In five pages this paper examines how overreaching and its consequences are portrayed in these works by Ben Jonson. There is no bibliography included.
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Together, these elements comprise two of the most memorable literary creations ever produced, giving rise to a type of play that, along with only a handful of other writers, would
quite blatantly address real-life issues while at the same time poke fun at how society often takes itself too seriously. Both Volpone and The Alchemist reach these objectives by
way of Jonsons literary design, with each one illustrating the consequences inherent to overreaching. Deceitful to the core, Volpone seeks to outwit three alleged friends whose only reason for being
in his life is to eventually inherit his riches. Mosca, Volpones servant, is a key player in the scheme to outfox the three gold diggers when the wealthy antagonist
feigns being fatally (the comic ploy) in order to see just how far they can be pushed in their phony devotion. With everything going as planned, Volpone can never
know how his deceit will ultimately backfire in his own face. The time finally comes when Volpones death is announced - staged though it is - with Mosca being
the sole heir, a well-calculated decision that infuriates those who befriended and showered gifts upon him in an effort to win his favor and money. Masquerading as a commodore
in an attempt to escape to Venice with all his riches, Volpone is unaware of how Voltore - a lawyer and one of the spurned money grubbers - successfully, if
not unwittingly, figures out what happened and orders Mosca to appear in court. However, Volpone is afraid that Mosca will get away with his money before he has a
chance to retrieve it, so he shows his face in court to spew yet another contrived story in the effort of saving his own skin. But because he is