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Unit 15: Ben Jonson: Introduction of the Text

circled by a mischievous “Fly” (Mosca in Italian), who helps the Fox trick several carrion-birds—a Notes
vulture (Voltore), a crow (Corvino) and a raven (Corbaccio) into losing their feathers (their wealth).
The animal imagery emphasizes the theme of “parasitism” in the play, where one life form feeds off of
another. And it should also be remembered that fables are tales with simple moral messages, told for
a didactic purpose. Though much more complex, Volpone, at its heart shares the same purpose, making
the use of “fable-like” symbolism appropriate and helpful in understanding the meaning of the play.
Volpone also relies on medieval beast fables, especially one entitled “The Fox Who Feigned Death.”
Although the characters in Volpone are not animals, their names and costumes suggest animals.
Suggesting that the characters are animals satirizes human nature in general and shows the bestiality
of the characters’ behavior.
Taken on one level, the main plot of Volpone is a fable; each character are each personifications of
different animals, in a story that has a direct moral message. “Volpone” means “Fox” in Italian, and
“Mosca” means “Fly”. In many of Jonson’s plays, a name gives a strong indication as to the nature
of a character, and this play is no different; Volpone is the “cunning” Fox, who appears wounded;
“Mosca” is the parasitical, insect-like creature, circling around the Fox, and occasionally feeding off
of him (gold, in this metaphor, takes the place of Volpone’s flesh). Voltore, Corbaccio and Corvino
act like the carrion birds they are named after (the vulture, the crow and the raven, respectively), by
circling around the Fox and waiting for him to die. But the Fox is craftily faking his wounds, and the
Fly helps him, and the birds end up losing their feathers (their wealth). This simple fable helps
clearly enunciate the meaning of the play and it also suggests that the main characters in the play
are somewhat “beastly”; they are acting out animal instincts, and not listening to the voice of
conscience and reason; in short, they are not fully human.

Elucidate that the main plot of Volpone is a fable.

Self Assessment

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Which of the following statements about volpone is incorrect?
(a) There are various views noted in letters and diaries
(b) Volpone was first performed in 1605
(c) There were no review on its first performance
(d) It was not popular with audience.
2. The successful characterization of Volpone lies
(a) in the fact that characters represents various types of human personality
(b) in the fact that the character has symbolic order of the actions’s meaning
(c) in the fact that all characters in the persuit of deceiving other is deceived
himself
(d) in the fact that all characters have lust for wealth.
3. Volpone relies on medieval beast fables especially one titled
(a) The Hare and the Tottoise
(b) The Rabbit and the Lion
(c) The Fox Who Feigned Death
(d) The Crow and the Fox.

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