The Alchemist (Jonson) Literary Elements

drama; comedy; city comedy

English

London, 17th century

There is no singular narrator in the play, but it does contain a Prologue spoken by an announcer of sorts. This introduction frames the rest of the play and lets audiences know where and when the play is set.

whimsical, irreverent, ironic. satirical

The protagonists of the play are Face, Subtle, and Doll, while the antagonists are the greedy characters who seek the Alchemist for their own financial gain. The characters presented most critically throughout the play are the Anabaptists.

The central conflict of the play is that Face, Subtle, and Doll must maintain their farce in order to deceive the people who are giving them money for the Alchemist's work.

The climax of the play occurs when Lovewit returns home unexpectedly and Face must transform back into Jeremy the butler.

Characters' names tend to foreshadow how they will behave in the play. Subtle, for example, is clever and cunning without being obvious about his scheme, ultimately embodying his name.

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The play makes frequent allusions to early modern English culture and the "science" of alchemy, which at the time was touted by some as a legitimate practice.

Important imagery in the play includes gold and silver, alchemy, Mammon's notions of luxury, and the Philosopher's Stone.

The central paradox in the play is also its primary source of entertainment – that lower-class citizens are able to benefit from deceiving those of a higher class as well as religious fanatics.

Doll, Subtle, and Face serve as parallels for the Anabaptists, with the play subtly suggesting that the deception of the first group is less detrimental than that of the Anabaptists. The Anabaptists preach religion and morality but are willing to make counterfeit coins to benefit themselves. Jonson is most critical of these hypocritical characters in the play.

In many ways, the Philosopher's Stone is personified as a magician in its own right, as it is allegedly endowed with the ability to grant someone eternal youth.

The Alchemist is famous among theater historians for its use of setting: the entire play takes place in one house, essentially between two rooms. This setting helps concentrate the action of the play so that every plot revolves around the "power" of the alchemist.