This chapter analyzes Sir Mammon's fantasy of refining gold and stone in The Alchemist and his thirst for Ottoman wealth, revealing the wealth growth and threat to social order brought about by England's Eastern trade. The academic community has studied the English people's fantasies about Islamic power and wealth in the play, as well as the influence of alchemy on matter and spirit, but has not delved into the metaphors of wealth production and Eastern trade anxiety in alchemy. Starting from early modern alchemy discourse, the author places "The Alchemist" in the context of England's foreign trade and primitive accumulation of the bourgeoisie, exploring the imagination of Eastern wealth, trade investment, and alchemy metaphors in the play, revealing early modern England's focus on Eastern trade.

1、 Alchemy Discourse in Early Modern Britain

The early modern English alchemy discourse originated in the 10th century and was highly valued by various social classes, especially the nobility. The term alchemy originates from Arabic and Greek and is closely related to ancient Egyptian culture. The Western alchemy tradition developed in Alexandria, integrating Neoplatonic thought and gaining development in Islamic and Jewish mystical philosophy. The British nobility funded alchemists to gain greater benefits, and Edward IV sponsored George Ripley to publish alchemy booklets, promoting the dissemination of alchemy research. Alchemists such as John Dee and Kenem Digby gained the support of the Queen and King, driving the development of alchemy. In the 17th century, London became an international center for chemical exploration, and the publication and printing of alchemy books rapidly expanded. Alchemy flourished in England.

2、 The Fantasy of Eastern Wealth and the Growth of Foreign Trade

Explored Mammon's fantasy of Eastern wealth in The Alchemist, reflecting the English people's thirst for Eastern wealth. Mammon fantasized about becoming the Ottoman Sultan and enjoying a luxurious lifestyle, reflecting England's admiration for the prosperous commerce and astonishing wealth of the Ottoman Empire. The play portrays England's yearning for a prosperous Eastern society through Mammon's fantasies. At the same time, the alchemical way of getting rich in the play echoes the behavior of the English nobility and bourgeoisie in accumulating wealth through enclosure movements, reflecting the strong desire of the English people to pursue wealth. The characters in the drama obtain wealth through carefully designed scams, similar to the actions of the aristocracy and bourgeoisie in England during the enclosure movement who occupied land for wool trade. The enclosure movement promoted the development of British industry, increased crop yields and profits. In the play, Mammon equated the "New World" with the Eastern world, implying England's yearning for gold mines on the American continent. The London Virginia Company established colonies in North America in an attempt to tap into commercial potential and satisfy the desire for wealth. England engaged in trade with the Mediterranean and other regions, importing luxury goods such as silk and spices, which increased wealth accumulation. In the drama, possessing refined stones and stones is equated with becoming the "king" of the Eastern trading center. The East India Company's foreign trade has the ability to create unlimited wealth, demonstrating England's thirst for Eastern trade. The exotic goods imagined by Mamon in the drama symbolize the Eastern Empire, implying luxury consumption and wealth accumulation. The rise of foreign trade companies has provided investors with opportunities for wealth growth and enhanced England's international status. However, as an investment activity, alchemy presents both opportunities and risks. Although commercial investment brings wealth growth, it also causes some people to suffer losses or even bankruptcy. The failure of alchemy in the play implies the author's anxiety about investment and trade in England at that time.

3、 Puritans' Wealth seeking Behavior and Trade Investment Anxiety

Explored the connection between the characters' hoarding behavior and trade and investment anxiety in The Alchemist. The characters in the drama, such as Mamon, purchase refined stones and stones in order to gain wealth, reflecting the behavior of merchants who make profits through risky investments. Mammon and other characters, such as Daphal and Druger, invest for wealth, which is similar to the behavior of early modern English merchant adventure companies pursuing huge profits in foreign trade. However, the drama also highlights the risks of trade and investment, with many characters investing in alchemy out of trust in Satyr but ultimately failing, implying the risks of credit based investment behavior. In addition, the play implies through Mammon's investment failure that England's production of wealth through capitalist trade may pose a threat to the country's economy and society. The pursuit of secular materialism by the characters in the drama is used to satirize the greedy behavior of individuals in the early stages of capitalism, as well as the Puritans' wealth seeking behavior and attitude towards luxury consumption in Eastern trade. Through the actions and dialogues of the characters in the play, Jonson criticized the Puritans' hoarding of wealth, revealing his anxiety about Eastern trade and the potential social instability and economic crisis that may arise from accumulating wealth through Eastern trade.

4、 Conclusion

Alchemy was popular in England during the New Route period, symbolizing the path of wealth production. The Alchemist uses alchemy as a metaphor for the wealth growth brought about by trade and investment, reflecting the English people's yearning for a prosperous Eastern society and their positive attitude towards foreign trade and colonial adventure. Eastern trade promoted the accumulation of capital in England, making it a commercial empire, but there were also hidden dangers such as economic crises, merchant greed, and threats to social order. Jonson is skeptical of the capitalist market, and the play reveals investment risks and market greed through Mamon's purchase of refined gold and stone. The Alchemist itself was also a commodity that Jonson put into the market. He earned income by writing for nobles and theaters, reflecting his thirst and anxiety for wealth.