Ben Jonson

1
Ben Jonson

• On My First Son
• and
• Song To Celia

2
On My First Son

• 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, lovd boy.
  (2)
• Loving his son too much
• He forgot how precious life was?

3
On My First Son

• 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

4
On My First Son

• Oh, could I lose all father now! For why
• Will man lament the state he should envy?( 5-6)
• Doesnt 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)

5
On My First Son

• To have so soon scaped worlds and fleshs
  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

6
On My First Son

• Rest in soft peace, and asked, say, 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)
• Rest in peace
• There lies the best of himself
• He will never love as much because he may lose
  them like his son

7
On My First Son

• Poetic devices
• Theme
• Loss of his son

8
On My First Son

• Poetic devices
• Tone/mood
• Sad and nostalgic
• Farewell, thou child of my right hand, and joy
  (1)

9
On My First Son

• Poetic devices
• Conceit
• Compares having his son to a loan from God
• Indicates the shortness of his life and the
  aspect of fate

10
On My First Son

• Poetic devices
• Rhyme scheme
• aa,bb,cc,dd,ee,ff,

11
On My First Son

• 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

12
Song To Celia

• Drink to me, only with thine eyesAnd I will
  pledge with mineOr 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

13
Song To Celia

• The thirst that from the soul doth riseDoth ask
  a drink divineBut might I of Jove's nectar
  supI would not change for thine. (5-8)
• His soul is thirsty
• Says her love is divine
• Joves nectar cup- he wouldnt trade a drink from
  his cup for her

14
Song To Celia

• 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 meSince, when it
  grows and smells, I swear,Not of itself but
  thee. (9-16)

15
Song To Celia

• 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

16
Song To Celia

• Poetic devices
• Theme
• Live and love

17
Song To Celia

• Poetic devices
• Tone and mood
• Loving and desirous

18
Song To Celia

• Poetic devices
• Rhyme scheme
• abcbabcb

19
Song To Celia

• Poetic devices
• Allusion
• Jove (Jupiter) Supreme God of Roman Mythology
• Idealization of her and his love

20
Song To Celia

• Poetic Devices
• Alliteration
• Doth ask a drink divine (6)
• Emphasizes the value he places on her