The Alchemist

by Ben Jonson

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Drama

"The Alchemist" by Ben Jonson is a comedy first performed in 1610. When a plague forces a London gentleman to flee the city, his scheming butler transforms the empty house into a den of fraud. Teaming with a conman and a prostitute, he preys on the greed and ambitions of eager victims—a gambling clerk, a wealthy nobleman seeking the philosopher's stone, and religious zealots hoping to turn metal into gold.

Summary from Project Gutenberg.

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Topics: Alchemists -- Drama · City and town life -- Drama · English drama (Comedy) · English drama -- 17th century · London (England) -- Drama