Ben Jonson


Ben Jonson was born in 1572 making him a close contemporary of William Shakespeare. He was educated at Westminster School where he obtained a strong grounding in classics. He started life as a bricklayer but tired soon of this profession and became a soldier for some years. He then turned to the stage where he found his vocation and established a reputation as a dramatist, actor and poet. He was always a controversial figure and went to prison twice, once for the ill-judged publication of a satire which was considered seditious and for the second time for killing a fellow actor in a duel. His best known works are Volpone, The Alchemist and Bartholomew Fair and his masques for the royal court brought him fame and a good income, He died in 1637 and is buried in Westminster Abbey.


Size: 3648px × 5444px
Location: England
Photo credit: © Cameni Images / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
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Keywords: abbey, actor, alchemist, bartholomew, ben, bricklayer, dramatist, engraving, etching, fair, jonson, masques, poet, prison, school, shakespeare, soldier, volpone, westminster, william