The Alchemist by Ben Jonson
The book in question is a comedic play set in early 17th-century London, where a clever trio of con artists—Subtle, Face, and Dol—takes advantage of urban fear and superstition during a plague outbreak to swindle a series of gullible victims. Using the guise of an alchemist capable of performing miraculous transformations, the group promises wealth and power to their targets, spinning a web of deceit and exploiting human greed and folly. The play unfolds as a series of farcical episodes, culminating in the inevitable unraveling of their schemes, offering a satirical critique of human credulity and the pretensions of pseudo-science.
The 10582nd greatest book of all time
- Published
- 1610
- Nationality
- British
- Length
- Medium
- Pages
- 304
- Original Language
- English
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- Alternate Titles
- None
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This book is on the following 3 lists:
- 16th on From Oedipus to The History Boys: Michael Billington's 101 greatest plays (The Guardian)
- 52nd on The Drama 100 - A Ranking of the Greatest Plays of All Time (Book)
- William Gass’ Fifty Literary Pillars (A Temple of Texts: Essays (Book))