Volpone Characters Overview

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Questions and Answers

What does Volpone primarily worship in the play?

His family

His friends

His wealth (correct)

His reputation

How does Mosca initially behave towards Volpone?

With complete independence

With open hostility

As an equal partner

In a servile manner (correct)

What motivates the legacy hunters to present gifts to Volpone?

They are trying to sabotage each other's chances.

They believe Volpone is ill and want to comfort him. (correct)

They want to assure themselves a share of his wealth.

They hope to curry favor to become his friends.

Which character is described as the voice of goodness and religiosity?

Celia Signup and view all the answers

What is Voltore's profession?

Lawyer Signup and view all the answers

Which character is described as Volpone's parasite?

Mosca Signup and view all the answers

What is Corvino's primary concern regarding Celia?

Her property value Signup and view all the answers

What is the condition that Volpone pretends to have?

He is feigning illness. Signup and view all the answers

How is Corbaccio's offering to Volpone characterized?

A useless vial of medicine. Signup and view all the answers

Which character betrays a lack of concern for Volpone's health?

Corbaccio Signup and view all the answers

What strategy does Volpone plan to employ to get a glimpse of Corvino's wife, Celia?

Using a disguise. Signup and view all the answers

What strategy does Volpone use to play with the legacy hunters?

Feigning illness Signup and view all the answers

What outcome does Mosca achieve by the end of the play?

He inherits Volpone's wealth Signup and view all the answers

Which character believes Volpone to be childless and ill?

All of the legacy hunters Signup and view all the answers

What ultimately happens to Volpone at the end of the play?

He is imprisoned Signup and view all the answers

What does Sir Politic wish to do upon meeting Peregrine?

Teach him about Venice. Signup and view all the answers

Which character is depicted as a social climber who is resentful of others?

Voltore Signup and view all the answers

What underlying theme does Volpone's con highlight?

The folly of greed. Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between Mosca and Volpone?

They are partners in crime. Signup and view all the answers

How do Volpone and Mosca react after each legacy hunter leaves their presence?

They laugh at the hunters' gullibility. Signup and view all the answers

What is Corvino's reaction when he sees Celia toss her handkerchief to Scoto Mantua?

He becomes jealous and threatens her violently. Signup and view all the answers

What unusual punishment does Corvino impose on Celia as a result of his jealousy?

She must speak and walk backwards. Signup and view all the answers

What proposal does Mosca make to Corvino regarding Celia?

To allow her to sleep with Volpone. Signup and view all the answers

How does Volpone try to seduce Celia when she is alone with him?

With an unexpected passionate speech. Signup and view all the answers

What is Mosca doing at the beginning of the third act that indicates his growing independence?

He is expressing dissatisfaction with Volpone. Signup and view all the answers

What complicates the situation in the Venetian Senate regarding Celia and Bonario?

Voltore twists the narrative to favor the defendants. Signup and view all the answers

How does Volpone decide to prank the legacy hunters at the end of the story?

By pretending to have died. Signup and view all the answers

What unexpected action does Peregrine take against Sir Politic?

He presents himself as a merchant to scare him. Signup and view all the answers

What significant event occurs when Bonario witnesses the confrontation between Celia and Volpone?

Bonario saves Celia from Volpone's advances. Signup and view all the answers

What moral dilemma does Celia face throughout the play?

Maintaining her faithfulness despite coercion. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of the subplot involving Sir Politic Would-be?

His relationship with Peregrine, an English traveler. Signup and view all the answers

How does Lady Politic Would-be's character influence the plot?

She motivates the Would-bes to move to Venice. Signup and view all the answers

What aspect of Volpone's character highlights the theme of greed?

His manipulative schemes to deceive others for money. Signup and view all the answers

What does the character Androgyno represent in the context of the play?

The duality of human nature. Signup and view all the answers

What is a key moral lesson conveyed through the play's theme of avarice?

Those who are greedy often become foolish and contemptible. Signup and view all the answers

What role does Mosca's statement, 'Everyone's a parasite,' serve in the play?

To illustrate the theme of societal manipulation. Signup and view all the answers

Which character keeps Volpone entertained with jokes and songs?

Nano. Signup and view all the answers

What is the central irony of greed as depicted in the play?

Characters appear wealthy while being spiritually poor. Signup and view all the answers

What effect does the use of stagecraft have in conveying moral truths within the play?

It creates confusion between reality and illusion. Signup and view all the answers

Castrone’s character is mainly noted for what defining characteristic?

His silence and role as a eunuch. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Volpone's Character

Volpone is a Venetian nobleman, known for his wealth and dishonest means of obtaining it.
A con artist, he enjoys using his money extravagantly.
He feigns illness to attract three "legacy hunters," Voltore, Corbaccio, and Corvino, who seek to inherit his estate.
Volpone amasses gifts from these hunters, knowing he's in good health.
Volpone is described as lustful, lecherous, and greedy for pleasure, but also energetic and skilled in rhetoric.

Legacy Hunters

Voltore is a lawyer, skilled in words and deceit.
Corbaccio is an old gentleman who, likely to die before Volpone, offers a worthless vial of medicine.
Corvino, a merchant, is fiercely jealous and prone to violence.

Celia's Position

Celia, Corvino's wife, is described as one of the most beautiful women in Italy, kept under lock and key by her husband.
She is a voice of goodness and religiosity in the play, committed to her husband despite his abuse.
Celia possesses a strong faith in God and a sense of honor, contrasting with the greed and dishonesty of Volpone and Corvino.

Mosca's Role

Mosca, Volpone's parasite, is a mix of slave, servant, and confidante.
Initially subservient, Mosca grows increasingly independent as he facilitates Volpone's con.
Mosca's growing confidence eventually leads him to conflict with Volpone.

The Play's Themes

Greed: The play emphasizes the destructive nature of greed, highlighting how it leads to foolish and contemptible behavior.
Stagecraft: The play explores the dichotomy between real-world morality and theatrical illusion, examining how deception and manipulation can be used for both entertainment and exploitation.
Parasitism: Everyone in the play is portrayed as a parasite, seeking to live off the wealth of others without honest labor. This reflects a social critique of the time.

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Description

Explore the intricate characters of Ben Jonson's 'Volpone', focusing on the titular character, the legacy hunters, and Celia. Understand how each character's traits and motivations contribute to the play's themes of greed and deception. This quiz will deepen your knowledge of these complex figures within the narrative.