ben jonson

Ben Jonson

“On My First Son”

and

“Song To Celia”


• Serves as a goodbye to his son– “Farewell, thou child of my right hand, and joy;” (1)– First word sets the tone

• Feels that he has sinned – “My sin was too much hope of thee, lov’d boy.” (2)

• Loving his son too much • He forgot how precious life was?


“Seven years thou wert lent to me, and I thee pay.

Exacted by the fate, on the just day.” (3-4)

• God loaned him his son and needed him back after seven years

• Fate caused his death


“Oh, could I lose all father now! For why

Will man lament the state he should envy?”( 5-6)

• Doesn’t want to remember all of the joys he had being a father

• Man will mourn for his loss what he once would have envied (fathering)


“To have so soon ‘scaped world’s and flesh’s rage,

And, if no other misery, yet age?” (7-8)

• Heaven is the goal in life

• He escaped the hardships and cruelty of the world


“Rest in soft peace, and asked, say, ‘Here doth lieBen Johnson his best piece of poetry;

For whose sake henceforth all his vows be suchAs what he loves may never like too much.’”

(9-12)• Rest in peace • There lies the best of himself • He will never love as much because he may lose them

like his son


• Poetic devices

• Theme – Loss of his son


• Poetic devices

• Tone/mood – Sad and nostalgic

• “Farewell, thou child of my right hand, and joy” (1)


• Poetic devices

• Conceit – Compares having his son to a loan from God– Indicates the shortness of his life and the

aspect of fate


• Poetic devices

• Rhyme scheme– aa,bb,cc,dd,ee,ff,


• Poetic devices • Epitaph

– Inscription on a grave

“Here doth lie

Ben Johnson his best piece of poetry;

For whose sake henceforth all his vows be such

As what he loves may never like too much.” (9-12)

– Presents the theme of the poem- love and loss

“Song: To Celia”

Drink to me, only with thine eyesAnd I will pledge with mine;Or leave a kiss but in the cup,And I'll not look for wine. (1-4)

• Love song to woman • Drink= look at him lovingly • Pledge= promise • He “thirsts” for love


• Tone– Assertive, yearning– Wants a pledge from the woman– Make her pledge with her eyes – Wants her to give into him


“The thirst that from the soul doth riseDoth ask a drink divine:But might I of Jove's nectar supI would not change for thine.” (5-8)

• His soul is thirsty • Says her love is divine • Jove’s nectar cup- he wouldn’t trade a

drink from his cup for her

“Song: To Celia

• Idealizes her

• Give up a drink from Jove’s cup for a taste from hers


“I sent thee late a rosy wreath,Not so much honouring theeAs giving it a hope that thereIt could not withered beBut thou thereon didst only breathAnd sent'st it back to me:Since, when it grows and smells, I swear,Not of itself but thee.” (9-16)


• Sent her wreath hoping it would live

• She sent it back with her sweet fragrance on it

• The wreath grows and energizes his love for her


• Poetic devices

• Theme– Live and love


• Poetic devices

• Tone and mood– Loving and desirous


• Poetic devices

• Rhyme scheme– abcbabcb


• Poetic devices

• Allusion– Jove (Jupiter) Supreme God of Roman

Mythology – Idealization of her and his love


• Poetic Devices – Alliteration

• “Doth ask a drink divine:” (6)–Emphasizes the value he places on her

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