The Alchemist Study Guide

The Alchemist

The Alchemist by Ben Jonson

The Alchemist is a 17th century play that satirizes social classes, depicting human folly, greed and opportunism of others' gullibility and irrational desires. The play centers around the butler Jeremy, whom the gentleman Lovewit leaves in charge of his house as he leaves to avoid the plague. With the help of Subtle and the prostitute Doll Common, he begins to draw naive customers to the house to con them. Eventually Lovewit returns, Jeremy is caught and he offers his boss the marriage of a widow as compensation.

The Alchemist Book Notes

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