Volpone: Act 1, Scene 5 Summary & Analysis

Corvino enters as Mosca attends to Volpone, who is pretending to be deathly ill. Mosca greets Corvino, and he says that Volpone is as good as dead and that he recognizes no one. Corvino says that he brought Volpone a pearl, at which point Mosca says Volpone might be just aware enough to recognize Corvino. Mosca inquires about the quality of the pearl, when Volpone whispers Corvino’s name. Corvino steps forward and hands Volpone the pearl, which he says is 24 carats (very large).

After Corvino gives Volpone the pearl, Mosca says that Volpone can’t understand them, since his disease has caused him to lose his hearing. Mosca says that, despite being deaf, it comforts Volpone to see Corvino, and Corvino presents Volpone with a diamond, which Volpone immediately grabs onto. Corvino calls the sight pitiful, but Mosca says that “the weeping of an heir should still be laughter under a visor.” Corvino asks if he is really the heir, and Mosca says that he is not able to show the will, but Mosca explains that he took advantage of the fact that Volpone was saying “Corvino” out loud over and over again. Though many others have come to try to be named heir, Mosca asked “who should be heir” and Volpone in his delirium said “Corvino,” so Mosca inscribed Corvino as the heir.

Upon hearing Mosca’s trick, Corvino hugs him and asks if Volpone really is not aware of them. After Mosca assures Corvino that Volpone is blind and knows no name or face (or anything), Corvino asks if Volpone has children. Mosca responds that he has fathered some bastards (Nano, Androgyno, and Castrone) by several mothers, but none of these children have been named heir.

Corvino asks again if Mosca is sure that Volpone cannot hear them, so Mosca shouts in Volpone’s ear that he hopes Volpone’s disease gets worse and kills him soon. The two begin screaming insults at Volpone about how terrible he looks and the gruesome symptoms of his illness. Mosca suggests that he could put Volpone out of his misery, but Corvino instructs him not to use violence. Corvino decides to leave and tries to take back his treasures, but Mosca reminds him that it doesn’t matter since they’re all going to be his anyway, and so Corvino leaves them.

Mosca says that he is Corvino’s creature, and that he owes his very being to Corvino. Corvino calls Mosca his friend, and says that he’ll share in all of his fortunes. Mosca amends this by saying “except one,” by which he means Corvino’s wife. Corvino then leaves without responding.

Volpone leaps up again and tells Mosca that he has outdone himself. Someone else knocks, but Volpone doesn’t want to be bothered with any more suitors. He asks Mosca to prepare entertainment, saying that he wants pleasure and light. Mosca exits briefly, and Volpone admires the profits from the morning’s exploits. Mosca returns and explains that the person knocking was a messenger from Lady Would-be, the wife to the English knight Sir Politic Would-be. She has asked how Volpone slept and wants to visit him. Volpone responds that he’ll see her in three hours, and Mosca says that he told the messenger exactly that.

Volpone says he’ll meet Lady Would-be after he is drunk, and then he’ll wonder at the bravery of English men who give their wives so much freedom. Mosca says that Sir Politic is smart enough to know that his wife, however strange, doesn’t have the face to be unfaithful. But if she had a face like Corvino’s wife, he begins, and Volpone interrupts to ask if Corvino’s wife is beautiful. Mosca responds by saying that she is wonder, “the blazing star of Italy … a beauty as ripe as harvest, whose skin is whiter than swan all over … a soft lip … flesh that melteth in the touch of blood.” He even says she is as bright and lovely as Volpone’s gold.

Volpone asks how he didn’t know about this beauty before, and Mosca explains that he only discovered it yesterday. Volpone says that he hopes to see her, but Mosca explains it’s impossible, since she’s guarded, she never goes outside, she only gets fresh air from a window, and she’s spied on by all the members of Corvino’s household. Volpone decides he’ll try to see her at her window in disguise, since he also needs to keep people thinking that he’s about to die.