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Prologue
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Jew of Malta, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
God and Machiavellianism
Religious Hypocrisy
Anti-Semitism
Money and Greed
Betrayal and Revenge
Summary
Analysis
Barabas enters his counting house, where he is surrounded by piles of gold. He is awaiting the return of his merchant ships, which carry various goods, including Greek wines and Spanish oils. The Arabians pay well in gold, but Barabas prefers Indian merchants and the rich Moors of the East with their precious gems and the finest diamonds, rubies, and sapphires. The bulk of Barabas’s wealth consists of such jewels, and he will have more. His ship coming from Alexandria is loaded with valuable spices and silks, and he expects it soon to arrive in Malta.
Barabas’s counting house and piles of gold again speak to his greed—he isn’t happy with just a little wealth; he must have piles of it. He is expecting more ships, which means his fortune is only expected to grow, and the fact that he trades in Greek wines and Spanish oils suggests that his enterprise is far-reaching and lucrative. Furthermore, Barabas prefers jewels to gold—presumably because they are more exotic and valuable—which also suggests that he isn’t satisfied with just an average fortune.
Themes
Literary Devices
A merchant enters and tells Barabas that his ship has safely arrived, and Barabas must go to the customhouse and pay the bill of entry. Barabas tells the merchant to use credit for the bill, but the merchant claims the cost is more than the worth of many of the town’s merchants. Barabas tells the merchant to go back and tell them that “the Jew of Malta” sent him. That should be enough, Barabas says. The merchant agrees, but before he exits, Barabas asks him what ship he comes from. The Speranza, the merchant answers. Barabas asks about the ship coming from Alexandria, but the merchant knows nothing of it. He says that many of the merchants think Barabas is mad to trust such wealth on a “crazèd vessel,” but Barabas quickly dismisses him. The ship is fine, Barabas says.
Clearly, Barabas is the richest man in Malta, and he is worth more than most of the town’s merchants combined. Barabas’s name alone extends an enormous line of credit and is enough to cover the large bill at customs. Barabas has so many ships and merchants working for him, he must ask the merchant which ship he comes from, which again points to Barabas’s insatiable greed. He is particularly concerned with the ship from Alexandria, presumably because it carries the most valuable goods. The merchant’s mention of the ship being a “crazèd vessel” means that the ship is in poor repair and isn’t exactly seaworthy. This point suggests that Barabas is not only greedy, he is cheap, and he puts his crewmembers (and, counterintuitively, his own wealth) at risk with a ramshackle ship.
Themes
The merchant exits and a second merchant enters. He tells Barabas that his ship has arrived safely from Alexandria and is loaded with various riches. Barabas asks about the other ships arriving from Egypt, but the merchant did not come across them. The ship from Alexandria was escorted by a Spanish fleet, the merchant says, and they were chased by the Turks. Barabas dismisses the second merchant and is again alone with his wealth.
During the 16th century, the Ottoman Empire (the Turks) was at the height of its power and controlled much of Europe and Western Asia. The Turkish presence outside of Malta is threatening and hints at war and aggression—a connotation that is also Machiavellian, especially if the Turks are looking to take Malta by force. In contrast, Spain is clearly an ally and is invested in protecting the Maltese. Again, Barabas has numerous ships (at least four have been referenced thus far), which again underscores his wide-reaching greed.
Themes
Literary Devices
As Barabas looks around his counting house at his gold, he says that “these are the blessings promised to the Jews.” They are the masters of the seas, and the wind blows to carry their riches. Barabas may be hated overall, but he is respected for his wealth, and he would rather be hated as a Jew than be a poor Christian. There is nothing to be found in religion, according to Barabas, “but malice, falsehood, and excessive pride.” The Jews are a “scattered nation,” but they have more wealth than most have faith.
The Jews are a “scattered nation,” meaning that they live in many nations without a permanent home because no nation will claim them as citizens, which again highlights the anti-Semitism of the time. Barabas is hated in Malta because of his Jewishness, which speaks to Malta’s (and, metaphorically, England’s) biased society, but Barabas’s wealth affords him power that society otherwise strips from him. While this goes a long way in understanding Barabas’s greed, it also reinforces negative stereotypes that Jewish people are often rich and greedy. Again, Barabas has no use for religion and considers it harmful (it is full of “malice” and “falsehood”), yet he refers to his wealth as a “blessing” and often cites his Jewish identity. Barabas doesn’t approach his Jewish religion as a way of life or a spiritual or moral guide; he considers his religion only in context with his wealth, which exposes his own hypocrisy.
Themes
Literary Devices
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There are many Jews in Malta, Barabas says, and in every other nation, and each Jew is wealthy. But, Barabas admits, the Jews do not want to rule as kings. Let the Christians be kings, Barabas says, and leave him to his wealth and his daughter, Abigail, whom he holds “as dear / As Agamemnon did his Iphigen.” Three Jews enter talking about Barabas’s “policy” and talent. A Turkish fleet has arrived, one of the men says, and they fear war. Barabas tries to calm the men. The Turks and Malta are in league, so the Turks likely come in peace, Barabas says, but then he makes a short aside. Barabas cares only about himself, his money, and Abigail—he cares little about Malta or the other Jews.
Barabas’s admission that there are Jews in every country would not have been received well in Marlowe’s time. Jews were formally ejected from England in the 13th century with the Edict of Expulsion, and many English people did not want to admit that Jews were living in their country. Barabas’s allusion to “Agamemnon and Iphigen” refers to the Greek myth of Agamemnon, the King of Mycenae, and his daughter, Iphigenia, whom he sacrificed to the gods for favorable winds. This ironic reference suggests that Barabas doesn’t hold his daughter as dear as he says, and it foreshadows her grim fate. The Jews’ mention of Barabas’s “policy” is a reference to his Machiavellian scheming and corruption, which is also reflected in Barabas’s aside when he admits he cares only about himself and his money.
Themes
There will be a meeting at the senate-house, the Jewish man tells Barabas, and every Jew in Malta must attend. Barabas says that he understands and will investigate it immediately (for himself, Barabas again says in a quick aside). The men are thankful for Barabas’s help and exit. Alone again, Barabas laughs at how stupid the other Jews are—of course the Turks have not come as friends. The Maltese government owes the Turks many years of tribute pay, and Barabas fears the Turks have come to collect. Barabas doesn’t care why they have come. The Turks can have Malta, but they can’t have his wealth.
Barabas’s aside again suggests he plans to betray the other Jews and is concerned only with himself and his money. Malta owes the Turks tribute pay, which is payment from one country to another in exchange for peace. On the surface, this agreement sounds like a mutual alliance, but what it basically amounts to is a shakedown and Machiavellian tactics. Malta is small and powerless compared to the Ottoman Empire, so the Turks agree not to attack—that is, if Malta pays the tribute.
Themes
Literary Devices
