Pareeshe Fatima
The Jew of Malta is a play by Christopher Marlowe that explores the themes of religious conflict, greed, revenge, and identity. The plot revolves around Barabas, a wealthy Jewish merchant who is stripped of his fortune by the Christian governor of Malta, Ferneze, to pay tribute to the Turks. Barabas seeks vengeance against the Christians who wronged him, but his schemes lead to more bloodshed and tragedy. The play is a complex and controversial work that challenges the audience’s sympathies and expectations.
The theme of religious conflict is central to the play, as it exposes the hypocrisy and intolerance of both Christians and Jews. Marlowe portrays religion as a source of division and violence rather than a moral guide or a means of salvation. The Christians oppress and exploit the Jews, who are seen as outsiders and enemies. The Jews resent and resist the Christians, who are seen as oppressors and persecutors. Both sides use religion to justify their actions, but neither side follows the true teachings of their faith. Barabas himself is an extreme example of religious fanaticism, as he rejects any form of compassion or mercy for his enemies. He also shows no loyalty to his own people, as he betrays and kills fellow Jews who oppose or inconvenience him.
The theme of greed is also prominent in the play, as it motivates many of the characters’ actions and reveals their corruption. Barabas is obsessed with his wealth, which he values more than his daughter or his soul. He is willing to do anything to regain his gold, even if it means killing innocent people or collaborating with the Turks. He also uses his money to manipulate and deceive others, such as bribing friars, buying slaves, and hiring assassins. The Christians are equally greedy, as they confiscate Barabas’s fortune to avoid paying tribute to the Turks. They also covet his daughter’s beauty, his slave’s loyalty, and his house’s location. They are easily bought and sold by Barabas, who exploits their greed to further his revenge.
The theme of revenge is another key element of the play, as it drives the plot and leads to the downfall of many characters. Barabas’s quest for revenge against the Christians is relentless and ruthless, as he orchestrates a series of murders and betrayals that result in a cycle of violence and retribution. He kills two young men who love his daughter, poisons a convent of nuns, including his daughter, burns a Turkish garrison alive, stabs a friar to death, and plots to destroy Malta with gunpowder. His revenge is ultimately self-destructive, as he falls into his own trap and dies in a boiling cauldron. The Christians also seek revenge against Barabas for his crimes, but they are no less cruel or cunning than him. They torture and execute his slave Ithamore, they trick him into becoming governor only to arrest him for treason, and they force him to convert to Christianity before killing him.
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The theme of identity is also explored in the play, as it raises questions about how characters define themselves and others in terms of religion, race, nationality, gender, and class. Barabas is a complex and contradictory character who defies easy categorization. He is a Jew who hates Christians but also collaborates with Turks. He is a Maltese who betrays his country but also defends it from invasion. He is a father who loves his daughter but also sacrifices her for his gold. He is a merchant who trades in goods but also in lives. He is a villain who commits atrocities but also suffers injustices. He is a human being who has feelings but also lacks conscience. He is a tragic hero who has flaws but also virtues.
The plot of The Jew of Malta is fast-paced and action-packed, full of twists and turns that keep the audience engaged and surprised. The play begins with a prologue by Machevill (a reference to Machiavelli), who introduces Barabas as the protagonist and sets the tone of the play as a dark comedy that mocks both religion and politics. The first act establishes the conflict between Barabas and Ferneze over the tribute money that leads to Barabas losing his wealth and house. The second act shows how Barabas recovers some of his gold with the help of his daughter Abigail, who pretends to convert to Christianity. It also introduces two subplots involving Abigail’s suitors Mathias and Lodowick (Ferneze’s son), whom Barabas dupes into fighting each other over her, and Ithamore (Barabas’s slave), whom Barabas buys from Del Bosco (a Spanish vice-admiral) who offers Spanish protection to Malta against the Turks.
The third act develops these subplots further by showing how Barabas arranges for Mathias and Lodowick to kill each other in a duel; how Abigail learns of her father’s role in their deaths and flees to a convent; how Ithamore reveals Barabas’s secrets to a prostitute Bellamira and her pimp Pilia-Borza, who blackmail him for money; and how Ferneze breaks his alliance with the Turks and prepares for war. The fourth act escalates the tension and violence by showing how Barabas poisons the nuns in the convent, including Abigail, who dies confessing her father’s crimes to friar Jacomo; how Barabas kills Jacomo and another friar Barnardine, who accuses him of murder; how Ithamore is captured and tortured by Ferneze and Katherine (Mathias’s mother), who seek justice for their sons; and how Barabas switches sides and joins the Turks, who invade Malta and capture Ferneze.
The fifth act concludes the play with a series of dramatic events that lead to the deaths of most of the main characters. Barabas is appointed governor of Malta by Calymath (the Turkish leader and son of the emperor), but he secretly plans to betray him and restore Malta to the Christians. He also kills Ithamore, Bellamira, and Pilia-Borza with poisoned flowers to silence them. He then invites Calymath to a feast in his house, which he has rigged with gunpowder to blow up. However, his plan is foiled by Ferneze, who learns of his treachery from a slave and arrests him. Ferneze forces Barabas to convert to Christianity before sentencing him to death. Barabas pretends to comply, but he secretly sabotages the cauldron in which he is supposed to be executed, making it boil over and scald him to death. He also manages to set off the gunpowder in his house, killing many Turks inside. Ferneze regains control of Malta, but he also has to face the wrath of the Turkish emperor, who demands his son’s return.
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The diction of The Jew of Malta is rich and varied, reflecting Marlowe’s mastery of language and poetry. The play is written in blank verse (unrhymed iambic pentameter), which gives it a rhythmic and musical quality. Marlowe also uses different forms of speech for different characters and situations, such as prose for comic scenes or low-class characters; rhymed couplets for prologues or epilogues; songs for festive or romantic moments; soliloquies for revealing inner thoughts or emotions; asides for addressing the audience or commenting on the action; and dialogues for advancing the plot or developing the characters. Marlowe’s diction is also characterized by his use of imagery, metaphors, similes, allusions, irony, sarcasm, hyperbole, antithesis, paradox, and puns. These devices enhance the meaning and impact of his words, as well as create contrasts and connections between different themes and characters.
The characterization of The Jew of Malta is complex and nuanced, as Marlowe creates characters that are not easily defined or judged. Barabas is the most prominent example of this complexity, as he is both the protagonist and the antagonist of the play. He is a victim of religious persecution and social discrimination, but he is also a perpetrator of violence and injustice. He is a cunning and ambitious man who pursues his goals with determination and skill, but he is also a foolish and arrogant man who overreaches his limits and falls into his own traps. He is a loving father who cares for his daughter Abigail, but he is also a ruthless murderer who sacrifices her for his gold. He is a proud Jew who defends his faith against Christian oppression, but he is also a traitor who betrays his people to the Turks. He is a human being who has feelings and passions, but he is also a devil who has no conscience or remorse.
The other characters in The Jew of Malta are also portrayed with some degree of complexity, although they are less developed than Barabas. Abigail is a loyal daughter who obeys her father’s wishes, but she is also an independent woman who makes her own choices. She loves her father despite his faults, but she also rejects his evil deeds. She converts to Christianity twice: once out of deception to help her father recover his gold and once out of sincerity to escape her father’s influence. She dies as a martyr who confesses her father’s crimes and asks for God’s mercy. Ithamore is a faithful slave who serves his master with devotion, but he is also a rebellious slave who rebels against his master with treachery. He shares his master’s hatred for Christians, but he also falls in love with a Christian prostitute, Bellamira. He reveals his master’s secrets to Bellamira and Pilia-Borza, who blackmails him for money. He dies as a traitor who curses his master and begs for forgiveness. Ferneze is a hypocritical governor who rules Malta with tyranny.
The Jew of Malta was a successful play in its time, as it was performed several times by a prominent theatre company and attracted large audiences. The play was also controversial, as it depicted the Jews, Christians, and Turks in a negative and stereotypical way, reflecting the religious and political conflicts of the Elizabethan era. The play’s reception by its audience was likely mixed, depending on their views and prejudices.
According to literary sources, The Jew of Malta was an immediate success from its first recorded performance at the Rose Theatre in early 1592, when Edward Alleyn played the lead role. The play was subsequently presented by Alleyn’s Lord Strange’s Men seventeen times between 26 February 1592 and 1 February 1593. This suggests that the play had a strong appeal to the public, who enjoyed its dramatic and sensational plot, its witty and powerful language, and its charismatic and complex protagonist, Barabas.
However, the play was also problematic, as it portrayed the Jews, Christians, and Turks in a harsh and biased manner, reflecting the prejudices and fears of Elizabethan society. According to Britannica, the play exposes the hypocrisy and intolerance of both Christians and Jews, who use religion to justify their greed and violence. The play also mocks the political and military rivalry between Spain and the Ottoman Empire in the Mediterranean, which threatened England’s interests and security. The play’s representation of the Jews and others was influenced by Marlowe’s own views, as well as by the historical and cultural context of his time. According to a critical reader, Marlowe was a radical thinker who challenged the orthodoxies of his age, such as the divine right of kings, the authority of the church, and the superiority of Christianity. He was also familiar with the history and literature of the Jews and Turks, as well as with the contemporary debates and controversies about them.
Therefore, the play’s reception by its audience was probably varied, depending on their background and perspective. Some may have sympathized with Barabas as a victim of Christian oppression and admired his courage and cunning. Some may have condemned Barabas as a villainous Jew who deserved his punishment and hated his blasphemy and treachery. Some may have been entertained by the play’s dark comedy and satire, while others may have been offended or disturbed by its violence and immorality. Some may have recognized the play’s critique of religion and politics, while others may have missed or ignored its deeper meanings.
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