Samuel Taylor Coleridge said of Ben Jonson's The Alchemist that it had one out of the three most perfect plots in literature. This play, with its sharp portrayal of human folly, is considered by many to be Jonson's best comedy. First performed 1610, its popularity has endured to this day.

JONSON, BEN : Volpone (ou Le Renard) - Romans «Volpone», pièce de théâtre du dramaturge anglais Ben Jonson, plonge les spectateurs dans la Venise du XVIIe siècle, où ruse, tromperie et avidité dictent les relations humaines. En mettant en scène un riche, feignant la mort pour tirer profit de la cupidité des autres, Jonson offre une satire cinglante de la société de son époque. Il tisse une toile de manipulations et de faux-semblants où chaque protagoniste tente de surpasser l'autre par la ...

An outbreak of plague in London forces a gentleman, Lovewit, to flee temporarily to the country, leaving his house under the sole charge of his butler, Jeremy. Jeremy uses the opportunity given to him to use the house as the headquarters for fraudulent acts. He transforms himself into 'Captain Face', and enlists the aid of Subtle, a fellow conman and Dol Common, a prostitute. In The Alchemist, Jonson unashamedly satirizes the follies, vanities and vices of mankind, most notably greed-induc...

Sejanus His Fall by Ben Jonson is a powerful historical tragedy that explores ambition, corruption, and the dangerous pursuit of power within the political world of ancient Rome. Known for its intellectual depth and classical influence, this remarkable play presents a dramatic portrait of a man whose rise to authority ultimately leads to his downfall. The story centers on Lucius Aelius Sejanus, the ambitious and cunning commander of the Praetorian Guard during the reign of the Roman Empero...

The Devil is an Ass by Ben Jonson is a razor-sharp Jacobean comedy that combines wicked humor, biting social satire, and a keen eye for human folly. The play begins in Hell, where the minor devil Pug begs Satan to allow him to go to London and tempt mortals. Eager to prove his worth, Pug believes that corrupting human souls will be an easy task. Yet when he arrives in the bustling city, he finds that people are already far more deceitful, greedy, and self-serving than any devil could hope ...

The three plays collected in this volume depict the faults, errors and foibles of ordinary people with exuberant humour, savage satire and acute observations. Volpone portrays a rich Venetian who pretends to be dying so that his despised acquaintances will flock to his bedside with extravagant gifts in hope of an inheritance. The Alchemist also deals with greed and gullibility, as a rascally trio of confidence tricksters, claiming to have the legendary Philosopher's Stone, fool a series of...

This book-collection file includes: The Alchemist, Cynthia's Revels, Epicoene, Every Man in His Humour, Every Man Out of His Humour, The Poetaster, Sejanus, and Volpone. It also includes Felix Schelling's introduction to the Complete Plays of Ben Jonson. According to Schelling, Jonson is "the greatest of English dramatists except Shakespeare, the first literary dictator and poet-laureate, a writer of verse, prose, satire, and criticism who most potently of all the men of his time affected ...

In this uproarious satire from Jacobean playwright Ben Jonson, the clever Venetian gentleman Volpone hatches an outrageous scheme to dupe a greedy trio of hangers-on who are after his fortune. A ragtag cast of characters, including a dwarf, a eunuch, and a hermaphrodite, get caught up in the plot along the way.

Dive into the world of dark comedy with The Alchemist by Ben Jonson. This classic play, set during the plague in London, masterfully portrays the tricks of three con-artists, exploiting the greed and gullibility of their victims. With its satirical lens, Jonson's play offers timeless insights into human nature and society's obsession with wealth and power. Explore the depths of human folly with The Alchemist by Ben Jonson. Order your copy today and immerse yourself in this classic portraya...

"Bartholomew Fair: A Comedy" by Ben Jonson is set at the bustling Bartholomew Fair in London. It follows various characters, including Quarlous and Winwife, who vie for the hand of Grace Wellborn. The fair becomes a microcosm of society, with merchants, conmen, and gullible visitors. The play satirizes greed, hypocrisy, and the chaos of city life. Amidst the colorful chaos, Jonson explores themes of morality and human folly, creating a vivid portrait of 17th-century urban culture.

When a wealthy master flees the city due to plague, his cunning servant transforms the empty house into a bustling hub of elaborate scams. Teaming up with a fake sorcerer and a charismatic prostitute, they fleece a parade of greedy, gullible victims with promises of endless gold and magical artifacts. The intricate web of lies grows incredibly complex, threatening to collapse under the weight of its own audacity. This frantic, laugh-out-loud comedy is a brilliant takedown of human greed an...

"Epicoene: The Silent Woman" is a comedic play by Ben Jonson. Morose, a wealthy old man, seeks a wife who is quiet and silent. He plans to disinherit his nephew if he doesn't marry Epicoene, a supposedly silent woman. However, Epicoene turns out to be a young man in disguise. Chaos erupts as characters scheme to uphold the deception. Jonson's play humorously critiques societal expectations of gender roles, marriage, and appearances, while exploring the complexities of human relationships a...