Volpone; Or, The Fox

This play was written by Ben Johnson during the times of Shakespeare. He was a skilled writer and also an actor, known for his satirical plays. Here, he exposes the evils of greed, especially for money. It is a very funny play and differs from Shakespearean comedies in that the common people are featured as characters rather than excuses for comedy. It was first performed in 1605 and has remained in print and popular to this day.