The Nature of Human Avarice in Ben Jonson's Volpone

Abstract

Throughout history, avarice has always been an important topic in works of literature. This human desire for more of something and the craving to accumulate more and more wealth; and to hold on to what one has accumulated  has always been the focus point of writers since the Greek antiquity and the myth of Midas' lust for gold is a case in point. The goal of this article is to investigate and discuss Ben Jonson's portrayal of this motif in one of his plays; namely, "Volpone".

Keywords: Nature of Human Avarice, Volpone, portrayal