Jonson’s tragedies are the reflections of some important events in England (Essex’s uprising and the Gundipowder Plot). Their motives are analysed in this article, especially those having an economic background. The opinions that both events had mainly economic grounds are accepted by the author and he com- pares them with the plots of Jonson’s tragedies Sejanus and Catiline. After the analysis of the plays, especially characters, and their comparison with the participants of Essex’s uprising and the Gunpowder Plot, the author comes to the conclusion that Jonson was inspired by the two happenings and gave the economic motives the central position and importance in the trage- dies. As most other plays by Jonson his tragedies also show his strong cri- ticism of the acquisition -of riches and its various consequences.
