Super Short Summary

An admitted imitation of Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra, John Dryden’s heroic drama All for Love (1677) is a sequel of sorts to the bard's play. It follows the last hours of the ill-fated couple as their love is tested by war, jealousy, and lies. Written in blank verse, All for Love is Dryden's best known and most often performed play; he wrote it with the intention of revitalizing serious drama. Dryden (1631-1700) was a poet, playwright, and literary critic of such influence that he was named England's first Poet Laureate in 1668.