Ben Jonson's famous elegy of William Shakespeare implies a
number of significant literary ideals, including the
following:
- The best praise of a
writer should be well-informed and judicious. It should be praise offered by someone who
knows what s/he is talking about. Such praise should come from someone who is himself
respected, but it should not be blind, fawning flattery
(1-16). - Great writers can enhance the reputations of
their nations, and Shakespeare is one of the greatest of English writers (19-21, 29-30,
41-42). - Ideally great writers should know the classics,
although a writer can be greateven if he does not read the classical languages. In any
case, the classical authors provide a standard by which we can judge modern writers, who
can sometimes surpass the ancients (31-40). - Great
writers can become historical figures who will never be forgotten
(43). - Great contemporary writers can be effectively
praised by using language associated with the Greek and Roman classics (44-46,
51-53). - Nature can be the subject of great poetry, but
great writing is also the result of great skill and art. Great works are works that are
well designed and well-constructed (47-50). - Natural
talent, and nature as the source of literary subjects, are both important in creating
great writing, but craftsmanship and art are also very
significant:
. . . though the Poet's matter Nature
be
His art doth give the fashion. (57-58; see also
68)
- Anyone who
hopes to produce writing that will really last must work hard at his/her writing
(58-60). - Hard work at writing is a process that
transforms the writer as well as the work (62). - A
careless writer may earn scorn (63), “For a good Poet’s made as well as born”
(64). - A great writer’s character and intelligence
survive in what he writes (66-68).
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