ABSTRACT
ThedifferentiationbetweentheEnglishandtheItalianmodesofintrigueaccounts forsome,butnotall,oftheplay'sdigressionsandinconsequence.Interpretations ofVolponeclusteraroundthreevexingquestionsarousedbytheplay'sfluidplot andtone.WhyallowSirPoliticWould-besomuchstageroomwhenhehasno directconnectionwithVolponeatall?Whyclutterupthemiddleactsoftheplay withelaborateside-issues(themountebankperformance,theattemptedseduction ofCelia,andthegullingofLadyWould-be)thathaveonlyatenuousbearingonthe mainfableofthewilyoldfoxandhisattendantflyluringthethreebirdsofprey? Whyendtheplaywithharshdecisionsinacourtroomwherecharacterswhohave notbeentriedforacrimearefoundguiltyandsentencedbyjudgeswhohaveno ideaofwhatthecaseisaboutuntilVolponeconfessesinthelastfewminutesofthe finalscene?AllthreeofthesequestionsarisebecausecriticstendtoseeJonsonas adogmaticmoralistinsteadofaplayfuliconoclastwhosemodelsinancientAthens andcontemporarypracticerelyonphysicalreductivity,rhetoricalvariety,and inspiredlunacy..
