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One of the greatest English playwrights of the seventeenth century, Ben Jonson was also a deeply influential lyric poet, whose poetry combined classical ideals with a vigorous interest in contemporary life and colloquial language. The Complete Poems contains all the volumes of poetry Jonson published in his lifetime - including Epigrams, The Forest and Underwoods - alongside a wide variety of his other poems collected after his death. Ranging from deeply moving pieces such as 'On My First Son' and the elegant love lyric 'Song to Celia' to brutally satirical poems such as 'On Poet-Ape' and the reflective 'An Ode to Himself', it offers a powerful celebration of both one man's life, and of an age.
About the Author
Ben Jonson was born in 1572, the posthumous son of a minister and was educated at Westminster School thanks to an unknown patron. In 1597, after brief careers as a bricklayer and soldier, he began to work for Henslowe's company as a player and playwright. In addition to the comedies Jonson also produced two tragedies. In 1616 he was granted a royal pension and was made, in effect, Poet Laureate. He died on 6 August 1637.
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Pray thee, take care, that tak'st my book in hand, To read it well: that is, to understand. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Pray thee, take care, that tak'st my book in hand, To read it well: that is, to understand. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good edition of all Jonson's poetry,
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This review is from: The Complete Poems (Classics) (Paperback)
Ok, let's be honest, Jonson is a great playwright but he's just not that great a poet. He has his moments (the Celia poems, the Charis lyrics, some of the more personal poems) but most of his verse is 'occasional' or written to his many patrons and people at court.
This is a good edition which contains all Jonson's poetry, both the collections published during his life, and the posthumous verse. It also has a useful appendix of Drummond's 'Conversations', notes taken of his discussions with Jonson in 1619 which give us biographical and other information. This edition doesn't have a biographical introduction but does include a detailed table of dates. What this collection expresses superbly is the casual, social nature of poetry at this period; that is, everyone wrote it in the way we now text or blog and it isn't seen as a 'vocation' or a special talent. By noting who Jonson wrote poetry to and about, we can re-construct social and literary networks, and get a picture of the mental world within which Jonson lived. So if you want to read Jonson's poetry this is a good and reliable edition to buy - just don't expect the kind of brilliance and beauty of a Marlowe, Donne, or Sidney.
2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Big Bad Ben,
This review is from: The Complete Poems (Classics) (Paperback)
Ben Jonson was a real London geezer - actor, playwright, poet, boozer, fighter and killer - a Renaissance Cockney of the first water. Penguin have done another superb job in presenting these marvellous poems and I'd like to see a TV series of the man, with Ray Winstone in the lead role. Sarcasm is a great London weapon and BJ had it by truckloads. But when he writes of the death of his infant daughter there's real feeling there too. Top writer, top book - know what I mean, mate? George Parfitt is the chap responsible for the editing but you feel Georgie boy ain't the real Whitechapel bricklaying deal and he doesn't seem aware of the real London sensibility in this work. How Ben must have raged at those provincials, like Bill Shakespeare, coming in and nicking all the best plays.
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