Encylopedia Entry

Ben Jonson's poetry, like his acting drama, is informed by his classical learning. "Epigrams" published in 1616 is an entry in a genre that was popular among late-Elizabethan and Jacobean audiences. His most inspiring poem was written in 1603, he wrote this elegy after the death of his eldest son, Benjamin, age seven. He addresses his son bidding him farewell, and the seeks some meaning for his loss. The poem is a moving exploration of a father's feelings on the loss of his son. Jonson continued to write poetry into the mid-1600's.