Useful edition = Alaster Fowler, Longman.

- Aesopian image – fox pretending to be dead, and birds incautiously coming to feed.
- Ben Jonson: 1572-1637 – autodictat (taught himself), never went to university. He was a prodigious fighter and converted to Catholicism.
- He published his “Works”, including plays (an innovation at the time), which became the model for other folios, e.g. Shakespeare.
- Famously said that he preferred simple, clear language, but wrote in the opposite to that!
- He was constantly in trouble for his political/satirical works, and although they were still comedies, the laughs were political and the plays often ended with judgement / punishment.
- Added many words to our language, e.g. ‘pig-headed’, ‘satire’.

- Volpone follows two Roman plays, both of which went very wrong. He then seems to have had a moment of inspiration, and wrote Volpone in 5 weeks.
- Many previous examples both in the text and in other contemporary works where humanity is pushed away for money – BUT in Act V, there is a glimpse of normal attatchment – “I think, she loves me…”

- Must see the birds as human beings, first and foremost.
- Sexual language in Act II. Fear of boredom and satiation in the play is prominent, e.g. how he invisiges Celia – she has to impersonate other women than herself in order to be unchaste.
- Anxiety in Celia’s speech to refuse him. Yet does it in a masochistic way. Also, authentic punctuation – breathless qualitiy due to ‘-‘.
- Volpone wins! What does this say about sex/wealth/ideology?

- Drinking prepares the way for his misjudgement.
- Mosca’s warning: honest, or reverse psychology?


Seminar:

- Theatre and morality:

o Fall of staged reactions, with make-up, costume, etc.
o Persuasion of advocates, who practice lines!
o Lines between truth and fiction are blurred. Theatre is a lie which takes us away from itself and ourself! Is he performing himself as an old man anyway?
o V.ii.28: Acting is a devil. Lie of the theatre is so powerful, it is immoral.

- Yet villains are more entertaining and are better entertained themselves. These are more convincing than the actual punishments – emphasis on rewards.
- Getting the money is the lesser factor – entertainment of it is more key. Imitated so much, they couldn’t return to themselves?
- Odd scenes: incidental:

o Didactic play – used to teach of morality (prologue), hence strange punishment.
o Rhyme with / without reason?
o Transmigration of Pythagoras’s soul:

♣ Taken from Ovid: no fear of death, as we will all return.
♣ Does Jonson burlesque this idea?
♣ Daft setup of characters
♣ A philosopher’s soul moves through many different figures, including a prostitute!

o Sir Woodby:

♣ Tricked into entering a giant tortoise shell… Farcical situation for contrast / humour?
♣ Does the shell link to ancient ideas of the creation of the world? All the world and cares on his back?

- Topos: overly common theme – not sure who came up with it first:

o Actors, playing characters who are acting, being watched by the audience – but on what layer are the audience? They also often went to see the aristocrats at the theatre, not just watching the actors themselves.

- What is the effect of animal relations – are the characters truly 3D?

o Familiar to relate names to animals.
o Gives a clue to person before the narrative begins – heightened expectation.
o Cariacture
o Play and deception as natural
o Distances audience from the stage?
o Higher classes as animalised?
o Simple, more moralistic outlook.
o Play is a 2D structure in itself – short term.

- Soliloquy adds a level of complicity with the audience.
- Connection between Iago and Mosca.
- Repetition of rhetorical structure to pursuade common in the Renaissance.

o E.g. “If you have…” (III.vii), wooing of Celia.


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