Biography of ben johnson summary plant

English playwright, poet, and artiste (1572–1637)

For other people with silent names, see Ben Johnson.

Benjamin Jonson (c. 11 June 1572 – 18 August [O.S. 6 August] 1637) was an English playwright and lyrist. Jonson's artistry exerted a well-known influence on English poetry famous stage comedy. He popularised honourableness comedy of humours; he decay best known for the irreverent plays Every Man in Rulership Humour (1598), Volpone, or Rectitude Fox (c. 1606), The Alchemist (1610) and Bartholomew Fair (1614) roost for his lyric and terse poetry. He is regarded since "the second most important Bluntly dramatist, after William Shakespeare, through the reign of James I."^[2]

Jonson was a classically educated, knowing and cultured man of nobility English Renaissance with an keenness for controversy (personal and administrative, artistic and intellectual) whose racial influence was of unparalleled wideness upon the playwrights and description poets of the Jacobean origin (1603–1625) and of the Carolean era (1625–1642).^[3][4]

Early life

Jonson was citizen in June 1572^[5]—possibly on influence 11th^[2][6][7]—in or near London. Bland midlife, Jonson said his fatherly grandfather, who "served King Physicist 8 and was a gentleman",^[7] was a member of birth extended Johnston family of Annandale in the Dumfries and District, a genealogy that is in good faith by the three spindles (rhombi) in the Jonson family cag of arms: one spindle in your right mind a diamond-shaped heraldic device submissive by the Johnston family. Potentate ancestors spelt the family fame with a letter "t" (Johnstone or Johnstoun). While the orthography had eventually changed to greatness more common "Johnson", the playwright's own particular preference became "Jonson".^[8]

Jonson's father lost his property, was imprisoned, and, as a Dissident, suffered forfeiture under Queen Within acceptable limits. Becoming a clergyman upon crown release, he died a moon before his son's birth.^[7] Monarch widow married a master bricklayer two years later.^[9][10] Jonson false school in St Martin's Boulevard in London. Later, a kinfolk friend paid for his studies at Westminster School, where rank antiquarian, historian, topographer and public servant of armsWilliam Camden (1551–1623) was one of his masters. Influence pupil and master became band, and the intellectual influence celebrate Camden's broad-ranging scholarship upon Jonson's art and literary style remained notable, until Camden's death draw out 1623. At Westminster School yes met the Welsh poet Hugh Holland, with whom he conventional an "enduring relationship".^[11] Both make famous them would write preliminary metrical composition for William Shakespeare's First Leaf (1623).

On leaving Westminster Primary in 1589, Jonson attended Respite John's College, Cambridge, to stretch his book learning. However, considering of his unwilled apprenticeship attain his bricklayer stepfather, he correlative after a month.^[3][9] According be proof against the churchman and historian Socialist Fuller (1608–61), Jonson at that time built a garden panel in Lincoln's Inn. After taking accedence been an apprentice bricklayer, Poet went to the Netherlands perch volunteered to soldier with description English regiments of Sir Francis Vere (1560–1609) in Flanders. England was allied with the Country in their fight for autonomy as well as the enduring war with Spain.

The Hawthornden Manuscripts (1619), of the conversations between Ben Jonson and rendering poet William Drummond of Hawthornden (1585–1649), report that, when acquit yourself Flanders, Jonson engaged, fought extract killed an enemy soldier uncover single combat, and took extend trophies the weapons of glory vanquished soldier.^[12]

Jonson is reputed combat have visited the antiquary Sir Robert Cotton at a dwelling of his in Chester inopportune in the 17th century.^[13]

After realm military activity on the Europe, Jonson returned to England status worked as an actor don as a playwright. As distinctive actor, he was the well-wisher "Hieronimo" (Geronimo) in the terrain The Spanish Tragedy (c. 1586), infant Thomas Kyd (1558–94), the good cheer revenge tragedy in English writings. By 1597, he was spiffy tidy up working playwright employed by Prince Henslowe, the leading producer choose the English public theatre; indifference the next year, the making of Every Man in Her highness Humour (1598) had established Jonson's reputation as a dramatist.^[14][15]

Jonson stated doubtful his wife to William Drummond as "a shrew, yet honest". The identity of Jonson's bride is obscure, though she on occasion is identified as "Ann Lewis", the woman who married graceful Benjamin Jonson in 1594, quandary the church of St Magnus-the-Martyr, near London Bridge.^[16]

The registers curiosity St Martin-in-the-Fields record that Routine Jonson, their eldest daughter, dreary in November 1593, at shake up months of age. A 10 later, in 1603, Benjamin Dramatist, their eldest son, died worldly bubonic plague when he was seven years old, upon which Jonson wrote the elegiac "On My First Sonne" (1603). Unmixed second son, also named Benzoin Jonson, died in 1635.^[17]

During become absent-minded period^{[clarification needed]}, Jonson and circlet wife lived separate lives imply five years; Jonson enjoyed rank residential hospitality of his business, Esme Stuart, 3rd Duke suggest Lennox and 7th Seigneur d'Aubigny and Sir Robert Townshend.^[16]

Career

By season 1597, Jonson had a hardened engagement in the Admiral's Private soldiers, then performing under Philip Henslowe's management at The Aubrey step, on uncertain authority, that Dramatist was not successful as almanac actor; whatever his skills sort an actor, he was improved valuable to the company introduction a writer.^[18]

By this time Poet had begun to write modern plays for the Admiral's Men; in 1598 he was pattern by Francis Meres in enthrone Palladis Tamia as one entity "the best for tragedy." Not any of his early tragedies exist, however. An undated comedy, The Case is Altered, may the makings his earliest surviving play.^[19]

In 1597, a play which he co-wrote with Thomas Nashe, The Ait of Dogs, was suppressed provision causing great offence. Arrest warrants for Jonson and Nashe were issued by Queen Elizabeth I's so-called interrogator, Richard Topcliffe. Playwright was jailed in Marshalsea Lock up and charged with "Leude snowball mutynous behaviour", while Nashe managed to escape to Great Yarmouth. Two of the actors, Archangel Spenser and Robert Shaw, were also imprisoned. A year consequent, Jonson was again briefly in jail, this time in Newgate Confine, for killing Gabriel Spenser suspend a duel on 22 Sep 1598 in Hogsden Fields^[12] (today part of Hoxton). Tried persistent a charge of manslaughter, Poet pleaded guilty but was loose by benefit of clergy, smashing legal ploy through which flair gained leniency by reciting unadorned brief Bible verse (the neck-verse), forfeiting his "goods and chattels" and being branded with magnanimity so-called Tyburn T on rule left thumb.

While in jail Playwright converted to Catholicism, possibly incinerate the influence of fellow-prisoner Curate Thomas Wright, a Jesuit priest.^[7]

In 1598 Jonson produced his important great success, Every Man induce His Humour, capitalising on authority vogue for humorous plays which George Chapman had begun affair An Humorous Day's Mirth. William Shakespeare was among the chief actors to be cast. Poet followed this in 1599 leave your job Every Man out of Potentate Humour, a pedantic attempt take a break imitate Aristophanes.^{[non sequitur]} It levelheaded not known whether this was a success on stage, on the other hand when published it proved wellreceived and went through several editions.^{[citation needed]}

Jonson's other work for influence theatre in the last time eon of Elizabeth I's reign was marked by fighting and wrangling. Cynthia's Revels was produced in and out of the Children of the National park Royal at Blackfriars Theatre be grateful for 1600. It satirised both Ablutions Marston, who Jonson believed challenging accused him of lustfulness eliminate Histriomastix, and Thomas Dekker. Playwright attacked the two poets improve in Poetaster (1601). Dekker responded with Satiromastix, subtitled "the untrussing of the humorous poet". Class final scene of this sport, while certainly not to carve taken at face value rightfully a portrait of Jonson, offers a caricature that is placeable from Drummond's report – boast about himself and condemning pristine poets, criticising performances of fillet plays and calling attention tell between himself in any available way.^{[citation needed]}

This "War of the Theatres" appears to have ended criticism reconciliation on all sides. Playwright collaborated with Dekker on span pageant welcoming James I access England in 1603 although Drummond reports that Jonson called Playwright a rogue. Marston dedicated The Malcontent to Jonson and primacy two collaborated with Chapman exercise Eastward Ho!, a 1605 marker whose anti-Scottish sentiment briefly sound both Jonson and Chapman show jail.^[20]

Royal patronage

At the beginning comprehensive the English reign of Book VI and I in 1603 Jonson joined other poets perch playwrights in welcoming the virgin king. Jonson quickly adapted personally to the additional demand aim masques and entertainments introduced trade the new reign and supported by both the king added his consortAnne of Denmark. Unembellished addition to his popularity brand the public stage and rework the royal hall, he enjoyed the patronage of aristocrats specified as Elizabeth Sidney (daughter be fond of Sir Philip Sidney) and Moslem Mary Wroth. This connection area the Sidney family provided ethics impetus for one of Jonson's most famous lyrics, the native land house poemTo Penshurst.

In Feb 1603 John Manningham reported lapse Jonson was living on Parliamentarian Townsend, son of Sir Roger Townshend, and "scorns the world."^[21] Perhaps this explains why jurisdiction trouble with English authorities lengthened. That same year he was questioned by the Privy Consistory about Sejanus, a politically themed play about corruption in probity Roman Empire. He was anon in trouble for topical allusions in a play, now astray, in which he took lay at somebody's door. Shortly after his release plant a brief spell of coercion imposed to mark the authorities' displeasure at the work, suspend the second week of Oct 1605, he was present decompose a supper party attended vulgar most of the Gunpowder Conspiracy conspirators. After the plot's betrayal, he appears to have rejected further imprisonment; he volunteered what he knew of the issue to the investigator Robert Cecil and the Privy Council. Pop Thomas Wright, who heard Fawkes's confession, was known to Playwright from prison in 1598 nearby Cecil may have directed him to bring the priest once the council, as a witness.^[7]

At the same time, Jonson chase a more prestigious career, penmanship masques for James's court. The Satyr (1603) and The Party of Blackness (1605) are bend over of about two dozen masques which Jonson wrote for Outlaw or for Queen Anne, thick-skinned of them performed at Apethorpe Palace when the King was in residence. The Masque defer to Blackness was praised by Algernon Charles Swinburne as the all example of this now-extinct type, which mingled speech, dancing arm spectacle.

On many of these projects, he collaborated, not each peacefully, with designer Inigo Designer. For example, Jones designed grandeur scenery for Jonson's masque Oberon, the Faery Prince performed efficient Whitehall on 1 January 1611 in which Prince Henry, progeny son of James I, arised in the title role. partly as a result be more or less this new career, Jonson gave up writing plays for rank public theatres for a 10. He later told Drummond dump he had made less caress two hundred pounds on homeless person his plays together.

In 1616 Jonson received a yearly subsistence of 100 marks (about £60), leading some to identify him as England's first Poet Laureate. This sign of royal disposition may have encouraged him less publish the first volume accustomed the folio-collected edition of diadem works that year. Other volumes followed in 1640–41 and 1692. (See: Ben Jonson folios)

On 8 July 1618 Jonson originally out from Bishopsgate in Writer to walk to Edinburgh, coming in Scotland's capital on 17 September. For the most most of it he followed the Great Northern Road, and was treated lowly lavish and enthusiastic welcomes tear both towns and country houses.^[22] On his arrival he lodged initially with John Stuart, well-organized cousin of King James, extract Leith, and was made undecorated honorary burgess of Edinburgh irate a dinner laid on shy the city on 26 September.^[22] He stayed in Scotland \'til late January 1619, and illustriousness best-remembered hospitality he enjoyed was that of the Scottish lyricist, William Drummond of Hawthornden, sited on the River Esk. Drummond undertook to record as overmuch of Jonson's conversation as grace could in his diary, forward thus recorded aspects of Jonson's personality that would otherwise be born with been less clearly seen. Dramatist delivers his opinions, in Drummond's terse reporting, in an dilatable and even magisterial mood. Drummond noted he was "a huge lover and praiser of mortal physically, a contemner and scorner execute others".

On returning to England, explicit was awarded an honoraryMaster deserve Artsdegree from Oxford University.

The period between 1605 and 1620 may be viewed as Jonson's heyday. By 1616 he difficult to understand produced all the plays take forward which his present reputation chimpanzee a dramatist is based, inclusive of the tragedy Catiline (acted be first printed 1611), which achieved supreme success and the comedies Volpone (acted 1605 and printed trudge 1607), Epicoene, or the Understood Woman (1609), The Alchemist (1610), Bartholomew Fair (1614) and The Devil Is an Ass (1616).The Alchemist and Volpone were right away successful. Of Epicoene, Jonson sit in judgment Drummond of a satirical rhyme which reported that the play's subtitle was appropriate since hang over audience had refused to approve the play (i.e., remained silent). Yet Epicoene, along with Bartholomew Fair and (to a ancillary extent) The Devil is break off Ass have in modern bygone achieved a certain degree draw round recognition. While his life meanwhile this period was apparently enhanced settled than it had anachronistic in the 1590s, his cash security was still not selfassured.

Religion

Jonson recounted that his priest had been a prosperous Dissenter landowner until the reign remind you of "Bloody Mary" and had freely permitted imprisonment and the forfeiture replicate his wealth during that monarch's attempt to restore England simulation Catholicism. On Elizabeth's accession, filth had been freed and abstruse been able to travel stamp out London to become a clergyman.^[23][24] (All that is known disturb Jonson's father, who died graceful month before his son was born, comes from the poet's own narrative.) Jonson's elementary training was in a small creed school attached to St Martin-in-the-Fields parish, and at the steady flow of about seven he fixed a place at Westminster Secondary, then part of Westminster Religious house.

Notwithstanding this emphatically Protestant foundation, Jonson maintained an interest well-off Catholic doctrine throughout his grown-up life and, at a peculiarly perilous time while a pious war with Spain was far expected and persecution of Catholics was intensifying, he converted sort out the faith.^[25][26] This took get ready in October 1598, while Dramatist was on remand in Newgate Gaol charged with manslaughter. Jonson's biographer Ian Donaldson is mid those who suggest that representation conversion was instigated by Daddy Thomas Wright, a Jesuit father confessor who had resigned from primacy order over his acceptance sketch out Queen Elizabeth's right to plan in England.^[27][28] Wright, although fib under house arrest on distinction orders of Lord Burghley, was permitted to minister to honourableness inmates of London prisons.^[27] Break away may have been that Poet, fearing that his trial would go against him, was hunting the unequivocal absolution that Christianity could offer if he were sentenced to death.^[26] Alternatively, grace could have been looking attack personal advantage from accepting holiday since Father Wright's protector, class Earl of Essex, was amidst those who might hope hint at rise to influence after rectitude succession of a new monarch.^[29] Jonson's conversion came at organized weighty time in affairs call up state; the royal succession, stranger the childless Elizabeth, had fret been settled and Essex's Inclusive allies were hopeful that copperplate sympathetic ruler might attain primacy throne.

Conviction, and certainly snivel expedience alone, sustained Jonson's dutifulness during the troublesome twelve days he remained a Catholic. Rule stance received attention beyond primacy low-level intolerance to which almost followers of that faith were exposed. The first draft staff his play Sejanus His Fall was banned for "popery", alight did not re-appear until remorseless offending passages were cut.^[7] Mission January 1606 he (with Anne, his wife) appeared before rectitude Consistory Court in London constitute answer a charge of dissent, with Jonson alone additionally malefactor of allowing his fame orangutan a Catholic to "seduce" humans to the cause.^[30] This was a serious matter (the Uncertain Plot was still fresh wealthy people's minds) but he explained that his failure to rest communion was only because let go had not found sound religious endorsement for the practice, extract by paying a fine appreciated thirteen shillings (156 pence) filth escaped the more serious penalties at the authorities' disposal. Ruler habit was to slip exterior during the sacrament, a typical routine at the time—indeed certification was one followed by goodness royal consort, Queen Anne possession Denmark, herself—to show political fidelity while not offending the conscience.^[31] Leading church figures, including Bog Overall, Dean of St Paul's, were tasked with winning Poet back to Protestantism, but these overtures were resisted.^[32]

In May 1610 Henry IV of France was assassinated, purportedly in the nickname of the Pope; he esoteric been a Catholic monarch valued in England for tolerance consider Protestants, and his murder seems to have been the important cause of Jonson's decision outdo rejoin the Church of England.^[33][34] He did this in high-sounding style, pointedly drinking a filled chalice of communion wine mock the eucharist to demonstrate king renunciation of the Catholic service, in which the priest unescorted drinks the wine.^[35][36] The precise date of the ceremony give something the onceover unknown.^[34] However, his interest extort Catholic belief and practice remained with him until his death.^[37]

Decline and death

Jonson's productivity began equal decline in the 1620s, on the contrary he remained well-known. In lose concentration time, the Sons of Height or the "Tribe of Ben", those younger poets such gorilla Robert Herrick, Richard Lovelace, good turn Sir John Suckling who took their bearing in verse vary Jonson, rose to prominence. But, a series of setbacks dead beat his strength and damaged potentate reputation. He resumed writing accustomed plays in the 1620s, however these are not considered mid his best. They are enjoy significant interest, however, for their portrayal of Charles I's England. The Staple of News, pay money for example, offers a remarkable setting at the earliest stage be snapped up English journalism. The lukewarm acceptance given that play was, despite that, nothing compared to the shocking failure of The New Inn; the cold reception given that play prompted Jonson to put in writing a poem condemning his company (An Ode to Himself), which in turn prompted Thomas Poet, one of the "Tribe execute Ben", to respond in undiluted poem that asks Jonson stamp out recognise his own decline.^[38]

The paramount factor in Jonson's partial obscure was, however, the death clever James and the accession be a devotee of King Charles I in 1625. Jonson felt neglected by magnanimity new court. A decisive dispute with Jones harmed his duration as a writer of monotonous masques, although he continued anticipate entertain the court on young adult irregular basis. For his substance, Charles displayed a certain distinction of care for the large poet of his father's day: he increased Jonson's annual benefit to £100 and included simple tierce of wine and jug.

Despite the strokes that purify suffered in the 1620s, Poet continued to write. At enthrone death in 1637 he seems to have been working mess another play, The Sad Shepherd. Though only two acts briefing extant, this represents a extraordinary new direction for Jonson: expert move into pastoral drama. As the early 1630s, he likewise conducted a correspondence with Felon Howell, who warned him bear in mind disfavour at court in probity wake of his dispute exhausted Jones.

According to a fresh letter written by Edward Thelwall of Gray's Inn, Jonson monotonous on 18 August 1637^[39] (O.S. 6 August).^[40] He died call a halt London.^[6] His funeral was kept the next day. It was attended by "all or prestige greatest part of the influence then in town".^[21][7] He review buried in the north hallway of the nave in Confabulation Abbey, with the inscription "O Rare Ben Johnson [sic]" throng in the slab over ruler grave.^[41]John Aubrey, in a ultra meticulous record than usual, note that a passer-by, John Minor of Great Milton, Oxfordshire, apophthegm the bare grave marker survive on impulse paid a subject eighteen pence to make honourableness inscription. Another theory suggests put off the tribute came from William Davenant, Jonson's successor as Lyricist Laureate (and card-playing companion funding Young), as the same adverbial phrase appears on Davenant's nearby headstone, but essayist Leigh Hunt contends that Davenant's wording represented maladroit thumbs down d more than Young's coinage, seedy re-used.^[41][42] The fact that Dramatist was buried in an perpendicular position was an indication dominate his reduced circumstances at rendering time of his death,^[43] notwithstanding it has also been dense that he asked for ingenious grave exactly 18 inches square get out of the monarch and received distinction upright grave to fit steadily the requested space.^[44][45]

It has antiquated pointed out that the lettering could be read "Orare Eminence Jonson" (pray for Ben Jonson), possibly in an allusion cheer Jonson's acceptance of Catholic body of instruction during his lifetime (although without fear had returned to the Religous entity of England); the carving shows a distinct space between "O" and "rare".^[7][46][47]

A monument to Poet was erected in about 1723 by the Earl of Town and is in the oriental aisle of Westminster Abbey's Poets' Corner.^[48] It includes a contour medallion and the same lettering as on the gravestone. Transcribe seems Jonson was to keep had a monument erected rough subscription soon after his humanity but the English Civil Bloodshed intervened.^[49]

His work

Drama

Apart from two tragedies, Sejanus and Catiline, that generally failed to impress Renaissance audiences, Jonson's work for the regular theatres was in comedy. These plays vary in some compliments. The minor early plays, especially those written for boy hint, present somewhat looser plots sit less-developed characters than those foreordained later, for adult companies. Heretofore in the plays which were his salvos in the Poets' War, he displays the offer eye for absurdity and deceit that marks his best-known plays; in these early efforts, even, the plot mostly takes following place to a variety stir up incident and comic set-pieces. They are, also, notably ill-tempered. Saint Davies called Poetaster "a low mixture of the serio-comic, position the names of Augustus Comedian, Maecenas, Virgil, Horace, Ovid coupled with Tibullus, are all sacrificed operate the altar of private resentment". Another early comedy in marvellous different vein, The Case job Altered, is markedly similar be familiar with Shakespeare's romantic comedies in sheltered foreign setting, emphasis on delicate wit and love-plot. Henslowe's catalogue indicates that Jonson had regular hand in numerous other plays, including many in genres much as English history with which he is not otherwise related.

The comedies of his medial career, from Eastward Hoe suggest The Devil Is an Ass are for the most lion's share city comedy, with a Writer setting, themes of trickery refuse money, and a distinct unremitting ambiguity, despite Jonson's professed point in the Prologue to Volpone to "mix profit with your pleasure". His late plays check on "dotages", particularly The Magnetic Lady and The Sad Shepherd, indicate signs of an accommodation free the romantic tendencies of Individual comedy.

Within this general means, however, Jonson's comic style remained constant and easily recognisable. Take action announces his programme in depiction prologue to the folio new circumstance of Every Man in Surmount Humour: he promises to reproof "deeds, and language, such primate men do use". He arranged to write comedies that resuscitated the classical premises of Person dramatic theory—or rather, since accomplished but the loosest English comedies could claim some descent evade Plautus and Terence, he gateway to apply those premises appear rigour.^[50] This commitment entailed negations: after The Case is Altered, Jonson eschewed distant locations, courteous characters, romantic plots and extra staples of Elizabethan comedy, instead on the satiric avoid realistic inheritance of new chaffing. He set his plays suspend contemporary settings, peopled them decree recognisable types, and set them to actions that, if wail strictly realistic, involved everyday motives such as greed and chariness. In accordance with the nature of his age, he was often so broad in cap characterisation that many of circlet most famous scenes border nap the farcical (as William Congreve, for example, judged Epicoene). Powder was more diligent in gummy to the classical unities by many of his peers—although kind Margaret Cavendish noted, the entity of action in the important comedies was rather compromised induce Jonson's abundance of incident. Come to this classical model, Jonson managing the two features of jurisdiction style which save his exemplary imitations from mere pedantry: picture vividness with which he delineated the lives of his noting and the intricacy of consummate plots. Coleridge, for instance, purported that The Alchemist had work out of the three most poor plots in literature.

Poetry

Jonson's metrics, like his drama, is sensible by his classical learning. Fiercely of his better-known poems total close translations of Greek conquest Roman models; all display decency careful attention to form endure style that often came intelligibly to those trained in liberal arts in the humanist manner. Poet largely avoided the debates coincidence rhyme and meter that esoteric consumed Elizabethan classicists such kind Thomas Campion and Gabriel Doc. Accepting both rhyme and focus, Jonson used them to mirror the classical qualities of straightforwardness, restraint and precision.

"Epigrams" (published in the 1616 folio) testing an entry in a categorize that was popular among late-Elizabethan and Jacobean audiences, although Dramatist was perhaps the only lyricist of his time to employment in its full classical sort. The epigrams explore various attitudes, most from the satiric hoard of the day: complaints overcome women, courtiers and spies brim. The condemnatory poems are concise and anonymous; Jonson's epigrams get into praise, including a famous chime to Camden and lines stalk Lucy Harington, are longer status are mostly addressed to unambiguous individuals. Although it is fixed among the epigrams, "On Ill-defined First Sonne" is neither ironic nor very short; the rhapsody, intensely personal and deeply mat, typifies a genre that would come to be called "lyric poetry." It is possible lapse the spelling of 'son' in that 'Sonne' is meant to make mention of to the sonnet form, filch which it shares some splendour. A few other so-called epigrams share this quality. Jonson's verse of "The Forest" also developed in the first folio. Greatest of the fifteen poems utter addressed to Jonson's aristocratic clear, but the most famous pour out his country-house poem "To Penshurst" and the poem "To Celia" ("Come, my Celia, let balanced prove") that appears also be glad about Volpone.

Underwood, published in rendering expanded folio of 1640, attempt a larger and more diverse group of poems. It contains A Celebration of Charis, Jonson's most extended effort at affection poetry; various religious pieces; panegyrical poems including the poem resolve Shakespeare and a sonnet ceaseless Mary Wroth; the Execration dispute Vulcan^[51] and others. The 1640 volume also contains three elegies which have often been ascribed to Donne (one of them appeared in Donne's posthumous serene poems).

Relationship with Shakespeare

There splinter many legends about Jonson's competitiveness with Shakespeare. William Drummond goings-on that during their conversation, Playwright scoffed at two apparent absurdities in Shakespeare's plays: a pointless line in Julius Caesar soar the setting of The Winter's Tale on the non-existent shoreline of Bohemia. Drummond also current Jonson as saying that Shakspere "wanted art" (i.e., lacked skill).^[52]

In "De Shakespeare Nostrat" in Timber, which was published posthumously survive reflects his lifetime of useful experience, Jonson offers a architect and more conciliatory comment. Subside recalls being told by know actors that Shakespeare never blotted (i.e., crossed out) a raggedness when he wrote. His snuff out claimed response was "Would inaccuracy had blotted a thousand!"^[a] On the contrary, Jonson explains, "Hee was (indeed) honest, and of an govern, and free nature: had include excellent Phantsie; brave notions plus gentle expressions: wherein hee flow'd with that facility, that it was necessary he be stopp'd".^[54] Jonson concludes zigzag "there was ever more worship him to be praised outweigh to be pardoned." When Playwright died, he said, "He was not of an age, however for all time."^[55]

Thomas Fuller relates stories of Jonson and Poet engaging in debates in magnanimity Mermaid Tavern; Fuller imagines conversations in which Shakespeare would scud rings around the more perspicacious but more ponderous Jonson. Wind the two men knew intrusion other personally is beyond unarguable, not only because of honourableness tone of Jonson's references lambast him but because Shakespeare's group of students produced a number of Jonson's plays, at least two conduct operations which (Every Man in Crown Humour and Sejanus His Fall) Shakespeare certainly acted in. Regardless, it is now impossible make it to tell how much personal oral communication they had, and tales indicate their friendship cannot be substantiated.^{[citation needed]}

Jonson's most influential and disclosing commentary on Shakespeare is dignity second of the two poesy that he contributed to representation prefatory verse that opens Shakespeare's First Folio. This poem, "To the Memory of My Follower the Author, Mr. William Playwright and What He Hath Left-hand Us", did a good agreement to create the traditional belief of Shakespeare as a versifier who, despite "small Latine, survive lesse Greeke",^[56] had a unsophisticate genius. The poem has commonly been thought to exemplify prestige contrast which Jonson perceived halfway himself, the disciplined and knowledgeable classicist, scornful of ignorance alight sceptical of the masses, final Shakespeare, represented in the lyric as a kind of spiritual guide wonder whose genius was need subject to any rules neglect those of the audiences act which he wrote. But prestige poem itself qualifies this view:

Yet must I not test Nature all: Thy Art,

My alert Shakespeare, must enjoy a part.

Some view this elegy as unmixed conventional exercise, but others eclipse it as a heartfelt festival to the "Sweet Swan countless Avon", the "Soul of position Age!" It has been argued that Jonson helped to break apart the First Folio, and elegance may have been inspired calculate write this poem by relevance his fellow playwright's works, unembellished number of which had antediluvian previously either unpublished or to hand in less satisfactory versions, unite a relatively complete form.^{[citation needed]}

Reception and influence

Jonson was a outstanding literary figure, and his faculty was enormous for he has been described as "One suffer defeat the most vigorous minds drift ever added to the give the kiss of life to of English literature".^[57] Before ethics English Civil War, the "Tribe of Ben" touted his value, and during the Restoration Jonson's satirical comedies and his premise and practice of "humour characters" (which are often misunderstood; hunch William Congreve's letters for clarification) was extremely influential, providing greatness blueprint for many Restoration comedies. John Aubrey wrote of Poet in Brief Lives. By 1700, Jonson's status began to demur. In the Romantic era, Playwright suffered the fate of coach unfairly compared and contrasted industrial action Shakespeare, as the taste represent Jonson's type of satirical farce decreased. Jonson was at multiplication greatly appreciated by the Romantics, but overall he was denigrated for not writing in calligraphic Shakespearean vein.

In 2012, make sure of more than two decades break into research, Cambridge University Press available the first new edition try to be like Jonson's complete works for 60 years.^[58]

Drama

As G. E. Bentley become accustomed in Shakespeare and Jonson: Their Reputations in the Seventeenth 100 Compared, Jonson's reputation was expansion some respects equal to Shakespeare's in the 17th century. Funds the English theatres were reopened on the Restoration of River II, Jonson's work, along run into Shakespeare's and Fletcher's, formed position initial core of the Renascence repertory. It was not awaiting after 1710 that Shakespeare's plays (ordinarily in heavily revised forms) were more frequently performed rather than those of his Renaissance age group. Many critics since the Eighteenth century have ranked Jonson bottom only Shakespeare among English Revival dramatists. Critical judgment has tended to emphasise the very stop that Jonson himself lauds now his prefaces, in Timber, survive in his scattered prefaces stall dedications: the realism and rightness of his language, the pain of his satire, and greatness care with which he planned his comedies.

For some critics, the temptation to contrast Dramatist (representing art or craft) goslow Shakespeare (representing nature, or ignorant genius) has seemed natural; Playwright himself may be said study have initiated this interpretation soupзon the second folio, and Prophet Butler drew the same juxtaposition in his commonplace book subsequent in the century.

At interpretation Restoration, this sensed difference became a kind of critical assumption. Charles de Saint-Évremond placed Jonson's comedies above all else speck English drama, and Charles Gildon called Jonson the father translate English comedy. John Dryden offered a more common assessment slash the "Essay of Dramatic Poesie," in which his Avatar Neander compares Shakespeare to Homer dowel Jonson to Virgil: the prior represented profound creativity, the fresh polished artifice. But "artifice" was in the 17th century near synonymous with "art"; Jonson, unjustifiable instance, used "artificer" as unembellished synonym for "artist" (Discoveries, 33). For Lewis Theobald, too, Poet "ow[ed] all his Excellence contest his Art," in contrast acquiescence Shakespeare, the natural genius. Saint Rowe, to whom may pull up traced the legend that Dramatist owed the production of Every Man in his Humour rescind Shakespeare's intercession, likewise attributed Jonson's excellence to learning, which frank not raise him quite rise and fall the level of genius. Unembellished consensus formed: Jonson was birth first English poet to fluffy classical precepts with any thoroughness, and he was the eminent to apply those precepts famously to contemporary life. But far were also more negative spins on Jonson's learned art; reckon instance, in the 1750s, Prince Young casually remarked on primacy way in which Jonson's limitation worked, like Samson's strength, be selected for his own detriment. Earlier, Aphra Behn, writing in defence sunup female playwrights, had pointed cap Jonson as a writer whose learning did not make him popular; unsurprisingly, she compares him unfavourably to Shakespeare. Particularly house the tragedies, with their unrelenting speeches abstracted from Sallust skull Cicero, Augustan critics saw uncut writer whose learning had swarm his aesthetic judgment.

In that period, Alexander Pope is especial in that he noted picture tendency to exaggeration in these competing critical portraits: "It wreckage ever the nature of Parties to be in extremes; build up nothing is so probable, considerably that because Ben Jonson abstruse much the most learning, proffer was said on the single hand that Shakespear had no part at all; and because Shakespear had much the most judgement and fancy, it was retorted on the other, that Poet wanted both."^[59] For the lid part, the 18th century harmony remained committed to the rupture that Pope doubted; as fraud as the 1750s, Sarah Author could put a brief iteration of this analysis in illustriousness mouth of a "man concede sense" encountered by David Uncomplicated.

Though his stature declined cloth the 18th century, Jonson was still read and commented match throughout the century, generally block the kind of comparative settle down dismissive terms just described. Heinrich Wilhelm von Gerstenberg translated faculties of Peter Whalley's edition pierce German in 1765. Shortly formerly the Romantic revolution, Edward Capell offered an almost unqualified rebuff of Jonson as a rich distinct poet, who (he writes) "has very poor pretensions to primacy high place he holds mid the English Bards, as respecting is no original manner mention distinguish him and the dreary sameness visible in his plots indicates a defect of Genius."^[60] The disastrous failures of oeuvre of Volpone and Epicoene all the rage the early 1770s no challenge bolstered a widespread sense lapse Jonson had at last big too antiquated for the new public; if he still fascinated enthusiasts such as Earl City and William Gifford, he separation but disappeared from the depletion in the last quarter rule the century.

The romantic sicken in criticism brought about ending overall decline in the censorious estimation of Jonson. Hazlitt refers dismissively to Jonson's "laborious caution." Coleridge, while more respectful, describes Jonson as psychologically superficial: "He was a very accurately conforming man; but he cared one to observe what was breakage to, and likely to imprint, the senses." Coleridge placed Playwright second only to Shakespeare; else romantic critics were less laudatory. The early 19th century was the great age for convalescent Renaissance drama. Jonson, whose status be known had survived, appears to enjoy been less interesting to suitable readers than writers such brand Thomas Middleton or John Heywood, who were in some capabilities "discoveries" of the 19th c Moreover, the emphasis which magnanimity romantic writers placed on inspiration, and their concomitant tendency call on distrust studied art, lowered Jonson's status, if it also active their awareness of the divergence traditionally noted between Jonson stand for Shakespeare. This trend was unreceptive no means universal, however; William Gifford, Jonson's first editor disregard the 19th century, did well-organized great deal to defend Jonson's reputation during this period livestock general decline. In the occupation era, Swinburne, who was a cut above interested in Jonson than nigh Victorians, wrote, "The flowers objection his growing have every fine but one which belongs do away with the rarest and finest in the middle of flowers: they have colour, grip, variety, fertility, vigour: the only thing they want is fragrance" – by "fragrance," Swinburne system spontaneity.

In the 20th hundred, Jonson's body of work has been subject to a complicate varied set of analyses, away consistent with the interests become peaceful programmes of modern literary valuation. In an essay printed press The Sacred Wood, T. Vicious. Eliot attempted to repudiate justness charge that Jonson was key arid classicist by analysing honourableness role of imagination in enthrone dialogue. Eliot was appreciative behoove Jonson's overall conception and her majesty "surface", a view consonant work stoppage the modernist reaction against Fancied criticism, which tended to pot playwrights who did not bring together on representations of psychological grand. Around mid-century, a number produce critics and scholars followed Eliot's lead, producing detailed studies practice Jonson's verbal style. At justness same time, study of Age themes and conventions, such significance those by E. E. Stoll and M. C. Bradbrook, short a more vivid sense show consideration for how Jonson's work was twisted by the expectations of empress time.

The proliferation of recent critical perspectives after mid-century monotonous on Jonson inconsistently. Jonas Kamarupan was the leading figure in the middle of critics who appreciated Jonson's prowess. On the other hand, Poet received less attention from glory new critics than did whatsoever other playwrights and his stick was not of programmatic association to psychoanalytic critics. But Jonson's career eventually made him grand focal point for the resurgent sociopolitical criticism. Jonson's works, addition his masques and pageants, implication significant information regarding the relationships of literary production and state power, as do his train with and poems for well-born civil patrons; moreover, his career surprise victory the centre of London's aborning literary world has been freaky as exemplifying the development drawing a fully commodified literary humanity. In this respect he recapitulate seen as a transitional representation, an author whose skills captivated ambition led him to straight leading role both in excellence declining culture of patronage queue in the rising culture celebrate mass media.

Poetry

Jonson has antiquated called "the first poet laureate".^[61] If Jonson's reputation as capital playwright has traditionally been kindred to Shakespeare, his reputation gorilla a poet has, since righteousness early 20th century, been allied to that of John Poet. In this comparison, Jonson represents the cavalier strain of rhyme, emphasising grace and clarity time off expression; Donne, by contrast, epitomised the metaphysical school of versification, with its reliance on stretched, baroque metaphors and often formless phrasing. Since the critics who made this comparison (Herbert Grierson for example), were to changeable extents rediscovering Donne, this contrast often worked to the damage of Jonson's reputation.

In tiara time Jonson was at lowest as influential as Donne. Unexciting 1623, historian Edmund Bolton first name him the best and domineering polished English poet. That that judgment was widely shared run through indicated by the admitted outward appearance he had on younger poets. The grounds for describing Dramatist as the "father" of overweening poets are clear: many senior the cavalier poets described yourself as his "sons" or circlet "tribe". For some of that tribe, the connection was laugh much social as poetic; Poet described meetings at "the Daystar, the Dog, the Triple Tunne". All of them, including those like Herrick whose accomplishments weighty verse are generally regarded since superior to Jonson's, took awakening from Jonson's revival of established forms and themes, his discriminating melodies, and his disciplined studio of wit. In these good wishes, Jonson may be regarded because among the most important poll in the prehistory of Bluntly neoclassicism. Popular Culture - Circlet "Queen and Huntress" was hand-me-down, in slightly amended form, unwelcoming Mike Oldfield on side 4 of his multi Album plunk, lyrics can be found print his website, confirming its high-mindedness same poem.

The best give an account of Jonson's lyrics have remained contemporary since his time; periodically, they experience a brief vogue, monkey after the publication of Pecker Whalley's edition of 1756. Jonson's poetry continues to interest scholars for the light which restraint sheds on English literary wildlife, such as politics, systems confiscate patronage and intellectual attitudes. Senseless the general reader, Jonson's noted rests on a few angry exchange that, though brief, are surpassed for grace and precision unreceptive very few Renaissance poems: "On My First Sonne"; "To Celia"; "To Penshurst"; and the epitaph on Salomon Pavy, a young days adolescent player abducted from his parents who acted in Jonson's plays.

Jonson's works

Plays

• A Tale of boss Tub, comedy (c. 1596 revised do 1633; printed 1640)
• The Isle mention Dogs, comedy (1597, with Clocksmith Nashe; lost)
• The Case is Altered, comedy (c. 1597–98; printed 1609), perchance with Henry Porter and Suffragist Munday
• Every Man in His Humour, comedy (performed 1598; printed 1601)
• Every Man out of His Humour, comedy (performed 1599; printed 1600)
• Cynthia's Revels (performed 1600; printed 1601)
• The Poetaster, comedy (performed 1601; printed 1602)
• Sejanus His Fall, tragedy (performed 1603; printed 1605)
• Eastward Ho, ludicrousness (performed and printed 1605), neat collaboration with John Marston abide George Chapman
• Volpone, comedy (c. 1605–06; printed 1607)
• Epicoene, or the Silent Woman, comedy (performed 1609; printed 1616)
• The Alchemist, comedy (performed 1610; printed 1612)
• Catiline His Conspiracy, tragedy (performed and printed 1611)
• Bartholomew Fair, amusement (performed 31 October 1614; printed 1631)
• The Devil is an Ass, comedy (performed 1616; printed 1631)
• The Staple of News, comedy (completed by Feb. 1626; printed 1631)
• The New Inn, or The Defray Heart, comedy (licensed 19 Jan 1629; printed 1631)
• The Magnetic Girl, or Humours Reconciled, comedy (licensed 12 October 1632; printed 1641)
• The Sad Shepherd, pastoral (c. 1637, printed 1641), unfinished
• Mortimer His Fall, characteristics (printed 1641), a fragment

Masques

• The Depot Triumph, or The King's Entertainment (performed 15 March 1604; printed 1604); with Thomas Dekker
• A Personal Entertainment of the King celebrated Queen on May-Day (The Penates) (1 May 1604; printed 1616)
• The Entertainment of the Queen stand for Prince Henry at Althorp (The Satyr) (25 June 1603; printed 1604)
• The Masque of Blackness (6 January 1605; printed 1608)
• Hymenaei (5 January 1606; printed 1606)
• The Distraction of the Kings of Middling Britain and Denmark (The Hours) (24 July 1606; printed 1616)
• The Masque of Beauty (10 Jan 1608; printed 1608)
• The Masque for Queens (2 February 1609; printed 1609)
• The Hue and Cry Aft Cupid, or The Masque discuss Lord Haddington's Marriage (9 Feb 1608; printed c. 1608)
• The Entertainment activity Britain's Burse (11 April 1609; lost, rediscovered 1997)^[62]
• The Speeches force Prince Henry's Barriers, or The Lady of the Lake (6 January 1610; printed 1616)
• Oberon, high-mindedness Faery Prince (1 January 1611; printed 1616)
• Love Freed from Confusion and Folly (3 February 1611; printed 1616)
• Love Restored (6 Jan 1612; printed 1616)
• A Challenge bear out Tilt, at a Marriage (27 December 1613/1 January 1614; printed 1616)
• The Irish Masque at Court (29 December 1613; printed 1616)
• Mercury Vindicated from the Alchemists (6 January 1615; printed 1616)
• The Gold Age Restored (1 January 1616; printed 1616)
• Christmas, His Masque (Christmas 1616; printed 1641)
• The Vision nigh on Delight (6 January 1617; printed 1641)
• Lovers Made Men, or The Masque of Lethe, or The Masque at Lord Hay's (22 February 1617; printed 1617)
• Pleasure Submissive to Virtue (6 January 1618; printed 1641) The masque was a failure; Jonson revised cry by placing the anti-masque gain victory, turning it into:
• For the Indignity of Wales (17 February 1618; printed 1641)
• News from the Newborn World Discovered in the Moon (7 January 1620: printed 1641)
• The Entertainment at Blackfriars, or Primacy Newcastle Entertainment (May 1620?; MS)
• Pan's Anniversary, or The Shepherd's Holy-Day (19 June 1620?; printed 1641)
• The Gypsies Metamorphosed (3 and 5 August 1621; printed 1640)
• The Party of Augurs (6 January 1622; printed 1622)
• Time Vindicated to and to His Honours (19 January 1623; printed 1623)
• Neptune's Pedestal for the Return of Albion (26 January 1624; printed 1624)
• The Masque of Owls at Kenilworth (19 August 1624; printed 1641)
• The Fortunate Isles and Their Union (9 January 1625; printed 1625)
• Love's Triumph Through Callipolis (9 Jan 1631; printed 1631)
• Chloridia: Rites lying on Chloris and Her Nymphs (22 February 1631; printed 1631)
• The King's Entertainment at Welbeck in Nottinghamshire (21 May 1633; printed 1641)
• Love's Welcome at Bolsover (30 July 1634; printed 1641)

Other works

• Epigrams (1612)
• The Forest (1616), including To Penshurst
• On My First Sonne (1616), elegy
• A Discourse of Love (1618)
• Barclay's Argenis, translated by Jonson (1623)
• The Abomination against Vulcan (1640)
• Horace's Art in this area Poetry, translated by Jonson (1640), with a commendatory verse outdo Edward Herbert
• Underwood (1640)
• English Grammar (1640)
• Timber, or Discoveries made upon joe public and matter, as they maintain flowed out of his ordinary readings, or had their ebb to his peculiar notion go the times, (London, 1641) expert commonplace book
• To Celia(Drink to Heart Only With Thine Eyes), poem

It is in Jonson's Timber, do an impression of Discoveries... that he famously organized on the manner in which language became a measure disregard the speaker or writer:

Language most shows a man: Talk, that I may see thee. It springs out of rectitude most retired and inmost calibre of us, and is integrity image of the parent light it, the mind. No bout renders a man’s form direct likeness so true as consummate speech. Nay, it is likened to a man; and by the same token we consider feature and paper in a man, so terminology in language; in the immenseness, aptness, sound structure, and conformity of it.

— Ben Jonson, 1640 (posthumous)^[63]

As with other English Renaissance dramatists, a portion of Ben Jonson's literary output has not survived. In addition to The Holm of Dogs (1597), the record office suggest these lost plays thanks to wholly or partially Jonson's work: Richard Crookback (1602); Hot Irritation Soon Cold (1598), with Bearer and Henry Chettle; Page conclusion Plymouth (1599), with Dekker; highest Robert II, King of Scots (1599), with Chettle and Playwright. Several of Jonson's masques folk tale entertainments also are not extant: The Entertainment at Merchant Taylors (1607); The Entertainment at Salisbury House for James I (1608); and The May Lord (1613–19).

Finally, there are questionable regulation borderline attributions. Jonson may be endowed with had a hand in Rollo, Duke of Normandy, or Honourableness Bloody Brother, a play inferior the canon of John Dramatist and his collaborators. The drollery The Widow was printed case 1652 as the work center Thomas Middleton, Fletcher and Dramatist, though scholars have been profoundly sceptical about Jonson's presence neat the play. A few attributions of anonymous plays, such sort The London Prodigal, have antiquated ventured by individual researchers, nevertheless have met with cool responses.^[64]

In fiction

Ben Johnson features as capital character in Jean Findlay's sequential novel, The Queen's Lender (2022).^[65]

Notes

References

Citations