Imitation and contamination of the classics in the comedies of Ben Jonson : guides not commanders / Tom Harrison.

Worlds out of words: Jonsonian and Aristophanic cloudcuckooands -- Hemaphroditical authority: Epicene and The Aristophanic Chorus -- Mirror stages; Satire from Every man out of his humor to Volopne -- Servants with no master: broken theatregrams in Every man in his humor and The devil is an ass.

"This book focuses on the influence of classical authors on Ben Jonson's dramaturgy, with particular emphasis on the Greek and Roman playwrights and satirists. This book illuminates the interdependence of the aspects of Jonson's creative personality by considering how classical performance elements including the Aristophanic 'Great Idea,' chorus, Terentian/Plautine performative strategies, and 'performative' elements from literary satire manifest themselves in the structuring and staging of his plays. This fascinating exploration contributes to the 'performative turn' in early modern studies by reframing Jonson's classicism as essential to his dramaturgy as well as his erudition. This book is also a case study for how the early modern education system's emphasis on imitative-contaminative practices prepared its students, many of whom became professional playwrights, for writing for a theatre that had a similar emphasis on the recycling and recombining performative tropes and structures"-- Provided by publisher.