Final answer:
The purpose of John Dryden's "Mac Flecknoe" was to satirize and make fun of the poet Thomas Shadwell, portraying him as the unfit successor to a throne of poetic mediocrity, and not any other literary figure or to make sociopolitical comments. Therefore, the correct option is A.
Step-by-step explanation:
The purpose of John Dryden's satirical poem "Mac Flecknoe" was to mock and ridicule his literary rival, Thomas Shadwell. Dryden skillfully crafted his verse to make fun of Shadwell's writing and character, presenting him as the inept heir to the throne of the Kingdom of Nonsense, inadvertently crowned by the mediocre King Flecknoe. This mock-heroic poem is rich in irony and digs at Shadwell's alleged lack of talent and Judgement. The satire extends beyond the personal to critique the literary and cultural milieu of the time, echoing the long tradition of literary satire whereby authors use humor and irony to address various societal and cultural issues.
Dryden's target was not to ridicule admirers of Shakespeare, nor to mock playwright Ben Jonson, and it certainly was not a critique of British leaders. Instead, it served as a literary clapback to a fellow writer whom Dryden deemed a lesser talent. This form of literary debate and critique was common among writers of the 16th and 17th centuries, much like the works of other great authors such as Shakespeare, who captured the complexities of the human condition in plays like Hamlet, or the comedy of manners made famous by Oscar Wilde.