Abstract
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 137-147 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | Comedy Studies |
| Volume | 5 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| Early online date | 2 Oct 2014 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2014 |
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Keywords
- comedy
- death
- ape
- dwarf
- Volpone
- Lacan
- Jonson
Cite this
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On comedy and death : the anamorphic ape in Volpone. / HUI, Isaac.
In: Comedy Studies, Vol. 5, No. 2, 2014, p. 137-147.Research output: Journal Publications › Journal Article (refereed)
TY - JOUR
T1 - On comedy and death : the anamorphic ape in Volpone
AU - HUI, Isaac
PY - 2014
Y1 - 2014
N2 - Why would Ben Jonson want to portray Volpone as having a dwarf called Nano? What is the significance of reading the dwarf as a comic figure? Through the discussion of the ape as an anamorphic figure (as an image of distortion and deformity, constantly changing shape, as well as challenging the reader's perspective), this article argues that the dwarf is an important character in the play as it can be related to ideas such as imitation, death, castration, and the Lacanian concept of the gaze. Not only is there a dwarfish quality within Volpone, but this paper suggests that the signification of the ape is ultimately related to the ‘gold’ in Volpone's shrine – meaning that the dwarf reminds us that Death is always present within a city subject, and the ape serves the play's critique of nascent early-modern capitalism.
AB - Why would Ben Jonson want to portray Volpone as having a dwarf called Nano? What is the significance of reading the dwarf as a comic figure? Through the discussion of the ape as an anamorphic figure (as an image of distortion and deformity, constantly changing shape, as well as challenging the reader's perspective), this article argues that the dwarf is an important character in the play as it can be related to ideas such as imitation, death, castration, and the Lacanian concept of the gaze. Not only is there a dwarfish quality within Volpone, but this paper suggests that the signification of the ape is ultimately related to the ‘gold’ in Volpone's shrine – meaning that the dwarf reminds us that Death is always present within a city subject, and the ape serves the play's critique of nascent early-modern capitalism.
KW - comedy
KW - death
KW - ape
KW - dwarf
KW - Volpone
KW - Lacan
KW - Jonson
UR - http://commons.ln.edu.hk/sw_master/4041
UR - https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84961344816&doi=10.1080%2f2040610X.2014.961726&partnerID=40&md5=0f779117b30feec95dd117a1628589e7
U2 - 10.1080/2040610X.2014.961726
DO - 10.1080/2040610X.2014.961726
M3 - Journal Article (refereed)
VL - 5
SP - 137
EP - 147
JO - Comedy Studies
JF - Comedy Studies
SN - 2040-610X
IS - 2
ER -