Complexity of character in Jonson's 'Sejanus' (Ben Jonson)

Critics claim Jonson's Sejanus, the first of his only two surviving tragedies, lacks the emotional elements of more popular tragedies because Jonson relies on historical sources and simplifies his characters. This study first establishes Jonson's own unique requirements in tragedy that affect his character development, then it provides textual evidence of complex characters and offers a reading of the play with Rome, or the body politic, as the tragic hero.