The Devil Is an Ass; Volume 29

By Ben Jonson and Albert S (Albert Stanburrough) Cook

Book Overview

"The Devil Is an Ass," a satirical play by Ben Jonson, showcases the playwright's wit and keen observation of human folly. First performed in 1616, this Jacobean drama follows the misadventures of a minor devil, Pug, who journeys to London to wreak havoc but finds himself outmatched by the city's pervasive vices and corruptions. Jonson masterfully uses Pug's experiences to satirize the vanities and absurdities of early 17th-century English society, from get-rich-quick schemes to social climbing and moral hypocrisy.

This edition offers readers a chance to delve into Jonson's rich language and complex characters. As a significant work in the English dramatic canon, "The Devil Is an Ass" provides both entertainment and a valuable insight into the social and cultural landscape of its time, making it essential reading for students and enthusiasts of English literature and theater.

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: 114644480X
• ISBN13: 9781146444804
• Release Date: March 2010
• Publisher: Nabu Press
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 1.04 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.1" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Another Entertaining, Mildly Satirical Comedy by Ben Jonson

Ben Jonson's mildly satirical plays abound with unscrupulous characters, con men, and gullible dupes. The Devil is an Ass is no exception. Several subplots involving deceit and trickery are successfully interwoven, creating an enjoyable comedy.Nick Hern Books (London) publishes an extensive set of plays for students, actors, and theatregoers in their Drama Classics series. The Devil is an Ass is available in a small, slender, good quality, soft cover edition. The introduction by Simon Trussler is quite good. A short glossary of unfamiliar words is provided, but there are no footnotes.The play begins in Hell. A lesser devil, Pug, desires to demonstrate his value and requests an opportunity to visit London to entrap innocents and ensure their doom. Satan is skeptical. He considers modern 1616 London to be more corrupt and dissolute than Hell itself. Satan reluctantly allows Pug to proceed. In London Pug animates and then inhabits the corpse of a recently hung thief.Pug renames himself Devil and acquires a position as a servant to Fitzdottrel, an amoral, greedy squire from Norfolk. Almost immediately, both the reader and Devil are amazed to learn that Fitzdottrel is willing to sacrifice his innocent wife's reputation in trade for an expensive cloak for himself. We are amused when Fitzdottrel himself becomes the target of a sophisticated con-man, Merecraft, a specialist (a projector) in developing get-rich schemes that involve monopolies granted by the government of King James. As other interconnected scams emerge, we readers happily observe that the victims are all unscrupulous individuals. The ending is rather different from most plays involving a devil figure.I have also used the Oxford University Press publication titled The Devil is an Ass and Other Plays by Ben Jonson. The introduction by Margaret Jane Kidnie is quite good. Extensive footnotes are provided. The Devil is an Ass was first performed in 1616. It was first printed in 1631. Nearly four centuries later I am posting my review on the Internet.