› John Dryden

John Dryden (1631-1700) was a prominent English poet, literary critic, translator, and playwright, known as England's first Poet Laureate during the Restoration Period, often called the Age of Dryden. Educated at Westminster and Trinity College, Dryden significantly influenced English literature with works like 'Marriage á la Mode,' 'Mac Flecknoe,' and 'Aureng-zebe.' He is noted for pioneering the heroic couplet in poetry and impacting later writers such as Alexander Pope, Lord Byron, and Walter Scott. His translations made classic literature accessible to English readers. Dryden died in 1700 and was reburied in Westminster Abbey.