Ben Jonson Writes 'Inviting a Friend to Supper'
Poets involved
What happened
The English playwright and poet Ben Jonson published 'Inviting a Friend to Supper' in his 1616 folio, a poem that promises 'digestive cheese' among the delicacies to be served at a convivial meal. The poem exemplifies Jonson's urbane, classical style and his celebration of hospitality, friendship, and the pleasures of the table, reflecting the cultural importance of cheese in Jacobean England.
Literary impact
Jonson's poem established a tradition of culinary poetry in English literature, where cheese and other foods are invoked as symbols of friendship and civilized enjoyment. His influence can be traced in the work of Robert Herrick, Andrew Marvell, and later in the Augustan poets like Alexander Pope, who continued to use food imagery to explore social relationships and ethical values. The poem's easy elegance inspired countless imitations.
Source: Wikipedia
