“Absalom and Achitophel” is a masterpiece written by John Dryden, and it stands as one of the best political satires in English literature. It is a long poem in which Dryden has beautifully depicted the contemporary history of England, especially the conflict between King Charles II and his illegitimate son, the Duke of Monmouth. In the poem, Dryden takes the side of the king, naturally opposing the Duke of Monmouth. He allegorically portrayed the state of England at that time using characters from the Bible. Absalom represents the illegitimate son of King Charles II, known as the Duke of Monmouth. Achitophel, on the other hand, is portrayed as Absalom’s friend and adviser, and he is none other than the Earl of Shaftesbury. The intention of Achitophel was to incite rebellion against the king through Absalom, and in this context, the king is referred to as King David, representing King Charles II in “Absalom and Achitophel.” The king, Charles II, did not have any legitimate children with his queen, and he had some illicit relationships with several women. Among the illegitimate offspring, Absalom, or the Duke of Monmouth, was his most favorite.
Achitophel tried to provoke Absalom so that he would go against the king. However, Absalom gave a long speech, stating that he had no inclination to go against the king. According to him, King David, or Charles II, was a generous ruler who sought the well-being of his subjects and never oppressed them. Absalom pointed out that King David had always treated him as a cherished son, standing by him in times of danger and adversity. Not only that, King Charles II, or David, had also fulfilled every desire of Absalom, leaving him with no intention to rebel against him.
Upon hearing this, Achitophel tried to convince Absalom in various ways that he should rebel against the king. Initially, Achitophel used flattery or praise to influence Absalom. He lauded various qualities of Absalom and asserted that he was suitable and competent to be a king. At first, he sought to win Absalom’s favor through compliments.
Furthermore, Achitophel expressed some thoughts against the king. According to him, King David or Charles II might be generous but not necessarily intelligent. Moreover, the king gives a lot to the people without them asking for it, and this, according to Achitophel, is not a positive trait. Overall, Achitophel believes that the king lacks genuine leadership qualities and is not truly fit to be a ruler.
In this manner, Achitophel tried to establish in Absalom’s mind that, when considering the future of England, Absalom, or the Duke of Monmouth, is the most suitable candidate. The Duke of Monmouth possesses all the requisite qualities, while the king possesses none. The king is not a bad man, but not as virtuous as the Duke of Monmouth, and he does not understand the sentiments of the people. Therefore, the king makes mistakes in every step, and as a result, the country has fallen into debt, and the future of the nation is not bright.
Not only that, but the king’s worst act is appointing his brother James to the position that rightfully belongs to Absalom. James’ most significant offense is that he adheres to the Catholic faith, and if James ascends to the throne, it will lead to the triumph of Catholics and the destruction of Protestants. Not just that, James harbors resentment towards Absalom and will strive to annihilate him.
Achitophel is very intelligent, and he directly tells Absalom that now is the best time to take up arms against the king. If Absalom, or the Duke of Monmouth, does not act at this moment, his future will be extremely unfortunate. If James comes to power, he will immediately remove Absalom as a potential threat. Furthermore, the king may love Absalom today, but he might not continue to favor him tomorrow. The king is more dependent on his mistresses, and his attitude towards Absalom may not always remain consistent.
Achitophel also mentioned that many people have lost faith in the king, and through them, a formidable military force can be assembled. Different individuals have various reasons for their distrust towards the king, and the Duke of Monmouth is the only one who can bring them together. The Duke of Monmouth is a popular figure, and if he issues a call, people will rally behind him. Moreover, Achitophel himself is an influential person and will strive to manipulate many individuals to join the cause. Achitophel also noted that many influential figures harbor distrust towards the king and have more mistrust in his appointed heir, James, than in the king himself.
In this subtle manner, Achitophel skillfully tried to incite the Duke of Monmouth against King David or Charles II. History reveals that the Duke of Monmouth indeed led a rebellion but faced subsequent failure.
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