“Volpone” as a Comedy of Humours
The conception of the humor of the medieval age has a great
impact in Ben Jonson’s Volpone, especially in the character development.
Actually, Volpone is, to many extents, based upon the humor theory. In the
play, Volpone, Mosca, Corvino, Corbaccio, Voltore, Sir politic Would be and
this imbalance make the play a comedy since these abnormal characters pave the
way for making the plot satiric and amusing. Each character is peculiar and
singular in his own way. 
Here Jonson shows that the mental imbalance is more dangerous than physical imbalance as he shows that, the characters Nano, Castrone and androgyno being physically abnormal, are better creatures than the earlier ones. A comedy of humors focuses in characters, each character representing a type of personality. The characters in Volpone are stereotypes. All of the characters are imbalanced as well, so their “humors” are out of balance and they thus act in comical ways. Thus, Volpone is a comedy of humors.
Here Jonson shows that the mental imbalance is more dangerous than physical imbalance as he shows that, the characters Nano, Castrone and androgyno being physically abnormal, are better creatures than the earlier ones. A comedy of humors focuses in characters, each character representing a type of personality. The characters in Volpone are stereotypes. All of the characters are imbalanced as well, so their “humors” are out of balance and they thus act in comical ways. Thus, Volpone is a comedy of humors.
Joss
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