Title
On comedy and death : the anamorphic ape in Volpone
Document Type
Journal article
Source Publication
Comedy Studies
Publication Date
2014
Volume
5
Issue
2
First Page
137
Last Page
147
Keywords
comedy; death; ape; dwarf; Volpone; Lacan; Jonson
Abstract
Why would Ben Jonson want to portray Volpone as having a dwarf called Nano? What is the significance of reading the dwarf as a comic figure? Through the discussion of the ape as an anamorphic figure (as an image of distortion and deformity, constantly changing shape, as well as challenging the reader's perspective), this article argues that the dwarf is an important character in the play as it can be related to ideas such as imitation, death, castration, and the Lacanian concept of the gaze. Not only is there a dwarfish quality within Volpone, but this paper suggests that the signification of the ape is ultimately related to the ‘gold’ in Volpone's shrine – meaning that the dwarf reminds us that Death is always present within a city subject, and the ape serves the play's critique of nascent early-modern capitalism.
DOI
10.1080/2040610X.2014.961726
Print ISSN
2040610X
E-ISSN
20406118
Publisher Statement
Copyright © 2014 Taylor & Francis.
Access to external full text or publisher's version may require subscription.
Full-text Version
Publisher’s Version
Language
English
Recommended Citation
Hui, I. (2014). On comedy and death : the anamorphic ape in Volpone. Comedy Studies, 5(2), 137-147. doi: 10.1080/2040610X.2014.961726
