ABSTRACT
JonsonenteredthetheatricalsceneinLondonduringanexplosiveperiodofurban growth.Thecity'spopulationwasteemingandsprawlingoutsidethewalls; commerce,tourism,andconspicuousconsumptionwereexpanding;andinthe suburbsandliberties,theatreswerespringingupandcompetingforplaysfroma newbreedofwriters,professionalplaywrights.Manyofthem,likeMarlowe, Greene,andKyd,wereOxfordandCambridgegraduateswhoturnedtowriting whentheglutofeducatedmenonthemarketcloseddoorsonmoreconventional careeropportunities.These'universitywits'andothers,likeShakespeare,hadbeen makingnamesforthemselvessinceabout1589,shapingpublicaudienceseagerfor dramaticentertainment.Thatyear,BenJonson,sixteenyearsold,leftWestminster School,theeliteacademywhichhehadattendedfornineyears,supportedbyan anonymouspatron.Deniedtheadvantageofauniversityeducation,Jonsonfaced aproblematicfuture.Astheposthumoussonofanimpoverishedgentleman,he mayhavehopedtoregainhisfather'slostestate,butcircumstancesforcedhiminto anapprenticeshipinhisstepfather'strade,bricklaying.Thesituationwasnota happyone.In1591,hequithistrainingtojointhearmyintheNetherlands,and, afterabriefreturntobricksfollowinghisyearabroad,hemarriedAnneLewis,thus rashlyendinghisapprenticeshipbeforehequalifiedforanysecurealternative employment.Likeotherover-educated,witty,andambitiousyounggentlemenwith noprospects,Jonsongravitatedtowardsthetheatre.
