The Alchemist

The philosopher’s stone, the desire of both Mammon and the Anabaptists, is a symbol of all of the unrealistic wants and desires of the trio’s customers, as well as of people in general. This mythical artifact—the end goal of medieval alchemy—promised unlimited wealth and health, immortality, and the ability to create gold from lesser metals. Mammon’s fantasy of the stone is typical: He initially thinks of the good he can do for his community, but he soon enough focuses on how the stone can benefit him alone. Thus, the stone represents the corrupting influence of power—aligning with the meaning of Mammon’s last name.

The stone is also a symbol of fantastical desires more broadly. Even those customers who do not specifically want the stone, ask for impossible things. Dapper desires luck that will overcome chance and a fairy servant, Drugger wants influence over his clients’ willingness to buy, and Kastril wants to know the outcomes of arguments ahead of time. None of these wishes can be met; the magical promises Face and Subtle make highlight that all of these fantasies are fruitless. Just as the play’s actors can only pretend to do magic, so too the