The Alchemist: Allusions 3 key examples

Here, Mammon draws from “antiquity,” or from the legacy of the ancient world, in order to prove the legitimacy of alchemy, claiming that he possesses “a book where Moses and his sister, / And Solomon have written of the art.” Here, he alludes to two important biblical Prophets, Moses and Solomon, in order to strengthen his argument. Further, he claims that he has a “treatise penn’d by Adam” on the subject of alchemy, alluding to the first man created by God in the Bible.  When Surly responds skeptically, Mammon adds that the treatise is written in “High Dutch,” which, he believes, proves that Dutch was the “primitive tongue,” or the first language. When Mammon notes that the treatise is written on “cedar board,” Surly sarcastically notes that the material “will last 'gainst worms,” suggesting that it can last a very long time.

In this scene, then, Mammon alludes to various biblical figures in order to prove that there is a long, verifiable history of the practice of alchemy. However, his poor reasoning includes multiple fallacies. He believes, for example, that his ancient “records” prove that alchemy is real, though they are almost certainly fraudulent. Instead of questioning why Adam would speak Dutch, he fallaciously assumes that Dutch must have been the first language. Through his depiction of Mammon, Jonson satirizes the gullibility and greed of his contemporaries. 

Mammon claims that he will have as many “wives and Concubines” as Solomon, whom he identifies as a previous owner of the Philosopher’s Stone. Here, he alludes to Solomon, an important biblical prophet and ruler who, according to the biblical account, had 700 wives and 300 concubines. Next, Mammon states that he will use the stone to strengthen his own back so that it is “as tough / As Hercules” so that he might have sex with 50 of his wives and concubines nightly. In alluding to Hercules, Mammon underscores the extreme nature of his own sexual desires.

Last, he imagines that he will have his beds inflated, rather than “stuft” with “down,” and that his bedroom will be “fill’d with such pictures as Tiberius took / From Elephantis, and dull Aretine / But Coldly imitated.” Here, in a quick series of allusions, he references Tiberius, a Roman Emperor who was reputed to own a sex-manual written by Greek poet and physician Elephantis, and to Aretine, a type of Ancient Roman pottery often depicting erotic scenes. Through these various allusions, then, Mammon underscores his own insatiable sexual appetites, which match his greed for gold.

Face offers to help Drugger court Dame Pliant, though both Face and Subtle are secretly planning to wed her themselves. Here, Face asks Drugger if he has “A Spanish suit” or can borrow one from “the players,” by which he means actors working in a theatrical troupe. Drugger responds that he has a fool’s outfit, and Face privately resolves to find “Hieronimo’s old cloak, ruff, and hat.” Here, Face alludes to Hieronimo, the protagonist of The Spanish Tragedy, a highly popular play in Tudor England. Notably, Jonson himself once played the role of Hieronimo in The Spanish Tragedy, adding another layer to this allusion. In alluding to this play, Jonson underscores the theatrical nature of Face, Subtle, and Doll’s schemes, which involve multiple costumes and assumed identities.