Ben Jonson His Volpone, Or, the Fox

By Ben Jonson

Volpone, or The Fox is a comedy by Ben Jonson, first produced in 1605-1606, and is still widely performed today. A merciless satire of greed and cunning, the play centers on Volpone, a Venetian magnifico who pretends to be on his deathbed in order to swindle extravagant gifts from legacy hunters, and Mosca, his parasite servant, who aids him in his scheme. As various characters vie for Volpone's favor with increasingly elaborate gifts and false promises, the play exposes the avarice and moral bankruptcy of Venetian society.

Jonson's masterful use of wit, irony, and biting social commentary make "Volpone" a timeless exploration of human nature and the corrupting influence of wealth. This edition makes available a classic of the English stage, ripe for rediscovery by modern readers and theatergoers alike.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.

This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.

As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1248728726
• ISBN13: 9781248728727
• Release Date: April 2012
• Publisher: Nabu Press
• Length: 248 Pages
• Weight: 0.99 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 7.4" x 9.7"

Customer Reviews

Each version and edition reveal new facets.

I came upon this play and Ben Jonson by the back door. I was watching a movie titled "The Honey Pot" (1967) with Rex Harrison. His character, Cecil Fox, after observing this play, Volpone, which was first performed in 1606 at the Globe Theatre in London. used the outline for his purposes. So naturally, I must read the play to see what the movie is mimicking. I have several copies of "Volpone" (the fox) to compare information on Ben. This is a review of the "New Mermaids Series." I have several of their series. They give you all the background information and any annotations needed. They make the information interesting enough that you feel that Ben Jonson is in the room with you. I am sure some people would not want to be in the same room. I was surprised to find that William Shakespeare acted in some of Ben's plays. The play is well-written and has many levels to it. If it did not have so many footnotes, I would be in trouble. It reads like an English play, yet has parts that would make Stephen King blush. Any version is better than none.