“On M

y Firs

t Son”

By Ben

Jonso

n

(1572-1

637)

Joey VettiankalKatherine Pruitt

Olivia Jung

• Born: June 11, 1572

• Wife was Anne Lewis

• Children: Mary and Benjamin

(“Ben Jonson”)

• Died on August 6, 1637

Biographical Information

Farewell, thou child of my right hand, and joy;

My sin was too much hope of thee, lov'd boy.

Seven years tho' wert lent to me, and I thee pay,

Exacted by thy fate, on the just day.

“On My First Son”

O, could I lose all father now! For why

Will man lament the state he should envy?

To have so soon 'scap'd world's and flesh's rage,

And if no other misery, yet age?

Rest in soft peace, and, ask'd, 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.

“On My First Son”

Analysis Spenserian rhyme scheme

Grieving Father

Epitaph

Serious tone and somber mood

(Shmoop Editorial Team)

Three Themes

Metaphor: Ben Jonson is the best piece

of poetry (Jonson, Ben)

Interesting InformationO Jonson went to jail two timesO None of his original tragedies

survived O Buried in Westminster Abbey

WORKS CITED

“Ben Jonson.” Ben Jonson. Soylent Communications, 2014. Web. 30 Sept. 2014.

"Ben Jonson." Bio. A&E Television Networks, 2014. Web. 30 Sep. 2014.

Jonson, Ben. “On My First Son.” Evanston, IL: McDougal Littell, 2008. Print.

Shmoop Editorial Team. “On My First Son.” Shmoop University, Inc., 11 Nov. 2008. Web. 30 Sept. 2014.