Volpone, by Ben Jonson

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In the play Volpone, written by Ben Jonson, Volpone, a childless and wealthy nobleman, plans to carry out a trick on three legacy hunters with assistance from his “parasite”, Mosca. Even though Mosca is dependent on his master for his living and finance, he is an influential person in Volpone’s life. Unlike ordinary servants, he is trusted to perform important tasks and continually thinks of ways to save his master from troublesome situations. It seems that Mosca will remain loyal and dutiful; however, he attempts to move out of his lowly status and take over Volpone’s wealth. Throughout the play, Jonson’s characterization reveals the untypical relationship between Volpone and Mosca and explains how it leads to Mosca’s attempt to usurp power from the nobility. Volpone’s intimate relationship with Mosca causes him to lose his status as a master. Mosca’s roles in the house are different than Volpone’s other servants-Nano, Castrone, and Androgyno. Instead of taking care of domestic issues, he is his master’s strategic partner in plotting schemes. After Mosca successfully carries out Volpone’s first trick on two men who are behind Volpone’s legacy, Volpone declares to his “good rascal” that he wants to “kiss thee” (Act 1, Scene 4). As he speaks to Mosca, Volpone disregards the class difference between him and his servant. Volpone never uses close physical language to other servants in the house. More importantly, Mosca is also the only servant who receives Volpone’s praises for his deceptive talent and satisfactory performance of the plan. Mosca is even allowed to be in his master’s chamber to admire the gold and treasures Volpone has been collecting. Volpone’s cozy language and special treatment to Mosca gradually makes Mosca feel t... ... middle of paper ... ...f Volpone to gain more from his fortune before his actual death. Ironically, a man that is supposed to be cunning, like Volpone, decides to put his trust into his deceptive servant. He does not realize that his desire to play a final trick on people turns him into a fool and gives Mosca the chance to rise above him. The unordinary master-servant relationship between Volpone and Mosca and Volpone’s dependence on his servant’s intelligence motivate Mosca to nourish his dream for power and wealth. Mosca’s attempt to move upward in the society and usurp the privileges of the nobility is threatening to those rank higher than him. However, he is punished for pretending to be a nobleman and ultimately does not manage to move himself to a higher position in the society. Work Cited Jonson, Ben. Volpone, or The Fox. Ed. Brian Parker. New York: Manchester UP, 1999.

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