✳️The Alchemist✳️
- by Ben Jonson
🔴 About Author :-
Ben Jonson, byname of Benjamin Jonson,(born June 11,1572, London, England died August 6,1637,London),
Was an English Playwright and poet.Jonson's artistry exerted a lasting influence upon English poetry and stage comedy. He is among the best- known writers and theorists of English Renaissance literature, second in reputation only to shakespear during James I. He is best known for the satirical plays
✴️ "Every man in his humour''(1598)
✴️ "Volpone,or the fox''(1606)
✴️ "The Alchemist'' (1610)
✴️ "Bartholomew Fair''(1614)
Here, I am discribe about ben Jonson's great comedy play is " The Alchemist''(1610).
🔴 The Alchemist( play) :-
The Alchemist is one of Ben Jonson's four comedies. The earliest recorded perfomance of the play occurred in Oxford in 1610. It was also entered into the stationers's Ragister in this year, though it might have been written and performed earlier than this date. Critics talk of the play as being written and performed in 1610. It was first printed in quarto in 1612 , and it was included in the folio of Jobson's works in 1616. First permormed by the king's Men, it is generally considered jonson's best and most characteristic comedy, samual taylor coleridge believed that it had one of the three most perfect plots in literature. The play's clever fulfillment of the classical uniteis and vivid depiction of human folly have made it one of the few Ranaissance plays with a continuing life on stage,apart from a period of neglet during the victorian era.
🔴 What's up with the Title ?
So, you probably noticed there's no real "Alchemist'' in this play. Subtle tries to perpetrate like he can change base metals into gold but we all know he can't ....which is why his scams eventually blow up in his face
Even so , the concept of alchemy's pretty much at the heart of this play . That's why we devote an entire section to in "symbols'' __ give it a look see.
The title is significant because everyone has it in them to change their lives, to pursue their dreams and achieve their goals. In that sense , each and every one of us, according to the governing idea behind the story, is an alchemist. We may not think ourselves to be as...
🔴 Themes of the play :-
1.Alchemy and Transformation:-
Ben Jonson's play The Alchemist center on the practice of alchemy, an ancient form of natural philosophy and early type of chemistry that sought to creat the philosopher's stone , a legendary alchemical substance that could transform base metals like lead and mercury intovgold and silver .The philosopher's stone was also thought to produce the elixir of life , which promised to give whoever consumed it immortal life. Alchemy was considered a legitimate form of science in Benson's day and many sought the power of the mysterious stone. With the philosopher's stone,the poor could be transformed into the wealthy, and the sick and old into the vibrant and youthful. In the Alchemist, Jonson juxtaposes the transformative powers of alchemy against the transfomation of his character.
2.Appearances and Reality :-
What the victims of the three swindlers perceive as reality is not the truth of the play. Each one thinks that he will receive wealth or power as a reward gained through little effort.The reality is that each will be left with less wealth and no more power than they had intially.
3. Religion :-
Ben Jonson wrote the Alchemist in1610,less than 100 years after the protestant Reformation, a movement in western christianity that soght to challenge the beliefs and practices of the Roman catholic church . In 1537, mere decades before Jonson' s birth in 1572, king Henry vill oficially separated from the catholic church and fomed the church of England, a type of protestantism that rejected papal authority. In the years following the protestant Reformation and the creation of the church of England, there was much tension between protestants and those who refused to confirm, as well as those protestants considered to be redical, like Anabaptists and puritans. There are repeated referances to religion in The Alchemist, beginnibg with the play's dedication, in which Jonson claims " the truth of religion'' is not "in the greatness and fat of the offerings , but in the devotion and zeal of the sacrificers.'' Jonson rejects the catholic belief that sacrament represent religious grace regardless of the religiius state of priests or parishioners, and in doing so, he effectively identifies himself as a protestant. With the representation of religion in the Alchemist, Jonson mirrors the anti - catholic sentiments of the time; however, and he also condemns religious fanticism and those associated with radical protagonistism.
3. Sex and Greed :-
Ben jonson 's the Alchemist is rife with vice and sin. The play focuses on Face and subtle, two conmen who pose as expert alchemist with knowledge of the philosopher's stone to swindle unsuspecting Londoners known in the play as "gulls'' out of money and loose metal . Face and subtle work closely with Doll , a prostitute who helps to lure and scam their victims, and each of the "gulls'' they target are in search of Alchemy and the philosopher's stone to selfish ends,such as personal wealth and sexual prowess. In the prologue , Jonson claims the play is set in London, as '' No clime breeds better matter for your whore/ bawd, squier , impostor, many persons morr''. Sex and Greed in Alchemist , Jonson highlights the frequency with which such sins are committed and ultimately argues that such behaviour is merely human nature.
4. Deception and Gullibility :-
Deception and Gullibility are the foundation of Ben Jonson 's the ALCHEMIST.The play is base on two conmen . Face and subtle , who use deception to '' cozen'', or trick , gullible Londoners into believing they are experts of alchemy itself connotes deception and gullibility.
🔴 Summary of the play :-
Lovewit handed over his house to his butler, Jeremy, while leaving for him hop-yard in London. Jeremy is known by the name of Face in this play. He lives with subtle, a supposed alchemist, and a prostitute named Dol Common in Lovewit’s house. They run a major fraud business in the house.
When the play opens there is an argument between Face and subtle that continues throughout the play. The argument is based on who is of chief importance for the business they run, each talking about his supremacy. Don come in between and resolves their conflict and compel both to shake their hands. Meanwhile, there is knock on the door the first gull of the day, a legal clerk, enters. Subtle takes the role of the “Doctor” while Face plays the role of “Captain Face”
Dapper, a legal clerk, desires for a spirit that can help him win the game at gambling. Subtle tells him that he is connected to the queen of fairies and promises him to get one for him. He asks Dapper to come back after washing himself and bring a clean shirt with him. As soon as Dapper left, another client, known as Drugger, enters. He is a tobacconist who comes to know how he should place his shop. Subtle asks him to return back with tobacco and a damask. The argument between Face and Subtle resume, however, Dol interferences and warns them about the visit of Sir Epicure Mammon.
Subtle has promised Sir Epicure Mammon that he will make him a Philosopher’s stone for which Mammon is extremely happy and is fantasizing about it. Now, Sir Mammon and Sir Pertinax, his cynical assistance are standing next to the door. Face now plays the role of “Lungs”, a doctor’s laboratory assistance while the two conmen astonish Mammon and irritate Surly with their twisted scientific language. Face told Surly that he will meet him at temple church at half an hour, meanwhile, Dol enters that provokes Sir Mammon and he starts pleading Face to arrange a meeting with Dol.
Another client Ananias, an Anabaptist, comes and meets with Subtle with anger. He wants Subtle to give him the Philosopher’s stone so that he can earn much money to convert people to his religion. He returns with Tribulation, his priest. As he leaves, another client Kastril is brought by Drugger. Kastril comes to know how to fight and to case the joint in order to see if this man is suitable for his rich, widowed sister, Dame Pliant, or not. Kastril is immediately impressed by Face.
Subtle and Face robbed Dapper by engaging him in a fairy rite. When Mammon comes he is engaged by Dol in the outhouse while Face pretending that Subtle is unaware of Mammon’s attraction towards Dol.
Another entry happens when a widow comes. Face meets a Spanish Don, who is in fact Surly in disguise. Face and Subtle are now having a conversation that who is going to marry the widow and mocks the Spaniard by speaking loudly that they will deceive him. As Dol is busy with Mammon, they trick the Spaniard and made him agree to marry the widow.
VDol, in the meantime, has gone extra comfortable with Mammon. They are caught by a furious “father” (Subtle). He tells them, as they were involved with illegal actions, all the furnace and Alchemist apparatus has been destroyed by an explosion. Mammon immediately pushed himself at the door, having entirely destroyed by the loss of his investment.
Everything is getting out of control and all the clients are gathered at the door without warning. Later, all the clients are present in the room, including Surly while Face manages himself to get out of the spot. However, Dol informed them that Lovewit has just reached, Face changes his masks once again and become “Jeremy the Butler”.
When love reaches his home, he is surrounded by the neighbors and the clients on the door. Face is forced to admit everything by the Dapper when his voice emerges from t0he privy that nothing happens at it is shown to us. Face puts every blame on the Dol and subtle, however, they manage to escape penniless from the back wall and the clients come back with police and a search warrant. The clients search every corner of the house but can’t find anything for themselves and are forced to leave with nothing. Kastril, Lovewit and his new wife leave the stage. Face is rewarded financially and delivers an epilogue.
🔴 CHARACTER OF THE PLAY:-
✴️ FACE :-
He is a faceless character. The audience has little or no idea about his personality as he changes his appearances time and again. His switches his roles constantly. Some critics think that his real name is Jeremy, however, some contradict this point due to his role switching and claims that Jeremy is his one of the faces. He is “Lungs” for Sir Mammon and plays the role of the wise boy “Captain Face” for the rest. He is responsible for finds clients for his con business and brings him to the Lovewit house.
✴️ DOL :-
Dol Common, also known as Dorothy is a prostitute in the play. The surname Common is pun meaning “available to everyone”. We come to know that Dol has sexual relationships with both Face and Subtle. She is not that important member of the con business as Face and Subtle are. Yet, she is needed to transform herself into a “royal lady” to steer Mammon and diverge his attention. At the end of the play, she runs away with Subtle without any share.
✴️ DAPPER :-
He is an extremely greedy legal clerk who wants to get a “gambling fly”, a spirit that will help him to win the game of gambling”. Face, when meets with Dapper at the pub” tempts him to his blackfriars houses. Subtle claims him that he fairy queens are his relative, when Dapper come back, the lock him in the outhouse for rest of the play.
✴️ ABEL (“NAB”) DRUGGER :-
He is an honest, tobacconist who just starts his new shop in the street. He wants Face, disguise as “Doctor” to guide him in starting a new business. He likes Dame Pliant, a rich widow, and wants to marry her. Face and Subtle plays a trick on him and asks him to bring a lot of expensive tobacco plus Dame Pliant and his brother along with to the Blackfriars house. At the end of the play, he is looted and left with nothing.
✴️ LOVEWIT :-
He is the master of the house who leave for hop-yard in London and hands over his house to his butler, Jeremy. He is not seen in the play except at the start and at the end of the play. When Lovewit come back he punishes Face for his deeds. He marries Dame pliant and leaves the stage.
✴️ SIR EPICURE MAMMON :-
He is the biggest con in the play. His name, Epicure Mammon, means the one who devotes himself to the material wealth and sensual enjoyments. He is very greedy and compares himself to the alchemist. He is very much obsessed with food and lust and wants his resources turns into gold by philosopher’s stone. Conmen. At the end make his lust responsible for the blast of the furnace.
✴️ SIR PERTINAX SURLY :-
He is the personal assistant of Sir Epicure Mammon. Throughout the play, he constantly criticizes Mammon and also inquires about the action of the Face and Subtle. Surly plan to catch them naked-handed, disguised as Spaniard but fall in their trick. He, by chance, falls in love with Dame Pliant. However, in the end, he fights with Kastrill that losses his sister.
✴️TRIBULATION WHOLESOME :-
He is a pastor of Amsterdam and leader of Anabaptist’s group. He is very greedy for money, power, and leadership. He seems to be more logical and measured that Ananias.
✴️ANANIAS :-
He is a Deacon of Amsterdam and Anabaptist, who, too, like Tribulation is hungry for power, membership, and money. He is symbolically represented as the character of a New Testament who died due to his greedy nature. Ananias, in the play, is very furious and very quick to judge anything.
✴️KASTRILL :-
Kastrill is a Furious boy who comes to the conmen to learn an art of fighting, for instance, he wants to learn how to argue formally with others. He is quite young having gullible personality. We find him very concern and over-protective for sister, Dame Pliant. He is searching for a better suitor for her. The way he quarrels throughout the play is unimpressive and immature.
✴️DAME PLIANT :-
She is a window and innocent sister of Kastrill. The name dame Pliant means flexible and bendy. She is considered as one of the senseless characters in the literature. She has some speech problem as her brother and speaks very rarely. She is every time lost and doesn’t notice when subtle steals kisses from her. The two conmen, looking for the considerable fortune that Dame inherits from her husband, fight over her to marry her. However, in the end, it is Lovewit who marries her.
✴️ r
play, various neighbors appear and mobbed Lovewit and tell him about the conmen business at his house that he handed-over to Jeremy. Neighbors have a very little role in the play i.e. mainly at the end of the play, however, in some instances in the play, we find Dol shooing some women at the door. They describe these women as the “sailor’s wives” and Oyster-women that shows that the conmen have done much other con business than that of shown in the play.
🔴 Genre :-
✴️ Comedy
Big Willy Shakespeare may have put English comedy on the map but, Ben Jonson is famous for being one of the younger 16th-17th Century playwrights who came along and helped reshaped the genre into something new and different.
Rather than write old school romantic comedies with happy endings about people who lived in faraway places (like, say, Twelfth Night), Jonson was into whipping up satiric comedies that poked fun of contemporary London society.
These days, scholars usually call plays like The Alchemist "city comedies" or "citizen comedies."
What exactly is a "city comedy" you ask? And does Broad City count as one?
Well, literary critics (like Alexander Leggatt and Brian Gibbons) have written entire books on the subject and scholars are always bickering about how to define it so, we've broken it down into a nifty list of things that seem most characteristic of the genre. [Sources: Alexander Leggatt's Citizen Comedy in the Age of Shakespeare (1973) and Brian Gibbons' Jacobean City Comedy (1968).
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