Chapter The Alchemist Summaries and Commentary of The Alchemist - Study Guide by Ben Jonson

monte veneris, both a line on the hand as well as the swelling of the female sexual organ. Their rivalry for the hand or rather the body of Dame Pliant is escalating.

Act 4. Scene 3

The dispute continues into this scene, with Face, in a brief moment which he and Subtle get alone, claiming that he "needs must have this widow" (IV.iii.5). They bicker until the Spanish Count enters. The Count is in fact Surly in disguise though neither Face nor Subtle realise this. Whilst with other victims they make veiled references to the truth of their intentions, with the disguised Surly they abuse him to his face, telling him of their plans to rob and trick him. They believe, after all, that "His great/ Verdugoship has not a jot of language" (III.iii.70-71) and is therefore "So much easier to cozen" (III.iii.72). Here then we are presented with the dramatic irony that the masters of word play, the arch manipulators of language who weave a safety net of deception and trickery are 'hoist by their own petard'. The deceptive use of language is employed by another to undo them - it is with this ostensible Spanish Count, when they believe they are at their most powerful, that they are at their most vulnerable.

Despite this supposed ease they are presented with a problem. The false Count has come for a whore and yet Dol is otherwise engaged. If, they think, they fail to supply, then "the credit of our house" (IV.iii.70) will be endangered for their good reputation will be shattered. Again, one may see their pretensions towards legitimate business in this language. Face, forever the plotter, is reminded of Dame Pliant's presence in the house and, despite his own business-like desire for her, contrives to pimp her to the 'Spaniard'. This he justifies with reference to "the common cause", a hypocritical statement in the light of their deception of Dol. He leaves to engineer the whoring of Dame Pliant whilst Subtle shows Surly to the bedroom.

Act 4. Scene 4

Face enters with Kastril and Dame Pliant in the midst of telling her of her 'good fortune', this being that she is to wed a Spanish Count. She is unconvinced, saying that she has hated the Spanish since "eighty eight", that being the year of the Spanish Armada. Indeed there had been much anti Spanish feeling in England since this battle, as evidenced by the unpopularity of James I's attempts to foster good relations with the country. Kastril, in an attempt to appear worldly and knowledgeable of the worth of Spanish Counts, threatens her with violence if she refuses, his lack of wit leaving violence as his only recourse for persuasion. Subtle and Face employ gentler measures until she is won round, as much by promises of great splendour as by her brother's violent tendencies. The disguised Surly soon enters and she is persuaded by Subtle, to ensure that she acts like a whore, to make the first advances for "It is the Spanish fashion, for the women/ To make the first court" (IV.IV.67-68)

She leaves with Surly, creating audience expectations of the downfall of the cozeners. Subtle then urges Face to "give Dol the word", i.e. to cue her enter her fit, and then takes Kastril off to engage him in a quarrelling lesson.

Act 4. Scene 5

A torrent of nonsense gushes onto the stage as Dol enters with Mammon. She is spouting word for word the works of Arch puritan Hugh Broughton who was known for fantastical biblical exegesis. Mammon vainly tries to stop the flow with pleas of "Lady...Sweet Madam" but to no avail. Face quickly enters and does nothing to ease Mammon's concern, mournfully saying "If/ the old man/ hear her/ We are but faeces, ashes" (IV.v.30). No sooner has he said this than Subtle calls and enters. Dol and Face quickly exit leaving Mammon to face the 'wrath' of the alchemist. He strongly reprimands Mammon until there is a great explosion, the furnace in the laboratory has blown up, or more likely has been blown up.

This explosion has been described by E B Partridge as "an objectification of what happens in the plot". The characters and situations are inflated until the play can stand no more and then they explode. As Ian Donaldson writes, "the explosion...marks the moment at which vanity is spectacularly deflated. It