The Alchemist
The Alchemist

Author: Ben Jonson

Publisher: BoD - Books on Demand

Published: 2024-04-17

Total Pages: 262

ISBN-13:

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THE greatest of English dramatists except Shakespeare, the first literary dictator and poet-laureate, a writer of verse, prose, satire, and criticism who most potently of all the men of his time affected the subsequent course of English letters: such was Ben Jonson, and as such his strong personality assumes an interest to us almost unparalleled, at least in his age. Ben Jonson came of the stock that was centuries after to give to the world Thomas Carlyle; for Jonson's grandfather was of Annandale, over the Solway, whence he migrated to England. Jonson's father lost his estate under Queen Mary, "having been cast into prison and forfeited." He entered the church, but died a month before his illustrious son was born, leaving his widow and child in poverty. Jonson's birthplace was Westminster, and the time of his birth early in 1573. He was thus nearly ten years Shakespeare's junior, and less well off, if a trifle better born. But Jonson did not profit even by this slight advantage. His mother married beneath her, a wright or bricklayer, and Jonson was for a time apprenticed to the trade.

Ben Jonson and Posterity
Ben Jonson and Posterity

Author: Martin Butler

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2020-10-08

Total Pages: 273

ISBN-13: 110890663X

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Bringing together leading Jonson scholars, Ben Jonson and Posterity provides new insights into this remarkable writer's reception and legacy over four centuries. Jonson was recognised as the outstanding English writer of his day and has had a powerful influence on later generations, yet his reputation is one of the most multifaceted and conflicted for any writer of the early modern period. The volume brings together multiple critical perspectives, addressing book history, the practice of reading, theatrical influence and adaptation, the history of performance, cultural representation in portraiture, film, fiction, and anecdotes to interrogate Jonson's 'myth'. The collection will be of great interest to all Jonson scholars, as well as having a wider appeal among early modern literary scholars, theatre historians, and scholars interested in intertextuality and reception from the Renaissance to the present day.

Every Man Out of His Humour
Every Man Out of His Humour

Author: Ben Jonson

Publisher: Library of Alexandria

Published: 2008-01-01

Total Pages: 506

ISBN-13: 1465505237

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Jonson's Every Man Out of His Humour is a comical satire about envy and aspiration among the ambitious middle classes, who seek happiness in fame and material fortune. This first critical edition of the play conveys early modern obsessions with wealth and self-display through historical contexts. The book offers an intriguing look at the course of urban comedy, and a wealth of information about social relationships and colloquial language at the end of the Elizabethan period.

Volpone, Or, The Fox
Volpone, Or, The Fox

Author: Ben Jonson

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2024-09-19

Total Pages: 382

ISBN-13: 1350115444

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Volpone, Or, The Fox is Ben Jonson's great parable of greed, self-interest and inheritance. Using animal fable to satirize the wealthy and the greedy, it remains one of his most distinctive and compelling dramatic works. Jonson wrote the play for performance in 1606, and orchestrated its publication the following year. In it, the wealthy Venetian Volpone pretends to be on his deathbed, encouraging Voltore, Corbaccio and Corvino-the vulture, raven and crow-to compete for his fortune. With unflinching harshness and biting humour, Jonson portrays a society damningly hollowed out by over-monetization. This edition has been prepared by leading textual expert, John Jowett. With incisive scholarship, he explores the play's craftsmanship and examines how theatre practitioners and critics engage with it. Detailed notes explicate an authoritative text and breathe new life into it for readers today. Arden Early Modern Drama editions offer the best in contemporary scholarship, providing a wealth of helpful and incisive commentary to guide the reader through a deeper understanding and appreciation of the play. This edition provides: A clear and authoritative text Detailed on-page commentary notes A comprehensive, illustrated introduction to the play's historical, cultural and performance contexts A bibliography of references and further reading