Genre
Introduction + Context
Plot Summary
Detailed Summary & Analysis
The Argument Prologue Act 1, Scene 1 Act 1, Scene 2 Act 1, Scene 3 Act 1, Scene 4 Act 1, Scene 5 Act 2, Scene 1 Act 2, Scene 2 Act 2, Scene 3 Act 2, Scene 4 Act 2, Scene 5 Act 2, Scene 6 Act 2, Scene 7 Act 3, Scene 1 Act 3, Scene 2 Act 3, Scene 3 Act 3, Scene 4 Act 3, Scene 5 Act 3, Scene 6 Act 3, Scene 7 Act 3, Scene 8 Act 3, Scene 9 Act 4, Scene 1 Act 4, Scene 2 Act 4, Scene 3 Act 4, Scene 4 Act 4, Scene 5 Act 4, Scene 6 Act 5, Scene 1 Act 5, Scene 2 Act 5, Scene 3 Act 5, Scene 4 Act 5, Scene 5 Act 5, Scene 6 Act 5, Scene 7 Act 5, Scene 8 Act 5, Scene 9 Act 5, Scene 10 Act 5, Scene 11 Act 5, Scene 12
Themes
All Themes Theatre and Appearance vs Reality Money and Commerce Greed and Corruption Gender Roles and Women Language
Quotes
Characters
All Characters Volpone Mosca Voltore Corbaccio Bonario Corvino Celia Sir Politic Would-be Lady Would-be Peregrine
Symbols
All Symbols Disease and Medicine Gold and Alchemy
Literary Devices
All Literary Devices Allusions Dramatic Irony Genre Hyperbole Idioms Imagery Irony Metaphors Mood Satire Setting Similes Soliloquy Style Tone Verbal Irony
Quizzes
All Quizzes The Argument Quiz Prologue Quiz Act 1, Scene 1 Quiz Act 1, Scene 2 Quiz Act 1, Scene 3 Quiz Act 1, Scene 4 Quiz Act 1, Scene 5 Quiz Act 2, Scene 1 Quiz Act 2, Scene 2 Quiz Act 2, Scene 3 Quiz Act 2, Scene 4 Quiz Act 2, Scene 5 Quiz Act 2, Scene 6 Quiz Act 2, Scene 7 Quiz Act 3, Scene 1 Quiz Act 3, Scene 2 Quiz Act 3, Scene 3 Quiz Act 3, Scene 4 Quiz Act 3, Scene 5 Quiz Act 3, Scene 6 Quiz Act 3, Scene 7 Quiz Act 3, Scene 8 Quiz Act 3, Scene 9 Quiz Act 4, Scene 1 Quiz Act 4, Scene 2 Quiz Act 4, Scene 3 Quiz Act 4, Scene 4 Quiz Act 4, Scene 5 Quiz Act 4, Scene 6 Quiz Act 5, Scene 1 Quiz Act 5, Scene 2 Quiz Act 5, Scene 3 Quiz Act 5, Scene 4 Quiz Act 5, Scene 5 Quiz Act 5, Scene 6 Quiz Act 5, Scene 7 Quiz Act 5, Scene 8 Quiz Act 5, Scene 9 Quiz Act 5, Scene 10 Quiz Act 5, Scene 11 Quiz Act 5, Scene 12 Quiz
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Volpone

by Ben Jonson

Volpone: Genre 1 key example

Prologue
Explanation and Analysis:

Volpone is an Elizabethan comedy, written—like most works of Elizabethan drama—in a five-act structure. Ben Jonson’s comedies are considerably harsher than those of Shakespeare, whose legacy somewhat eclipses Jonson’s, but Jonson nonetheless makes room for a few hilarious moments. The work is also a satire, as Jonson offers up a severe critique of the insatiable greed of the Renaissance period—although he sets the play in Italy, rather than England, to distance his critique from the divisive political landscape of his own country.

Related Characters: Volpone , Mosca , Voltore , Corvino
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