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Corbaccio
Corbaccio’s son. Bonario’s name comes from the Italian word for “good,” and he represents goodness in the play. He is a valiant, morally righteous figure who maintains family values despite being disinherited by his father. Though Mosca attempts to manipulate him, Bonario is able to resist this manipulation more so than other characters in the play, and he courageously rescues Celia from Volpone’s attempted rape. In court, he refuses to lie, and he claims that truth will be his only testimony.
Bonario Quotes in Volpone
The Volpone quotes below are all either spoken by Bonario or refer to Bonario. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Act 3, Scene 2 Quotes
This cannot be a personated passion.
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Explanation and Analysis:
Bonario observes this about Mosca’s angry reaction to Bonario judging him for being a parasite. Bonario is so impressed by this display of emotion—particularly Mosca’s claims of honor—that he decides Mosca cannot be faking. This line is filled with dramatic irony and meta-theatricality. Bonario, who represents goodness in the play, underestimates Mosca’s ability to act evilly and obscure reality with fiction. Audiences, however, know that Mosca has just bragged extensively about how amazing it is to be a parasite, and they know that Mosca is a master of manipulation and improvisation. The passion is, therefore, personated—Bonario is clearly wrong. Bonario’s Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus
Act 3, Scene 7 Quotes
Fall on me, roof, and bury me in ruin!
Become my grave, that wert my shelter! O!
I am unmask'd, unspirited, undone,
Betray'd to beggary, to infamy—
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Volpone speaks these lines after attempting and failing to rape Celia, who is then brought to court by Bonario, presumably to testify against Volpone. Distraught, he cries out that he is “unmask’d,” meaning that his disguise has been seen through, which causes him to lose his new youthful spirit. This is equivalent to (and leads to) his undoing, which Ben Jonson emphasizes through the repetition of “un” (“unmask’d, unspirited, undone”). The charges of attempted rape might frustrate him, but what Volpone really regrets is that his theatrical role of the diseased invalid might have to come to an end, because Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Q
Act 4, Scene 5 Quotes
I would I could forget I were a creature.
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Celia makes this exclamation during the court scene, in which Voltore is expertly testifying in front of the Avocatori to convince them that Celia is lying. This simple line is a perfect encapsulation of Celia’s pain and suffering, as well as her powerlessness. She has no real means of being heard and is constantly overpowered by men. She is about to lose her reputation, and her only recourse is to tragically wish that she could forget that she is a living being. When she uses the word “creature,” this evokes the notion that she has been created by God. Since Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. U
Act 4, Scene 6 Quotes
I will conclude with this,
That vicious persons, when they're hot and flesh'd
In impious acts, their constancy abounds:
Damn'd deeds are done with greatest confidence.
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Voltore speaks these lines to close his lengthy speech in the court scene, during which he accuses Bonario and Celia of creating an elaborate evil plan. The lines showcase some of his exceptional, lawyerly language ability. For one, his speech sounds official and damning because he makes use of alliteration with the “d” sound in the last line (“damn’d deeds done). The lines are also heavily ironic because, in a way, Voltore is actually describing himself, the other suitors, and especially Volpone and Mosca, rather than Celia and Bonario. He argues that those doing bad deeds try to seem innocent Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae volupt
Act 5, Scene 12 Quotes
Heaven could not long let such gross crimes be hid.
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Bonario speaks this line in court after Volpone has revealed himself and the entire plot. This sentiment speaks perfectly to the play’s treatment of appearance versus reality and to the play’s moral lesson. The powers of theatre and language can manipulate appearances, and for a while, Mosca and Volpone were successful in fooling everyone. However, Bonario argues that the realities of truth, goodness, evil, and morality will always be revealed before too long. In a religious interpretation, it’s heaven and the will of God that reveals these truths. According to another interpretation, though (one seemingly offered by the play’s moral Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati
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Bonario Character Timeline in Volpone
The timeline below shows where the character Bonario appears in Volpone. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Act 3, Scene 2
Bonario walks into the street and Mosca recognizes him as Corbaccio’s son. Bonario, though, isn’t interested...
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...fortune, but he denies ever doing “base” or bad things for money. In an aside, Bonario remarks that Mosca’s speech can’t just be a “personated passion.” He apologizes again for calling...
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Mosca says that his business concerns Bonario, and though it might seem like he is doing a disservice to Volpone, he will...
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Act 3, Scene 6
In Volpone’s house, Mosca ushers Bonario to a hiding space to witness Corbaccio disinheriting Bonario. Alone, Bonario says he still doesn’t...
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Act 3, Scene 7
Corvino and Celia enter the room where Volpone is lying in bed and Bonario is hiding. Mosca intercepts Corvino and Celia, saying they have come too soon. Corvino says...
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While Corvino explains the situation to Celia, Mosca tells Bonario that Corbaccio isn’t to come for a half an hour. He tells Bonario to go...
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...or else he’ll force her. Celia cries out to God, and Volpone seizes her, but Bonario leaps out from his hiding place and curses out Volpone. Bonario tells Volpone to free...
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Act 3, Scene 8
...Volpone notes that Mosca is bleeding, and Mosca says that he has been wounded by Bonario. Volpone tells Mosca that Mosca has made him miserable, and Mosca says that he is...
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Act 3, Scene 9
Corbaccio enters and asks Mosca why he is bleeding. Mosca explains that Corbaccio’s son, Bonario, somehow found out that Corbaccio was going to disinherit him, and so he hurt Mosca...
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...Voltore would inherit an even greater fortune when Volpone dies. He explains that he brought Bonario in to witness Corbaccio naming Volpone heir in the hopes that Bonario would become violent...
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Act 4, Scene 4
...of law. Voltore says they’ve figured out how to manage the situation with Celia and Bonario, and Mosca confirms that they have all agreed on the lie they are going to...
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Act 4, Scene 5
Four Avocatori (judges) enter the court where Mosca, Voltore, Corbaccio, and Corvino have been talking. Bonario, Celia, the Notario, the Commendatori, and other officers also enter. The Avocatori say that the...
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When the Avocatori ask who Mosca is, Bonario says that Mosca is Volpone’s parasite. Bonario asks the court to force Volpone to appear....
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...in her claims and her tears, and that she has had a secret affair with Bonario. He also says that Corvino has been an innocent and an extremely lenient husband. Voltore...
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After some interjections by the surprised Avocatori, Voltore continues his lengthy, verbose speech, accusing Bonario of entering Volpone’s home with the intention of killing Corbaccio and regaining his inheritance. When...
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An Avocatori asks what proof Voltore has, and Bonario says that they shouldn’t listen to Voltore’s “mercenary tongue.” Bonario also says that Voltore would...
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...testify, but Corbaccio cannot hear well, so he ends up only cursing out and disowning Bonario. Corvino is then called forward. Corvino calls Celia a whore, and says that she wants...
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...his grief, and they silence him. Mosca tells them that he received his wound from Bonario, who he says instructed Celia to accuse Volpone of rape. The Avocatori begin to doubt...
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Act 4, Scene 6
...apologizes at length if she has been dishonorable or offensive in court. The Avocatori ask Bonario and Celia what witnesses they have to their defense, and they say only their consciences...
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...diseased and disabled. Voltore says that he will offer testimony that will silence Celia and Bonario. He points to Volpone and asks the court if the sickly man could possibly have...
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Act 5, Scene 10
The Avocatori, the Notario, Bonario, Celia, Corbaccio, Corvino, and Commandatori all enter the courtroom. They note that Voltore is missing,...
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Act 5, Scene 12
...the new information provided to them in Voltore’s statement, which appears to exonerate Celia and Bonario. Voltore’s story concedes that Bonario was wronged and that Celia was forced to Volpone’s home...
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The Avocatori say that now everything makes sense to them. They release Celia and Bonario, and Bonario says that “heaven could not let such gross crimes be hid.” The Avocatori,...
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