The eponymous alchemist of Ben Jonson's quick-fire comedy is a fraud: he cannot make gold, but he does make brilliant theatre. The Alchemist is a masterpiece of wit and form about the self-delusions of greed and the theatricality of deception. This guide will be useful to a diverse assembly of students and scholars, offering fresh new ways into this challenging and fascinating play.
Author Biography
Erin Julian is a Doctoral Student at McMaster University, Canada.
Helen Ostovich is Professor of English at McMaster University, Canada. She is the editor of a number of editions of Ben Jonson's plays and founding editor of the journal Early Theatre.
