Every Man in His Humour

It is known that Shakespeare's company produced several of Jonson's plays, Shakespeare himself appearing in "Every Man in His Humour" (1598). The play was Jonson's first major success, written in the style of "humour plays," a genre of comedy originated by George Chapman. In it, Jonson targets some of his favorite topics for satire: education, love, poetry, and social classes. As each major character represents a different issue, the play transforms into a depiction of everyday Renaissance life, and a scathing social commentary on the problems that plagued it.