Volpone becomes very happy He even kisses the gold and says it is the best of things better than family friends or nature Volpone believes that money gives power honor fame and happiness Volpone s dialogue also suggests that he is a very greedy man He is a corrupt man and he will do anything to get more gold and wealth So the very first lines set the tone of the play As we see Volpone quickly comes up with a plan to loot people and get more gold and gifts Ultimately this obsession with gold leads to his downfall He loses everything and is sent to prison in chains In fine Volpone s speech reveals his moral decay Though he is a rich and old man he craves for more gold and wealth It gives us the picture of a corrupt society where people want to be richer by any means His shrine of gold is a symbol of his greed and corruption