Greed and Deception in the 17th Century England: An Analysis of Ben Jonson’s Volpone

This paper brings out the mass greed and deception in the purpose of changing class status in the 17^th century England by critically examining Volpone by Ben Jonson in the new historicist approach. The paper explores the psychoanalytic view of how these aspects trigger the behaviors and drives of the protagonists, especially Volpone and his servant Mosca. The article brings out the way Jonson criticizes the corruptness and moral decline of 17th century society by satirically and comedically exposing the ills of society as a social commentary. The study also delves into the effects of unregulated greed, which has been seen to create the elements of deception, betrayal, and manipulation, which culminate in the ultimate destruction of the characters. The article is intended to add to the knowledge of the destructive force of greed and fraud depicted by Jonson, revealing how the themes mentioned become topical nowadays in the face of social and moral disintegration.