00028--Discuss Ben Jonson’s attitude towards the classical theories and principles of literature.

Ben Jonson was the first classical critic of England.  He held the ancient classical theories and principles of literature as laid down by Plato, Aristotle and Horace in high esteem.  He equally loved, admired and adored the ancient Greek and Latin poets.  They were the models fit to be followed and imitated by the moderns. 

The classical models were: Homer and Virgil for epics, Virgil also for pastorals, Seneca for tragedy, Plautus and Terence for comedy, and Juvenal for Satire.  Euripides, Sophocles and Aeschylus were model dramatists before Shakespeare.  However, with all his respect and admiration for these ancient poets and critics, he did not undermine the genius of the English poets and dramatists.  He did not want the moderns “to rest in their sole authority, or take all upon trust from them.  For to all the observations of the ancients we have our own experience; which if we will use and apply, we have abetter means to pronounce.  It is true they opened the gates and made the way that went before us, but as guides, not commanders.  For rules are ever of less force and value than experiments.  Nothing is more ridiculous than to make an author a dictator as the schools have done Aristotle. 

Jonson’s admiration and adoration of the classics did not shut the windows of his own mind.  He admired the ancients for what they were worth.  At the same time he did not love and admire to any degree less the great english authors like Shakespear, Spenser, Bacon, Marlowe, Sidney, Donne and others.  Thus we see that Jonson’s neo-classical creed did not blind him to the purely English genius and originality of the Elizabethan authors.  He was not to any degree blind to the glories of English literature.