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23. Ben Jonson, The Alchemist (1610)

  • Rebecca Yearling
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Handbook of English Renaissance Literature
This chapter is in the book Handbook of English Renaissance Literature

Abstract

This chapter situates Ben Jonson’s drama within the context of the rise of satire and city comedy in the early seventeenth century. It explores the relationship between Jonson’s comedies and the real world of contemporary London, and his interest in the idea of the play as a mirror to society. In the close readings section, it proceeds to examine The Alchemist’s use of alchemy as a metaphor for human change and transformation, and the way in which Jonson uses technical theatrical devices, such as the classical unities and metatheatricality, as didactic strategies. The final section explores the play’s reception from 1610 up to the present day, focusing particularly on the vexed question of the play’s ending and its ultimate moral message.

Abstract

This chapter situates Ben Jonson’s drama within the context of the rise of satire and city comedy in the early seventeenth century. It explores the relationship between Jonson’s comedies and the real world of contemporary London, and his interest in the idea of the play as a mirror to society. In the close readings section, it proceeds to examine The Alchemist’s use of alchemy as a metaphor for human change and transformation, and the way in which Jonson uses technical theatrical devices, such as the classical unities and metatheatricality, as didactic strategies. The final section explores the play’s reception from 1610 up to the present day, focusing particularly on the vexed question of the play’s ending and its ultimate moral message.

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Editors’ Preface V
  3. Contents VII
  4. Introduction 1
  5. Part I: Systematic Questions
  6. 1. Editing English Renaissance Texts 27
  7. 2. Forms of Translation 46
  8. 3. New Ways of Worldmaking: English Renaissance Literature as ‘Early Modern’ 66
  9. 4. Theatre and Drama 89
  10. 5. Life-Writing: Encountering Selves 108
  11. 6. England and its Others 136
  12. 7. Literature and Religion in Early Modern England 155
  13. 8. Renaissance Englishwomen as Writers, Readers, and Patrons 182
  14. 9. Rhetoric and Literary Theory 203
  15. Part II: Close Readings
  16. 10. John Skelton, The Bowge of Courte (1499?) 225
  17. 11. Thomas More, Utopia (1516/1551) 244
  18. 12. William Baldwin, Beware the Cat (1553/1570) 265
  19. 13. Richard Tottel, Songes and Sonettes (1557) 280
  20. 14. John Lyly, Euphues (1578/1580) 295
  21. 15. Philip Sidney, The Two Arcadias (1577–1584) 311
  22. 16. Thomas Kyd, The Spanish Tragedy (c. 1587) 331
  23. 17. Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene (1590/1596) 352
  24. 18. Christopher Marlowe, Doctor Faustus (c. 1588–1592) 376
  25. 19. Thomas Nashe, The Unfortunate Traveller (1594) 395
  26. 20. William Shakespeare, Richard II (1595) 411
  27. 21. Francis Bacon, Essays (1597–1625) 425
  28. 22. Shakespeare’s Sonnets (1609) 444
  29. 23. Ben Jonson, The Alchemist (1610) 464
  30. 24. Aemilia Lanyer, “The Description of Cooke-ham” (1611) 478
  31. 25. Robert Burton, The Anatomy of Melancholy (1621–1651) 496
  32. 26. John Ford, ’Tis Pity She’s a Whore (c. 1632) 516
  33. 27. John Donne, Songs and Sonnets (1633) 537
  34. 28. Thomas Carew and Inigo Jones, Coelum Britannicum (1634) 557
  35. 29. Andrew Marvell, Upon Appleton House (1651) 573
  36. 30. Margaret Cavendish, Poems, and Fancies (1653) 594
  37. 31. William Davenant, The Siege of Rhodes (1656) 615
  38. 32. John Milton, Paradise Lost (1667/1674) 635
  39. Index of Names 661
  40. Index of Subjects 683
  41. List of Contributors 739
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110444889-024

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Editors’ Preface V
  3. Contents VII
  4. Introduction 1
  5. Part I: Systematic Questions
  6. 1. Editing English Renaissance Texts 27
  7. 2. Forms of Translation 46
  8. 3. New Ways of Worldmaking: English Renaissance Literature as ‘Early Modern’ 66
  9. 4. Theatre and Drama 89
  10. 5. Life-Writing: Encountering Selves 108
  11. 6. England and its Others 136
  12. 7. Literature and Religion in Early Modern England 155
  13. 8. Renaissance Englishwomen as Writers, Readers, and Patrons 182
  14. 9. Rhetoric and Literary Theory 203
  15. Part II: Close Readings
  16. 10. John Skelton, The Bowge of Courte (1499?) 225
  17. 11. Thomas More, Utopia (1516/1551) 244
  18. 12. William Baldwin, Beware the Cat (1553/1570) 265
  19. 13. Richard Tottel, Songes and Sonettes (1557) 280
  20. 14. John Lyly, Euphues (1578/1580) 295
  21. 15. Philip Sidney, The Two Arcadias (1577–1584) 311
  22. 16. Thomas Kyd, The Spanish Tragedy (c. 1587) 331
  23. 17. Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene (1590/1596) 352
  24. 18. Christopher Marlowe, Doctor Faustus (c. 1588–1592) 376
  25. 19. Thomas Nashe, The Unfortunate Traveller (1594) 395
  26. 20. William Shakespeare, Richard II (1595) 411
  27. 21. Francis Bacon, Essays (1597–1625) 425
  28. 22. Shakespeare’s Sonnets (1609) 444
  29. 23. Ben Jonson, The Alchemist (1610) 464
  30. 24. Aemilia Lanyer, “The Description of Cooke-ham” (1611) 478
  31. 25. Robert Burton, The Anatomy of Melancholy (1621–1651) 496
  32. 26. John Ford, ’Tis Pity She’s a Whore (c. 1632) 516
  33. 27. John Donne, Songs and Sonnets (1633) 537
  34. 28. Thomas Carew and Inigo Jones, Coelum Britannicum (1634) 557
  35. 29. Andrew Marvell, Upon Appleton House (1651) 573
  36. 30. Margaret Cavendish, Poems, and Fancies (1653) 594
  37. 31. William Davenant, The Siege of Rhodes (1656) 615
  38. 32. John Milton, Paradise Lost (1667/1674) 635
  39. Index of Names 661
  40. Index of Subjects 683
  41. List of Contributors 739
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