The Famous Tragedy of the Rich Jew of Malta
Style and Setting:
Written in 1589; Revenge tragedy; depicts anti- Semitism Placed in the island of Malta
The Wench is Dead, a 1989 novel by English writer Colin Dexter, gets its title from a line in The
Jew of Malta,; same line is quoted in T.S. Eliot’s prologue to his 1915 poem, “Portrait of a Lady.”
Characters:
Barabas: Selfish wealthy Jew; Abigail: good natured daughter of Barabas; Ithamore: black servant
Ferneze: Christian Governor; Lodowick: Governor’s son Abigail; Calymath: son of Turkish sultan
Mathias: Abigail’s lover, son of Katherine; Friar Barnardine & Jacomo; Bellamira & Pilia Borza
The Story:
Narrator Machiavel; mentions the death of “the Guise,”: Henri de Lorraine: a French catholic
Barabas on stage with lot of gold; proclaims profits coming world wise; difficult to count; 2
merchants tells about ships; in Soliloquy Barabas thinks; Jews are wealthy though "scattered
nation comparing Christians; loves to be with wealth & Abigail; 3 Jews (concerned & afaraid)
informs about Maltese ships & meeting; Barabas brags &thinks they have come to take the tribute
senate-house of Malta; meeting by governor Ferneze; 10 years tribute; too much, requests one
month to pay; 3 options for Jews: Give half, forceful conversion, lose everything; all agrees;
Barabas argues & loses all; house converted into nunnery; all sympathizes; Abigail enters &
laments; Barabas reveals the plan; money buried in the house; Abigail is to fake conversion; she
does; joins as novice; Lodowick & Mathias enter & get bewitch by her beauty
night; Barabas comes for money; Abigail drops bags; Barabas is happy & lyrically welcomes dawn
Spanish Martin del Bosco brings slaves; Ferneze refuses to buy; He assures Spanish king will help
him against Turks; Ferneze’s confidant agrees
Market place; Barabas aside:have bought house but will revenge humiliation; Lodowick enters-
Barabas’ prey through Abi.; Lod. Calls Abi. ‘diamond’; Barabas fakes redemption; buys Ithamore;
asks Lod. to visit home to take the diamond; Mathias comes, gets curious, asks about Lod.; Barabas
lies; Mother takes Mathias away; Barabas & Ithamore brags about their sins; Lodo. Return for
diamond; Abi. Enters; Barabas asks to entertain Lodo; her choice is Mathi.; Mathias enters &
enrages about the meeting; Barabas stops; tells Lodo about ill will of Mathi.; Mathias enters &
Barabas tells he just escaped stabbing by Lodo.; Abi. Declare love for Mathi.; Barabas enrages &
make her go in.
Bellamira and Pilia-Borza enter; P. Borza gives stolen gold; Ithamore praises her beauty & reveals
he has delivered letters to Mathi. & Lodo for duel
Lodo. & Mathi. slay each other; Ferneze & Katherine consider it suicide; later, decides investigation
Ithamore rejoices; tells Abigail; horrified; asks him to fetch a friar; he satirizes friar-nun relations;
Soliloquy, father is hard-hearted; loyal; Friar Jacomo arrives; accepts her in nunnery on request
Style and Setting:
Written in 1589; Revenge tragedy; depicts anti- Semitism Placed in the island of Malta
The Wench is Dead, a 1989 novel by English writer Colin Dexter, gets its title from a line in The
Jew of Malta,; same line is quoted in T.S. Eliot’s prologue to his 1915 poem, “Portrait of a Lady.”
Characters:
Barabas: Selfish wealthy Jew; Abigail: good natured daughter of Barabas; Ithamore: black servant
Ferneze: Christian Governor; Lodowick: Governor’s son Abigail; Calymath: son of Turkish sultan
Mathias: Abigail’s lover, son of Katherine; Friar Barnardine & Jacomo; Bellamira & Pilia Borza
The Story:
Narrator Machiavel; mentions the death of “the Guise,”: Henri de Lorraine: a French catholic
Barabas on stage with lot of gold; proclaims profits coming world wise; difficult to count; 2
merchants tells about ships; in Soliloquy Barabas thinks; Jews are wealthy though "scattered
nation comparing Christians; loves to be with wealth & Abigail; 3 Jews (concerned & afaraid)
informs about Maltese ships & meeting; Barabas brags &thinks they have come to take the tribute
senate-house of Malta; meeting by governor Ferneze; 10 years tribute; too much, requests one
month to pay; 3 options for Jews: Give half, forceful conversion, lose everything; all agrees;
Barabas argues & loses all; house converted into nunnery; all sympathizes; Abigail enters &
laments; Barabas reveals the plan; money buried in the house; Abigail is to fake conversion; she
does; joins as novice; Lodowick & Mathias enter & get bewitch by her beauty
night; Barabas comes for money; Abigail drops bags; Barabas is happy & lyrically welcomes dawn
Spanish Martin del Bosco brings slaves; Ferneze refuses to buy; He assures Spanish king will help
him against Turks; Ferneze’s confidant agrees
Market place; Barabas aside:have bought house but will revenge humiliation; Lodowick enters-
Barabas’ prey through Abi.; Lod. Calls Abi. ‘diamond’; Barabas fakes redemption; buys Ithamore;
asks Lod. to visit home to take the diamond; Mathias comes, gets curious, asks about Lod.; Barabas
lies; Mother takes Mathias away; Barabas & Ithamore brags about their sins; Lodo. Return for
diamond; Abi. Enters; Barabas asks to entertain Lodo; her choice is Mathi.; Mathias enters &
enrages about the meeting; Barabas stops; tells Lodo about ill will of Mathi.; Mathias enters &
Barabas tells he just escaped stabbing by Lodo.; Abi. Declare love for Mathi.; Barabas enrages &
make her go in.
Bellamira and Pilia-Borza enter; P. Borza gives stolen gold; Ithamore praises her beauty & reveals
he has delivered letters to Mathi. & Lodo for duel
Lodo. & Mathi. slay each other; Ferneze & Katherine consider it suicide; later, decides investigation
Ithamore rejoices; tells Abigail; horrified; asks him to fetch a friar; he satirizes friar-nun relations;
Soliloquy, father is hard-hearted; loyal; Friar Jacomo arrives; accepts her in nunnery on request
