Jonson, Beckett, And Love Of The Loathed Word

Abstract

This paper explores the lingual and philosophical underpinnings of the works of Ben Jonson, an English playwright, poet, and contemporary of Shakespeare, and Samuel Beckett, a 20th century Irish novelist and playwright most prominently known for his contributions to what may broadly be termed Absurdist literature. Ben Jonson’s characters possess an agency in their use of language which Beckett’s characters largely lack. Their world of language is filled with exuberance, and their schemes and games give them a sense of fulfillment that is only fleetingly found in the work of Beckett. The latter’s vision of language is at once pessimistic, and yet at the same time tinged with more than a hint of potentially paradigm-shifting language horizons. I argue that the connection between Jonson and Beckett lies, not in a common world view, but rather in a shared tendency to conceptualize linguistic expression as being in some sense intrinsic to the human condition. It is this particular linkage which is addressed in this essay.