Ben Jonson

Benjamin Jonson (June 11, 1572 – August 6, 1637) was an English Renaissance dramatist, poet and actor. He is best known for his plays Volpone and The Alchemist, his lyrics, his influence on Jacobean and Caroline poets, his theory of humours, his contentious personality, and his friendship and rivalry with William Shakespeare.

Reputation

Jonson has been criticised for being inferior in poetic power to William Shakespeare, and lacking Shakespeare's gift for creating realistic characters. But not only was Jonson not attempting to write like Shakespeare, he was openly critical of him. Jonson hated the popular style of drama and wished to reform it. He modelled himself on classical authors and his characters were types like those of Theophrastus, or were intended to illustrate the theory of Humours.

Related Topics:
William Shakespeare - Theophrastus - Humours

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Jonson displayed a wealth of invention and of wit, and possessed a strong and pugnacious personality. After the English theatres were reopened on the Restoration of Charles II, it was Jonson rather than Shakespeare who was the dominant influence in shaping English Theatre.

Related Topics:
Restoration - Charles II

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ben Jonson's studied classicism fell out of favour in the nineteenth century with the advent of Romanticism, which saw in Shakespeare "the great poet of nature".

Related Topics:
Classicism - Romanticism

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~