1. “On My First Son” and “Song To Celia”
Ben Jonson
“On My First Son”
and
“Song To Celia”

2. “On My First Son” Serves as a goodbye to his son
“Farewell, thou child of my right hand, and joy;” (1)
First word sets the tone
Feels that he has sinned
“My sin was too much hope of thee, lov’d boy.” (2)
Loving his son too much
He forgot how precious life was?

3. “On My First Son” “Seven years thou wert lent to me, and I thee pay.
Exacted by the fate, on the just day.” (3-4)
God loaned him his son and needed him back after seven years
Fate caused his death

4. “On My First Son”
“Oh, could I lose all father now! For why
Will man lament the state he should envy?”( 5-6)
Doesn’t want to remember all of the joys he had being a father
Man will mourn for his loss what he once would have envied (fathering)

5. “On My First Son” “To have so soon ‘scaped world’s and flesh’s rage,
And, if no other misery, yet age?” (7-8)
Heaven is the goal in life
He escaped the hardships and cruelty of the world

6. “On My First Son” “Rest in soft peace, and asked, say, ‘Here doth lie
Ben Johnson his best piece of poetry;
For whose sake henceforth all his vows be such
As what he loves may never like too much.’”
(9-12)
Rest in peace
There lies the best of himself
He will never love as much because he may lose them like his son

7. “On My First Son”
Poetic devices
Theme
Loss of his son

8. “On My First Son” Poetic devices Tone/mood Sad and nostalgic
“Farewell, thou child of my right hand, and joy” (1)

9. “On My First Son” Poetic devices Conceit
Compares having his son to a loan from God
Indicates the shortness of his life and the aspect of fate

10. “On My First Son”
Poetic devices
Rhyme scheme
aa,bb,cc,dd,ee,ff,

11. “On My First Son” Poetic devices Epitaph “Here doth lie
Inscription on a grave
“Here doth lie
Ben Johnson his best piece of poetry;
For whose sake henceforth all his vows be such
As what he loves may never like too much.” (9-12)
Presents the theme of the poem- love and loss

12. “Song: To Celia”
Drink to me, only with thine eyes And I will pledge with mine; Or leave a kiss but in the cup, And I'll not look for wine (1-4)
Love song to woman
Drink= look at him lovingly
Pledge= promise
He “thirsts” for love

13. “Song: To Celia” Tone Assertive, yearning
Wants a pledge from the woman
Make her pledge with her eyes
Wants her to give into him

14. “Song: To Celia”
“The thirst that from the soul doth rise Doth ask a drink divine: But might I of Jove's nectar sup I would not change for thine.” (5-8)
His soul is thirsty
Says her love is divine
Jove’s nectar cup- he wouldn’t trade a drink from his cup for her

15. “Song: To Celia Idealizes her
Give up a drink from Jove’s cup for a taste from hers

16. “Song: To Celia”
“I sent thee late a rosy wreath, Not so much honouring thee As giving it a hope that there It could not withered be But thou thereon didst only breath And sent'st it back to me: Since, when it grows and smells, I swear, Not of itself but thee.” (9-16)

17. “Song: To Celia” Sent her wreath hoping it would live
She sent it back with her sweet fragrance on it
The wreath grows and energizes his love for her

18. “Song: To Celia”
Poetic devices
Theme
Live and love

19. “Song: To Celia”
Poetic devices
Tone and mood
Loving and desirous

20. “Song: To Celia”
Poetic devices
Rhyme scheme
abcbabcb

21. “Song: To Celia” Poetic devices Allusion
Jove (Jupiter) Supreme God of Roman Mythology
Idealization of her and his love

22. “Song: To Celia” Poetic Devices Alliteration
“Doth ask a drink divine:” (6)
Emphasizes the value he places on her