Foundation of Literature

Rismayanti Dewi Solihat
06211210028
Class B

Title: The Jew of Malta

Author: Christopher Marlowe

Year: 1589/1580

Character: Barabas, Abigall: Barabas's daughter, Mathias: Lodowick's friend. He shares a mutual love with Abigall, Ferneze: The governor of Malta, Lodowick: Ferneze's son. As with Mathias, he desires to marry Abigall, Ithamore: A Turkish slave captured by the Spanish navy, bought by Barabas to help carry out his evil plots, Calymath: The Turkish leader, son of the Sultan.

Summary:

The Jew of Malta tells about Barabas, he is a man owning more wealth than all of Malta. Malta is located in the Mediterranean within Southern Europe. When the Turkish sultan's son Selim Calymath arrive to demand tribute, however, Barabas's wealth is seized. He begins a campaign to the Maltese governor, Ferneze, who robbed him. With the aid of his daughter, Abigail, he recovers some of his former assets and buys a Turkish slave, Ithamore, who appears to hate Christians as much as Barabas. Barabas try to revenge for the robbery by using his daughter's beauty to embitter the governor's son, Lodowick, and his friend, Mathias, against each other, leading to a duel in which they both die. Finally they confront and stab each other. Ithamore himself, however, is lured into disclosing his secrets and blackmailing Barabas by a beautiful prostitute and her criminal friend. Barabas poisons all of them in revenge, but not before the governor is apprised of his deeds. Barabas escapes execution by feigning death, and then helps an advancing Turkish army to sack Malta, for which he is awarded governorship of the city. He then turns on the Turks, allowing the Knights of Malta to kill the Turkish army. The Maltese, however, turn on Barabas and kill him as they regain control of Malta.