The Alchemist

Ben Jonson's 'The Alchemist' is a comedy that stands as a quintessential exemplar of Jacobean satire, illumining the folly and corruption of early 17th-century London. Jonson's mastery in crafting characters driven by greed and gullibility, such as the trio of con artists at the heart of the play—Subtle, Face, and Doll Common—and their parade of credulous victims, reveals the timeless nature of hu...