Paper Summary:

Ben Jonson's "Volpone," first performed in London in 1605, was a highly successful play centering on the theme of greed. The paper shows that "Volpone" is particularly notable for Jonson's characters' use of disguise, costume and role playing both to advance the action of the story and to visually express Jonson's ethical beliefs to educate his audience. The paper analyzes the different methods of disguise throughout the play.

From the Paper:

"Beyond the clues offered by their names, the characters in Volpone engage in role playing throughout the play. None shifts personality and character more influentially than the title character. Driven by his greed and by his love for trickery, Volpone chooses to play his game not with easily-duped victims, but rather with others like himself. Thus, while pretending to be ill for several years, with the community's knowledge that he has no heir, Volpone accepts the good wishes and gifts of his colleagues, who offer these in the hope that they will gain Volpone's goodwill for the giver. Mosca's task is to convince Volpone's acquaintances that, upon his supposedly-imminent demise, the Fox will leave all of his wealth to one or another of these would-be friends. Voltore, Corbaccio and Corvino in turn are all convinced that Volpone has named each of them as his sole heir."

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