Which of the following plays by Ben Jonson ends with the performance of a puppet play in imitation of Marlowe's Hero and Leander?

Correct option is C

Explanation:

In Ben Jonson's play Bartholomew Fair, the play ends with a puppet play that is a direct parody and imitation of Christopher Marlowe's Hero and Leander.

This act of performing a puppet show serves as a comedic and satirical conclusion to Jonson’s work, which itself is a comedy that critiques contemporary London society.

The puppet play represents Jonson’s humorous and satirical approach to serious literary traditions like Marlowe’s epic poem.

Information Booster:

Ben Jonson's Bartholomew Fair:

Bartholomew Fair is a city comedy written by Ben Jonson, first performed in 1614.

The play is set during the famous Bartholomew Fair, a popular annual event in London that attracted crowds for entertainment, shopping, and spectacle.

The play focuses on the lives of various characters who converge at the fair, showing Jonson's satirical treatment of human nature, social norms, and contemporary London life.

The Puppet Show and Marlowe's Hero and Leander:

At the end of Bartholomew Fair, Jonson introduces a puppet play that parodies Marlowe’s Hero and Leander.

Marlowe’s work is a romantic narrative poem that tells the tragic love story of Hero and Leander, and Jonson’s puppet play mockingly mimics this serious work in a comedic fashion, demonstrating Jonson's signature style of satirical humor.

About Marlowe's Hero and Leander:

Hero and Leander is one of Christopher Marlowe’s most famous works.

It is an epic poem published in 1598 (posthumously) and is based on a classical myth about the doomed love affair between Hero, a priestess of Venus, and Leander, a youth from Abydos.

The poem is known for its sensual imagery and tragic narrative.

Role of Puppet Shows in Jonson’s Comedy:

The use of the puppet show in Bartholomew Fair allows Jonson to add a layer of metatheatrical humor, where he acknowledges the artificial nature of theater while also making fun of the literary traditions of his time.

This reflects Jonson’s critique of the highbrow cultural works, including those of his contemporaries like Marlowe and Shakespeare.

Additional Knowledge:
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The Alchemist is another famous Jonsonian comedy, but it does not contain a puppet play parodying Marlowe.

Instead, The Alchemist is a satire of alchemy and the gullibility of people who believe in it, dealing with con men who exploit others for financial gain.


Volpone is one of Jonson's most well-known plays, but it does not end with a puppet show.

Instead, it focuses on themes of greed, deception, and avarice, and ends with the downfall of its central character, Volpone.

The play is a satire of Venetian society, not a parody of literary works like Hero and Leander.


Every Man in His Humour is a comedy by Jonson that is centered around character flaws and social behavior, but it does not involve the parody of Marlowe's work.

The play is an early example of comedy of humours, where each character’s behavior is dominated by a single dominant trait or "humour".