Author Biography

Jonson was born in about 1572. The date is uncertain since Elizabethans were very casual about the recording of exact dates. He was a scholar, a poet, and a dramatist. Jonson was born near London shortly after the death of his father. He was educated at Westminster School and for a short period worked as a bricklayer for his step-father. Jonson joined the theatrical company of Philip Henslowe in London as an actor and playwright before 1597. During 1598 and 1599 he wrote (Every Man in His Humor), this play was the first instance of a new comic and it turned him into a celebrity. In the same year Jonson was arrested for killing a fellow actor (Gabriel Spencer) in a duel. During his stint in jail, Jonson converted to Catholicism. Jonson became one of the most successful writers of his era, he wrote his four most famous plays, considered his “major comedies”: Volpone, The Alchemist, Epicene, and Bartholomew Fair, all within eight years. At this point, Jonson’s popularity as a playwright in England was second only to Shakespeare’s. Jonson became the first poet or dramatist to publish a Folio edition of his works. Since not even Shakespeare had published a compilation of his work, Jonson received some criticism for this action. However, he was awarded with an honorary M.A. from Cambridge University in 1616. Jonson spent the last nine years of his life bedridden after suffering a stroke. He died in 1637 and was buried in Westminster Abbey.

Introduction 

(VOLPNE) the title to a play in 5 acts written in 1606. It is very much like the morality plays of the Middle Ages. It was first published in quarto form in 1607. It was also included in Jonson's Works in 1616 with minor changes. Jonson’s aim in writing Volpone was to amuse his audience, to expose wickedness and to promote moral virtues in his audience as well as his motivation for writing the play was his consternation with the increasing commercialization of the world around him. The targets are not only the greedy people but the laws that protect them. The play, set in Venice is about Volpone (which means fox in Italian), a rich man, who makes his money by pretending to be a dying man with no family with a large inheritance. This draws greedy people to call on him, bringing large gifts in hopes of winning his favor. Volpone is aided by his servant, Mosca, who implements all their schemes. Eventually, they dig a hole that they can not escape. This bodes extremely well for Celia and Bonario, the two virtuous characters, since they are caught in a corrupt society that allows them no power or venue to defend their virtue. Volpone, the character, is the master of his domain. He is extremely wealthy and enjoys toying with people. In addition to Mosca, his parasite. Volpone was first performed by the King's Men, Shakespeare's company, in the Globe Theatre.

Characters

Volpone (the Fox) - a greedy, childless Venetian noblemanMosca (the Fly) – his servantVoltore (the Vulture) – a lawyerCorbaccio (the Raven) – an avaricious old miserBonario – Corbaccio's sonCorvino (the Carrion Crow) – a merchantCelia – Corvino's wifeSir Politic Would-Be – a ridiculous EnglishmanLady Politic Would-Be – an English lady, Sir Politic's wife

. . .

Plot Summary

The play opens at the house of Volpone, a Venetian nobleman. He and his parasite Mosca enter the shrine where Volpone keeps his wealth and treasure. Volpone has amassed his fortune through dishonest means because he is a con artist and he likes to use his money extravagantly. Volpone is about to deceive yet more people as he tries to trick his alleged friends: Voltore , Corbaccio and Corvino into believing that each is Volpone’s heir and that he is actually on his deathbed. What these three men do not know is that Volpone is in perfect health and feigning his illness to receive expensive gifts. Mosca tells each of the men individually that they are heirs to Volpone’s fortune so that they will return with yet more gifts, when his first visitor is announced, the lawyer Voltore, Volpone quickly feigns grave illness for his visitor, who has brought Volpone an expensive gift. Mosca suggests that Volpone is due to die at any moment and that if Voltore visits often, each time with an expensive gift, Voltore will inherit all Volpone’s wealth. After Voltore departs, Volpone and Mosca repeat their performance for the next visitor, the miser Corbaccio.

After Corbaccio’s departure, Corvino enters, and the routine is repeated with Corvino convinced that he will inherit, just as the two previous visitors. Mosca mentions to Volpone that Corvino has a beautiful wife, Celia, and Volpone goes to see her in disguise as a mountebank. Corvino drives him away, but Volpone insists that he must have Celia for his own. Volpone gives Mosca permission to use his fortune in whatever way to woo Celia. Mosca arranges for Volpone to seduce Celia by telling Corvino that Volpone would surely choose him as his sole heir if he allows his wife to be with Volpone for his failing health. Corvino’s desire for material possession is stronger than his jealousy and he agrees to sacrifice his wife for financial gain. Mosca meets Bonario on the street and he tells him that his father, Corbaccio, is going to disinherit him in favor of Volpone. To prove his accusation to the disbelieving Bonario, Mosca invites him to Volpone’s house to overhear Corbaccio’s meeting with Volpone. Mosca hides Bonario in a corner of the bedroom in anticipation of Corbaccio’s arrival. Celia and Corvino arrive first. Volpone is left alone with Celia, and after failing to seduce her with promises of luxurious

items, he attempts to attack her .

Bonario who has been witnessing the scene from his hiding place, appears just in time and rescues Celia. Volpone recognizes that he is in danger and his plots may soon be revealed if he is turned over to the police. Corbaccio finally arrives, so does Voltore. Mosca, who has been wounded by Bonario convinces Corbaccio and Voltore (the lawyer) to go to the senate to seek legal action against him. At the senate, the conflicting stories confuse the magistrates, but Voltore provides a masterful defense of Volpone and an attack on Celia and Bonario. The magistrates are convinced of Celia’s lewdness after Lady Politic testifies that she saw her with Sir Politic. At the same time, Bonario is portrayed as Celia’s lover. While this is going on, Volpone lies on a litter and points out that he is too ill to have performed the attack of which he is accused. Celia and Bonario have no witnesses of their own, so they lose the case. Volpone insists on disguising himself and having it announced that he has died and left all his wealth to Mosca. Voltore begins to unravel the plot, he withdraws his testimony. The court orders Mosca to appear suspecting that he plans to keep the fortune only for himself.

Volpone also goes to the court because he realizes that Mosca is about to betray him. Volpone exposes the foolish behavior of Corbaccio, Corvino and Voltore as well as the innocence of Celia and Bonario. The court declares punishment for each client including Mosca and Volpone. Mosca is first whipped and then sent to the galleys as a prisoner. Volpone is sent to prison and his goods seized and donated to a hospital. Voltore is disbarred and banished, while Corbaccio must retire to a monastery and turn his estate over to his son. Corvino faces public humiliation and must return his wife to her father, with her dowry tripled in value.

Themes

Appearances & Reality

What Volpone and Mosca's victims perceive as reality is not the truth of the play. Each one thinks that he will be made heir to Volpone's fortune. Voltore attempts to deceive the court and is punished when the deception is revealed. Corvino is willing to seduce Volpone with Celia's body, although Corvino is also deceived into thinking Volpone too ill to make use of the young woman. Corbaccio is deceived into sacrificing his son's inheritance to get more money. The reality is that each will be left with less wealth. However, Mosca, whom Volpone trusts without question, is also deceiving Volpone. Mosca is the only participant who clearly understands the depth of the deception.

Deception

The plot of Jonson's play is based on deception. Each of the three victims attempts to use deception for financial gain. But the victims are each self-deceived. Their willingness to believe allows the game to succeed. Each of the victims attempts to deceive Volpone, as each pretends to be a caring petitioner. Mosca and Volpone deceive each victim with the promise of greater wealth as a return for expensive gifts. The deception is largely dependent on none of the victims uniting against Volpone. Thus, when Volpone fakes his death and the three are brought together to witness Mosca's victory, their joint misery and recognition of their deception leads to Voltore recanting his defense of Volpone.

Greed

The theme of greed pervades the entire play. It embodies by Volpone, Mosca and all the clients. Volpone is greedy by many ways, he was greedy of money and satisfying his desires. Firstly he is greedy of money as he faked illness to take presents and money from the legacy hunters with the help of Mosca who makes them all believed that Volpone is very sick and he is about to die. Corbaccio is also greedy as he disinherit his son and choose Volpone as his heir because he thinks that Volpone will die soon and if he choose Volpone, Volpone will choose him. Mosca is the one who is trying to deceive all the characters in the play by knowing the weak point in every one of them, he is greedy of money as he betrays his master. 

Morality

The play's resolution leads to the lesson, which is that greed will result in each man's downfall. Corvino loses his wife and her dowry, which he must repay at three times its worth. Corbaccio is banished to a monastery, and the estate he denied his son is turned over to the son, while the lawyer, Voltore, is disbarred and banished from Venice. Volpone is imprisoned and all his goods are dispersed to a hospital because Volpone pretended to be ill. The worst punishment is provided to Mosca, who is of a lower class than the other men. Mosca is whipped and sent away to be a prisoner in the galleys for the rest of his life. Each man is justly punished for his greed and the morality of the play's resolution provides an important lesson for the audience.