Page 216 - DENG403_BRITISH_DRAMA

British Drama

Notes Unity of action : The play should revolve around one action.

Dramatic irony : It is a literary device often used in tragedies, a central character behaves in a
certain way in ignorance of key facts about a situation.
Stage craft : The art of putting on a show.
Soliloquy : It is a speech given by a character while alone on stage, spoken directly to the
audience and it usually gives the audience direct access to the inner workings
of the character’s mind.
Avocatori : One who serve as judges in the Venetian state
Bawdy-house : A seedy night club or whorehouse.

16.9 Review Questions

1. In Volpone, Jonson sets out to undermine the notion of avarice. Explain
2. Mention four satiristic characters of Act II.
3. What are the main themes used in Act IV of the play Jonson?
4. Write short notes on the following scenes:
(a) Scene I of Act I
(b) Closing scene of the play
(c) The scene entrusted to to the punsihment of characters.
5. Explain the following in context of Volpone play:
(a) Morality (b) Deceit (c) Plot

6. The way Jonson metes out punishment to his characters bears a resemblance to
one of Lady Politic’s less favorite Italian poets: Dante Alighieri. Elucidate.
7. The moral satire of the play becomes somewhat submerged in the Fourth Act.
Explain.
8. The main theme of the morality play is: Man begins in innocence, man falls into
temptation, man repents and is saved or killed, in the context of this theme, explain
the play Volpone.
9. The Fourth Act is marked by Volpone’s near complete disappearance for the play.
Evaluate.
10. Illustrate that throughout the play, Volpone has seemed both a likeable and
sympathetic protagonist and a sociopath.

Answers: Self Assessment
1. (b) 2. (b) 3. (c)
4. implicit 5. woman 6. moral criticism
7. soliloquy 8. True 9. False
10. True 11. (a) 12. (b)
13. (c) 14. pleasure 15. Mosca
16. threat 17. disguise 18. True
19. True 20. True

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