I agree. Ben Jonson was exploring the idea of avarice and
greed. He does this not only by the actions of the various characters but also by the
names he gave his characters. For example, Volpone means fox, Mosca means flesh fly,
Voltore means vulture, etc. Except for Celia and Bonario, they are all named after
predatory creatures.
Ben Jonson was also known for his
comedy of humours. The belief that humans were a combination of the four humours
(blood, phlegm, black bile and yellow bile) was common. When the humours were out of
balance, it would affect the personality.
Volpone knows his
audience and plays to each one's weakness but since he himself is also greedy he too
must pay the price. Jonson also explores this same idea in his play The
Alchemist.
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