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Act 5, Scene 6
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Volpone, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Theatre and Appearance vs Reality
Money and Commerce
Greed and Corruption
Gender Roles and Women
Language
Summary
Analysis
Voltore enters the street where Volpone (disguised) has just made fun of Corvino and Corbaccio for not inheriting his wealth. Voltore is furious, and he curses that he was fooled by a parasite. Volpone says that the court is awaiting Voltore, and he says he rejoices that Volpone’s fortune was inherited by someone good with money. Voltore is confused, and Volpone continues toying with him by asking if he can have one of the houses that Voltore has just inherited. Volpone taunts Voltore a little more, and Voltore exits. Volpone then turns back to Corvino and Corbaccio.
Voltore is angry because he has wasted time and money trying to gain inheritance, but he also hates that he was fooled by lowborn person—a parasite, whose social role should be serving. Part of the irony is that the only difference between a parasite and a bird of prey is that the parasite slowly feeds on the living while a vulture waits until the food is dead.
Themes
Literary Devices
