Ben Jonson Research Paper

In Ben Jonson’s life, he was a playwright, a poet, an actor, and a critic of literary works. Some of his stories are humours, a type of story that became common when his own works made it well known. In these humours, the characters each have two “humours” or key personality traits.
Born in London, Ben Jonson’s family raised him a Protestant. He attended the children's school of St. Martin’s Lane. Before jonson was born, his father died and his mother remarried. Later in Jonson’s life, he became a bricklayer, English soldier, and even a Catholic. As for his personality, Jonson wasn’t afraid to be bold and sometimes controversial. As he wrote his works, William Shakespeare was in his mind because he was his rival poet. As his life went on, Ben left the Catholic faith and reverted to Protestantism. Ben Jonson led a busy life in …show more content…
In, it he starts by saying to the deceased Shakespeare that it is known to all that his own works are slightly superior, however Shakespeare's works also deserve as much praise as man can give. Being such a great writer, says jonson, Shakespeare cannot be grouped with other highly respected such poets as Spenser. He should not be buried with the other famous poets. In fact, he doesn't need to be buried at all because he is alive in his literature. He points out that Shakespeare didn’t know much about Latin and Greek, but deserved to be compared and put above the famous literary workers of those historical cultures. Even they, says Jonson, would come alive to enjoy the works of this impressive author. Ben Jonson begins a massive statement in which it is said that all of nature enjoyed the stories of William. Also, Ben states, he gave the world what Apollo and Mercury had, and that the rest of time will be hearing his stories. He says that like a father’s face is seen in his children, Shakespeare’s good qualities can be seen in his plays and poems. The very place where these stories and their author