Surly / The Spaniard Character Analysis in The Alchemist

Mammon’s friend. Surly goes with Mammon to see Subtle about the philosopher’s stone, but unlike Mammon, Surly does not believe that Subtle is an alchemist with the ability to create the stone. Surly tries to tell Mammon that Face and Subtle are conmen, but Mammon refuses to listen, so Surly disguises himself as the Spaniard to prove it. After Face sends Surly to the Tempest Church for a bogus meeting just to get rid of him, Surly dresses like a Spanish count and tricks Face into believing he is an out-of-town aristocrat looking for a prostitute. Face invites Surly back to the house to meet Doll, but when he arrives, Doll is already busy with Mammon. Surly speaks only Spanish and pretends not to understand English, so Face and Subtle insult him and openly admit they plan to con him, assuming he doesn’t know what they’re saying. Since Doll is occupied, Face and Subtle send Surly out to the garden with Dame Pliant, who also believes he is a Spanish count looking for a bride. Surly tells Dame Pliant that he is really a poor Englishman, and she agrees to marry him anyway, but her brother, Kestrel, disapproves. Surly tries to tell Kestrel that Subtle and Face are cons looking to scam them out of money, but Kestrel won’t listen. He chases Surly out of the house and down the street, where Surly is presumably able to convince Kestrel of the truth about Subtle and Face. Surly returns to Subtle and Face’s at the end of the play with Mammon and the other victims, but they are turned away by Lovewit and never receive justice. The character of Surly represents transformation and deception in Jonson’s play. His character transforms from Surly, Mammon’s friend, to a “Spanish Don,” and he manages to trick everyone, including Face and Subtle.

Surly / The Spaniard Quotes in The Alchemist

The The Alchemist quotes below are all either spoken by Surly / The Spaniard or refer to Surly / The Spaniard. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

Pray you, sir, stay.
Rather than I’ll be brayed, sir, I’ll believe,
That alchemy is a pretty kind of game,
Somewhat like tricks o’the cards, to cheat a man
With charming.

Related Characters: Surly / The Spaniard (speaker), Subtle, Sir Epicure Mammon

Related Symbols: The Philosopher’s Stone

Page Number and Citation: 247

Explanation and Analysis:

So I will, sir. Gentlemen,
My part a little fell in this last scene,
Yet ’twas decorum. And though I am clean
Got off, from Subtle, Surly, Mammon, Doll,
Hot Ananias, Dapper, Drugger, all
With whom I traded; yet I put myself
On you, that are my country; and this pelf
Which I have got, if you do quit me, rests
To feast you often, and invite new guests.

Related Characters: Face / Jeremy the Butler (speaker), Subtle, Surly / The Spaniard, Sir Epicure Mammon, Doll Common, Ananias, Dapper, Abel Drugger

Page Number and Citation: 326

Explanation and Analysis:

Surly / The Spaniard Character Timeline in The Alchemist

The timeline below shows where the character Surly / The Spaniard appears in The Alchemist. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Sir Epicure Mammon enters with his friend, Surly. Mammon is excited; creating the philosopher’s stone is supposed to take years, but Subtle has... (full context)

...from another room and tells him that they will be out soon. Mammon explains to Surly that the man yelling is Subtle’s “fire-drake, / His lungs, his Zephyrus, he that puffs... (full context)

Surly doesn’t believe Mammon. The philosopher’s stone must be a hoax, he says. When Surly sees... (full context)

The elixir can cure any illness, Mammon tells Surly, and once he has it, Mammon plans to put an end to the plague. Surly... (full context)

Face goes to check on Subtle and the stone, leaving Mammon alone with Surly. Mammon continues listing all the stone will bring him, and Surly comments that Subtle must... (full context)

Subtle enters and is greeted by Mammon. Subtle immediately asks who Surly is, and Mammon explains that Surly is a “heretic” he brought with him to “convert.”... (full context)

Mammon tells Subtle that he understands completely and doesn’t need convincing. Surly, Mammon says, is whom Subtle must convince. Surly agrees; he does not believe in the... (full context)

Face exits, and Surly comments sarcastically about Subtle’s alchemical knowledge. Subtle claims in just three days of the “philosophers’... (full context)

...and his racks and pots and pans. Yes, Subtle says, they will transform it all. Surly interrupts. All of this, he says, is completely impossible. (full context)

...created. All things in nature are born imperfect, Subtle says, and are made perfect later. Surly still isn’t convinced. He believes that alchemy is “a pretty kind of game,” like trick... (full context)

...a “rare scholar,” Face says, and she went mad after studying the works of Broughton. Surly interrupts. This is “a bawdy house,” he says, nothing more. He begs Mammon not to... (full context)

...mathematics, bawdry, anything—.” Mammon asks if she is available, and Face exits to find out. Surly can’t believe Mammon has fallen for their scam. Doll is a prostitute, he says, but... (full context)

Surly is still dubious, and Face enters the room. Face tells Surly that a man named... (full context)

Face tells Mammon to hurry along with Surly, so he won’t grow more suspicious. Mammon says he will, but first he wants Face... (full context)

...is sending his metal. All of it, Face confirms and says he has also duped Surly into going to the Temple Church. There is a knock at the door, and Subtle... (full context)

...not to tell Doll a thing, and Subtle tells Face to hurry down and meet Surly so he doesn’t become suspicious. (full context)

...Temple Church and there was no signs of the “costive cheater.” Subtle is disappointed—to dupe Surly would be extremely satisfying. Face tells Subtle to forget Surly. He met a “Don of... (full context)

...will be anything less than 40 pounds. Doll enters, and Face tells her about the Spaniard, and then he asks her if either Dapper or Drugger have returned. No, Doll answers. (full context)

...but Face says he hopes everyone stays away until he finishes his business with the Spaniard. Subtle asks Face how he came to meet “this secret Don.” Face says he found... (full context)

...tells Face he must kiss her, so he does. Subtle quietly informs Face that the Spaniard has arrived and is at the door. Face must distract him for a bit, until... (full context)

...Doll will hear their argument and orders Face to open the door. He does, and Surly enters, disguised as a Spaniard. Surly greets them in Spanish and pretends not to understand... (full context)

Face and Subtle begin to insult Surly, calling him fat, and they openly admit that they plan to con and rob him.... (full context)

Face suggests Subtle tell Dame Pliant her fortune and tell her the Spaniard is her aristocrat, but Subtle resists. He doesn’t want to give up Dame Pliant to... (full context)

Surly enters, still disguised as a Spanish count, and Face welcomes him warmly. Surly begins speaking... (full context)

...be saved and closes the door behind him. Face turns to Subtle. On to the Spaniard, Face says. (full context)

Surly enters with Dame Pliant. He tells her, now speaking in English, that she has fallen... (full context)

Subtle enters, thinking Surly is still a Spaniard, and asks how he is fairing with Dame Pliant. Subtle continues... (full context)

Face enters with Kestrel, and, pointing him in the direction of Surly, tells Kestrel it is now his chance to quarrel. Kestrel is up to the challenge... (full context)

Face quietly tells Drugger to follow his lead and says that Surly has scammed the “honest Drugger” out of money and tobacco. It is true, Drugger says,... (full context)

...is a constable. Face assures Kestrel that Ananias is no constable, and Ananias instantly notices Surly’s Spanish clothing. Ananias says the Spanish “are profane, / Lewd, superstitious, and idolatrous breeches,” and... (full context)

Face explains to Drugger that Surly has kept them from most of their business, and he asks Drugger if he can... (full context)

Surly and Mammon knock on the door, shouting that Face and Subtle are “Rogues, / Cozeners,... (full context)

...off the cloak. Lovewit takes off the disguise and opens the door. Mammon enters with Surly, Kestrel, Ananias, Tribulation Wholesome, and the police. Everyone begins talking at once about “Captain Face”... (full context)

...when he finds her. Lovewit tells Kestrel that his sister was supposed to marry a Spaniard, but he neglected her, so Lovewit married her instead. Kestrel is furious, but Mammon interrupts.... (full context)

...wealth. Face addresses the audience as well. “I am clean / Got off, from Subtle, Surly, Mammon, Doll, / Hot Ananias, Dapper, Drugger, all,” he says, and asks for the audience... (full context)

The Alchemist

Surly / The Spaniard Character Analysis

Surly / The Spaniard Quotes in The Alchemist

Act 2, Scene 3 Quotes

Act 5, Scene 5 Quotes

Surly / The Spaniard Character Timeline in The Alchemist