Shakespeare poem Comaprison
Ben Jonson’s “To the Memory of My Beloved, The Author, Mr. William Shakespeare, and What He Hath Left Us” and John Milton’s “On Shakespeare” are both tributes to Shakespeare that try to bring to light how he has affected the world. Although the topics of both poems are the same and imagery used in them is similar, there are differences in style and how Shakespeare is depicted. In John Milton’s poem, Shakespeare seems to be described through the eyes of a peer while Jonson’s poem praises Shakespeare as though the speaker was groveling on his knees. The style of “On Shakespeare” seems calm and concise while Ben Jonson’s poem is grandiose and longwinded. Even through different styles and both Jonson and Milton end up with the same argument, that Shakespeare’s work should be revered and because of the greatness of his work, he will be remembered forever. Both Jonson’s and Milton’s poems use images of Greek mythological characters to assert their arguments. The speaker in “To the Memory of My Beloved . . .
William Shakespeare, and What He Hath Left Us”. Even though the poems show differences in style and tone, Milton’s poem being more serene and concise while Jonson’s poem being longwinded and grandiose, both utilize similar imagery to assert their argument. The speaker states that even a muse, a demi-god, can’t give enough praise to Shakespeare, suggesting that his work is above the gods. “On Shakespeare” makes use of “soft” sounds like “h”, “m”, and “w”. They both make use of Greeks mythology, especially the muses, stating that Shakespeare’s work is as great, if not greater, than the work of the Greek gods. Although it may seem as if the references to Greek mythology in both poems make the same argument, Jonson goes a step beyond Milton. This comparison of Shakespeare’s poetry to a monument asserts the quiet tone of Milton’s poem. The statement compares Shakespeare’s work to that of Apollo. Jonson’s depiction of Shakespeare and his poetry also illustrates the verbosity of “To the Memory of My Beloved, The Author, Mr. The imagery is very active, depicting a picture of a poet sweating and toiling for a poem in the same way a blacksmith sweats and toils to create a weapon. These sounds make the poem seem more quiet and peaceful. It suggests that the speaker is trying to ingratiate himself with Shakespeare. William Shakespeare, and What He Hath Left Us” describes Shakespeare’s poetry as work that “neither man nor muse can praise too much” (4).
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