Critical Evluation of Valpone
Name: Mubsira Saif Toor
Class: M.A 1 (English Literature)
Subject: Ben Johnson (Play)
Date: 24-June-2013
Presented to: Mrs. Iffat
Q: Critically discuss the observation that the play Volpone is a condemnation of an unchristian world where men greedily devour one another?
Ans: Ben Johnson 's blunt satire pierces the mind and awakens your soul to a whole new type of humor. Jonson was greatly known for his satirical plays including Volpone, Epicene, The Alchemist, and Bartholomew Fair (Bryant, viii). Jonson wrote Volpone, a highly complex and satirical piece that takes place over the course of a single day. He knew that in order for him to be able to recapture his audience, he needed to create a great satirical work, which was familiar territory for him (Bryant 57). Therefore, as exclaimed in Volpone 's Prologue, Volpone was "fully penned" in five weeks (Jonson 45).A quality satirical play is effective in exposing a weakness, or multiple weaknesses, in man in a way that influences a wide variety of emotions and reactions in the audience. In particular, laughter, disillusionment, and self-reflection are among the most characteristic of what the audience should be feeling. Laughter is actually the easy part; it comes directly from the uncomfortable situation being presented. The satirical essence of Jonson 's writing is created through his extensive use of fairly flat characters with great follies. And while these characters seem to be abnormal or atypical in nature, it is clear that their characteristics are not peculiar to them, but are communal to all mankind. Jonson satirically stages a downward spiral for several characters of Volpone, using themes of sin, parasitism, and deception in order to point out the destructive patterns that lead to the characters ' descent.
Sin, and even more particularly, the seven deadly sins are highly thematic to the character Volpone. Most people believe that they (the people) are innocent of such incredible sins before
Class: M.A 1 (English Literature)
Subject: Ben Johnson (Play)
Date: 24-June-2013
Presented to: Mrs. Iffat
Q: Critically discuss the observation that the play Volpone is a condemnation of an unchristian world where men greedily devour one another?
Ans: Ben Johnson 's blunt satire pierces the mind and awakens your soul to a whole new type of humor. Jonson was greatly known for his satirical plays including Volpone, Epicene, The Alchemist, and Bartholomew Fair (Bryant, viii). Jonson wrote Volpone, a highly complex and satirical piece that takes place over the course of a single day. He knew that in order for him to be able to recapture his audience, he needed to create a great satirical work, which was familiar territory for him (Bryant 57). Therefore, as exclaimed in Volpone 's Prologue, Volpone was "fully penned" in five weeks (Jonson 45).A quality satirical play is effective in exposing a weakness, or multiple weaknesses, in man in a way that influences a wide variety of emotions and reactions in the audience. In particular, laughter, disillusionment, and self-reflection are among the most characteristic of what the audience should be feeling. Laughter is actually the easy part; it comes directly from the uncomfortable situation being presented. The satirical essence of Jonson 's writing is created through his extensive use of fairly flat characters with great follies. And while these characters seem to be abnormal or atypical in nature, it is clear that their characteristics are not peculiar to them, but are communal to all mankind. Jonson satirically stages a downward spiral for several characters of Volpone, using themes of sin, parasitism, and deception in order to point out the destructive patterns that lead to the characters ' descent.
Sin, and even more particularly, the seven deadly sins are highly thematic to the character Volpone. Most people believe that they (the people) are innocent of such incredible sins before
Cited: Bryant, J. A. Jr. The Compassionate Satirist: Ben Jonson and His Imperfect World. Athens: University of Georgia Press, 1972. Donaldson, Ian. Ben Jonson. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press, 1985. Dessen, Allan C. Jonson 's Moral Comedy. Unites States of America: Northwestern University Press, 1971. Garnett, Richard and Edmund Gosse. English Literature: An Illustrated Record. New York: The MacMillan Company, 1904. Jonson, Ben. Volpone. Edited by Parker, B. R. Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1983. Knoll, Robert E. Ben Jonson 's Plays: An Introduction. United States of America: University of Nebraska Press, 1964. Loxley, James. The Complete Critical Guide to Ben Jonson. London and New York: Routledge, 2002.