Comparison between Shakespeare and Ben Jonson :
An Essay on Dramatic Poesy (1668) is a landmark in English criticism where Dryden compares between Shakespeare and Ben Jonson – two literary tycoons of English literature. Despite being a Neoclassicist, his disinterested and impartial analysis satisfies us and the honest clarity with which he finds fault with Jonson and admires Shakespeare is truly remarkable.
Shakespeare, as Dryden proceeds, was the man “who of all modern and perhaps all ancient poets had the largest and most comprehensive soul”. He was ” naturally learned ” and so his lack of orthodox education and bookish knowledge never hindered his creation. The imagery of nature – both the physical and the human nature – were readily accessible for him since “he looked inward” and found nature there. This organic relationship with nature is best exemplified in Shakespeare’s works where a reader not merely visualizes a description but feels it. Here lies the mastery of Shakespeare who effortlessly engages his readers with nature in an empathetic companionship. Dryden has been bold enough to trace the shortfalls of Shakespeare with transparency. Sometimes his genius suffers temporary downfall : “He is many times flat, insipid; his comic wit degenerating into clenches, his serious swelling into bombast”. Dryden, however,reassures that when he gets a fit occasion, he never misses to be great.
Ben Jonson occupies a special place in Dryden’s heart because of the similarity in their Classical ideal. Dryden considers Jonson to be “the most learned and judicious writer which any theater ever had”. He has been “a severe judge” for himself as well as others. His wit and language were his strong points and his perfectionism is evident in the fact that very little can be altered in his composition. Jonson excelled in projecting humors but was less capable in showing passion because his intellect tyrannised over his passion. His profound knowledge about Greek and Roman language and history enabled him to use them frequently in his plays so much authoritatively as to excel even the Roman writers themselves : “He invades authors like a monarch; and what would be theft in other poets is only victory in him”. His plays are structurally perfect and functionally correct but his Latin-obsession occasionally mars the effect of his plays. His strength lies in adherence to the classical laws and unmasking society by means of humor.
While Shakespeare is naturally learned and possessing an organic relationship with nature, Jonson has his command on society and its vices. His plays are never lax and always “correct” in its extreme meaning but Shakespeare forms his own rule and organic unity instead of Aristotelian precepts. His imaginative sensibility can instigate and heighten our emotions to a supreme level whereas Jonson takes recourse to a dramatic coldness. Thus, Shakespearean wit prevails over Jonsonian intellect and the former makes us feel while the latter makes us think. Dryden was right to remark : “Shakespeare was the Homer or father of our dramatic poets; Jonson was the Virgil, the pattern of elaborate writing; I
admire him, but I love Shakespeare”.
