Several Essays on Literary Works
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1. A.C. Baugh notes with reference to Every Man in His Humour how Ben Jonson accepted the conventions of Italian comedy on the surface while producing comedy that involved "a keen analysis of contemporary English society" (p. 559). Baugh identifies Volpone as a "magnificent if rather dreadful comedy" (p. 562) and says that it is based on Jonson's views of the enormities of ancient Rome: "The character symbolism peculiar to humor comedy is here intensified by imitating the method of the beast-fable, which taught how human types could be caricatured by representing them as animals" (p. 562). This element is also derived from the Italian commedia dell'arte tradition. An examination of the play shows how Jonson utilized these traditions in commenting on his contemporary society. Baugh believes that Jonson was not successful in making the contemporary connection necessary to address the issues of the seventeenth century, but many other readers and critics have found otherwise.Abrams cites a number of the traditional conventions that Jonson utilizes to good advantage in Volpone. He finds that the medieval legend of Reynard the Fox has been incorporated into the pervasive animal imagery also noted by Baugh, with Volpone as the Fox and Mosca as the Fly. The author also cites classical antecedents for Jonson's biting satire. The underlying theme is an ancient one as well--the love of money is the root of all evil--and Abrams finds that for Jonson this becomes a comment on con
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ly because of this seduction, a sin he committed with greater knowledge than that of Hester and with greater culpability as a result. Not only is he a clergyman who should remain above such things in the eyes of society, but in addition he is living a lie by allowing Hester to be punished while he remains a secret sinner. The innocent question of Pearl highlights the depth of his sin: "But wilt thou promise. . . to take my hand, and mother's hand tomorrow noon-tide?" (p. 126). Of course, he will not do so because to do so would bring his sin into the open. His suffering is terrible, but it is entirely because his sin is the greater because it is unrevealed. Hester suffers more openly, but also less terribly.
Hester and Dimmesdale also have their tormenter in the form of Chillingworth, who is reacting to the seduction of his wife by seeking a terrible vengeance on the man who seduced her. To Hawthorne, Chillingworth's sin is all the greater because he is sinning intentionally and over a long period of time, without the excuse of human passion such as led to the seduction in the first place. This is an element shared with Rowson's Charlotte Temple, where the character of the teacher is also the embodiment of greater evil bec
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Approximate Word count = 3169
Approximate Pages = 13 (250 words per page)
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