Ben Jonson

Birth: 1572-06-11 , Westminster

Death: 1637-08-06 , Londres

Ben Jonson was an English poet and playwright of the Jacobean era. Known for his wit, ingenuity, and social satire, Jonson was a central figure in the English Renaissance. His plays, such as "Volpone" and "The Alchemist", are celebrated for the complexity of their plots and the sharpness of their observations on human nature.

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Nor shall our cups make any guilty men: But, at our parting, we will be, as when We innocently met.

Rest in soft peace, and, asked, say here doth lie Ben Jonson his best piece of poetry: For whose sake, henceforth, all his vows be such, As what he loves may never like too much.

Truth is the trial of itself And needs no other touch, And purer than the purest gold, Refine it ne’er so much.

Farewell, thou child of my right hand, and joy! My sin was too much hope of thee, loved boy.

The dignity of truth is lost with much protesting.

Give me a look, give me a face, That makes simplicity a grace; Robes loosely flowing, hair as free, Such sweet neglect more taketh me Than all the adulteries of art: They strike mine eyes, but not my heart.

Come my Celia, let us prove, While we can, the sports of love; Time will not be ours forever, He at length our good will sever. Spend not then his gifts in vain; Suns that set may rise again, But if once we lose this light, ’Tis with us perpetual night.

Still to be neat, still to be drest, As you were going to a feast.

Queen and huntress, chaste and fair, Now the sun is laid to sleep, Seated in thy silver chair, State in wonted manner keep: Hesperus entreats thy light, Goddess, excellently bright.

Calumnies are answered best with silence.

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Ben Jonson (c. 1572-1637) was a prominent English playwright, poet, and literary critic. Born in Westminster, London, Jonson is considered one of the greatest writers of the English Renaissance, rivaling William Shakespeare in fame. He studied at Cambridge but did not complete his degree. His literary career was marked by a distinct style, characterized by sharp intellect, mastery of language, and a critical view of society. Jonson wrote tragedies, comedies, and historical plays, with "Volpone" (The Fox), "Epicoene, or the Silent Woman", and "The Alchemist" being some of his most acclaimed works. He also distinguished himself as a poet, with collections such as "The Forest" and "Under-woods". He was a friend and, at times, a rival of Shakespeare. He died in London and was buried in Westminster Abbey.