Customer center

We are a boutique essay service, not a mass production custom writing factory. Let us create a perfect paper for you today!

Example research essay topic: Ben Jonson As A Lover - 967 words

NOTE: Free essay sample provided on this page should be used for references or sample purposes only. The sample essay is available to anyone, so any direct quoting without mentioning the source will be considered plagiarism by schools, colleges and universities that use plagiarism detection software. To get a completely brand-new, plagiarism-free essay, please use our essay writing service.
One click instant price quote

Ben Jonson as a Lover Poetry of Ben Jonson describes him as a renaissance man, in the full sense of this word. This is because he was able to integrate into his verses his love of sensual pleasures, his idealism, and his philosophical aspirations. Just as any educated person in England, at the time, Jonson was being heavily influenced by the notions ancient Greek and Roman culture. This explains epicurean attitudes, which are often found in Jonson's poems. At the same time, Jonson was a man of his time; this is why he understood its own psychical incompatibility with ancient ideal of harmony between body and spirit. This metaphysical discrepancy is especially noticeable in Jonson's love poems, where he is represented to us as both: an idealist and cynic, who get pleasure out exposing the futility of his romantic aspirations to the public.

In poem My Picture Left in Scotland, Jonson refers to himself as being physically unfit for the love of lady of his heart. He describes love as being rather deaf than blind, but at the same time he admits that it is his unsightly features that prevent his poetry from having any effect on the object of his desire: My hundreds of gray hairs Told seven and forty years, Read so much waste as she cannot embrace My mountain belly and my rocky face, And all these, through her eyes, have stopt her ears (Jonson) It reveals Jonson as basing his romantic pessimism on the facts of objective reality. We can say that Jonson was rather a philosopher-lover. The love towards woman is expressed by him in very rational manner; however, it does not prevent him from remaining very affectionate.

This was also a common feature of Greek and Roman lyrics. Jonson appears as not being blinded by his passion, because his life experiences prevent him from considering love as something that will last forever. According to Jonson, the essence of love is very illusive; this is why it can never be realized in its entirety. Jonson appears to think that only through collecting sensual pleasures that one can get a better understanding of its own romanticism.

What separates Jonson from the modern romantic poets is that he clearly associated love with physical health. Just like Renaissance artists, he imagined a perfect woman as being slightly plump. Back in Jonson's times, the ideal of feminine beauty had nothing to do with pathological thinness, as it is the case in present time. This is because beauty derives out of physical health. The feminine health is strongly associated with fertility. Very thin women are incapable of normal childbirth.

This is why thin women can be considered as being attractive, at best, but they can never be referred to as beautiful. It explains why Jonson often used to associate feminine virtue with ripeness. In his poem To Penshurst, Jonson compares young women to plums and pears, which clearly indicates the fact that the concept of sexism was virtually unknown to him: The better cheeses, bring them; or else send By their ripe daughters, whom they would commend This way to husbands; and whose baskets bear An emblem of themselves in plum, or pear (Jonson) Jonson's poetry reveals himself as being a loving father. His both sons died before they reached the adulthood, which was very common in 17 th century England. His poem On my First Son helps us to have a better understanding of Jonson's concept of love. Apparently, he did not think of this feeling as being self-efficient.

According to poet, a true love always bear fruits. This is why he does not make a distinction between love and sex. In fact, sex for Jonson is nothing but a tool. Just like an electrical screwdriver requires and electrical power, in order to be used, sex needs to be powered by love, otherwise we cannot think of it as being anything else but physical expression of peoples anomalistic instincts. Jonson refers to his son as a fruit of his love: 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 (Jonson) At the same time, we cannot suggest that love for Jonson was something that he could fully rationalize.

There are clearly platonic undertones can be found in his poem A Celebration of Charis, where he refers to subject of his love in rather allegorical manner. In this poem, Johnson associates love with purity. The symbol of purity has traditionally been a swan, because of its gracefulness and whiteness. In 17 th century, there was no political correctness, which allowed Jonson to express his feelings in very open manner. In Jonson's time, it was a self-evident fact that individuals beauty, health, and intellect are related to each other in separable manner. However, their most important precondition is purity.

This is why Jonson uses symbols of dove and swan as material embodiments of highly abstract idea of untainted love: See the chariot at hand here of Love, Wherein my lady ride! Each that draws is a swan or a dove, And well the car Love guide (Jonson) Jonson fits into a classical definition of lover, because he also was a soldier, adventurist, duelist and politician. Just like a Casanova, Jonson had spent a few years in jail, which proves that his stance in life has always been active. Women are attracted to this type of men, because they intuitively feel a raw power in them. At the same time, Jonson was a sensitive person, who was capable of writing poetic masterpieces, which only added to his popularity among women.

Bibliography: The Works of Benjamin Jonson. 2006. Luminarium. Org. 28 Apr. 2007. web


Free research essays on topics related to: physical health, ben jonson, 17 th century, greek and roman, jonson

Research essay sample on Ben Jonson As A Lover

Writing service prices per page

  • $18.85 - in 14 days
  • $19.95 - in 3 days
  • $23.95 - within 48 hours
  • $26.95 - within 24 hours
  • $29.95 - within 12 hours
  • $34.95 - within 6 hours
  • $39.95 - within 3 hours
  • Calculate total price

Our guarantee

  • 100% money back guarantee
  • plagiarism-free authentic works
  • completely confidential service
  • timely revisions until completely satisfied
  • 24/7 customer support
  • payments protected by PayPal

Secure payment

With EssayChief you get

  • Strict plagiarism detection regulations
  • 300+ words per page
  • Times New Roman font 12 pts, double-spaced
  • FREE abstract, outline, bibliography
  • Money back guarantee for missed deadline
  • Round-the-clock customer support
  • Complete anonymity of all our clients
  • Custom essays
  • Writing service

EssayChief can handle your

  • essays, term papers
  • book and movie reports
  • Power Point presentations
  • annotated bibliographies
  • theses, dissertations
  • exam preparations
  • editing and proofreading of your texts
  • academic ghostwriting of any kind

Free essay samples

Browse essays by topic:

Stay with EssayChief! We offer 10% discount to all our return customers. Once you place your order you will receive an email with the password. You can use this password for unlimited period and you can share it with your friends!

Academic ghostwriting

About us

© 2002-2024 EssayChief.com