Ben Jonson
Author
Publisher
Project Gutenberg
Language
English
Description
"Every Man Out of His Humour" is the companion play to the highly successful "Every Man in His Humour," which was produced by and starred William Shakespeare. This comedy of humors, much like its prequel, is a satire of English society. Jonson's complex and witty characters are a scathing representation of the flaws he saw in education, love, poetry, and social classes around him.
Author
Language
English
Formats
Description
It is known that Shakespeare's company produced several of Jonson's plays, Shakespeare himself appearing in "Every Man in His Humour" (1598). The play was Jonson's first major success, written in the style of "humour plays," a genre of comedy originated by George Chapman. In it, Jonson targets some of his favorite topics for satire: education, love, poetry, and social classes. As each major character represents a different issue, the play transforms...
Author
Publisher
Duke Classics
Language
English
Formats
Description
Samuel Taylor Coleridge said of Ben Jonson's The Alchemist that it had one out of the three most perfect plots in literature. This play, with its sharp portrayal of human folly, is considered by many to be Jonson's best comedy. First performed 1610, its popularity has endured to this day.
Author
Publisher
The Floating Press
Pub. Date
2017
Language
English
Description
This satirical drama from one of the only playwrights regarded as a contemporary equal of Shakespeare may have originally been performed in the early 1600s, but it feels remarkably fresh centuries later. Beginning with a prologue which devolves into a slapstick comedy that presages postmodern irony, the play recounts a solemn religious observance that is much more than it appears to be.
Author
Publisher
Project Gutenberg
Language
English
Description
In 1601 the playwright produced "Cynthia's Revels, or The Fountain of Self-Love," a sort of stepping stone towards his subsequent masterpieces. The play was part of the so-called Poetomachia, or War of the Theatres, between Jonson and playwrights John Marston and Thomas Dekker. The character Cynthia represented Queen Elizabeth, and the play was marked by violence and controversy in reflection of the queen's final reigning years.
Author
Publisher
Project Gutenberg
Language
English
Description
"The Alchemist" by Ben Jonson is a comedic play that satirizes the greed and gullibility of its characters. Set in London, it follows three con artists who exploit the desire for wealth and transformation. As they pose as alchemists, chaos ensues when their schemes collide. The play humorously examines human flaws and the pursuit of unrealistic ambitions, showcasing Jonson's wit and social commentary.
Author
Language
English
Formats
Description
"Sejanus: His Fall" by Ben Jonson portrays the downfall of Lucius Aelius Sejanus, a historical figure who rose to power as the commander of the Praetorian Guard in ancient Rome. The play explores themes of political ambition, corruption, and the dangers of seeking too much power. Sejanus conspires to overthrow Emperor Tiberius, but his ambitious plans unravel as his allies turn against him. The play serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences...
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Language
English
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Description
Ben Jonson's career began in 1597 when he held a fixed engagement in the "Admiral's Men", and although he was unsuccessful as an actor, his literary talent was apparent and he began writing original plays for the troupe. Jonson's works are particularly recognizable because of his consistencies in style, intricacy of plot, characterization and setting. He focused on creating works that implemented elements of the realistic as well as the absurd. His...
10) The alchemist
Author
Series
Language
English
Formats
Description
Benjamin Jonson (1572-1637) was a Renaissance dramatist, poet and actor, known best for his satirical plays and lyric poems. He had a knack for absurdity and hypocrisy, a trait that made him immensely popular in the 17th century Renaissance period. However, his reputation diminished somewhat in the Romantic era, when he began to be unfairly compared to Shakespeare. The Theatre in London had had been denied to "The Admiral's Men" in 1597, but the troupe...
12) Poetaster
Author
Language
English
Formats
Description
The term poetaster, meaning an inferior poet with pretensions to artistic value, had been coined by Erasmus in 1521. It was used by Jonson in 1600 and then popularised with this play a year later. Poetaster is a late Elizabethan satirical comedy written by Ben Jonson that was first performed in 1601. The play formed one element in the back-and-forth exchange between Jonson and his rivals John Marston and Thomas Dekker in the so-called Poetomachia...
15) Bartholomew Fair
Author
Series
Publisher
University of Nebraska Press
Pub. Date
[1964]
Language
English
Description
The play is set at Bartholomew Fair, which from 1133 to 1855 was one of London's preeminent summer fairs. It opened on 24 August each year at Smithfield, in the northwestern part of the city. Smithfield, a site of slaughterhouses and public executions, was a fitting place for a fair that was part commerce and part spectacle. At once a trading event for cloth and other goods and a pleasure fair, the four-day event drew crowds from all classes of English...