Answer TWO of the
following:
Q1: Strangely, The Jew
of Malta opens with a Prologue spoken by Machevil, a corruption of
Machiavelli, author of the infamous political text, The Prince (1532).
Based on what he tells the audience (and his language), why might we assume
that this character is played by the same actor who performs Barabas? Or do you
think he actually resembles another character we meet in the play?
Q2: While this play is
often singled out for its traditionally anti-semitic views, how does Marlowe
portray the Christian authorities in this play—esp. Ferneze , Del
Q3: Act 2, Scene 1
contains a balcony scene that is strangely reminiscent of the same scene in Romeo
and Juliet (written only a few years later). How does Marlowe parody the
traditional ‘love scene’ in this passage, and why might it have inspired
Shakespeare when he depicted Romeo and Juliet?
Q4: One of the most famous
passages in the play is when Barabas and Ithamore try to one-up each other on
the evil deeds they perform in Christian society, such as “I walk abroad
a-nights/And kill sick people groaning under walls” (2.3.). How does this
passage support what we’ve seen of Barabas’ character thus far in the play? Is
Barabas another Aaron, who is sympathetic one moment and horrific the next? Or
do you think he’s simply trying to get Ithamore to show his true colors (and is
thus lying, as he does throughout the play)?
Elyse Marquardt
ReplyDeleteQ2:The Christian authorities in this play are certainly not meant to be the good guys or the heroes. They take all of the Jew's riches and feel not a bit of remorse for it; indeed, they back up their actions with Scripture. Yet this is where their hypocrisy shows forth: While the Jew reminds them of parts of the Bible that call out theft as sin, they ignore his words and preach at him with their own favorite parts of the Bible. This is a sad depiction of the hypocrisy that all too often occurs among Christians, both in Marlowe's time and today. If they ARE meant to be the "moral center," Marlowe is using them to show how corrupt the "moral center" of his time could truly be.
Q4: To me, this scene between Barabas and Ithamore is like a dance between two male birds to see who has the brighter plumage. While Barabas may be trying to see how cruel Ithamore can truly be, he also seems to simply be trying to one-up the slave with his own horrific deeds. This scene could either be terrifying or amusing, based on how the actors portrayed it. If terrifying, it would be two evil men bent on displaying their cruelty. If amusing, it would be two immature idiots parading around the stage in blissful ignorance of their stupidity.
Elyse Marquardt
Q1: In my opinion, the actor who plays Machevil should play Barabas because they are essentially written as the same character. Machevil shuns religion and wants power and wealth. Barabas shuns religion and wants wealth by any means necessary. Machevil embodies the ideas of Machiavelli, likewise Barabas is viewed as evil and scheming when it comes to gaining money. The character of Machevil is essentially an out of time Barabas.
ReplyDeleteQ3: Marlowe parodies the traditional love scene by making the object of lust, or love, gold instead of a woman. Barabas is making a passionate speech and reciting love poems to gold. Shakespeare may have seen how funny this scene was and used it to inspire the quirkiness of Romeo's love throughout his play "Romeo and Juliet." In many ways Barabas' gold is Romeo's Juliet, mainly both men lust for their love by making speeches and taking elaborate actions to obtain it.
Q1. The fact that the play opens with Macevil is a great way to set up that the main character, Barabas, is perhaps an imitation or representation of this character. Machiavelli is a sadistic and evil person in most peoples eyes and because of this play goers may be able to see how this character, Macevil, is foreshadowing the rest of the play. To have Barabas come out as the same actor but in a different costume would have further allowed the audience to see how alike these characters are.
ReplyDeleteQ2. Marlowe tends to be poking fun at every religion in this play. However, he particularly demonizes the Christian religion as our main character Barabas states that the reason for his deception and greed is caused by the Christians themselves. He allows the audience to believe that because of their judgments, he is simply playing their game, and they hate him because he is perhaps better at it than they are. The audience is also able to see that the Christian authorities are bad through their specific action of taking the Jew's money and or making them convert, instead of saving or making their own money. We can also see that the Christians love to quote the bible, however, like many criticize today, they pick and choose their favorite parts. Marlowe is perhaps poking fun at the entire ideal of being Christian.
Q2: Marlowe portrays the Christian authorities as greedy men who wanted to take particularly from Barabas and the three Jews so that they could “save the ruin of a multitude”. Their reasoning was “better one want for a common good, than many perish for a private man.” Marlowe does not make them out to be the heroes, but thieves who want Barabas to give them half his wealth so that they could give Callapine and Calymath the ten years’ tribute that had not been paid to them. Ferenze and the other authorities were essentially giving Christianity a bad name. After demanding Barabas to give up his riches, Barabas asked them “will you then steal my goods? Is theft the ground of your religion?”
ReplyDeleteQ3: Marlowe took the traditional “love scene” and parodied it by making gold the recipient of such a beautiful speech, instead of a female love interest. Barabas felt a certain way about his riches and gold, a way that others usually felt towards a love interest. This probably even made the scene somewhat comical for the audience. Shakespeare, being the sarcastic genius that he is, probably thought to himself, “oh, everyone loved this scene being about fortune and gold, let me see if I can’t make it even better by making it a sweet poem from a boy to a beautiful girl.”
2. No one leaves this play with pristine white robes. Barabas is a crazy dick (justified as he is) and the Christians are hypocritical asses. It almost seems as though the point is that Jews /might/ be as bad as portrayed, but the 'good' Christians are hardly any better. Barabas being Jewish is a convenient excuse for them to fleece him for all he is worth.
ReplyDelete3. The imagery is quite romantic, by all accounts. But the hilarious issue is that, rather than a lovely lady, Barabas is waiting for literal bags of gold. He relishes in the presence of his daughter as it means he is getting his riches back. He acts goofy and lovestruck. Chances are (though I haven't read Romeo and Juliet under this light) Romeo looked like an absolute dork while 'wooing' Juliet.
Q2: Marlowe is not exclusively antisemitic. He does not favor any religion in this play. He portrays the Jews, Christians, and Muslims equally as vicious in their own way. It aligns thematically with Dr. Faustus.
ReplyDeleteQ4: I think that Barabas was not telling the truth about murdering people. I think he is just trying to get Ithamore to admit what he has done and is capable of. Barabas wants to know if Ithamore would be willing to commit murder for him- in order to gain money.
Q2: Even though this play is seen as anti Semitic, some of the Christians, Ferneze in particular, seem more cold hearted. Barabas and Fermeze are both men of business, but Barabas seems like he would be more ethical and moral. Ferneze is shown to be cold and stern when he rejects Barabas' offer to pay half once Barabas hears his options.
ReplyDeleteQ4: I don't think that Barabas has committed these acts. I would bet that he is either attempting to get Ithamore to reveal his true self, or he is trying to "bond", with Ithamore, or gain his trust/affection. This could be similar to the Seinfeld episode when George pretends to be a badass in order to get the girl.
Daniel Bonar
ReplyDeleteQ1: In the prologue Machevil says something that I believe gives him away as Barbaras. He says “let me be envied and not pitied”, this language gives him away because in act 1 scene 1 barbaras is talking to his merchant and goes on this long winded shpeel about how he’s a jew and that he makes money, but then he says “rather had I a jew be hated thus, than pitied in a christian poverty”, almost word for word reiterating the words from the prolougue.
Q3: Marlowe parodies the traditional love scene by making the entire affair about money rather than romance. Barbaras’ romantic language has nothing to do with the girl, his daughter, and everything to do with the fact that she’s brought him money. This may have inspired Shakespeare by giving him the idea of the balcony because Abigail first appears on a balcony, however in terms of romance I think Shakespeare was on his own. Although he could have taken some of what Barbaras was saying and replaced money with Juliette