<p>Episode 203:&nbsp;</p><br><p>We now stay in the world of the Elizabethan interpretation of classical history and myth with Ben Jonson’s next play ‘Sejanus His Fall’.&nbsp;&nbsp;Rooted more firmly in history than myth Jonson’s play uses the story of a power struggle motivated by personal ambition to look at the nature of power, justice and politics.&nbsp;&nbsp;This was quite evidently dangerous ground for a playwright already known for his clashes with the authorities, but it was not just that commentary of contemporary politics that got Jonson into trouble with this play.&nbsp;</p><br><p>A brief word on the unfinished tragedy ‘Mortimer His Fall’</p><p>The ‘argument’ of the play and some thoughts on what the play might have been</p><p>The early performance history of ‘Sejanus His Fall’</p><p>The possible co-author of the play</p><p>The early reception of the play</p><p>The background to the poor reception of the play</p><p>A synopsis of the play</p><p>The ban on satires and histories</p><p>The translations of Tacitus and complications with Essex</p><p>How John Heyward’s problems with censorship influence the play</p><p>The play as a commentary on Elizabethan society</p><p>Questions of the control of power in the play</p><p>Questions of the application of justice in the play</p><p>The motivations of Sejanus</p><p>The aesthetic issues with the play</p><p>How Jonson mixed comedy and tragedy in the play</p><p>The influence of Marlowe on the verse in the play</p><p>Jonson censured for the play</p><p>The later performance history of the play</p><br><p>Support the podcast at:</p><p><a href="http://www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.com</a></p><p><a href="http://www.patreon.com/thoetp" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.patreon.com/thoetp</a></p><p><a href="http://www.ko-fi.com/thoetp" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.ko-fi.com/thoetp</a></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>