1. Satire and Moral Ambiguity in Jonson's City Comedies: How Does Volpone Subvert Traditional Morality to Critique Capitalist Corruption?
Ben Jonson’s Volpone (1606) is a biting critique of greed and moral decay, yet its satirical edge raises questions about the ethical ambiguity of its characters and structure. Analyze how Jonson uses the comedy of humours framework to expose the hypocrisy of Renaissance Venice’s elite, particularly through Volpone’s feigned death and Mosca’s manipulative schemes. Does the play’s refusal to punish the corrupt (e.g., Voltore, Corvino) undermine its moral message, or does it instead reflect a deeper skepticism about human nature? Discuss how Jonson’s blending of classical models (e.g., Plautus) with Jacobean social critique creates a tension between universal truths and historically specific corruption .
Key angles:
2. Classical Imitation vs. Innovation: How Does Jonson’s The Alchemist Negotiate Renaissance Humanism and Commercial Realities?
The Alchemist (1610) is celebrated for its adherence to classical unities and Aristotelian principles, yet its themes of alchemy and trickery resonate with early modern capitalism. Explore how Jonson adapts classical satire (e.g., Horace’s Ars Poetica) to critique speculative finance and intellectual fraud in Jacobean London. How does the play’s structure—three unified acts mirroring the alchemical process—reinforce its critique of societal "counterfeiting"? Contrast the erudite language of Subtle and Face with the vernacular of Doll Common, and discuss how this duality reflects Jonson’s tension between elitist humanism and popular theater .
Key textual evidence:
3. Ben Jonson and the Politics of Patronage: How Does The Masque of Blackness Navigate Royal Ideology and Anti-Theatrical Controversy?
The Masque of Blackness (1605), commissioned by Anne of Denmark, combines courtly spectacle with subversive themes of racial and gender ambiguity. Investigate how Jonson balances royal flattery (e.g., James I as "Apollo") with critiques of colonialism and patriarchy. Analyze the symbolism of the "black nymphs" and their dance, and discuss how the masque’s performative elements (costumes, choreography) challenge Puritan anxieties about theatricality. Does the play’s ambiguous ending—where blackness is "transformed" into beauty—endorse assimilation or critique white supremacy?
Theoretical framework:
4. Gender and Power in Bartholomew Fair: How Does Jonson Use Puppets to Subvert Patriarchal Authority?
Bartholomew Fair (1614) features a cast of morally bankrupt male characters, while its female protagonist, Winwife, navigates a patriarchal world through wit and agency. Examine how Jonson’s use of puppets (e.g., the "dumb-show" of the whores) destabilizes traditional gender roles. Does the play’s carnivalesque setting—marked by licentiousness and disorder—serve to critique or reinforce gender hierarchies? Discuss the significance of Grace Wellborn’s commodification of her chastity and its implications for early capitalist subjectivity .
Key scenes:
5. Jonson’s Literary Criticism: How Does Timber Refashion the Renaissance Concept of "Genius"?
In Timber; or, Discoveries (1641), Jonson critiques contemporary writers for prioritizing "fancy" over classical discipline. Analyze his definition of "genius" as a blend of innate talent and learned labor, and contrast it with Renaissance humanist ideals (e.g., Sidney’s Defense of Poesy). How does Jonson’s emphasis on imitation and censure reflect his anxieties about authorship and originality in an era of print culture? Discuss his influence on later critics like Samuel Johnson and T.S. Eliot .
Key arguments from Timber:
您确定给 “0” 位老师发送协议吗?