Dryden's verses described as paving the way for Pope's wit are best described as which type?

• A. Epics
• B. Lyric Odes
• C. Satirical Verses
• D. Dramatic Monologues

Answer: (C)

Satirical verse. Dryden’s poems are known for sharp humor, irony, and ridicule aimed at folly, literary pretensions, and public vice. This witty, corrective use of verse became a model for Pope’s own highly polished, pointed satire, so the description that Dryden’s lines paved the way for Pope’s wit fits a satire-in-verse style. Epics are grand, heroic narratives; lyric odes express personal feeling or praise; dramatic monologues present a character speaking in a dramatic situation. None of those best capture Dryden’s primary aim and method as it influenced Pope, which is to critique society and human folly through witty, tightly crafted satire.