Publisher's Synopsis
The Alchemist is a play written by Ben Jonson in the early 17th century. It tells the story of three con artists, Subtle, Face, and Dol, who set up a fake alchemical laboratory in order to swindle their gullible clients out of their money. The play is a satire on the greed and gullibility of the people of the time, as well as a commentary on the dangers of pursuing wealth and power at any cost.The main character, Subtle, is a master of disguise and deception, and he uses his skills to trick his clients into believing that he can turn base metals into gold and create the elixir of life. Face, his partner in crime, is a servant who helps him to maintain the illusion of the laboratory, while Dol is a prostitute who acts as their assistant.As the play progresses, the three con artists become embroiled in a series of increasingly complex schemes and double-crosses, as they try to outwit each other and their clients. Along the way, they encounter a cast of colorful characters, including a Puritan, a Spanish Don, a wealthy widow, and a young couple in love.Ultimately, the play ends in chaos and confusion, as the various schemes and deceptions unravel and the characters are forced to confront the consequences of their actions. Despite the dark themes and cynical tone of the play, however, it is also a work of great humor and wit, and is widely regarded as one of the greatest comedies of the English Renaissance.1612. The Alchemist was acted in 1610 and first published in 1612 in quarto. There were no other quarto editions and the play next appeared considerably revised by the author in the corrected folio of 1616. A few more corrections are to be found in the second folio which was published in 1640, four years after Jonson's death. They are the work either of Jonson himself or of Sir Kenhelm Digby. The British Museum copy of the first edition is here reproduced.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.
