We’re back with more Ben Jonson! This episode we consider Jonson’s works, his plays for public and private theater, his poetry, and his relationship with the court.
When it comes to how he conducted his career, was also look at the how he differed from Shakespeare. Not as a point of judgement, but just to give us a more complete picture about what men did with their writing and how this (ironically) makes it more unfair to try to compare them.
Ultimately, knowing more about Jonson helps us know more about the sixteenth and seventeenth century stage, and that can only be a good thing. Plus, it’s always fun to run across a new Jonson quip.
Further Reading
Ben Jonson: A Life by Ian Donaldson
The Cambridge Companion to Ben Jonson by Richard Harp
The Complete Critical Guide to Ben Jonson by James Loxley
Credit where credit is due
Podcast art by Halie Branson
Music recording by josdvg