The Devil is an Ass

by Ben Jonson from 1616

About

Jonson's 1616 comedy is a companion to Volpone and The Alchemist in his great satirical triptych: a minor devil is sent to London to tempt mankind, but discovers that human wickedness has already surpassed anything Hell can offer — he is repeatedly out-conned by the mortals around him. The play is a fascinating document of Jacobean anxieties about capitalism, land speculation, and fraudulent investment schemes; the con at its center involves early modern property speculation of the kind that would produce the South Sea Bubble. Less tightly constructed than Volpone or The Alchemist, it compensates with considerable comic invention.

Comedy Satire Jacobean Absurd Sardonic Wittyen

The Devil is an Ass

Characters: 113
Words: 4k
Acts: 6
Scenes: 2
Duration: ~30 min

Characters

#CharacterPlayerLines

1

Wks

—

32

2

ACT. V. SCENE

—

7

3

ACT. I. SCENE

—

6

4

ACT. II. SCENE

—

6

5

Arch

—

6

6

ACT. IIIJ. SCENE

—

5

7

Obs

—

5

8

NED

—

5

9 sections

4k words

#TitleWords

Act 4

1

Act 4 is largely devoted to a satire of Spanish fashions. In 4. 2. 71

160:07

2

I. the devil-plot

9627:15

3

D. after-influence of the devil is an ass

3192:27

Act I

4

Act I.

8776:35

Act IV

5

Act IV. Sc. 1, I find: “_Fit._ Let’s _ieere_ a little. _Pen._ Ieere?

1381:02

Act II

6

Act II.

3132:21

Act III

7

Act III.

2591:57

Act IV

8

Act IV

6434:49

Act V

9

Act V.

4543:24

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