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Ben Jonson: A Life by Ian Donaldson details the life of the sixteenth-century playwright Ben Jonson, who was a contemporary of Shakespeare. Jonson’s life is well-documented, featuring his upbringing, education, turbulent career in theater, conversion to Catholicism, and complex relationship with the monarchy. The biography explores his literary achievements and personal contradictions, foregrounding his influence on subsequent playwrights and his enduring legacy. The text includes sensitive discussions of violence and religious persecution.