Every Man in His Humour

Jonson’s style in Every Man in His Humour is satirical, blending both comedy and social critique in its portrayal of London as a city full of vice, crime, and exploitation. In the Prologue to the play, Jonson speaks directly to the audience, articulating his satirical designs for the play: 

Where neither Chorus wafts you o'er the seas;
Nor creaking throne comes down, the boys to please;
Nor nimble squib is seen, to make afeared
The gentlewomen; nor rolled bullet heard
To say, it thunders; nor tempestuous drum
Rumbles, to tell you when the storm doth come;
But deeds, and language, such as men do use;
And persons, such as Comedy would choose,
When she would show an image of the times,
And sport with human follies, not with crimes-
Except, we make 'em such by loving still
Our popular errors, when we know they're ill.
I mean such errors, as you'll all confess
By laughing at them.

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