A Detailed Critical Summary of "Volpone" (Act by Act, Scene by Scene)
Act II, Scene I
The conversation between Sir Politic and Peregrine
Sir Politic Would- be, an English knight on a visit to Venice in the company of his wife, is shown talking to Peregrine, another English tourist. Sir Politic says that he is in Venice in order to observe, to make notes on what he sees, to learn the local language, and so on. He tells Peregrine some of the latest news he has heard from England such as a raven's building a nest on one of the royal ships. Peregrine takes no time in perceiving that this knight is a fool, and proceeds to speak in the same absurd strain, with the obvious intention to pull the knight's leg. When Peregrine says that a whale had been discovered in the river as high up as Woolwich in order to scuttle an English ship, Sir Politic expresses the view that the whale could have been sent by the Spanish rulers who were England's enemies. When Peregrine says that Master Stone, the jester, is dead, Sir Poli- tic observes that Master Stone was a dangerous spy who received weekly information from Holland, in cabbages, and who transmitted this information to ambassadors through oranges, melons, apricots, apples, etc. And Sir Politic goes on talking in the same silly manner, with Peregine egging him on and enjoying the fun.
Critical comments.
This scene has no obvious connection with the plot of the play. In fact we see here the beginning of what may be regarded as a sub-plot, though its relevance, strictly speaking, is questionable. Jonson is here making fun of an ignorant type of English travellers of the time. Sir Politic's talk is quite amusing because of its sheer absurdity. He appears as a pompous, pretentious person with a high sense of his own importance, his learning, his wisdom etc. In his last speech in this scene he boasts of his attainment as an educator of the young children of English aristocratic families. His self-opinionatedness makes him a comic character.
Act II, Scene II
Sir Politic's praise of mountebanks.
Mosca and Nano set up a platform beneath a window of Corvino's house. Sir Politic explains to Peregrine that a mountebank will address an audience from this platform. Peregrine speaks disparagingly of mountebanks but Sir Politic praises them highly. Peregrine says that mountebanks are quacks who assert the efficary of their medicines on oath and after announcing the value of a drung at twelve crowns, will eventually sell it for two pence. But Sir Politic calls this a slanderous allega- tion and invites him to judge mountebanks by actually listening to the one who is going to speak to them now.
Volpone's speech in the disguise of a mountebank.
Volpone appears in the disguise of a mountebank, posing as Scoto Mantuano. A crowd has already assembled to hear him. Volpone climbs the platform and begins his oration. He says that he has chosen this obscure corner to address the crowd not because he has decided to sell his medicines at reduced prices nor because he is afraid of the slanderous reports circulated against him by his rival, Alessandro Buttone. He says that he is different from the ground charlatans who tell all sorts of lies to the crowd in order to make a little money. Sir Politic comments approvingly on what the mountebank is saying, especially commending the language or the choice of words of the mountebank, but Peregrine knows better and remains unaffected by Sir Politic's enthusiasm. Volpone proceeds to describe the virtues of the oil which has been made use of by many distinguished people and which he now offers to his audience who, he says, should realize that no price is too high to purchase health. This oil will cure such ailments as the falling sickness, convulsions, paralysis, epi- lepsy, palpitations of the heart, harmful vapours of the spleen, hernia and so on. The mountebank then asks his zany, Nano, to sing a song in honour of this oil, and Nano does so. The mountebank offers to sell the oil for eight crowns, though Peregrine whispers to Sir Politic that the price will ultimately be lowered considerably. The mountebank informs the audience that many practitioners have tried their best to prepare an oil of the same strength and effectiveness but miserably failed. He says that he has devoted his whole life to study and he can show his skill by extracting the four elements (fire, air, water, and earth) from the hat of any person standing there. Sir Politic points out to Peregrine that the mountebank is interested only in his reputation, but the latter says that money is his real aim. Nano now sings another song in praise of the oil and the mountebank (as was anticipated by Peregrine) lowers its price to a mere six pence, offering at the same time something extra to the first customer who tosses a handkerchief with the six pence tied in a corner of it. Ceila, from a window above throws down her handkerchief whereupon Volpone says that, in addition to the oil, he will give her a little powder which will enable her to preserve her youth permanently.
Critical comments.
In this scene, the plot moves forward but little. The only purpose it serves so far as the development of the plot is concerned is that Volpone here finds an opportunity to get a glimpse of the beauty of Celia, and that was precisely Volpone's object in playing the mountebank. Volpone's lust is now fully stirred and this paves the way for Mosca's subsequently planning to prevail upon Corvino to prostitute his wife. But this scene is more important from the point of view of characterization. We have already seen in Act I that Volpone is an excellent actor and has played the role of a dying man most successfully. In this scene he gives further evidence of his acting talent. He here shows a thorough knowledge of the entire technique by which a mountebank or quack succeeds in his trade. Apart from the hyperboles in which he indulges and the extravagant manner in which he tries to establish his bona fides, he shows a remarkable facility and fluency of speech and an eloquence that would be the envy of any professional mountebank. The whole scene is a clever satire on mountebanks and contributes a good deal to the humour of the play. This scene serves also to confirm Sir Politic Would-be's ignorance and folly, and Peregrine's soundness and sanity.
Act II, Scene III
Volpone driven away by Corvino.
Volpone's oratory is now inter- rupted by Corvino's arrival on the scene. He gets furious to see a mountebank right beneath the window where his wife stands watching the show, and he drives away Volpo..e and his companions, giving them blows.
Critical comments.
This scene confirms the fact of Corvino's exces- sively jealous nature which was made known to us towards the end of Act I. He has, of course, not the least suspicion that the mountebank is no other than Volpone himself. The irate husband driving away a mountebank with blows would doubtless provide much amusement to the spectators in a theatre.
Act II, Scene IV
Volpone smitten by Celia's beauty.
Volpone has been smitten by the beauty of Celia, and, as he puts it, the fire of passion is raging inside him. He tells Mosca that he cannot live without Celia, and Mosca promises to do his best to relieve his master's agony. Volpone is willing to pay any amount of money to satisfy his desire for Celia. He then asks Mosca if the crowd was really fooled into thinking him to be Scoto of Mantua, and Mosca replies that Scoto himself would have been wonder struck by the resemblance.
Critical comments.
This scene marks a development in the Volpone Celia complication. Mosca's ingenuity will now be put to a fresh test because he must devise some method by which he can gratify his employer's lust. At the same time we now see Volpone as a voluptuary. Hitherto we have been witnessing his greed or avarice; now we see a different aspect of his nature.
Act II, Scene V
Corvino's stern rebuke to Celia.
Corvino bitterly rebukes his wife Celia for having tried to communicate with a mountebank, a juggler who goes about performing tricks. He scolds her for having smiled at the mountebank and thrown her handkerchief at him. He asks her in a sardonic vein if she had fallen in love with the mountebank's copper rings or his saffron jewel or his embroidered suit. He says that he would not stop her if she wants to go and sleep with that fellow, a harlot as she is. Celia tries to explain, but Corvino is in no mood to listen to her. He tells her that she deserves to be stabbed with a dagger as many times as there were men in the street staring lecherously at her. Celia tells him that his suspicions are haseless and that she hardly ever goes out of the house. Corvino says that the restrictions on her freedom of movement will be made even more severe. She will not be permitted now to stand at the window; she will be confined to the rooms at the rear of the house; she must not even look towards the window. If she disobeys, she will be cut into pieces, says Corvino.
Critical comments.
This scene reveals the full extent of Corvino's jeal- ousy. Jealousy obsesses his mind next only to greed. We here note how irra- tional and absurd a man becomes under the influence of jealousy. Corvino talks like a mad man. He wants Celia to do everything with her back to the window, and he talks of a chastity belt which he will force her to wear ! His rage and the threats which he gives her make him look partly diabolical and partly comic.
Act II, Scene VI
Corvino ready to prostitute his wife.
Mosca goes to Corvino's house to meet Corvino. He falsely tells Corvino that Corbaccio and Voltore have succeeded in reviving Volpone by administering a little of the mountebank's oil to him, and further that a panel of physicians have suggested that, for a complete cure, Volpone must get a sexy woman to sleep with him. He sug- gests that Corvino should win Volpone's favour, and thus become Volpone's heir, by providing his own wife for the purpose. He invents another lie also. He tells Corvino that one of the physicians was ready to offer his daughter, a virgin, to Volpone and that, if the physician is not forestalled, Corvino might lose the inheritance, Corvino not only agrees to Mosca's suggestion but wants Mosca to go and tell Volpone that he had decided, of his own free accord, to provide his wife Celia to Volpone to sleep with.
Critical comments.
This scene carries the plot a step further by depicting Corvino's willingness to prostitute his wife. There is no doubt at all of the fertility of Mosca's mind and his inventiveness. The device he has hit upon, for gratifying Volpone's lust, proves effective and Corvino gets ready to pro- vide his wife for a nefarious purpose. Corvino, who was so jealousy if his wife as to be intolerant of any man's gazing at her beauty, is prepared to sell her honour and chastity for the sake of inheriting Volpone's property. This scene shows to what depths of degradation a man can sink for the sake of gold. But more than that we see how a man can be gulled to an incredible degree by the lure of money. Nobody in his senses can believe that physicians would suggest that, in order to be cured of some disease, the patient should sleep with a woman, and yet Corvino is so blinded by his avarice as to be duped by Mosca's trick.
Act II, Scene VII
Corvino's soothing words to Celia.
Corvino has now to humour and placate Celia whom, a little while ago, he had severely reprimanded and snubbed. He now tells her that he had spoken to her roughly just to test her and that he is not at all jealous. He says that he will prove to her how free of jealousy he is. He asks her to put on her best dress and her best jewels because they have been invited to a solemn feast at old Volpone's house.
Critical comments.
This scene shows Celia's absolutely simplicity of mind. She immediately believes Corvino's assurance to her that he is not a jealouys husband and, obviously, forgets the strict watch that he has always kept on her in the past. She does not have the least suspicion regarding Corvino's real intentions.
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