The Alchemist

Why does Jonson focus on characters that deceive and trick one another? Does he succeed in showing the dangers of gullibility? Why or why not?

Face has many personas, but is any of them the real Face? What indicates that one persona is more real than another? What does this character say about identity as an outward construct versus an innate set of traits?

What is Dol’s role in the play? How does she compare to Pliant, the play’s other female character?

Why do none of the play’s characters consider whom Pliant wants to marry? What does her lack of agency and objectification say about early modern views of women? Does Jonson subvert these views in any way? Why or why not?

Discuss the language of the humors in the play. How do characters’ temperaments explain or contradict their behavior?

Consider the use of humor in the play. How does Jonson rely on physical comedy, wordplay, and double-entendre to ratchet up the tension of his farce?

Explore the play’s relationship to the genre of satire, which mocks social vices in a bid to shame the audience into better behavior. Which feature of satire does Jonson incorporate into his work? How does he transform the genre?

Discuss the play’s interest in the idea of authority. Who has legal authority in the play? Moral authority? Expertise? How do these different ways of being superior interact and conflict?