Ben Johnson and William Shakespeare

The richest treasure a man can possess cannot be found in coffers of gold or in the powers that rule but in the value of a true friend. A friend is a person who knows your weaknesses and despite them still finds joy in your company. A friend can also serve as a muse that inspires a person to greater heights. Ben Jonson and William Shakespeare had an enduring friendship that was intertwined with threads of rivalry (Ben Jonson). These men shared a common love of writing and both would impact the literary world in different ways. Ben Jonson and William Shakespeare had different experiences in life, styles of writing but both would leave a lasting mark on the literary world.

Ben Jonson's life was filled with tragic events. The death of his father before he was born, the loss of his inheritance because of the reign of Mary Tudor, barely escaping a death sentence, and the loss of his son's and daughter's life were tragic events that shaped the man. Despite the tragedies there were some positive aspects in his life. William Camden saw great promise in his literary talents early on and took him under his wing. Although, Ben Jonson would not earn a college degree, he would later be given an honorary degree and would be considered one of the most learned men of his time (Ben). He would also gain the favor and patronage of James I and go on to write masques for the court and would be considered England's first poet laureate (Ben Jonson English). Many considered Ben Jonson to be a difficult man with an argumentative personality. His squabbles with other playwrights are legendary (book). However, Ben Jonson was a passionate perfectionist who encouraged and embraced the revival of classicism (Mulryan). His experiences helped shape the man a...

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