Discuss the theme of avarice in 'Volpone'.
Ben Jonson’s (1572-1637) “Volpone,” first performed in 1606, is the playwright’s most performed play. The play is a famous Jacobean era comedy. This play mercilessly satires avarice and lust. Avarice means extreme greed for wealth. Avarice is central to the story and to the characters’ motivations. The play exposes how avarice leads to moral decay, deception, and ultimately, downfall.
All the major characters in the play are motivated by excessive greed, including Volpone (sly fox), Mosca (fly), and the three legacy-hunters: Voltore (vulture), Corbaccio (raven), and Corvino (crow). Characters lust for what they do not have—money, sex, or power. We will discuss the theme of avarice broadly below.
Volpone's Greed: Volpone is an old and wealthy man. However, he lusts for more money and sex. He worships gold as a saint. He says:
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Open the shrine, that I may see my Saint [Gold].”
Volpone sees his gold as a saint and worships it every morning. The three legacy-hunters: Voltore, Corbaccio, and Corvino, want to become Volpone’s heir. They hope to inherit Volpone’s fortune. So, they want to satisfy Volpone by any means. On the other hand, Volpone plots to deceive the legacy-hunters. He pretends to be on his deathbed after a long illness. Hence, Voltore, Corbaccio, and Corvino, motivated by avarice, come to see him with valuable gifts. Volpone scams them with the help of his parasite servant Mosca.
Later in the play, Volpone is caught in a fox-trap because of his avarice. His servant Mosca tricks him and takes all his property. It shows that avarice leads to moral decay, deception, and ultimately, downfall.
Mosca's Manipulation: Mosca, Volpone's parasite servant, is another example of avarice. He is driven by excessive greed. At first, Mosca helps Volpone to deceive others. But Mosca's own greed grows throughout the play. He eventually decides to betray his master in hopes of securing his fortune. Mosca says:
“I'll bury him [Volpone], or gain by him: I am his heir.”
In the end, Mosca is punished by the court. He is whipped and sent away as a slave.
The Legacy Hunters: The characters of Voltore, Corbaccio, and Corvino represent different facets of avarice. Each tries to gain Volpone's favor. They offer bribes to be his heir. Voltore brings an antique, precious plate. But he is scammed by the sly fox (Volpone). Corbaccio is another evil character. Though he himself is old, he hopes to outlive Volpone and get his hands on Volpone's wealth. So, he brings a bag of gold coins to stay in Volpone’s favor. Corvino is another corrupted character, motivated by avarice. He brings a pearl and a diamond for Volpone as gifts. He even sends his wife, Celia, to Volpone’s bed. So, avarice blinds all three of them to reason and morality. This also makes them easy prey for Volpone and Mosca.
Moral Consequences: The play ultimately shows that avarice leads to self-destruction. All the greedy characters are punished at the end of the play. Volpone’s entire property is donated to a hospital, Mosca is whipped and sent away as a slave, Voltore is exiled from the city, Corbaccio is sent to a monastery, and Corvino must pay a huge dowry to his wife Celia. This ending reminds us of an earlier comment by Volpone:
"What a rare punishment is avarice to itself.”
Volpone said this earlier in the play when he was punishing the legacy-hunters for their avarice. However, he was blind to his own avarice. The same ultimately becomes true for him too.
In conclusion, this play is a satirical comedy of avarice. According to Ben Jonson, desire itself is not inherently evil. Rather, it is avarice (excessive desire) that becomes morally corrupting. Through the fates of the greedy characters, Jonson has shown that avarice leads to self-destruction.
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