Definition

Proper noun: * Benjamin Jonson: An English playwright, poet, and literary critic of the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He is considered one of the most significant writers of the English Renaissance, alongside William Shakespeare.

Usage Examples

• Proper noun:
  • The play "Volpone" is a famous satire by Benjamin Jonson.
  • Many scholars study the works of Benjamin Jonson to understand the Jacobean era.
  • Benjamin Jonson was a contemporary and sometimes a rival of William Shakespeare.

Advanced Usage

• "The Jonsonian comedy": A term used to describe a style of comedy characterized by sharp satire, "humours" (exaggerated personality traits), and a focus on contemporary London life, as exemplified by Jonson's plays.
  • The play is a fine example of Jonsonian comedy, with its biting satire of greed.
• "A Jonson": Used informally to refer to a work by Benjamin Jonson.
  • The theater company is staging a rarely performed Jonson this season.

Variants and Related Words

• Jonson (n): The shortened, most common form of the name Benjamin Jonson.
  • Jonson's influence on English drama was profound.
• Jonsonian (adj): Of or relating to Benjamin Jonson or his literary style.
  • The critic noted the play's Jonsonian structure and wit.

Synonyms

• The Bard's Contemporary: A descriptive phrase highlighting his relationship to Shakespeare.
• The Jacobean Dramatist: A term placing him within his specific historical and literary period.

Related Idioms

• "To have a Jonsonian wit": To possess a sharp, satirical, and intellectually robust sense of humor, reminiscent of Jonson's writing.
  • Her reviews were feared for their Jonsonian wit.

Noun

1. English dramatist and poet who was the first real poet laureate of England (1572-1637)