57 pages • 1 hour read

The Alchemist

Fiction | Play | Adult | Published in 1610

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Summary

Background

Act Summaries & Analyses

Dedication-Prologue

Act I, Scenes 1-4

Act II, Scenes 1-6

Act III, Scenes 1-5

Act IV, Scenes 1-7

Act V, Scenes 1-5

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Tools

Beta

Discussion Questions

Dedication-PrologueAct Summaries & Analyses

Dedication Summary

The Alchemist opens with a letter from Ben Jonson to his patron, Lady Mary Wroth. In the letter, Jonson praises Wroth and adds that the worth of a sacrifice is not as valuable as the dedication behind that sacrifice. He notes that even the most respected works lose value over time, but leaves the judgment of the play up to her. He cuts his letter short, not wanting to seem like he is faking his sincerity with excess verbiage.

To The Reader Summary

Jonson’s address to the reader separates the audience into “Understanders” and “pretenders,” noting that many people in his age are only impressed by dancing and antics in plays that are not realistic. Meanwhile, people are more likely than ever to be tricked, and many people who go to the theater do not truly understand the meaning of the performances. Jonson also criticizes professors, who view boldness in plays as the only measure of quality. Some of these writers may create something worthwhile, but it is rare and does not make up for the lesser quality works that they produce more frequently. Good work from an author that produces many bad works only stands out because of the contrast between them, whereas consistency—works that are “polished” and “composed”—is superior, even if the masses cannot recognize this.

Argument Summary

The Argument is a short poem introducing the play’s plot. Here, we learn that a man, Lovewit, leaves his house to avoid disease. His servant Face then brings in Subtle—a “Cheater”—and Dol—his “punk,” or sex worker. The three agree to trick people with fortunetelling and the promise of the philosopher’s stone. The Argument foreshadows a conclusion in which the stone and criminals disappear without comeuppance.

Prologue Summary

The Prologue explains the meaning behind the performance and asks for the grace of the audience and justice for the author. The play is set in London, where there are a lot of criminals and unsavory people, but the purpose of the play is to improve the audience. Since people love vice, vice is the best means to convince those watching of the play’s point. In the end, the audience will likely sympathize with many characters, but the fantasies of the play are not attainable, even for the actors portraying these characters.

Dedication-Prologue Analysis

The four preamble sections set the tone for and foreshadow the moral of the performance. A common note in these sections is the focus on brevity, mirroring the shorter length of the play compared to other plays of the time—The Alchemist only ran for two hours, when the typical play ran for three.

The Dedication is a standard part of published literature of Jonson’s time, most of which included praise for the patron whose largesse made the work possible, or for a potential future patron. Most letters of dedication were addressed to people who could either support the writer financially or through a boost in reputation. Here, Jonson expresses admiration for Lady Wroth, his benefactor possibly through her aunt, Mary Herbert, born Mary Sidney, a notable supporter of the arts during this time. The reference to “Sidney’s” is likely referring to Wroth’s father’s brother, Philip Sidney, who was known for his writing and presence at court. Lady Mary Wroth was also a writer, and so Jonson’s letter of dedication can be seen as a friendly attempt to gain favor with a well-connected colleague. In trusting her judgment, Jonson is humbly acknowledging in her and her family background The Ability to Judge Quality.

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Jonson’s “To The Reader” and Prologue sections set up themes of The Gullibility of the Greedy and The Guilt of the Deceived as he reflects on how the audience might be convinced by certain elements of the play involving fantasy, especially at a time when vulnerability to deception is high. The characters in the play desire to achieve a greater wealth through shortcuts or magic, but the philosopher’s stone, fairies and familiars, and improvement of skills by way of divination or magic are fictional. It is precisely because they are so appealing that so many characters are deceived and robbed by the end of the play. However, the audience should remember that “As even the doers may see, and yet not own” (246)—though the ideas in the play may seem appealing, even the actors portraying these parts cannot acquire them. Jonson’s goal, then, is not to punish the trickster, but to show how those who are tricked are responsible for their own greed and gullibility. Though Face is the origin of the play’s mischief, he is not punished, but rewarded in the end. Instead, characters like Epicure Mammon, a knight looking for the philosopher’s stone, are punished for allowing Face to trick them.