Ben Jonson

Volpone; Or, The Fox By Ben Jonson Illustrated Edition

Volpone is a comedy play by English playwright Ben Jonson first produced in 1605-1606, drawing on elements of city comedy and beast fable. A merciless satire of greed and lust, it remains Jonson's most-performed play, and it is ranked among the finest Jacobean era comedies. Volpone (The Fox) is a Venetian gentleman who pretends to be on his deathbed after a protracted illness if you want to dupe Voltore (The Vulture), Corbaccio (The Raven) and Corvino (The Crow), three men who aspire to inherit his fortune. In their turns, every guy arrives to Volpone's house bearing a luxurious present, cause upon having his name inscribed to the need of Volpone, as his inheritor. Mosca (The Fly), Volpone's parasite servant, encourages each guy, Voltore, Corbaccio, and Corvino, to accept as true with that he has been named heir to Volpone's fortune; inside the route of which, Mosca persuades Corbaccio to disinherit his own son in favour of Volpone. To Volpone, Mosca mentions that Corvino has a beautiful wife, Celia. Disguised as Scoto the Mountebank, Volpone is going to see Celia. Corvino drives away "Scoto" (Volpone), who then will become insistent that he need to own Celia as his very own. Mosca deceives Corvino into believing that the moribund Volpone may be cured of his infection if he lies in mattress beside a younger female. Believing that Volpone has been rendered impotent with the aid of his infection, Corvino gives his wife simply so, when he's revived, Volpone will realize Corvino as his sole heir.