Critically comment on the following passage with reference to the context: “I will have all my beds blown up, not stuft; Down is too hard: and then, mine oval room Fill’d with such pictures as Tiberius took From Elephantis, and dull Aretine But coldly imitated.”
These lines are from Ben Jonson’s play Volpone, which is a satirical comedy written in the early 17th century. The speaker of the lines is Volpone himself, a rich Venetian nobleman who pretends to be on his deathbed in order to trick greedy people into giving him expensive gifts. In this scene, he is daydreaming about the luxury and pleasure he enjoys and wishes to continue enjoying. The language he uses is full of exaggeration and reflects his obsession with wealth, comfort, and sensual pleasures.
Context in the Play
Volpone is a play that criticizes greed, selfishness, and moral corruption. The main character, Volpone, fakes illness to make others believe that he is about to die. He hopes they will compete for his inheritance by offering him valuable gifts. He is helped in this trickery by his servant Mosca. The entire plot is built around deception and the foolishness of people who are willing to do anything for money.
In this particular speech, Volpone is not acting sick. Instead, he is speaking openly, revealing his true desires. He imagines a life filled with every pleasure and luxury. This moment shows us his true character — a man who worships wealth and wants to surround himself with beauty, comfort, and sensual art.
Line-by-Line Explanation
- “I will have all my beds blown up, not stuft;”
Volpone is talking about how he wants his beds to be filled with air (blown up) instead of being stuffed with feathers or fabric. This is a symbol of extreme comfort and luxury — he doesn’t want anything hard or ordinary. - “Down is too hard:”
“Down” refers to soft feathers, which are considered very luxurious. But Volpone goes further and says even that is not soft enough for him. This shows his extreme desire for comfort. - “and then, mine oval room / Fill’d with such pictures as Tiberius took / From Elephantis…”
Volpone wants his oval-shaped room to be decorated with erotic paintings, like the ones taken by the Roman Emperor Tiberius from Elephantis, an ancient artist known for sensual artworks. - “and dull Aretine / But coldly imitated.”
Here, he refers to Aretino (or Aretine), an Italian writer famous for writing erotic poetry and plays. Volpone says Aretine’s work was only a weak imitation of Elephantis’ art. Again, this reflects his obsession with sensual pleasure and high taste.
Thematic Analysis
This passage reflects Volpone’s excessive greed and materialism. He is not just interested in having money — he wants to use it to indulge in every physical and artistic pleasure possible. His rejection of even the finest materials like down feathers shows that his standards are beyond normal. He wants things that are extremely rare and expensive. This connects to one of the main themes of the play — how greed makes people ridiculous and morally corrupt.
Jonson uses Volpone to criticize people who let their love for money and comfort blind them. Even though Volpone is intelligent and clever, his desires make him a fool. His fantasies are so extreme that they become almost laughable. The language is rich and dramatic, showing how much Volpone is lost in his world of luxury.
Volpone’s Character
This passage helps us understand the deeper layers of Volpone’s personality. He is not just pretending to be sick to gain wealth — he truly believes that a good life is one filled with pleasure, art, and expensive things. He sees beauty and luxury as the most important things in life. He treats morality as less important than enjoyment and pride.
Even the mention of historical and literary figures like Tiberius, Elephantis, and Aretine adds to the grand, almost theatrical way Volpone views life. He doesn’t want ordinary things — he wants the rarest and finest things that history has to offer.
Conclusion
This speech by Volpone is a perfect example of how Volpone as a play makes fun of people who are too greedy and selfish. Volpone’s dreams of soft beds and sensual art show how extreme and silly his desires are. Ben Jonson uses this to entertain the audience and also to teach them a lesson: people who care only about luxury and pleasure often lose their sense of right and wrong. Through Volpone’s words, we see how greed can turn into foolishness and moral blindness.