Critical
Analysis of Volpone by Ben Jonson
Ben Jonson’s Volpone (first
performed in 1606) stands as one of the greatest comedies of the English
Renaissance. Written in the tradition of satire, the play exposes human greed,
hypocrisy, and moral corruption through sharp wit, theatrical irony, and highly
stylized characters. Unlike Shakespeare, whose plays often balance tragedy and
comedy, Jonson embraces classical unity and structure to craft a biting social
commentary.
1.
Title and Central
Theme
The title Volpone (Italian
for “the fox”) immediately signals the play’s allegorical mode. Jonson adopts
the conventions of beast fable, in which animals represent human vices. Volpone
embodies cunning and greed, using his wealth and wit to manipulate those around
him. The central theme is the destructive power of avarice—a vice not limited to one character but pervading
Venetian society.
2.
Plot and Satirical
Structure
The plot revolves around Volpone, a wealthy Venetian nobleman,
who pretends to be on his deathbed in order to attract greedy legacy
hunters—Voltore (the vulture, a lawyer), Corbaccio (the raven, an old miser),
and Corvino (the crow, a jealous husband). Each attempts to secure a place in
Volpone’s will by offering extravagant bribes, betraying family, or sacrificing
dignity.
The comedy lies in the spectacle of these characters exposing
their corruption, but Jonson also structures the plot as a moral fable. Unlike
the Shakespearean tradition where characters evolve, Jonson’s figures remain
fixed “types” of vice. Their downfall is inevitable and instructive, echoing
the Aristotelian principle of poetic
justice.
3.
Characterization
·
Volpone:
Charismatic, witty, and unscrupulous, Volpone revels in deception. His famous
opening speech to his treasure—“Good morning to the day; and next, my
gold!”—establishes his idolatry of wealth. Yet his downfall reflects the
dangers of unchecked cunning and greed.
·
Mosca:
Volpone’s parasite (literally “the fly”) is central to the action. More than a
servant, Mosca manipulates others with verbal dexterity. Critics often see him
as Jonson’s most complex character, embodying the parasite archetype but also
anticipating the modern trickster figure.
·
Legacy
Hunters (Voltore, Corbaccio, Corvino): They are satirical portraits of
Venetian society’s moral decay—corrupt law, miserly age, and possessive
husbandry. Their animal names underline their predatory instincts.
·
Celia and
Bonario: They function as moral foils to the corrupt world, though critics
argue their passivity makes them less dramatically engaging. Celia’s resistance
to Volpone’s advances, however, injects a rare moment of pathos into the
satire.
4.
Satire and Morality
Jonson’s satire is both comic and moralizing. While audiences
laugh at the extravagant schemes and humiliations, the play insists on a deeper
critique: society’s obsession with wealth corrupts familial, legal, and marital
institutions. Venice, often perceived in Renaissance England as a city of
commerce and luxury, becomes a symbolic space for moral bankruptcy.
The ending, in which Volpone and Mosca are punished by the
Venetian court, enforces didactic closure.
Yet some critics argue that the moral resolution feels imposed, since Jonson delights
more in the exuberant wit of Volpone and Mosca than in their downfall.
5.
Style and Language
Jonson’s mastery of language is central to Volpone. The play brims with elaborate metaphors, witty
repartee, and biting irony. He draws heavily on classical models, particularly Plautus and Terence, but adapts them to Jacobean satire. Unlike
Shakespeare’s poetic flights, Jonson’s style is controlled, urbane, and
intellectual, reflecting his self-conscious role as a “classicist” playwright.
6.
Critical Perspectives
·
Moral
Reading: Many see Volpone as a
morality play updated for a commercial age, exposing the corrupting influence
of gold.
·
Carnivalesque
Reading (Mikhail Bakhtin): Others emphasize its festive inversion of
social norms, where tricksters (Volpone and Mosca) momentarily outwit authority
before order is restored.
·
Economic
Criticism: Some modern critics interpret the play as a commentary on
early capitalism, where wealth is no longer tied to productive labor but
circulates as spectacle and manipulation.
·
Feminist
Criticism: Celia’s objectification by Corvino and Volpone highlights
the commodification of women, though Jonson’s limited empowerment of female
characters remains problematic.
7.
Relevance Today
Though rooted in Renaissance Venice, Volpone’s themes remain strikingly relevant. The obsession
with wealth, the corrupting influence of greed, the exploitation of legal and
marital systems, and the moral compromises of ambition all resonate in modern
capitalist societies. In this sense, Jonson’s satire anticipates contemporary
critiques of consumerism and moral vacuity.
8.
Conclusion
Volpone is not only a
brilliant comedy of trickery but also a biting social critique. Jonson fuses
classical models, moral allegory, and satirical wit to expose greed as a
universal vice. While some critics question whether the play’s didactic closure
matches its exuberant satire, Volpone
endures as a powerful exploration of wealth’s corrupting power, one that
continues to amuse, disturb, and provoke critical reflection.
Multiple Choice Questions
Part I:
Q1.
Volpone was first performed in:
a) 1599
b) 1606
c) 1611
d) 1623
Answer: b) 1606
Q2. What does the name Volpone
literally mean in Italian?
a) The Crow
b) The Fox
c) The Vulture
d) The Raven
Answer: b) The Fox
Q3. Which of the following characters is Volpone’s parasite?
a) Voltore
b) Corvino
c) Mosca
d) Bonario
Answer: c) Mosca
Q4. Who is Celia married to?
a) Bonario
b) Voltore
c) Corvino
d) Corbaccio
Answer: c) Corvino
Q5. Which animal is associated with Voltore?
a) Vulture
b) Crow
c) Raven
d) Hawk
Answer: a) Vulture
Q6. Who attempts to disinherit his son in order to gain
Volpone’s wealth?
a) Voltore
b) Corvino
c) Corbaccio
d) Mosca
Answer: c) Corbaccio
Q7. What literary form does Volpone closely follow?
a) Romance
b) Beast fable and satire
c) Epic tragedy
d) Pastoral comedy
Answer: b) Beast fable and
satire
Q8. What is the punishment of Mosca at the end of Volpone?
a) He is pardoned
b) He is hanged
c) He is banished from Venice
d) He becomes rich
Answer: b) He is hanged
Q9. Who rescues Celia from Volpone’s attempted seduction?
a) Voltore
b) Corvino
c) Bonario
d) Corbaccio
Answer: c) Bonario
Q10. Volpone is set
in which city?
a) Florence
b) Rome
c) Venice
d) Milan
Answer: c) Venice
Part II: UGC-NET PYQs (Direct & Related)
PYQ 1 (UGC NET 2013, June):
Volpone is a play written by:
a) Christopher Marlowe
b) Ben Jonson
c) John Webster
d) Thomas Kyd
Answer: b) Ben Jonson
PYQ 2 (UGC NET 2014, December):
In Volpone, who is described as “the
parasite”?
a) Corvino
b) Voltore
c) Mosca
d) Bonario
Answer: c) Mosca
PYQ 3 (UGC NET 2017, July):
Which of the following plays by Ben Jonson is set in Venice and satirizes greed?
a) The Alchemist
b) Volpone
c) Bartholomew Fair
d) Every Man in His Humour
Answer: b) Volpone
PYQ 4 (UGC NET 2018, January):
Match the characters in Volpone with
their symbolic animal representations:
(i) Volpone – (1) Crow
(ii) Corvino – (2) Fox
(iii) Voltore – (3) Raven
(iv) Corbaccio – (4) Vulture
Options:
a) i–2, ii–1, iii–4, iv–3
b) i–3, ii–2, iii–4, iv–1
c) i–1, ii–3, iii–2, iv–4
d) i–4, ii–2, iii–1, iv–3
Answer:
a) i–2, ii–1, iii–4, iv–3
PYQ 5 (UGC NET 2020, June):
Which of the following best describes Ben Jonson’s Volpone?
a) A tragicomedy set in Florence
b) A satire on greed set in Venice
c) A romance in pastoral mode
d) A history play in chronicle tradition
Answer: b) A satire on greed set
in Venice
