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Act 2, Scene 4
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Alchemist, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Alchemy and Transformation
Religion
Sex and Greed
Deception and Gullibility
Summary
Analysis
Ananias enters with Face, and Subtle immediately begins speaking to Face in alchemical jargon. He orders Face to “rectify [his] menstrue from the phlegma,” “pour it o’ the Sol,” and let them “macerate together.” Then, Subtle turns to Ananias and asks who he is. Ananias says he is a “faithful brother,” and Subtle continues his technical language. Ananias claims not to understand “heathen language,” and Subtle asks what he means by such a comment. “Heathen, you Knipperdollink?” Subtle asks. Ananias says that every language but Hebrew is “heathen.” Subtle and Face exchange some more highly technical language, and Face exits.
Subtle’s fancy jargon is again another attempt to pass himself off as an actual alchemist, but Ananias isn’t impressed. Ananias claims to be a “faithful brother,” or a member of the Anabaptists, and he proves himself to be a religious fanatic when he claims every language but Hebrew—the language spoken by Christ—is “heathen.” Subtle refers to “Knipperdollink,” an Anabaptist who tried to take over Münster, Germany, and implies Ananias is the real “heathen” precisely because he is an Anabaptist. Ironically, Ananias isn’t speaking Hebrew either, which indicates he is hypocritical as well.
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Ananias explains that he is a deacon of the “exiled brethren” and has been sent by his pastor, Tribulation Wholesome, to secure some metal goods. Subtle asks if Ananias has any money, and when Ananias says no, Subtle refuses to negotiate with him. Subtle will only talk with the pastor, he says, but Ananias says they will give him no more until they “see projection.” They have already given Subtle 30 pounds for bricks and instruments, and another 90 pounds for materials. Subtle asks Ananias for his name, and when he gives it, Subtle kicks him out. “Out, the varlet / That cozened the Apostles!” Ananias exits, and Subtle sits smugly. The pastor is sure to come running now.
Ananias was a biblical figure in the New Testament who was struck dead after lying to God about money, and Subtle implies here that Jonson’s Ananias is equally deceitful. Of course, it is Subtle who is deceiving Ananias and the other Anabaptists (“exiled brethren”), who have already given Subtle a substantial amount of money to create the philosopher’s stone. Now, Ananias and the Anabaptists refuse to give any money until they see “projection”—the conversion of metal to gold.
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