Introduction
Robert Herrick (1591-1674) and Ben Jonson (1572-1637) are famous English poets, playwrights and authors. Herrick and Jonson grew up and wrote poems and plays in the same era and were both comparable to the great William Shakespeare. After his apprenticeship with his uncle ended abruptly, Herrick, aged 26 then, became a disciple of Ben Jonson who mentored him in literature. The two wrote five poems together. Herrick’s poetry was about religion, love and he was famed for writing on pastoral themes on the life in the English countryside. Ben Johnson on the other hand was best famed for satirical plays and perfect depiction of typical English lifestyle. The poems "Delight in Disorder" by Robert Herrick (1648) and "Still to be Neat" by Ben Jonson (1609) use closely related imagery and styles to depict classic English literature and lifestyle.
The structure of the two poems is similar. The poems are single stanza poems resembling the famous poems by other famous English poets such as William Shakespeare. Herrick’s poem is a 14-line lyrical piece while Johnson’s poem features 12 lines of lyrical work that is very similarly structured to that of Herrick. The two poems are expressing beauty. The theme of beauty especially in regard to descriptions of female of feminine beauty and appearance resonates though several poems that were written by Herrick, Jonson and other poets of their time.
The main theme in the two poems is female beauty. Herrick states that beauty is most alluring when it is in disarray like a "winning wave (deserving note) / In the tempestuous petticoat" or a “A careless shoe-string, in whose tie I see a wild civility”. Johnson’s poem “still to be neat” praises a woman and her appearance. In spite of the woman looking great as if she was always ready for dinner, Jonson, like Herrick found some flaws in the woman by stating "All is not sweet, all is not sound". The praises the two poets heap on women appearance while pointing out the flaws, attests to their common upbringing in an English society that expected highly of women and their appearance. The common upbringing, male chauvinism and societal expectations on women informed the opinions of the two poets in writing these poems.
The two poets use tones that are light and playful. In it notable that none of the poets uses harsh, and serious words or phrases. Both poems bear evidence of deliberately created imperfections so as to bring about “sweet disorder”. Some lines in Herrick’s poem, that is, lines 1 and 2, 9 and 10 as well as 13 and 14 end in rhyming sounds. Jonson’s poem features the same playful rhyming in lines 3 and 4 as well as 7 and 8. Thus, the two poems depict similarity in tone.
The two poems use rhymes. Ben Jonson states “still perfumedit is to be presumed”. Further ahead he adds, “give me a face, that makes simply a grace” The words “perfumed” and “presumed” as well as “face” and “grace” rhyme perfectly. Robert Herrick poem states, “disorder in the dressclothes a wantonness”. The words “dress” and “wantonness” as well as “lawn” and “thrown” in the next lines rhyme. The use of rhyming in the two poems enhances the attractiveness of the poems and urges the reader on. It is very characteristic of English poets who arose during the reign of these two great poets.
The two poems bear striking similarities in the usage of metaphors. Herrick states “tempestuous petticoat” (line 10). He compares the petticoat to a storm (tempest) because it blows in the wind. Jonson in his part states, “adulteries of art” to indicate the flaws of art which he perhaps compares to the flaws of the woman whose beauty he praises in the poem.
The poems also feature some paradoxes. Herrick’s statement of “wild civility” is a paradox that contrasts civilization or gentleness and calm demeanor with wildness. Jonson on the other hand talks of “sweet neglect” which question whether neglect can be any goo or can qualify t be termed as sweet. The contexts in which the paradoxes are used are very similar in that they are both used to exalt beauty in the midst of shortcomings that taint that essence of beauty. The usage of these paradoxes towards the end of each of the poems serves to remind the readers to take not that beauty and appreciable appearance can prevail in the midst of flaws and shortcomings.
The two poems differ in terms of the usage of inversions. Herrick states in line 3, A lawn about the shoulders thrown (instead he should have talked of A lawn thrown about the shoulders). He also talks of A cuff neglectful (instead of A neglectful cuff). Jonson on the other hand has written his poem in a straightforward manner without the inversions.
The two poems differ in that while Herrick’s poem bears extensive use of alliteration, Johnson’s poem bears similar features that have been greatly enhanced by other stylistic devices. Some instances of alliteration in Herrick’s piece include disorder in the dress (line 1) , Kindles in clothes (line 2) , winning wave (line 9) among others. Whereas Johnson makes subtle use of alliteration, his use of repetition is very emphatic. He states, “Still to be near, Still to be dressed”, “still to be powdered, still to be perfumed”, “All is not sweet, all is not sound”, “give me a look, and give me a chance”. These among several other instances of repetition subduing alliteration, make the two poems sound different and gives Jonson’s poem more lyrical flow as compared to that by Herrick.
The two poems also contrast in terms of the metering applied to each. Herrick wrote his poem in iambic tetrameter in which one line has eight syllables as follows A SWEET..|..dis OR..|.. der IN..|..the DRESS. Some lines such as lines 2 and 8 deviate from the iambic metering because they are made up of stressed syllables followed by unstressed ones. On the other hand, Jonson’s poem bears 12 syllables in one line Sti| ll to be ne|at, sti|ll to be dre|ss|ed. The syllables follow other consistently without major deviations as is evident in Herrick’s poem.
Conclusion
Robert Herrick (1591-1674) and Ben Jonson (1572-1637) are famous English poets, playwrights and authors whose poems "Delight in Disorder" and "Still to be Neat” bear several similarities due to their common origin, upbringing and era (English renaissance). The two poems are similar in that they have a common theme (beauty” and bring it out while pointing at some flaws. The poems also bear metaphors, rhymes and paradoxes. Notably, the poems also have the same playful and light tone. The poems, however, differ slightly in terms of the usage of inversion in Herrick’s poem and its complete absence in Jonson’s piece. The extensive usage of repetition in Jonson’s poem overrides the usage of alliteration in Herrick’s poem. These among a few other instances do not significantly change the structure or the meanings of the two poems and they remain largely similar in terms of delivering the theme and in capturing typical English literature and lifestyle.
Works Cited
Robert Herrick 1648 "Delight in Disorder"
Ben Jonson 1609 "Still to be Neat”
