Ben Jonson

An early 17th-century English playwright and poet with a thorough Classical education that can be found running through the veins of his works. He is widely regarded as one of the most important English playwrights after William Shakespeare.

Despite his intellect and education he is known to have worked as a brick layer and fought for his country in the army. Howeve, by the time he was 25 he had joined a theatre company in London, The Admiral’s Men.
His comedies were admired by contemporary audiences, and he also wrote a number of masques for the court, simple plays in which the lords and ladies acted. Jonson’s work influenced poets and playwrights of the 17th century.
Jonson was married, but it is unclear who his wife was. Their marriage was beset by tragedy, though his they were common in his time. His eldest son, also called Benjamin, died of the plague at the age of seven. ‘On My First Son’ was written in memory of him. His daughter and his second son both died in childhood too.