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Volpone

Revised Edition
Series: New Mermaids
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Volpone by Ben Jonson is a comedic play set in Renaissance Venice, following the cunning Volpone, a wealthy con artist, who feigns a terminal illness to dupe several greedy noblemen into lavishly gifting him in the hopes of being named his heir. Through clever manipulation and wit, the play explores themes of greed, deception, and the antics of human folly. The narrative unfolds with a mix of humour and satire, showcasing the lengths individuals will go to secure wealth and power.
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this intriguing work if you appreciate clever, satirical comedies filled with sharp wit and complex characters. It offers a biting critique of greed and corruption, wrapped in a humorous and engaging narrative, which still resonates with modern audiences. Fans of classic theatre and those interested in exploring themes of deception and moral ambiguity in a historical context will find this play particularly captivating.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

The sharpest, funniest comedy about money and morals in the 17th century is still the sharpest and funniest about those things in the 21st.

The full play text is accompanied by incisive commentary notes which communicate the devastating comic energy of Volpone’s satire. The introduction provides a firm grounding in the play’s social and literary contexts, demonstrates how careful close-reading can expand your enjoyment of the comedy, shows the relevance of Jonson’s critique to our modern economic systems, and provides a clear picture of how the main relationships in the play function on the page and stage.

Supplemented by a plot summary and annotated bibliography, it is ideal for students of Jonson, city comedy and early modern drama.

Series: New Mermaids

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781350007796

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 13 June 2019

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Methuen Drama

Edition: 2nd edition

Contributors:

  • Edited by Robert N. Watson

Audience: Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 16.0mm

Width: 130.0mm

Height: 196.0mm

Weight: 189g

Pages: 216

About the Author

Robert N. Watson is Distinguished Professor of English at UCLA, USA. He is the editor of Ben Jonson: Four Plays (Bloomsbury), Every Man in His Humour by Ben Jonson (New Mermaids series) and Critical Essays on Ben Jonson. He teaches Shakespeare, English Renaissance poetry and historical ecocriticism at UCLA.

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