Volpone
Some notes as a preface: Whenever one is about to analyze a character’s personality, S/he should take the character’s speeches and actions into consideration throughout the play so as to come up with the almost proper analysis.
Q1) Is Volpone a miser or not? Why?
Concerning that whether Volpone is a miser or not , we better first figure out what exactly a miser is. A miser is someone who has a great desire to possess money and hates to spend it. In my opinion Volpone is both a miser and vice versa. Volpone is a miser in that view that he praises and admires his fortune and tries to increase it in any way possible, even if the way is by deceiving, manipulating or exploiting other people, i.e., gaining gold is one of his main goals in his life. His great desire for gold can vividly be felt in his apostrophe “Good morning to the day, and next my gold/Open the shrine that I can see my saint”. We can also state that he is not a miser because of some reasons. First, in act1 scene 1, he gives Mosca (his lackey) some money and Mosca can freely touch his master’s gold and jewelry. Secondly, in act one scene five, when Mosca mentions Celia, Volpone directly tries to get access to her even if it costs all his fortune. Especially while he is acting like a mountebank and provides the people with ointments (drug) without any charge. He is a kind of extravagant man who tries anyway possible with the aid of his fortune to make his dreams reality or to achieve his goals. So, it is likely not to be a miser at all. Volpone addresses Mosca “My better angel! Mosca, take my keys, gold, plate and jewels, all’s at thy devotion”.
Q2)
Is there any sense or point in the 3 buffoon’s acting of Pythagoras? How does this performing is related to the main action of Volpone(the play).?
The performance of Nano, Androgyno and Castrone in Act one scene two is a play within a play. This
Q1) Is Volpone a miser or not? Why?
Concerning that whether Volpone is a miser or not , we better first figure out what exactly a miser is. A miser is someone who has a great desire to possess money and hates to spend it. In my opinion Volpone is both a miser and vice versa. Volpone is a miser in that view that he praises and admires his fortune and tries to increase it in any way possible, even if the way is by deceiving, manipulating or exploiting other people, i.e., gaining gold is one of his main goals in his life. His great desire for gold can vividly be felt in his apostrophe “Good morning to the day, and next my gold/Open the shrine that I can see my saint”. We can also state that he is not a miser because of some reasons. First, in act1 scene 1, he gives Mosca (his lackey) some money and Mosca can freely touch his master’s gold and jewelry. Secondly, in act one scene five, when Mosca mentions Celia, Volpone directly tries to get access to her even if it costs all his fortune. Especially while he is acting like a mountebank and provides the people with ointments (drug) without any charge. He is a kind of extravagant man who tries anyway possible with the aid of his fortune to make his dreams reality or to achieve his goals. So, it is likely not to be a miser at all. Volpone addresses Mosca “My better angel! Mosca, take my keys, gold, plate and jewels, all’s at thy devotion”.
Q2)
Is there any sense or point in the 3 buffoon’s acting of Pythagoras? How does this performing is related to the main action of Volpone(the play).?
The performance of Nano, Androgyno and Castrone in Act one scene two is a play within a play. This