• Born: June 11, 1572
• Wife was Anne Lewis
• Children: Mary and Benjamin (“Ben
Jonson”)
• Died on August 6, 1637
Farewell, thou child of my right hand, and joy;
My sin was too much hope of thee, lov'd boy.
Seven years tho' wert lent to me, and I thee pay,
Exacted by thy fate, on the just day.
O, could I lose all father now! For why
Will man lament the state he should envy?
To have so soon 'scap'd world's and flesh's rage,
And if no other misery, yet age?
Rest in soft peace, and, ask'd, say, "Here doth lie
Ben Jonson his best piece of poetry."
For whose sake henceforth all his vows be such,
As what he loves may never like too much.
Analysis
 Spenserian
 Grieving
rhyme scheme
Father
 Epitaph
 Serious
tone and somber mood (Shmoop
Editorial Team)
 Three
Themes
 Metaphor:
Ben Jonson is the best piece of
poetry (Jonson, Ben)
Interesting Information
O Jonson went to jail two times
O None of his original tragedies survived
O Buried in Westminster Abbey
WORKS CITED
“Ben Jonson.” Ben Jonson. Soylent Communications, 2014. Web. 30 Sept.
2014.
"Ben Jonson." Bio. A&E Television Networks, 2014. Web. 30 Sep. 2014.
Jonson, Ben. “On My First Son.” Evanston, IL: McDougal Littell, 2008. Print.
Shmoop Editorial Team. “On My First Son.” Shmoop University, Inc., 11 Nov.
2008. Web. 30 Sept. 2014.