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.
First, Jonson insists that his play is neither serious nor grave, unlike a classical epic, with its emphasis on heavy themes such as war, fate, and royalty. Poking fun at a common theatrical convention, he promises that there will be no “tempestuous drum” to represent an oncoming storm. Rather, his satirical play shows “an image of the times,” featuring “human follies” and “popular errors.” Even though his play focuses on common social issues, he nevertheless intends to keep his depiction light-hearted, so that audiences laugh at them. In the prologue, then, Jonson offers a good working definition of satire.
