restoration-era authors.

The poem’s target is commonly understood to be the playwright Thomas Shadwell, whom Dryden portrays through the character of Mac Flecknoe. Dryden uses grandiose epic language, elaborate genealogies, and hyperbolic praise to lampoon what he sees as the pretensions and ineptitude of Shadwell and his circle. The effect is a sharp critique of literary fashion and a defense of Dryden’s own poetic standards.

Background and reception: The name Flecknoe refers to the 17th-century writer Richard Flecknoe, whom Dryden casts as the founder of a line of dullness that his successors must imitate or replace. Mac Flecknoe is regarded as a landmark example of English satire and is commonly cited for its skillful use of mock-heroic style and personal satire. The work influenced later satirical traditions, particularly in its fusion of literary feud with social commentary.

Legacy: In literary culture, Flecknoe has become shorthand for dullness in poetry, and Mac Flecknoe remains a notable early modern satire.