Thinking Activity-Ben jonson

 Hello Friends !

                            I am Hinaba Sarvaiya, a student of the department of English, Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University. This blog is the part of my Classroom activity that is given by our Prof. Dilip Barad sir. Let's discuss about the author :

"Life is a tragedy for those who feel,and a comedy for those who think"

                         -Horace Walpole.

INTRODUCTION:

                             Ben Jonson is the most commanding literary figure among the Elizabethan. For Twenty-five years he was the literary dictator of london. The chief of all the wits that gathered nightly at the old Devil Tavern. With his great Learning, his ability, and his 

Commanding position as poet Laureate, he set himself squarely against his contemporaries and the romantic tendency of the age. For two things he fought bravely;

(1) To restore the classic form of the drama.

(2) To Keep the stage from its downward course.

: LIFE OF BEN JONSON (1573-1637):

              Ben Jonson was born in 1573 in a poor family and his father dies a month before he was born. And his mother married Robert Brett's, bricklayer. But Jonson was admitted to Westminster School by an unknown person. After completing his education and he join his father bricklaying and then be join Royal Army.

HIS  CAREER OF THEATRE :-

                                 

           The he Secured place in theatre company under enterpreneurship of Phillip Henslowe . He wrote 19 play and 36 Masques. Jonson invented the anti-masque also known as the anti-masque , the false masque, and antic masque and produced the frist in 1609. 

             King James I provided Royal Patronage to Ben Jonson. James provided him a pension of 100 marsk yearly and Ben Jonson is considered as frist poet laureate of England.Ben Jonson was always been a controversial writer having short temper and volatile nature.

 HIS STYLE OF WRITING :-

                   Johnson's work is in strong contrast with that of Shakespeare and of the later Elizabethan dramatists. Alone he fought against the romantic tendency of the age, and to restore the classic standards. Thus the Whole action of his drama usually covers only a few hours, or a singal day. He never takes liberties with historical facts, as Shakespeare does, but is accurate to the smallest detail.

          

His drama abound in classical learning, are carefully and logically constructed and comedy of crowding each other as they do in Shakespeare and in life. In one respect his comedies are worthy of careful reading they are intensely realistic, presenting men ,and women of the te exactly as they were.

 -: HIS NOTABLE WORKS :-       

         

                     // COMEDIES//

  (1) 'Everyman In His Humour '(1598)

  (2)' Everyman Out Of Humour'(1599)

  (3)' Volpone Or Fox (1605)

   (4)'Alchemist and Epicoene Or The Silent woman . 

                       //Tragedies//

  1) Sejanus (1603)

  2) Catiline (1611).

       

       Let's discuss about   " Everyman in his Humour" great work written by Ben Jonson :

THE TERM HUMOUR :-

              The term 'humour' comes from the ancient Greek physicians . It is a medical term. As per the ancient medical systems, there are four major humours or elements in human body.

      

  1. BLOOD OR FIRE (heat)

  2. PHLEGM OR AIR (cold)

  3.CHOLER OR YELLOW BILE OR EARTH (dryness)

  4. MELONCHOLY OR BLACK BILE OR WATER (moisture).

 

        Each of these four fluids were associated with particular characteristics that were thought to influence a persons temperament, as well as their health.

EVERYMAN IN HIS HUMOUR :-

           Everyman  in his Humour, comic drama in five acts. That established the reputation of Ben Jonson, performed in London by the lord Chamberlain men in 1598 and revised sometime before it publication in the folio edition of 1616. The play belong  to the Subgenre of the Humour comedy in which each major character is dominated by an over-riding humor or obsession.

   

         In the prologue, the speaker announces that the play was written due to the popularity of the the theatre . The goal of playwright is to plase their audience. this play , the audience to a place far away, but will show a current time and place that will make people laugh.

            //  THEME//

  (IT IS A COMEDY OF HUMOUR)

 

       The character show different types of attitudes related to the four humor. Stephen is melancholic, Bobadil and Matthew are Choleric, Downright and Wellbred are aggressive, Edward and Brainworm suggest sanguine nature  While Justice Clement suggests phlegmatic Clam attitude required by a person at the position of making justice.

          Last point discuss about the death of Ben jonson :

      

         Ben Jonson  journeyed on foot to Scottland in 1618, and was appointed city chronologer to the city of london in 1628. The same year he possibly suffered a paralytic stoke. He died on 6 August 1637, and was buried in Westminster Abbey.

CONCLUSION :- 

   

                              Wind up my blog with described the topic in here, life of Jonson, his style of writing, his notable works and described the great comedy 'Everyman in his Humour'. Such comedies were character oriented and full of realism.

Thank you !!!.