Write your abstract
here.
Volpone and his parasite Mosca make a lucrative game of
cozening wealthy suitors
for his inheritance, who
believe
the Old Fox is at death's door. Volpone is actually in
sprightly health and little past his prime. His
visitors
are generally more ancient and creaking than he, yet
complacently imagine themelves outlasting him and
snatching
fresh hoards to heap in with their already considerable
riches. The first, Corbaccio, is so deaf Mosca
makes a
game
of roaring
insults in his ear and, when he's asked what
he
said, changing it to something neutral or
complimentary.
The next thinks Volpone so deaf that Mosca repeats the
performance in reverse, roaring insults in his master's
ear
that he makes no effort to correct.
(But is Mosca entirely to be trusted? This is a game
between master and servant, but the insults he pours in
Volpone's ear, knowing he can hear quite well, are far
more
savage than those he levelled at Corbaccio. Nothing
comes
from nothing.)
Voltore has the livest present to offer: his young
bride
Celia, whom Mosca is sent to negotiate for since
Volpone
saw her at a distance and felt his passion swell. He
tells
Voltore there's nothing to fear---Volpone is impotent,
if
he makes the attempt it might even be the shock his
system
needs to send it over to the next world---so Voltore
agrees, though the chaste maiden Celia finds the idea
gross
and sinful. Imagine her surprise when the decrepit,
incapable Volpone springs to visible life in his
bedchamber. He is all over her! with offers of love and
valuable presents and, when she firmly refuses, an
offer at
rape---which is refused on her behalf, at swordpoint by
the
young man Bonario. (How he happened innocently to be
hid
behind the huge cask of gold Volpone keeps near his
bed, is
a plot complication too involved to recite here.)
Volpone, Mosca and Voltore---since the law would look
harshly on their triangular pimping adventure---must
conspire to charge the pair with criminal congress
together, and Bonario with jealously attempting at the
murder of the helpless, ancient Volpone. Corbaccio (at
a
strong hint about the inheritance) is pressed into the
conspiracy against (his son) Bonario. With only their
poor
word against such a mass of wealth, influence and
fatherly
affection, things look bad for Celia and Bonario.
Then Volpone grandly over-reaches himself. Mosca will
arrange his funeral and the discovery of a will---
naming
the parasite sole heir. They enjoy a high feast of
schadenfreude as the expectant heirs come one by one to
Mosca and are repulsed---then Volpone says it's time to
come back to life. Mosca prefers the arrangement as it
is.
Volpone tries to dicker---half his estate; Mosca wants
it
all. Things can't get much worse if Volpone throws off
his
disguise, blows the whole scheme and cast himself on
the
court's scant mercy, and so he does. The three
conspirators
are stript of their possessions and led off in chains.
As
an accidental by-blow, Celia and Bonario are vindicated
and
acquitted, something they would never have power to
effect
by themselves.