The Alchemist Characters

Subtle and Doll’s criminal associate and Lovewit’s butler. After Lovewit escapes the city for the country during an outbreak of the plague, Face runs his criminal scams and cons out of Lovewit’s city… read analysis of Face / Jeremy the Butler

A conman and Face and Doll’s criminal associate. Subtle poses as a respected doctor of alchemy and mystic, and he cons several characters into believing he has the power to create the philosopher’s stone… read analysis of Subtle

Face and Subtle’s criminal associate. In addition to numerous other scams and cons, Face is running a brothel out of Lovewit’s house, and Doll is his prostitute. When Abel Drugger visits Subtle and… read analysis of Doll Common

Surly’s friend and one of Face and Subtle’s victims. Mammon has been funding Subtle’s alchemy experiments for weeks, and Mammon is convinced that he will soon be in possession of the philosopher’s stone… read analysis of Sir Epicure Mammon

An Anabaptist and one of Face and Subtle’s victims. The Anabaptists have been paying Subtle for weeks to create the philosopher’s stone, and they send Ananias to Subtle to barter for Mammon’s… read analysis of Ananias

Mammon’s friend. Surly goes with Mammon to see Subtle about the philosopher’s stone, but unlike Mammon, Surly does not believe that Subtle is an alchemist with the ability to create the stone. Surly… read analysis of Surly / The Spaniard

Dame Pliant’s brother. A kestrel is a type of falcon that is known to aggressively beat its wings while hunting for prey on the ground, and Jonson’s Kestrel is similarly aggressive. Kestrel’s friend, Abel… read analysis of Kestrel

A pastor and Anabaptist. Tribulation and his brethren have also hired Subtle to create the philosopher’s stone, and after Subtle kicks Ananias out when he comes to barter for Mammon’s metal without any… read analysis of Tribulation Wholesome

Kestrel’s sister. Just as Dame Pliant’s name suggests, she easily bends to her abusive brother’s will and demands. She is a young and wealthy widow, and her brother has decided that she must marry… read analysis of Dame Pliant

One of Face and Subtle’s victims. Drugger, who happens to sell the best tobacco in town, is the owner of a new apothecary shop. He believes Subtle is a respected alchemist and mystic, and… read analysis of Abel Drugger

Face’s master. Lovewit escapes the plague sweeping London for the countryside, and when he returns weeks later, he finds his butler, Jeremy—known to his criminal associates as Face—running illegal cons out of his home… read analysis of Lovewit