57 pages 1 hour read

Ben Jonson

The Alchemist

Fiction | Play | Adult | Published in 1610

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Act IV, Scenes 1-7Act Summaries & Analyses

Act IV, Scene 1 Summary

Mammon enters and Face greets him, noting that Subtle is busy working on the philosopher’s stone. When Mammon asks about the supposed noblewoman (i.e., Dol), Face cautions him against speaking about religion to avoid triggering her ostensible mental illness. Mammon should instead praise Dol’s nobility. Mammon insists that he is ready, so Face goes to get Dol. Alone, Mammon prepares for the date with self-talk about the gold he will give Dol and how he will seduce her.

Dol and Face arrive, and Mammon promptly starts flirting with her. Dol is swift to reject his attempts, maintaining her distance. Mammon flatters Dol that she looks like various nobles from Austria, France, and Italy, which prompts a covert laugh from Face. Mammon finally proposes to Dol, offering her better housing and company than Lovewit’s house and Face and Subtle. After the proposal, Mammon reveals to Dol that he will acquire the philosopher’s stone, giving them both a life of luxury. Dol replies that Mammon should not discuss the stone, but indicates that she is swayed by his speech. As Mammon rhapsodizes about the foods they would eat and events they would attend, Face interrupts, telling Mammon that he is speaking too loudly.