Volpone Study Guide

The play is dedicated to both the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. In the dedication, Jonson describes how he wants to produce a play that has both a meaning and is enjoyable. The argument uses an acrostic, a poem in which the first letter in each line, when read in sequence, forms a name, in the form of Volpone's name, to lay out the plot. Essentially, the play has no secrets, because the entire plot is summarized in the first seven lines of the play. In the prologue, the audience is introduced to the play, and Jonson hopes the play will be a success. Jonson boasts that he wrote the play in only five weeks and all the humor is of his own design. Jonson also promises the audience will laugh so hard their cheeks will turn red. (read more)